The effects of VALORANT Patch 8.11 on the pro meta are immediate. But as the 2024 VCT season progresses and matches become must-win, it’s hard to say whether teams will be able to sustain the new changes.

Patch 8.11 shook up the duelist class drastically earlier this month, introducing massive buffs to both Iso and Neon, “rebalancing” Reyna with changes that favor teamwork over solo play, and giving Raze a slight nerf to her satchel boost movement abilities. All three of the buffed duelists have seen time on the VCT stage, but it feels like one in particular will stick around in pro VALORANT.

1 minute of @jawgemo Neon Movement pic.twitter.com/l4rPZXyCZ2

Neon looks set to become a permanent fixture in the pro VALORANT meta unless she gets nerfed in the future. With max speed punishment, a second slide charge, no sliding movement error when shooting, and instant equip speed after sliding, she’s a certified threat on almost any map. LOUD’s in-game leader Saadhak has embraced Neon, using her speed to gather the information he needs to make lightning-fast decisions while creating space for his teammates to make plays. However, he was outdone by Evil Geniuses’ Jawgemo, who simply bullied LOUD with Neon on Sunset during EG’s week one win, making VALORANT resemble a fast-paced arena shooter like Unreal Tournament.