Valorant players plead for Omen rework as Astra dominates smokes meta

Alan Bernal
valorant omen

Valorant players are asking for big changes to Omen after Astra’s presence in the game shook up the smoke meta and left the OG Controller agent in an awkward state.

At one time, Omen was the go-to pick for any team that wanted a versatile agent who could take care of a team’s needs to obscure vision around the map. However, Valorant patch 2.0 at the turn of 2021 left him worse for wear.

When Astra popped onto the scene in March 2021 with patch 2.04, Omen fell deeper on the pick priority list in both casual and pro matches.

It’s why Valorant players think it’s time Riot reworked the shrouded phantom to give him a much-needed boost in 2022.

Valorant Omen
Omen has been in a rough spot since his Episode 2 nerfs, and Valorant players want that to change.

Valorant players call for Omen rework

Valorant players are asking the devs to update Omen with a total rework, or at least revert the changes that left him obsolete in 2021.

“Astra’s Smokes is Omen’s Smokes but 2.0,” one player argued. “He needs love… Omen’s smokes are the slowest in the game. They have to travel from very far away and he can only put one at a time.”

More players agreed with the assessment and were perplexed by the weak state he’s in. Though some are calling for buffs, Omen’s ability kit is efficient enough to where people would be happy with simple reverts to crucial nerfs.

valorant astra
Astra has dominated the “smokes” role since her release.

“Just revert the nerf of travel time and distance from the [2.0 patch], easy,” another player said. “I don’t know why the devs think it’s a good idea to nerf characters then release new ones in the same role that end up becoming powerhouse picks.

Due to Astra’s incredible map control, it’s not likely she’ll go missing in the pro meta anytime soon, barring a major nerf. Though Riot previously explained why the nerfs to Omen were needed, players are asking for a middle ground.

The Valorant community would like a game state where both Omen and Astra could be viable as the smoke meta is heavily one-sided to the latter.

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About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?