Riot Games has released the patch notes for Valorant update 12.08, which add a brand new game mode that limits the abilities agents have and looks to be one of the most unique additions in years.

The latest set of Valorant patch notes aren’t massive, with no agent balance changes much like the last patch, but the one big addition is the new limited time Skirmish: Ascension game mode. This mode is a 1v1 or 2v2 skirmish, with the first player or team to reach 10 rounds declared the winner. However, each stage of the match has different weapons available, and each agent only has one ability.

The Skirmish: Ascension mode will feature ranked play, and with the focus being on gun skill rather than ability usage it should be a very competitive experience for anyone who decides to jump in.

We’ve never really seen a mode that limits abilities like this in Valorant, with the game always favouring skill usage and tactics rather than raw gun skill like you might see in Counter-Strike . Hopefully if the mode proves popular this idea could be expanded into other modes, potentially even up to the traditional five vs five style, to add a slightly less chaotic experience to Valorant.

I’m interested to see how Valorant plays when it is almost entirely about the guns and less about the abilities. It seems like a fun idea and with how nice the Valorant weapons feel it should be a very satisfying experience.

Elsewhere in the 12.08 patch notes , Bind is out of the competitive map pool and replaced by Ascent, and there is a big list of fixes that were included in the last patch but not documented. It’s not a massive Valorant patch, but a new game mode is always fun to try.

Skirmish: Ascension Weapons

In the first four rounds of a Skirmish: Ascension match players will have access to the Bandit and Sheriff pistols, before moving onto the Guardian and Bulldog for rounds 5-8 and then moving onto the Vandal and Phantom for and rounds past the ninth.

Skirmish: Ascension Agents

In Skirmish: Ascension matches in Valorant, players can select any of the following agents, but each will only have one ability available, which is listed next to the agent.

■ Jett (Tailwind) ■ Waylay (Refract) ■ Chamber (Rendezvous) ■ Cypher (Cyber Cage) ■ Omen (Shrouded Step) ■ Phoenix (Curve Ball) ■ Yoru (Clone) ■ Iso (Contingency) ■ Sage (Barrier Orb) ■ Raze (Blast Pack) ■ Vyse (Arc Rose) ■ KAY/O (Flash/Drive) ■ Breach (Flashpoint) ■ Veto (Crosscut)