The VCT 2025 season has just ended with NRG taking the big win against Fnatic in the finals. And with another season coming to a close, developers are already laying the massive update that will go live on October 15. The S25 Act 6 Valorant update will see the biggest agent balancing, along with map changes, weapon changes, and more. Read the full Valorant patch notes 11.08 here.
Valorant Agent Changes for Patch Notes 11.08
The key highlight of the Valorant patch notes 11.08 is the massive agent buffs and nerfs. This is so far the biggest change Riot has ever pushed to all Valorant agents. If you want the full breakdown, head over to our full Valorant agent buffs and nerfs article. That said, here is a quick overview of which characters got decent buffs or completely got nerfed to oblivion:
Controller Changes in 11.08
In the update, Controllers are on the much safer side, with only a few agents getting hit with the nerf. Here are the universal changes for all Valorant Controller agents:
- Nearsight visibility for enemies increased.
- Concuss and stim buffs are reduced globally.
- Rechargeable cooldowns increased for Astra and Omen.
Sentinel Changes in 11.08
As offensive utility becomes less dominant, defensive tools are being fine-tuned to keep counterplay balanced with the Valorant S25 Act 6 patch. Many abilities will now be simpler to detect, lure out, or break, and most Sentinel signature abilities will face longer cooldowns when destroyed.
- Cooldown for destroyed utility: 45s -> 60s.
- Health of breakable gadgets or walls reduced.
- Debuff durations are the same for all agents with new concuss and near-sight timings (2.5 seconds).
Initiator Changes in 11.08
Similar to Sentinels, Initiators are receiving more focused and deliberate adjustments to improve counterplay, with the main tweaks targeting ability cooldowns and stun durations. Through this, developers want to make Initiators more time-efficient and easier to counter.
- Signature ability cooldowns: 40s -> 60s (Sova Recon Bolt, Fade Haunt, KAY/O Zero Point, Breach Fault Line).
- The AOE for most abilities is lowered.
- Flash duration fixed at 2.25 seconds (Breach, KAY/O, Skye).
Duelist Changes in 11.08
Yoru and Neon are receiving nerfs to open up space for other Duelists to get more space. Hindering, Concuss, and Flashes are getting their debuff timer reduced. Moreover, Waylay and Iso ultimates are much smaller AOE, while Reyna gets fewer boosts during the Empress ultimate.
The new Valorant patch notes 11.08 agent changes are in contrast to the gameplay changes, where the developers want the gunplay to shine more. That takes us to the weapon adjustments in the Act 6 update.
Valorant Patch Notes 11.08 Weapon Adjustments
Rifles and SMGs are getting balance adjustments aimed at improving consistency and rewarding control. Here are the changes for all the weapon classes coming in the next Valorant patch:
- Rifles (Vandal, Phantom, Bulldog): Horizontal recoil now switches direction more slowly for steadier aim. Spray stability has been improved with increased “protected bullets” — Vandal from 4 to 6 and Phantom from 6 to 8. Protected bullet behavior is now consistent with rifles for smoother weapon handling.
- SMGs (Spectre, Stinger): The Stinger becomes less accurate during long sprays, while the Spectre gains tighter spread and faster recovery to first-shot accuracy.
Valorant Patch 11.08: Pearl and Abyss Map Reworks
Patch 11.08 is one of Valorant’s biggest updates yet, bringing all-out adjustments to the maps as well. Along with the focus toward precision gunplay and smarter site control, both Pearl and Abyss are receiving major reworks that aim to improve balance and tactical depth. The upcoming ranked map pool will feature Abyss, Pearl, Ascent, Bind, Lotus, Split, and Icebox. That said, here are the map adjustments for the Valorant patch notes 11.08:
Abyss Map Changes in 11.08
Abyss, now celebrating its first year in rotation, is being reshaped to promote stronger defensive holds and fairer post-plant play. The main focus lies on the Mid and B Site, both redesigned to change the pacing of fights.
- B Site Rework: Riot has added new cubbies and cover points, giving defenders better control when holding or retaking. Attackers, meanwhile, will find more space in the approach corridors, improving utility usage and entry options. The tower area is now shorter, removing an awkward teleport corner for Omen players, and new corners near the main and under the tower help make post-plant positions safer and more tactical.
- Mid Adjustments: Mid Bend now sits closer to the mid boxes, slowing down rotations and encouraging more deliberate control. Attackers rotating from A to B have extra corners to clear, while the catwalk area is more open, forcing defenders to play further back. These changes should make fights around Mid more dynamic and less predictable.
Pearl Map Changes in 11.08
Pearl returns to the ranked pool with a focus on B Site and B Long, areas that had long favored attackers holding post-plants from range. Riot’s goal is to encourage more on-site fights and give defenders stronger retake options.
- B Long and B Site Updates: The long sightline from B Long has been partially blocked with new boxes, reducing how safely attackers can hold the spike from main. The new cover positions make planting for B Long riskier and create better opportunities for retakes.
- Defender Positions: Additional boxes and angles have been introduced to allow defenders to anchor more effectively and contest post-plants. A new corner on the left side of B Site now offers flexible options for both sides, adding more depth to site control and trading.
That ends everything you need to know about the Valorant patch notes 11.08 for the S25 Act 6 update. Which changes are you most excited to check out? Let us know in the comments.
