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

I just recon when enemy is going in and my teammates gets the info and kills with me. I don’t even have to buy a mic.

The initiator and controller metas, with a decent harbor buff, are pretty solid.

It feels like the first time maybe ever that a lot of maps can be run either as double initiator or double controller depending on what a team values more. There's no one initiator or one controller who is so good that the other class is always doubled up

i read the first sentence and i already agree
however dont expect riot to understand this though they just nerf based on numbers and play rate

what's with this, is there a sova nerf?

Main problem of Sova is that he is the only "long range reveal" Skye and Fade were in competition for close range maps (Raze maps), Fade and Skye could have seens some pick on long range map even if Sova stay number 1, but now they get kinda nerfed it's dead Sova and sometime Gekko will be the only agent see on longrange map, while having some decent pick on shortrange maps.

I really hope next initiator is good on long range maps

• recon dart crossmap lineups, compared to fade's heavy ass octopus ball recon thingy, also sova's thing tags twice
• drone that gives the player full vision compared to fade prowlers that uses AI vision
• post plant / area denial /stall utility that kills with no aim just lineups (ULT, Shock dart) compared to fade's deafen/decay (doesnt actually kill from long range, needs actual aim)

Drone is really good for intel, only skye dog can compare with it but skye is ass

Fade could use some buffs to her dog like 80 to 100 hp, not only dog has less hp than sova drone but its also easier to break

Trust me this double initiator meta is not that bad although I would say to help incentivize the use of less double initiator is to give more info gathering opportunities to other initiators but honestly it might tip the balance of the almost perfect initiator meta. As for Sova vs Fade that's actually completely fine they do 2 different things and fit into different play styles it's just the meta play style meta caters more to Sova right now but its fine