If you’ve spent any time browsing Valorant agent tier lists or watching pro play over the last year, you’ve almost definitely seen Clove pop up as a top pick for controller mains. A lot of new players, and even casual fans who took a break from the game, often ask when did clove come out valorant, and what made her launch so memorable for the community. Unlike many agents that slipped into the roster with little fanfare, Clove’s release was one of the most hyped drops in Valorant history, and her kit still shakes up ranked and competitive play to this day. In this guide, we’ll break down her exact release date, the patch she launched in, how her kit has changed since she went live, and what you need to know to play her well if you’re picking her up for the first time.
When Did Clove Come Out in Valorant? Exact Release Date & Patch
Clove officially launched globally on March 26, 2024, as part of Valorant’s Episode 8 Act 2 update. Riot Games first teased the Scottish controller two weeks before her release, with cryptic in-game easter eggs, a cinematic trailer featuring her chaotic personality, and early ability previews sent to popular Valorant content creators for first-look plays. She was the 25th agent added to the Valorant roster, and the 6th controller released since the game’s 2020 launch.
Many players expected her to drop later in the act, but Riot pushed her release earlier than planned after leaks of her full kit spread across social media in early March 2024. The launch patch also included a new battle pass, balance changes to existing agents like Sage and Jett, and a limited-time Clove-themed game mode that let players test her abilities in a low-stakes, casual match setting before jumping into ranked. Many players who were active when did Clove come out Valorant still joke about how unbeatable she was in those first two weeks, before the first round of nerfs hit.
What Made Clove’s Launch Stand Out From Other Agent Releases
Most Valorant agent launches get a standard trailer and a few patch notes, but Clove’s rollout felt different for a lot of long-time players. First, she was the first non-binary agent added to the Valorant roster, which earned widespread praise from the community for inclusive representation. Riot worked closely with gender non-conforming consultants to make sure her characterization, voice lines, and backstory felt authentic, rather than a token addition. Her kit also filled a long-requested gap for a controller that could play aggressively, instead of sticking to the back of the map to smoke off sites.
A few other unique details of her launch include:
- Early access for 100+ community creators 3 days before official launch, leading to millions of views of gameplay clips before she was available to the public
- In-game challenges that rewarded players with free Clove-themed player cards, sprays, and gun buddies for winning matches with her during her first two weeks live
- A dedicated in-game lore event that tied her backstory to existing Valorant agents like Omen and Viper, expanding the game’s overall narrative
By the end of her first week live, Clove had a 28% pick rate across all ranks, the highest of any new agent launch in Valorant history at the time. Even pro teams started testing her in competitive scrims within days of her release, which is rare for new agents that usually take weeks to be optimized for pro play.
How Clove’s Kit Changed Post-Launch
As expected with any new agent that has an extremely high pick rate, Riot rolled out a series of balance changes to Clove in the patches following her launch to make sure she didn’t break the game’s meta. Her signature ability, Clairvoyant, let her see enemies through walls for a short time after she got a kill or assist, which was initially way too powerful for ranked play where coordinated teams could chain her vision to push sites with zero risk. Riot nerfed the duration of the vision buff from 4 seconds to 2.5 seconds in the first patch after her release, and reduced the range of the vision by 30%.
They also adjusted her smoke ability, Fade Out, to make the smoke dissipate 1 second faster, and increased the cost of her ultimate ability from 7 orbs to 8 orbs to prevent players from getting it multiple times per round. Even with these nerfs, Clove still sits in the S tier of most controller tier lists, because her core kit of aggressive mobility, vision control, and team support still fills a niche no other controller can match. If you’re a new player picking her up, don’t make the mistake of using all your smokes at the start of the round – save at least one to block enemy lines of sight when you’re rotating or retreating after a push.
Tips for Playing Clove Effectively Today
Even though Clove has been out for months now, a lot of players still don’t use her kit to its full potential. First, pair her with an initiator like Sova or Skye to make the most of her vision buff – if your initiator darts a site and gets an assist, you get the same vision buff as if you got the kill yourself, so you can push in with full knowledge of where enemies are hiding.
You should also remember that her smoke ability is not just for blocking sightlines for your team – you can use it to cover your own flanks, or even smoke off the enemy spawn to slow down their rotations when your team is planting the spike. If you’re playing in ranked, communicate with your team before you use your ultimate, which lets you revive yourself after dying once per round, so your team knows to push with you instead of falling back when you get picked off first.
One common mistake new Clove players make is playing her like a traditional smoker, hanging back near the spawn to smoke off sites from a distance. Clove works best when you play close to your team’s front line, so you can get picks, trigger your vision buff, and use your mobility to get behind enemy lines and catch them off guard. She’s not the best pick for players who prefer to sit back and support from far away, but if you like aggressive play with a side of utility support, she’s perfect for you.
Whether you’re a long-time Valorant player who remembers the hype around her launch, or a new player who just unlocked her and wants to learn more, knowing when did clove come out valorant gives you context for how much the game’s meta has shifted since her release. She’s still one of the most powerful and fun agents to play in the roster, and Riot has teased that more lore content focused on Clove is coming in future episodes, so she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. If you haven’t tried her out yet, jump into a quick unrated match to test her kit – you might just find your new main.
