Valorant update 2.00 sees some serious Brimstone buffs

Brad Norton
Valorant Brimstone controller agent

Brimstone has been one of the least-picked Agents in Valorant for quite some time, but he’s in luck. Patch 2.00 has delivered the American controller some much needed buffs.

Valorant first launched with nine Agents and just three in the Controller category. Brimstone, Viper, and Omen all come with their fair share of smoke-based abilities to obscure enemy vision. However, only Omen has truly stood out from the pack at all levels of play.

Whether you’re on the competitive ladder or watching professional matches, Brimstone sightings have been few and far between. While the Agent has gone without any drastic changes through Episode 1, things have picked up in Episode 2.

Valorant patch 2.00 has seen some serious buffs to the drill sergeant Controller, so let’s get into it.

Brimstone in Valorant
Brimstone’s buffs in Valorant patch 2.00 will make the American Controller worth picking.

After teasing the Brimstone buff to players days before the Episode 2 reveal, the numbers are now in. The main changes to Brimstone are right here:

Stim Beacon

  • Will now quick cast (no equip time)

Molotov

  • Cost reduced: $300 >>> $200

Sky Smokes

  • Cast range increased: 4200 >>> 5000
  • Smoke duration increased:14.25 >>> 19.25

It was clear that Brimstone has long been overdue some adjustments. The Agent barely saw any playtime throughout the First Strike finals, according to stats from TheSpike. In fact, Omen had a 100% pick rate across North America while Brimstone sat with a 0% pick rate.

Similar can be said for the European leg of the tournament. Brimstone saw play in four maps throughout the event while Omen came in as the top dog with 30 maps in total. Evidently, more needs to be done to make the Agent a more viable pick and thankfully, Riot agrees.

Valorant gameplay
Brimstone’s kit will be changing for the better in Episode 2.

With Omen also getting nerfed at the same time, it’s likely we will see a shift in the controller meta right before Valorant Champions Tour 2021 kicks off.

The patch notes also mention that Brimstone’s fellow American, Viper, is likely the next in line for some adjustments. So, only time will tell if both the toxin loving scientist and Brimstone rise to the top of the pack.

About The Author

Brad Norton is the Australian Managing Editor at Dexerto. He graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and has been working full-time in the field for the past six years at the likes of Gamurs Group and now Dexerto. He loves all things single-player gaming (with Uncharted a personal favorite) but has a history on the competitive side having previously run Oceanic esports org Mindfreak. You can contact Brad at brad.norton@dexerto.com