The bugs affecting Clove and the latest VALORANT agent’s ability to participate in top-tier VCT level play have been resolved, paving the way for the Scottish controller to make their pro debut as soon as Wednesday, April 17 during EMEA week three action.
Clove’s debut in week two was delayed due to “a recently discovered bug,” but they’re all set to go after VALORANT Patch 8.07, Riot Games announced last night. Day one of week three features two exciting matchups between Gentle Mates and Fnatic, and Karmine Corp vs. NAVI. The latter of the two matches could very well feature Clove, specifically in the hands of the pro player who many Rioters thought the new agent was specifically being made for.
When Clove was first revealed, VALORANT agent gameplay designer Dan Hardison revealed that several Rioters believed they were developing the agent specifically for Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov, winner of Masters Copenhagen 2022 and current in-game leader for NAVI. Hardison said the agent team wanted to create a controller who would fit more aggressive playstyles as they felt those opportunities “were limited outside of Omen.”
A controller with a kit designed for aggressive playstyles seems like the perfect choice for a player like ANGE1, who over the past few years has become synonymous with aggressive play and taking several first duels while on the controller role. With an ultimate that can reduce the punishment of losing an opening duel and an overheal that’s earned by dealing damage toward a kill, Clove is perfect for this style of play.
But NAVI’s recent shift in strategy since the return of Ardiis to the former FunPlus Phoenix roster core means it’s a little less likely we see Clove in the hands of ANGE1. The veteran captain has been playing the initiator role primarily since the start of 2024, with only a handful of games on Omen on just Breeze. Still, since Omen and Clove share a similar playstyle, NAVI could simply swap Clove in for Omen on their Breeze comp.
Even though Hardison admitted that Clove would more likely have an impact on ranked play than pro play, there’s almost certainly going to be at least one team that tries them out.
