It’s update day, agents, and that means there’s a brand new set of Valorant patch notes to check out before your next game. While we don’t have any more information on the next new face, after Riot all but confirmed the new Valorant agent will be a Controller, we do have a couple of rather important changes to discuss. Firstly, there’s a Stinger buff being introduced to Valorant in Patch 5.06 – and Riot Games has used the aforementioned patch notes to explain just why the changes were made.
If you’re sitting there wondering what the Valorant patch 5.06 Stinger buff is actually going to do for you, allow us to explain. Moving forward, the Stinger SMG’s primary fire error is being adjusted from a 1.6 error after 7 rounds to a 1.3 error after six rounds. In addition to this, the alternate fire first shot error is being lowered from a 0.5 error chance to a 0.35 error chance.
Now, we know these changes seem a little subtle (and you’re not wrong in thinking that they are) but this is actually going to have a huge impact on the fast-firing submachine gun’s performance – and Riot Games has detailed what, and why.
Riot Games’ “goal for the Stinger is to feel controllable and appropriately lethal at short ranges”, according to the Patch 5.06 notes. However, the developer felt that it could still feel rather “out of control” in close-quarters gunfights. To combat that, Riot Games has decided that “lowering the top spread should make it feel more reliable at the appropriate range… once you’ve overcome the learning curve of the recoil”, of course.
In addition to this, the minor changes made to the first shot error of the Stinger SMG’s alternate firing mode should mean that it’s a little more accurate “at the ranges you’d want to use the burst fire mode”. Of course, only time will tell how influential these changes are. However, they’re certainly promising for players looking to use the Stinger to climb up the Valorant ranks.
The Stinger SMG changes might be the headline of Valorant patch 5.06, but there’s something else you should be aware of: the Pearl map updates.
In an effort to make Pearl an easier map to navigate, Riot Games is introducing a number of minor adjustments to several important areas of the map. The short wall left of B Main is being lowered slightly, the platform at Mid Shops is being extended, and some crate cover is being removed from A Art and B Link. Adding to this, a wall cut-out is being removed from A Main and added to the route between A Main and A Site. While these changes are going to take a little getting used to, they shouldn’t dramatically change the way Pearl plays – it’s just going to make it a little easier for both Attackers and Defenders to make their way around.
With the list of VCT 2023 partnership teams growing ahead of the tournament, there’s never been a better time to jump into Valorant. If you’re looking to get ahead of the game after the update, you should check out our Valorant tier list for the latest on which agents are on top at the moment.