Why sova has a high pick rate

It’s not that sova is too op, but it is a combination of the meta and the maps. At least 4 of the maps (icebox, ascent, haven, breeze) will probably always be sova maps because his drone is so useful for clearing certain positions and his dart’s range is very useful.

The problem is that we are in a 2 initiator meta now. Previously we were in a double controller meta so skye or gekko were the preferred initiator as they act as both flash and recon initiator passably. With Skye nerf and double controller being less op, it’s more viable to simply have a flash and a recon initiator, and sova is just an objectively better fade in most ways.

Buff or rework aspects of fade, or simply buff double controller (harbor buff). Nerfing sova off of just the pickrate without understanding the underlying problem is just a shortsighted solution.

any kind of sova nerf makes him miserable to play, you cant nerf his drone because then it loses almost all its value, you cant nerf the dart because making it 1 scan destroys it, you cant nerf the shocks because theres nothing you can nerf without making them borderline useless, making his ult 9 charges is just too much for valorant as a whole

I think its a problem with the overall game being toned down with abilities over the last couple years, then you need initiators to get info so you can use the limited util that you have more effectively