A massive Chamber nerf has gone live in Valorant patch 4.09, and it may just have turned one of the game’s best sentinels into its most questionable.
The changes were first revealed in the patch 4.09 Public Beta Environment, and it looks like Riot Games has gone ahead with the nerf despite backlash from the community.
The number of Trademark charges has been reduced from two to just one, and the cost has increased from 150 to 200 credits. On top of that, the audio range of the ability has been increased, so it is easier to hear and destroy.
The dapper French agent has become one of the most reliable sentinels in the game, thanks to the global effect of his Trademark traps, his punishing slow field and speedy Rendezvous teleporters, and the deadly efficacy of his Headhunter pistol and Tour De Force ultimate.
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The Chamber nerf takes away the one thing that makes him a sentinel
The nerf is intended to retain Chamber’s unique tool kit, such as his powerful weapons and unmatched escape mobility, while bringing his flank protection utility more in line with that of other sentinels.
Riot wants to force players to work around a “single, premium trap”, so you’ll have to choose between playing selfishly off your own Trademark or placing it to watch your teammates’ backs.
Previously, Chamber could cover multiple flank routes with two traps. For instance, you could place one Trademark at C Long on Haven, and another at A Garden. Now, you’ll have to think harder about where to place your lone trap, depending on where your team is pushing.
Unsurprisingly, OpTic Gaming coach Chet “Chet” Singh isn’t a fan of the change, especially given the Masters Reykjavik 2022 champions’ heavy reliance on the Gallic agent. “Trademark, the easiest sentinel utility to break, needed a nerf,” he said sarcastically.
Several players questioned why Riot was nerfing the one ability that made Chamber a sentinel, arguing that the trap was not the reason why Chamber was considered overpowered.
As it stands, the French weapons expert still has what NRG’s Ethan “Ethan” Arnold referred to as a “pocket Guardian,” in addition to teleporters that give him an instant escape every 20 seconds.
Riot’s reasoning is that all its agents are designed to have very specific strengths and weaknesses. In the case of Chamber, his deadly weapon arsenal is what makes him unique, and the nerf to his traps is intended to give him a clearer weakness.
“If you pick him for his weapon arsenal and disengage, you should feel as if you’re giving up a strength – like traps or stall – that his peers excel at,” explained Riot.
The developer says it will be monitoring the changes, and may adjust him further if they see him suffering disproportionately on defense relative to attack.
You can read the full Valorant patch 4.09 notes here.
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