Riot Games has shared all the details about the upcoming Valorant Patch 9.10, set to release in the coming days. This patch brings significant changes to agents, weapons, gameplay mechanics, and new strategic options like the Regeneration Shield and buffs to the Phantom.

Staying on course with their end-of-year updates, Riot Games is focusing on specialists, sentinels, and Phoenix this time around. The patch includes numerous gameplay and weapon adjustments, such as a revamped combat log, the addition of the Regeneration Shield, and weapon tweaks that are sure to influence pistol rounds moving forward.

READ MORE: Tencent banned over 20,000 Valorant accounts in China within two weeks

New Armor Type: Regeneration Shield

Riot aims to diversify strategic and tactical options in competitive VALORANT by introducing a new defense item, the Regeneration Shield.

• Cost: 650 credits
• Damage Absorption: 25 HP
• Durability: 50 HP
• Absorbs 100% of incoming damage without health loss.
• After a short delay, the shield regenerates using its durability reserve.

Agent Changes

Cypher

Cypher has dominated matches with his ability to gather intel across the map and aggressive setups. Since information gathering is his unique strength, Riot has decided to balance his lethality.

• Trapwire:Now detects enemies with a 0.5-second delay.Updated minimap icon for more accurate placement visualization.
• Now detects enemies with a 0.5-second delay.
• Updated minimap icon for more accurate placement visualization.
• Neural Theft:Ultimate cost increased from 6 to 7.
• Ultimate cost increased from 6 to 7.

Sage

Sage has been underperforming lately, especially in high-level games. Riot is enhancing her ability to delay and slow attackers, making her control over key zones more impactful.

• Healing Orb:Self-healing increased from 30 HP to 50 HP.Healing time is now the same for both Sage and her allies (approximately 5 seconds).
• Self-healing increased from 30 HP to 50 HP.
• Healing time is now the same for both Sage and her allies (approximately 5 seconds).
• Slow Orb:Now reduces dash speed by 50%. This makes the ability more effective against duelists with quick movement abilities.
• Now reduces dash speed by 50%. This makes the ability more effective against duelists with quick movement abilities.
• Resurrection:Cost reduced from 8 to 7.
• Cost reduced from 8 to 7.

Deadlock

• Deadlock’s ultimate will now always eliminate a target trapped in the cocoon if they are not freed by the end of the countdown. Previously, elimination only occurred if the target reached the end of the path.
• Visual updates for the durability indicators of Deadlock’s cocoon and Barrier Mesh make their status easier to assess.

Omen

Omen remains one of the most popular controllers in high-level play due to his versatility and ability to maintain pressure throughout the round. However, his one-way smokes provided an unintended advantage in defense.

• Dark Cover:The smoke will now only land on surfaces where players can stand, similar to Brimstone’s Sky Smokes and other blocking abilities.Omen can no longer place smokes on small decorative elements, such as the electric box near B Exit on Split.
• The smoke will now only land on surfaces where players can stand, similar to Brimstone’s Sky Smokes and other blocking abilities.
• Omen can no longer place smokes on small decorative elements, such as the electric box near B Exit on Split.

Clove

• Decoy:Improved visual distinction between ally and enemy decoys, both when alive and after death.Enemy decoys will now have a more vivid red color compared to allies’ decoys.
• Improved visual distinction between ally and enemy decoys, both when alive and after death.
• Enemy decoys will now have a more vivid red color compared to allies’ decoys.
• Die Early:Time to eliminate a marked enemy reduced from 12 to 10 seconds. This adjustment, initially introduced in Patch 8.11 as a bug fix, has shown to improve gameplay balance.
• Time to eliminate a marked enemy reduced from 12 to 10 seconds. This adjustment, initially introduced in Patch 8.11 as a bug fix, has shown to improve gameplay balance.

Phoenix

As part of patch 8.11, which brought changes to duelists, the developers decided to make the bold and confident Phoenix shine even brighter! These updates aim to encourage him to rejoin the fight faster and push onto points using "Curveball", while rewarding successful aggression.

