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Valorant update 1.03 patch notes tweak the Guardian, squashes bugs

The latest patch for Riot Games FPS includes bug fixes and changes to Spike Rush.
Donovan Erskine
Donovan Erskine
1

Following Valorant’s release, Riot Games stated that development on the game would never truly be finished. With an ongoing online experience that is constantly changing and evolving, there will always be changes necessary to ensure the integrity of the game. In its month out on the market, we’ve already seen a couple of updates to the competitive FPS, and now we know about the next one. Riot Games has unveiled Valorant update 1.03, which alters the Guardian rifle, and brings about several bug fixes. 

The full Valorant 1.03 patch notes can be seen on the game’s official website. The most notable part of 1.03 are the changes made to the Guardian. This single-fire assault rifle is a great option for mid to long range combat because of its precise accuracy. Now, the buy price of the Guardian has been dropped from 2700 to 2500 credits. In addition, the gun’s rate of fire has decreased from 6.5 to 4.75. In turn, the Guardian’s penetration power has jumped from medium to heavy, allowing players to deal more damage when piercing enemies through structures. “We hope these changes will sharpen the Guardian’s identity as a long-range, versatile weapon.”

A major change in Valorant’s 1.03 update alters the way that competitive matches will end. Previously, the first team to reach 13 rounds won would take the game, but Riot Games is adding an “overtime” component to this. As of 1.03, competitive mode requires teams to win by two rounds. So if the game is tied 12-12, winning the 25th round won’t secure the game. The team would need to go up 14-12 to end the match. Once overtime starts, teams will swap sides after each round, going from attacking to defending.

Update 1.03 also sees some new additions to Spike Rush, Valorant’s more laid-back game mode. The “Twin Hunters” orb has been added to the battlefield. Once captured, the orb will summon two wolves to hunt down the two closest enemy players. Each wolf has 150 HP and can be killed. 

Other changes in Valorant 1.03 tweak the recently added surrender feature. Now, unrated matches only require 80% of players to vote in favor for it to pass. Competitive mode will continue to require 100%. Players can also start the surrender vote earlier, with the option being available as soon as round 5. 

Valorant update 1.03 isn’t the beefiest patch, as there aren’t any changes to the agents or newly added features. However, the tweaks to the Guardian are quite significant, and will certainly have an impact on the weapon’s place in competitive play moving forward. For more breakdowns and updates on Valorant, visit our guide hub for Riot’s competitive FPS.

News Editor
News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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