Valorant fans will be happy to know that plenty of new content is just around the corner as Patch 9.08 will be deployed on October 22. However, Riot Games' trailer for Episode 9 Act 3 introduced us to upcoming features that have already got the fans excited.
Including a new TDM map called Glitch, a Sunset rework, a new battle pass, new skinlines, and even a new shield, Valorant's Episode 9 Act 3 is coming strong. Despite all of these features, some fans noticed a hidden and game-changing buff for Phoenix.
Phoenix is one of the most well-known Duelists in Valorant. The British agent has been in the game since its early days and he's one of the best picks if you're a beginner. His abilities are easy to master and can do both flashing and healing. Overall, he's a versatile agent.
Unfortunately for him, in the higher ranks, Phoenix isn't the players' most preferred pick. Players who like being Duelists usually go for Jett, Reyna, or Neon. However, this may be about to change.
Shortly after the release of Riot Games' video, the popular leaker @ValorLeaks revealed the upcoming Phoenix buff. According to the leak, Phoenix's Blaze will go through walls. Additionally, Phoenix's Curveball will become a signature ability, which means the ability will be recharged after two kills.
With these changes, we expect Phoenix to become an even more versatile agent. He will be able to use his firewall to support his teammates when planting and to help himself when pushing a site. He can still cure himself and his Curveball being rechargeable will allow him to be even more aggressive than he already is.
Although we expect Phoenix to be a better agent in Patch 9.10, despite the buff, we still think Reyna, Jett, and Neon will be ahead of him.
Overall, Phoenix will become a better agent. However, Reyna, Jett, and Neon's abilities are still one step ahead. Although Phoenix is the only Duelist who can heal himself, the other Duelists' abilities are more focused on entering a site: which is exactly why they are better. Jett and Neon's abilities are movement-focused, which makes them unpredictable. Meanwhile, Reyna's abilities make her the perfect Duelist in the competitive playlist — not so good in professional Valorant.
No matter what, these changes will make Phoenix better and we should expect players to pick him more often starting from Patch 9.10. So far, the community has welcomed the leaks with open arms. However, only time will tell if Phoenix's changes are enough to boost his pick rate.