Phoenix will now gradually regenerate health when touching his fire – this effect persists even after he steps out of the flames. This allows him to quickly step into the fire and then continue his attack.

Curveball:

• Now classified as a signature ability.
• Starts with one charge at the beginning of the round.
• Gains an additional charge after two kills.

Hot Hands:

• Now a basic ability.
• Cost: 200 credits.

Blaze:

Riot aims to increase Phoenix's value as a versatile hybrid agent by allowing him to use "Blaze" from a safe position, similar to other vision-blocking abilities.

• "Blaze" will now function similarly to Harbor’s "Cascade", with the initial flame projectile passing through walls.

Jett

Drift (Passive Ability):

• A bug affecting balance has been fixed: Jett will no longer float in the air when suppressed or detained.

Map Changes

Sunset

Riot has updated the global lighting across the entire map. Players should notice improved lighting quality and better visibility in previously darker areas of the map.

Game Systems UpdatesThe game systems updates in this patch aim to enhance the tactical aspect of gameplay in VALORANT. The Combat Report is intended to facilitate the clear delivery of in-game information. Developers closely monitor how such systems operate, including how they might be exploited in ways that go against their intended purpose.

Combat ReportThe Combat Report is designed to provide insights into your contributions during a round of VALORANT. However, it can sometimes reveal information you otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

This often involves abilities like Breach’s "Flashpoint" or Skye’s "Guiding Light": you use an ability, get eliminated, but unintentionally learn that you blinded players you neither saw nor engaged with.

To address such cases, the following changes are being made to the Combat Report:

• Ability stats will now display at the end of the round, instead of immediately after your death.
• In place of immediate stats, animated hourglass icons will be shown.
• Ability usage stats will appear at the end of the round and will be accessible before the next round begins.

StunThe consequences of well-executed stuns should be just as severe for agile duelists as they are for other agents. Developers also believe this change will make defensive teleportation a more flexible repositioning option compared to dashes, compensating for its disadvantages in offensive scenarios.

• Stuns now slow enemy dashes by 50%.
• This change affects Jett’s "Tailwind" and Neon’s slide.

Updated Overheal Visual Effects in the UIThe visual design of overheal effects in the UI has been updated for improved clarity.

• Changes affect the display of extra health gained through Reyna’s "Devour" and Clove’s "Harvest" abilities.

Updated Smoke Visual EffectsVisual indicators have been added to the center of smoke clouds to signal when the smoke is about to dissipate, aiding decision-making. These cues align with those already present on the outer edges of smoke.

This update affects the smoke abilities of the following agents:

• Astra
• Brimstone
• Omen
• Clove

Weapon Changes

As VALORANT has grown and evolved, players have mastered the art of peeking and shooting from behind cover. Due to how tagging works in VALORANT (players slow down when hit by a bullet), tagged players often slow to a walking speed, which increases their shooting accuracy.

The developers aim to maintain the intuitive connection between movement speed and shooting accuracy while encouraging more deliberate movement during gunfights. To achieve this, movement inaccuracy (commonly referred to as "movement error") has been further increased to emphasize conscious decision-making during shooting.

Sheriff and Frenzy already have movement inaccuracy values distinct from other pistols. These will remain unchanged to preserve their unique characteristics.Similarly, submachine guns will not be affected, as their relative accuracy during movement is a key trait of this weapon class.

Ghost, however, had more bullets than Frenzy, which raised questions given their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Changes to Pistol Inaccuracy

All Pistols (except Shorty):

• Crouching movement inaccuracy increased from 0.1 to 0.5.

Classic:

• Alternate fire inaccuracy while running increased from 1.3 to 1.5.
• Alternate fire inaccuracy while jumping increased from 2.1 to 2.25.
• Walking inaccuracy increased from 0.84 to 1.1.
• Running inaccuracy increased from 2 to 2.3.

Ghost:

• Walking inaccuracy increased from 0.84 to 1.1.
• Running inaccuracy increased from 2 to 2.3.

