Valorant community believes this Agent will have higher pick rate after patch 8.11
Valorant patch 8.11 has significantly buffed Iso. The Chinese Duelist is a master of 1-on-1 combat and is even stronger now. His Double Tap ability has been buffed, which means he is granted a shield right after pressing the (E) ability key. This means he will have a shield up even before engaging an enemy. This is a big plus for players who use the Agent.
Redditor matheusamr noted how having a shield up before an engagement makes Iso insanely strong. This is especially because the Agent will get an orb after defeating an enemy, further keeping his shield up after shooting it. Moreover, he will have one kill on the two-kill reset counter without potentially having taken any damage or losing shields.
matheusamr said in a post:
"I believe having the ability to get the Double Tap shield BEFORE an engagement will be highly relevant. Even more because (and this wasn't in the patch notes aswell) RIOT Penguin has said on Plat Chat that even after your shield gets destroyed, you are still in flow state and WILL get an orb if you get a kill."
One Valorant player agreed with matheusamr and pointed out how having the advantage of Double Tap shields makes Iso a very strong Agent, with his ultimate ability giving him an even bigger advantage against an opponent.
Another player highlighted the same thing. Having shields before engaging with an enemy means Iso will have an extra bit of resistance to damage dealt by an opponent.
According to other Reddit users, while Iso's buffs make him significantly stronger, it may not mean that his pick rate will see a rise especially when it comes to pro play. The user wondered if Iso would be picked occasionally in ranked games too.
A Valorant fan and seemingly an avid watcher of the VCT suggested that while Iso may see some action in ranked games, his pick rate could stay the same in professional matches. This is because better Duelists exist in the game.
Another Redditor had a similar opinion. They wondered how the buffs, especially the shield would bring value to pro play. They believed that the Agent may be somewhat usable and could see some picks by professionals but not far too often.
Other Valorant Agents also got changes in patch 8.11
Many other Agents have received changes in Valorant patch 8.11, including Reyna, Neon, and Raze.
Reyna can now stay in her Empress state until completely defeated by opponents. Previously, there used to be a timer on the ability's duration.
Major tweaks have also hit Neon, who now has two slides instead of one. Her speed while strafing and sprinting has also been increased. Her Realay Bolt has been reduced from two to one.
Finally, Raze has received one of the biggest nerfs, as she can no longer knock back or damage enemies with her satchels. Moreover, the distance she can cover with the satchels has also been reduced.