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Valorant Patch 12.05: New Agent & Knockout Mode

    By Dore Madeline

    Valorant's Patch 12.05 introduces Agent 30 Miks, a new Controller with a music-themed kit, alongside a brand-new game mode called Knockout. The update, launching March 18 at 10:00 AM PST, also brings a wave of balance changes targeting Yoru, Skye, and Clove, as well as quality-of-life improvements designed to reward teamwork and increase pick diversity.

    https://c2c.fp.guinfra.com/file/69fbfb4ffafb90bdc5baf88algfUFZrp03

    Miks – Agent 30

    Hailing from Croatia, Miks channels sound energy to support his team as a Controller. His abilities blend offensive and supportive utility:

    • Harmonize (Q): Grants a Combat Stim to both Miks and a targeted ally, refreshing on kills. Alt-fire applies the stim only to himself.
    • M-pulse (C): A thrown device that can be toggled between a Concuss or Healing field upon landing.
    • Waveform (E): A map-targeted ability that deploys smokes at selected locations.
    • Bassquake (X): An ultimate that unleashes a sonic wave forward, knocking back, deafening, and slowing enemies.

    Miks is designed as a team-focused Controller, rewarding coordination with abilities that refresh and support aggressive play.

    New Mode: Knockout

    Knockout is a momentum-based 5v5 mode played on Team Deathmatch maps. A center-line barrier divides the map into team territories. Capturing orbs shifts this line toward the enemy, while also healing players and granting ultimate charge. Crossing into enemy territory applies a debuff, obscures the minimap, and triggers a "Threat Detected" alert for the defending team. There is no economy system; players select loadouts each round, with weapon offerings escalating as the match progresses. Rounds last three minutes, and overtime disables respawns and healing, with a damage-over-time effect forcing a final fight. The first team to four rounds wins, with matches typically lasting 8–15 minutes. Agents use standard ability recharge rates, and ultimate charge resets on death and at round start.

    Agent Balance Changes

    • Yoru: Gatecrash active duration reduced from 30 to 15 seconds. Blindside charges reduced from 2 to 1 per round. These changes target his dominance in higher ranks, curbing his map rotation strength and flash frequency.
    • Skye: Guiding Light now has a 60-second cooldown after use, replacing the previous recharge mechanic. This encourages more deliberate flash usage.
    • Clove: Ruse smoke duration when cast while dead reduced from 14 to 6 seconds. Meddle's area of effect reduced from 6 to 4 meters. These adjustments aim to reduce Clove's post-death impact and increase Controller pick diversity with the addition of Miks.

    Quality-of-Life and UI Updates

    Several changes aim to better recognize teamplay. Assist Banners now appear at the bottom of the screen when utility or damage contributes to a kill, showing the specific contribution with an audio cue. The team-visible killfeed displays the assisting agent's icon and ability. Ally targeting for abilities like Sage's Healing Orb and Miks's Harmonize has been improved with clearer widgets and highlights. Status effect tags are now organized on the HUD with buffs on the left and debuffs on the right for easier tracking. Observers and spectators can now see ability map targeters (e.g., Clove's Ruse, Brimstone's Sky Smoke) in replays and live matches.

    Sage Visual Update

    Sage's model and key art now include crystal growths, visually reflecting the cost of pushing her powers to the limit.

    Premier and Competitive Updates

    Premier Stage V26A2 begins March 18 and will run for six weeks instead of the usual seven. Teams with a Premier Score of at least 500 qualify for Playoffs on April 26. Ranked Rating thresholds for Immortal 2, Immortal 3, and Radiant have been adjusted to bring parity across regions, though underlying MMR remains unchanged.

    Miscellaneous

    Several bug fixes address issues with agent abilities, including a floating gun appearing when suppression interrupts certain abilities, Deadlock's Barrier Mesh allowing players to float on Fracture ziplines, and Brimstone's Sky Smoke equip pose displaying unintended VFX at a distance. Additional fixes cover UI localization, the End of Game screen, and Battlepass navigation. The limited-time modes All Random One Site and Skirmish: 2v2 are being removed.

    This patch emphasizes team coordination and strategic flexibility, with Miks and Knockout offering fresh ways to play and the balance changes tightening the metagame.

    What is Valorant and Valorant Points?

    Valorant Points serve as the main currency in Valorant, allowing players to purchase exclusive cosmetic items like weapon skins, gun buddies, and Battle Passes that personalize their gameplay experience.

    To obtain Valorant Points, players need to buy them using real money, and popular game trading platforms such as LootBar make it easy to top up quickly and securely.

    Valorant points buy buy Valorant Points lootbar Valorant top up