Valorant Episode 2 adds Yoru, rank updates, and big balance patch

The highly anticipated Valorant Episode 2 Act I has officially launched, bringing Patch 2.00 with transformative changes to the competitive landscape. Riot Games has delivered one of the most substantial updates since launch, featuring the dimensional duelist Yoru alongside sweeping adjustments to the ranked ecosystem and agent balance.

This comprehensive patch addresses long-standing community requests while introducing fresh strategic dimensions. Players should prepare for significant shifts in both individual playstyles and team compositions.

Valorant Episode 2 Key Updates

• Yoru officially joins the roster with space-time manipulation abilities
• Battle pass includes new cosmetics and progression rewards
• Omen receives targeted nerfs to rebalance controller viability
• Ranked matchmaking undergoes complete reconstruction with added leaderboards

New agent Yoru enters Valorant

Yoru revolutionizes the duelist role with unprecedented deception capabilities. As a Japanese operative specializing in temporal manipulation, he joins Jett, Phoenix, and other aggressive entry fraggers. His capacity to fracture reality and infiltrate defensive setups undetected introduces new layers of psychological warfare to Valorant’s tactical ecosystem.

His tactical toolkit begins with Fakeout, which generates audible footsteps to misdirect opponents—ideal for creating false rotations. Blindsided provides temporary vision denial, though its audio cues are more distinguishable than Phoenix’s curveball. The signature Gatecrash ability establishes a spatial tether that enables instantaneous relocation, perfect for flanking maneuvers or quick escapes.

Yoru’s ultimate, Dimensional Rift, transforms him into an intangible observer who can gather intelligence while remaining immune to conventional damage. However, experienced players can track his shimmering outline, creating risk-reward decision points.

Advanced Yoru Strategies:

• Use Fakeout during post-plant situations to draw out defenders from safe positions
• Combine Gatecrash with Blindsided to execute unpredictable entry patterns
• During Dimensional Rift, prioritize information gathering over aggressive positioning
• Common mistake: Overusing teleportation in predictable patterns that experienced opponents can punish

Omen nerfed in Valorant Episode 2

While Episode 2 expands duelist options, Riot has rebalanced the controller role to encourage diversity. Omen’s shadowy dominance has been curtailed through systematic adjustments, while Brimstone receives meaningful quality-of-life enhancements.

The smoke deployment speed for Omen has been reduced by 30%, significantly impacting his ability to reactively counter pushes. Meanwhile, Brimstone’s Sky Smokes now cover expanded areas, making him more effective at map control.

Brimstone’s Stim Beacon now deploys instantaneously, allowing quicker team engagements. His Incendiary ability becomes more cost-efficient, while Omen’s Paranoia costs increase, forcing more economical ability usage.

Riot’s ongoing commitment to role balance includes monitoring all controller agents. The development team has confirmed that Viper enhancements are actively being developed to strengthen her competitive presence.

Controller Selection Strategy:

• Omen now requires more predictive smoke placements rather than reactive usage
• Brimstone excels in structured executes with improved area denial capabilities
• Anticipate Viper changes in upcoming patches based on performance data

New Valorant leaderboard highlights Immortal players

Episode 2 fundamentally reconstructs Valorant’s competitive ranking framework. The Immortal rank has been streamlined, now exclusively representing the top 500 competitors per region. Players outside this elite threshold will be placed at Diamond 3, creating clearer skill stratification.

The revamped system eliminates previous progression ambiguity by replacing advancement arrows with precise numerical tracking. This granular progress bar provides immediate feedback on performance impact toward rank promotion or demotion.

Victorious matches now grant between 10-50 rating points (RR), with variations determined by individual contribution metrics. Similarly, defeats result in 10-30 RR loss, scaled according to personal performance metrics during the game.

Immortal-tier stalemates now result in zero RR adjustment, preventing rating inflation during evenly matched competitions.

Ranked Performance Optimization:

• Focus on consistent impact rather than purely win/loss outcomes
• Maintain active gameplay to preserve Act rank standings
• Strategic tip: Coordinate with your team using our Class Guide principles for maximum rating gains

Other updates:

• The maximum placement rank achievable is now Platinum 3
• Resolved a bug allowing Omen to bypass buy phase barriers via teleportation
• Fixed minimap persistence issue where opponent positions remained visible after losing line of sight
• Classic pistol spread patterns adjusted to decrease spray reliability
• Act rank preservation now extends to 14 days of inactivity

Weapon Meta Implications:

• Classic changes reduce its effectiveness as a primary weapon in eco rounds
• These adjustments complement broader changes detailed in our Weapons Unlock guide for optimal loadout selection

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