Sage’s Wall Becomes a Game-Changing Ability with VALORANT Patch 6.11
Sage has received a significant boost in the latest VALORANT Patch 6.11, which aimed to address the spray and pray meta by reducing ammunition in Vandals and Phantoms. This change has made Sage’s signature wall ability even more impactful in the game.
The recent changes on June 6 mean that destroying Sage walls placed on crucial chokepoints, such as Icebox’s tube, now requires a larger portion of a player’s ammunition.
Sage’s Wall could now serve as a powerful ability to stop last-second enemy pushes. While there are alternative ways to bypass the wall, it can be a game-ending move in certain situations, which may lead to an increase in the healer’s pick rate on lane-heavy maps.
According to stat-tracking website ValorBuff, Sage already has a high pick rate of 54.2 percent in ranked matches of VALORANT over the past six months.
However, higher-ranked players and professionals have questioned the effectiveness of Sage’s abilities recently, as other agent picks showcase a wider range of signature moves. During the VCT: EMEA League, Sage was only picked 13 percent of the time. With this change, Sage could potentially make a comeback in the pro scene if her rotation-stopping wall becomes even stronger and more situational.
The update, known as Patch 6.11, is specifically designed to reduce spray-and-pray gameplay. Riot aims to eliminate spamming through smokes as VALORANT players adjust to the decreased ammo availability.
While gamers will need time to adapt, Sage’s Wall will initially receive an indirect buff from this patch. However, as time goes on, players may find ways to navigate the ammo scarcity, whether it’s by purchasing more Odins and Ares or by shifting the strategic meta.
In any case, it is still early to determine the full impact of this week’s VALORANT update on Sage and the overall meta.
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