All Skye and Gekko changes in VALORANT Patch 7.12 and how they will impact the meta

VALORANT Patch 7.12 brings significant changes to Gekko and Skye’s kits, stirring up the meta quite a bit. With things being shaken up for good, here’s how the new Skye and Gekko changes will possibly impact the game’s trends going forward. 

But before we discuss the changes’ effects on the meta, let’s take a look at the changes themselves.

All Skye and Gekko changes in VALORANT Patch 7.12

As announced with the patch notes for 7.12, Skye’s Trailblazer has been significantly weakened, while Gekko’s Dizzy has received changes to enhance its usability. In addition, reclaiming Gekko’s orbs is now a second faster than before. Here’s a summary of the agent changes you’ll see after downloading the patch. 

Skye

Trailblazer (Q) 

• Camera movement is disabled during the leap. 
• When the Trailblazer is destroyed during the leap, it no longer causes a concuss explosion. 
• Trailblazer plays the destruction voice line when destroyed during the leap.
• Trailblazer explosion now concusses allies as well as enemies. 

Gekko

Dizzy (E)

• Once Dizzy is ready to shoot and sees a target, they will shoot faster, and the projectile will travel faster. 
• Pre-fire targeting delay decreased from 0.5 seconds to 0.35 seconds.
• Missile speed increased from 7,000 to 10,000.

Reclaim for Dizzy (E), Wingman (Q), and Thrash (X)

• Reduce reclaim channel time from two seconds to one second.

Simply put, the patch has nerfed the most broken initiator agent while buffing her weakest peer, and it’s probably the best method to fix up a particularly unbalanced role in VALORANT.

How do VALORANT Patch 7.12’s Skye changes affect the meta?

Before Patch 7.12, Skye’s incredibly flexible kit made her an unavoidable pick on most maps, especially on Bind and Breeze. To keep VALORANT balanced, picking a particular agent should have distinct disadvantages as there are advantages. In the case of Skye, the list of advantages was much longer than the little disadvantage she had.

 No recon? Skye’s bendable flash can tell you if there’s someone in that space while flashing anyone caught it. She can heal, and she can track three of the nearest enemies with her ultimate as well. But her most broken ability had to be the Trailblazer. Scout? Check. Concuss? Check. Can clear significant space? Check. Can confuse or distract enemies? Check. In a coordinated team, Skye was nothing less than broken, bringing incredible impact despite being a support agent.     

The biggest Skye nerf in VALORANT Patch 7.12 is definitely the fact that her loyal, adorable dog will no longer be able to look around after the leap is activated. Previously, this mechanic was used to clear a larger space—swiftly turning in different directions to spot enemies—than you normally could without leaping.

Considering the hefty nerfs she has gotten in old patches coupled with those in Patch 7.12, Skye’s popularity is definitely going to take a hit, especially in the esports meta. If you ask me, she’s still an excellent initiator—a bit weaker, but still great. That said, Sova and Fade should see a rise in pick rate going forward, considering they are the only other initiators with strong scouting abilities.

How do VALORANT Patch 7.12’s Gekko changes affect the meta?

Gekko’s got a couple of basic buffs with Patch 7.12, but these changes are more powerful than they seem. For starters, you’ll be able to pick up his orbs faster, so you won’t have to think as hard before trying to reclaim them. You’ll be able to have much more Dizzys, Wingmans, and Thrashes to throw around in your games.

In addition, Dizzy’s gotten a lot faster than before. It can focus on enemies faster than before and shoot speedier projectiles. The funny thing is that Dizzy’s projectile wasn’t easy to dodge in the first place. I am honestly a bit scared to be on the opposite end of a Gekko after this patch, but I’m happy he’s getting the love he deserves.

Before VALORANT’ Patch 7.12, it was considerably harder to find value with Gekko as a solo initiator on the team, not to forget how hard it is for low ranked players to learn how to use him efficiently. The latest changes enhance Gekko’s usability significantly, encouraging players to pick him on most maps, even as a solo initiator, without hesitation.