Changes to Rifle Inaccuracy

All Rifles:

• Walking inaccuracy increased from 2 to 3.
• Running inaccuracy increased from 5 to 6.

Changes to Machine Gun Inaccuracy

All Machine Guns:

• Walking inaccuracy increased from 2.4 to 3.
• Running inaccuracy increased from 6 to 6.5.

Pistol Magazine Adjustments

Frenzy:

• Magazine capacity increased from 13 to 15 bullets.

Ghost:

• Magazine capacity decreased from 15 to 13 bullets.

Phantom Adjustments

With the introduction of new maps and players' improved shooting mechanics, Phantom has been purchased less frequently. The current differences between Phantom and Vandal are meant to preserve their unique roles while ensuring they remain competitive against each other.

Developers aim to improve Phantom's usability and reduce frustrating instances where headshots dealt less damage than expected. The damage changes eliminate scenarios where a headshot dealt 140 damage, as well as all cases of 124 damage on the first headshot (except through walls).

Phantom

Damage Falloff Adjustments:

Previously:

• 39 damage per bullet (0–15m)
• 35 damage per bullet (15–30m)
• 31 damage per bullet (30m+)

Now:

• 39 damage per bullet (0–20m)
• 35 damage per bullet (20m+)

Bug Fixes

Agents

Killjoy:

• Fixed a bug where Killjoy’s Alarmbot would activate instantly without the proper animation when approached.

Clove:

• Fixed a bug where "Intervention" could deal damage through map elements.

Maps

• Fixed a bug where ambient sounds were missing at the start of rounds on Pearl, Breeze, and Sunset.

PC

Premier Changes

• A visual divider has been added to the Favorite Division leaderboard, indicating which teams are at risk of being demoted at the end of Stage E9A3. Teams below the divider will be demoted at the beginning of the next Stage.
• A notification has been added to inform you when your team qualifies for the playoffs. This will appear the first time you enter the Premier menu after qualifying.
• The "Premier" tab on the Career page now displays the expiration date of eligibility for the Competitive Division roster.Eligibility for the Competitive Division roster for 2024 will expire at the end of Stage E9A3.To maintain eligibility for the 2025 Competitive Division roster, you and your team must complete one of the following during Stage E9A3 or at any point in 2025:Play at least one weekly match or playoff match with a Competitive or Favorite Division team.Reach Immortal 3 rank or higher in ranked play.Participate in a playoff match in the Elite 5 Division.
• Eligibility for the Competitive Division roster for 2024 will expire at the end of Stage E9A3.
• To maintain eligibility for the 2025 Competitive Division roster, you and your team must complete one of the following during Stage E9A3 or at any point in 2025:Play at least one weekly match or playoff match with a Competitive or Favorite Division team.Reach Immortal 3 rank or higher in ranked play.Participate in a playoff match in the Elite 5 Division.
• Play at least one weekly match or playoff match with a Competitive or Favorite Division team.
• Reach Immortal 3 rank or higher in ranked play.
• Participate in a playoff match in the Elite 5 Division.

Client Changes

• A QR code login option has been added for the Riot client via the Riot Mobile app.If you launch VALORANT through the Riot client, you can now log in by scanning a QR code with Riot Mobile.No need to enter your Riot ID and password—simply open Riot Mobile, scan the QR code, and jump into the game!More details about Riot Mobile are available here.
• If you launch VALORANT through the Riot client, you can now log in by scanning a QR code with Riot Mobile.
• No need to enter your Riot ID and password—simply open Riot Mobile, scan the QR code, and jump into the game!
• More details about Riot Mobile are available here.

Bug Fixes

Premier:

• Fixed a bug where Premier matches in best-of-three series were incorrectly labeled as finals in the match history. They will now display correctly as Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3.

Consoles:

Agent Fixes:

• Fixed a bug where Jett’s and Raze’s ultimates would significantly reduce sensitivity until focus mode was activated.