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Skye, one of Valorant’s less frequently picked agents, finds herself in need of a boost as the game’s competitive landscape evolves.
In recent months, the meta within Valorant has experienced significant changes. Riot Games has introduced new characters, notably Tejo and Waylay, while also adjusting the abilities and attributes of existing agents.
These updates have affected nearly the entire roster. For instance, Cypher, whose popularity was on the rise, was nerfed in patch 9.10, which has since balanced his role within the game.
Conversely, Clove has been gaining traction. Her ‘Not Dead Yet’ ability saw a reduction in kill time by two seconds, making her a preferred Controller in current gameplay.
Skye’s Pick Rate Up Due to Bind, But Bind is Going Away
Unfortunately, Skye has been somewhat neglected in recent updates. As an Initiator introduced back in 2020, she experienced no significant changes until the 10.03 patch, excluding minor bug fixes.
In that update, her Seekers received a boost to slow down enemy movements. Yet, her overall pick rate has remained unimpressive—currently at 2.4%, she ranks as the 20th most selected agent, which seems undeserved given her potential.
Additionally, with the impending removal of Bind from the Competitive map pool, her situation may deteriorate further. During the Masters Bangkok event, her pick rate on Bind was around 43%, while her overall rate for the tournament hovered near 7%.
Reliance on a single map is unsustainable for any agent, particularly when that map is scheduled for elimination.
Players have suggested strategies for Riot to enhance Skye’s capabilities. For instance, making her flash ability rechargeable or adjusting the cost of her heal in conjunction with it could provide her with more utility. Previously, while her flashes may have been excessively powerful, recalibrating them could provide a balanced approach.
Some players also advocate for reducing the cost of her ultimate ability, positing that such a change would position her competitively against newer agents like Tejo.
Recently, Riot acknowledged that Clove was “overperforming” in Ranked matches and took steps to adjust her in patch 10.04, aiming to keep her within a balanced state. The current decline in Skye’s performance should be next on their agenda, and players hope for timely adjustments to ensure she remains relevant before she fades into obscurity like the map Bind.
Source
www.dexerto.com