Patch 3.0 is a beefy one to say the least. Including the exciting new agent with suppression abilities, KAY/O, and a multitude of price changes for weapons and abilities, Valorant patch 3.0 guarantees to alter gameplay. However, the update also sees a multitude of changes to weaponry itself. This includes increased fire inaccuracy when moving, and decreased weapon deadzone as well as as an altered effect of “tagging”.

Walking and Running Fire Inaccuracy

Shooting any of your weapons while walking will give you a much higher chance to hit your shot than while running in Valorant. Prior to Valorant patch 3.0, some weapons had a very low walking inaccuracy rate. This means that while walking you had a very decent chance of hitting your shot. This however, changes drastically with the upcoming update as all weapons are due to receive a higher walking inaccuracy penalty.

When it comes to running inaccuracy, we’ve seen the rifles receive a nerf in the past in that regard. This however, did not affect other weaponry in Valorant. Some weapons have also received an increased running inaccuracy with patch 3.0. These are solely SMGs and pistols.

The full list of changes for weapon categories looks as follows:

• All Rifles: Walking inaccuracy changed from 1.3 to 2.0. Running unchanged at 5.0.
• All Heavies: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.5 to 2.4. Running unchanged at 6.0.
• All SMGs: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.3 to 1.0. Running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 2.5.

List of changes for specific weapons:

• Classic: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.25 to 0.84. Running inaccuracy changed from 1.5 to 2.1.
• Frenzy: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.25 to 0.8. Running inaccuracy changed from 1.0 to 2.0.
• Ghost: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.25 to 0.92. Running inaccuracy changed from 1.85 to 2.3.
• Sheriff: Walking inaccuracy changed from 0.25 to 1.2. Running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 3.0.

Prior to the changes coming up in Valorant patch 3.0, all pistols had a walking fire inaccuracy at 0.25. That is due to change heavily as they have been adjusted for each sidearm separately. Most notably, the Sheriff saw the biggest increase from 0.25 to 1.2.

Deadzone and Tagging

Deadzone

Weapon deadzone has been defined by the Valorant developers as:

“Deadzone” in VALORANT refers to the movement speed a player becomes inaccurate.

In Valorant, you can still fire your weapon perfectly accurately before exceeding a certain speed of movement. This speed is referred to as deadzone. When you exceed that speed, your weapon inaccuracy is altered depending on the weapon you are holding, making it not possible to fire accurately.

This deadzone has been reduced from 30% to 27.5%. This means that there is slightly shorter time when a player starts moving before their weapon exceeds the deadzone and starts to fire inaccurately. Despite it being only a 2.5% change, professionals and higher-ranked players will probably feel the change.

Tagging

Everyone knows that clumsy feeling when you unexpectedly get shot with a few bullets and cannot escape because you are slowed. That’s called tagging and Riot defines it as follows:

“Tagging” is the slowing effect you feel when hit by bullets.

That effect has been slightly reduced from 75% to 72.5%. Another 2.5% change. This one should make a very slight difference in some key scenarios that will help you escape when under fire, especially when your enemy is far away.

Implications of Those Changes

From the above changes it’s obvious that the infamous run-and-gun tactic will be a much harder act to pull off after Valorant patch 3.0 goes live. Getting lucky shots, especially with pistols and SMGs will be much more rare when walking or running.

The changes definitely favor the more-skilled Valorant players. Lower ranked player base will have a harder time in adjusting to the inaccuracy changes, as well as decreased deadzone. This increases the skill ceiling and essentially makes Valorant a harder game to play. However, this also sets apart the “good” players from the “bad” players as walking or running and shooting in order to get a kill will be much less likely sight to behold.

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