For years, being a controller predominant in VALORANT meant finesse, requiring strategic smokes, good timing, and selfless utility. When Clove arrived with their shimmering butterflies and pseudo-duelist talents, they stripped the sophistication out of being a real team-support controller. With Patch 11.10, nonetheless, Riot appears poised to convey the essential position again to its roots.
The newest VALORANT replace nerfs a few Clove’s aggressive talents with the purpose to curb their “snowballing energy” that lets them outperform different controllers in advantageous conditions. As a part of these modifications, they will not drop a couple of Ruse (Smoke) at a time after their loss of life and might solely “overheal” as much as 50 HP with Decide-Me-Up. I can’t advocate a lot for the Ruse nerf, however that overheal reduce ought to positively make duelist gamers, who instalock Clove as a result of they couldn’t decide their predominant, suppose twice subsequent time.
As a controller predominant since 2021, I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I didn’t play Clove in any respect. However in contrast to different controller brokers, they have been extra of a “one-night stand” expertise. Certain, their talents take away the heavy tasks {that a} true controller like Omen, Astra, or Brimstone has to shoulder. I actually loved utilizing Clove’s happy-go-lucky package for per week or two earlier than realizing how bland their utility energy is. Apart from Meddle, it’s all centered round their very own survival. They made every thing really feel straightforward, which took away the actual craft of being a workforce’s controller.
It’s actually an insult {that a} blatantly egocentric agent has been undermining true, hardworking controllers in ranked. Today, I can hardly decide my predominant, Omen, as a result of there’s all the time somebody who instalocks Clove—after which performs prefer it’s a Deathmatch, ignoring smokes and workforce play solely.
It’s an excellent larger insult to VALORANT’s present informal aggressive state {that a} shallow agent like Clove has been dominating each the decide fee and win fee charts—throughout all brokers, not simply controllers—for months now. At the least professional play understands it: apart from just a few experimental double-controller setups seen in sure areas, Clove has obtained little to no consideration all through VCT 2025.
Fortunately, Patch 11.10 goals to handle all of those points with strong nerfs and marks a step towards restoring the controller position’s true integrity. Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to say whether or not it’ll truly cease the chaos. Clove’s design, as an entire, stays controversial—nerfs can solely make them weaker and even unplayable, not balanced. And there’s nonetheless room for autopilot duelists with bruised egos to instalock them as a result of, hey, they will nonetheless heal a bit and self-resurrect, proper?
Contemplating every thing, it’s secure to say VALORANT’s most brainy position by no means wanted a Clove within the first place.
