Valorant’s Sage has had a tough go of issues as of late. The ever-popular healer has reached breaking level, with the unintended effects of her powers now slowly turning her to crystal. Ever the consummate skilled, Sage has continued to placed on a courageous face, however within the newest patch, 12.08, a brand new voicemail despatched by her to Brimstone illustrates simply how unhealthy issues have gotten. With Sage already rumored to be getting some type of rework, following a revelation from Impasse that the staff could quickly should face life with out her revives, this contemporary replace might point out that such a change could occur sooner moderately than later.
Riot Video games loves a lore drop, and I’ve lengthy been a fan of the way it slowly evolves its narratives. From Arcane to Xin Zhao’s latest League of Legends sacrifice, the studio definitely is aware of the way to get artistic with its storytelling. Valorant is not any exception, and the continued crystallization of Sage has definitely saved my eyebrow raised. Within the FPS sport’s 12.08 patch, Sage is placed on mattress relaxation by Brimstone – a choice she clearly abhors.
“Brimstone, I recognize your concern, however obligatory mattress relaxation? We’re in disaster!” The voice message begins. “They’re placing their lives in danger with each mission, we each comprehend it.” Earlier than she will be able to proceed, Sage is interrupted by the rising discomfort of her ailment. Whereas she notes that “Skye has some options,” she finally provides up on making an attempt to influence Valorant’s commander, begrudgingly accepting that “that is an excessive amount of.”
Sage has been struggling together with her powers for fairly a while. In final June’s Why We Struggle music video, she will be seen briefly shedding management of them. Relatively than preventing on the entrance traces in January’s Why We Struggle Again season opener, she was as a substitute confined to a tank, Sova wanting on in concern. Again in March, Sage’s agent mannequin was up to date, showcasing how the crystallization had unfold to her neck and a part of her face. In Patch 12.07, a message log from Impasse lamented the likelihood that Sage might quickly be with out her rez, prompting dialogue that she could quickly be in for a rework.
It is ostensibly not all doom and gloom for Sage, nevertheless. On the finish of March’s Miks agent trailer, we see Valorant’s newest addition using his musical medical skills to not solely relieve Sage’s discomfort, however we are able to additionally see a few smaller crystals on her hand falling off. It wasn’t a everlasting resolution, nevertheless it gave hope that her situation could possibly be managed. Sadly, this newest lore snippet is indicative that this hasn’t been the case.
Sage is a part of Valorant’s launch solid, so it would not shock me if Riot felt it was time for a gameplay switch-up – she hardly ever sees professional play, in any case. That being mentioned, she’s nonetheless a well-liked decide within the Valorant ranks, with an 28.47% decide charge throughout all ranks in keeping with vstats. This drops off dramatically the upper up the ladder you go, although, so there’s each probability Riot could possibly be methods to make her extra related throughout the board. If which means eradicating her revive, then that opens up a variety of potential energy price range elsewhere in her package.
Now, I am nonetheless not completely offered on the rework idea. Sage’s situation might nonetheless very effectively be resolved, and her character mannequin finally returned to regular. Nonetheless, if the previous 12 months of lore teasers is something to go by, then such a revamp, ought to it materialize, would completely land with a cinematic bang.
