Leaks: VALORANT Patch 13.09 Gives Clove a Huge Ultimate Nerf

For two years, Clove has reigned supreme over the Controller Agent pool. Now, leakers say VALORANT is delivering a huge Clove nerf in Patch 13.09, which will pummel their Ultimate power and have major meta implications. Let’s recap everything we know about the changes, and explore when they will arrive.

Leakers Say Clove is Getting a Huge Nerf in Patch 13.09

VALORANT Patch 13.09 is almost here. As the first major update after Champions 2026, it’s bound to include a ton of changes that will shake up the meta.

Leakers are already dropping some hints about what we may see next… and one of the biggest balance adjustments is reportedly a huge Clove nerf, which will cut their move speed and make their Ultimate much easier to counter.

• C (Pick-Me-Up): Speed Boost reduced from 15% > 10%
• Ultimate (Not Dead Yet): Clove can no longer gain ult points from kills for the rest of the round after cast. Clove will now give an ult point to any player who eliminates them in ulted form, and a refresh point for their signature ability.

These leaks originally arrive from dataminer @valohabercisi, with corroboration from multiple other sources. Riot has not yet confirmed them, though, so take them as a theory for now.

How Would This Affect the Meta?

The Clove changes could reduce their pick rate significantly, offering a chance for other Controllers to shine. We’ve already seen this a bit in the recent meta, as Viper and Harbor are rising up from lower tiers, but for a while Clove was one of the most popular selections.

In addition, Clove mains won’t be able to play as aggressively. With a lesser movement speed boost, they should be more calculated about taking engagements.

Most importantly, Clove will have to consider the eco consequences of using their ult. It’ll be more important to save for specific situations. There’s less to gain by popping it randomly, and losing to an enemy risks giving them valuable ult points.

Why Did Riot Nerf Clove?

Since their launch in 2024, Clove has dominated the Controller agent pool. They have the unique ability to be extremely aggressive as a smoke, enabling them to actively participate in pushes and make risky plays.

The biggest draw to Clove’s kit, though, is their Ultimate. No other Agent has an ability that lets them self-ressurect, and it’s one of the most OP kits in the game. There’s so much players can do with Clove that outplays any matchup: you can pop the Ultimate to entry without fear, you can resurrect while the Spike is planted and buy time, and you can even trade yourself after your own elimination. It has so much impact on their meta status, so it makes sense that this is the ability Riot would nerf first for an overall power reduction.

VALORANT Patch 13.09 Release Date

The next VALORANT update, Patch 13.09, will release on October 27, 2026. Depending on your area and time zone differences, this may end up as October 28 in some locations.

Since this is one of the first patches after VALORANT Champions Shanghai concluded, it’s likely to contain some significant changes. Riot typically waits until the esports-off season or times between major tournaments to shake up the game’s meta.

Other Changes on the Way

Alongside the Clove nerf, leaker @valohabercisi claims that Patch 13.09 contains several other significant changes:

• The Warden is reportedly getting reduced recoil.
• Gekko reportedly gets a range limit for his Ultimate.
• Skye’s Ultimate range limit reportedly decreases.
• Sova’s Ultimate size reportedly decreases.

Multiple sources also say a new Halloween-themed bundle is coming to the shop: the Grave Matters capsule has a cute ghost gunbuddy with animations that change to match your in-game behaviors.

Stay tuned for more VALORANT news.