You have to wonder if it has been less than a day since Riot Games introduced Tejo, VALORANT’s new agent, and fans are already making a fuss. Tejo is one of the characters that are available for testing on the early access server and has been causing a lot of stir among players because of what seems like god-like powers. X (previously Twitter) and Reddit are filled with posts, and many players demand nerfs for the agent even before it is added to the game. Here are the reasons why fans are concerned about Tejo’s launch and whether Riot should consider tuning him down.
Meet Tejo: The 27th Agent in VALORANT
Tejo is from Colombia and will be playing as an Initiator for the team. Whereas Initiators usually bring utility-based gameplay to help their teams, Tejo’s abilities are not limited to the toolset. Rather than adding completely new mechanics, Tejo’s kit enhances and boosts existing skills in VALORANT, making players wonder about the agent’s balance.
Why Players Think Tejo Is OP
Some of the points of debate have been raised in threads on r/VALORANT and r/VALORANTcompetitive subreddits. A post by Reddit user artOseku aptly sums up the issue:
“I don’t think the problem is that he’s overpowered, the problem is that he took what other initiators were doing and does them so much better.”
One perfect example is Tejo’s Stealth Drone which is a much better version than Sova’s Owl Drone. While the Owl Drone can be seen and requires tagging of the opponents, the Stealth Drone of Tejo stays invisible until it gets near the enemy. When it gets close it stun locks the target and shows their position – a perfect mix of intelligence gathering and crowd control.
Tejo’s Kit: A Breakdown of Power
The real complaint is that Tejo can outcompete existing agents in almost any situation. Here’s a quick look at why the community is concerned:
- Guided Salvo: This recharging signature ability can take down Killjoy’s Lockdown in a blink of an eye. Unlike the Kay/O’s Fragment which needs accuracy and timing, Tejo’s ability only needs a tap, which is highly efficient. Furthermore, it has an utterly ridiculous range, which is almost half of the map.
- Stealth Drone: As mentioned earlier, it is an invisible Sova drone with suppression and longer reveal duration.
- Ultimate: Tejo’s ultimate can shut down an entire Cypher setup, shut down Neon’s Barrier, and even take out strategic flank traps without needing complex positioning.
Community Concerns: “This feels like Chamber all over again”
Some of the fans have compared the launch of Tejo with that of Chamber in the year 2022. Chamber was oppressive in competitive play, and thus, it received many balance updates and nerfs over the years. Some fear that Tejo could also go the same way, especially if he is as synergistic-breaking as he seems to be.
Reddit user matheusamr captured the sentiment of many:
“If you’re Tejo, you can, in a single cast of his recharging signature ability, use one explosion to destroy Killjoy Lockdown and still have the other one to use freely. Moreover, the range of this thing is equal to half of the map. I don’t usually get mad at agents before they are released but that has to be nerfed right?”
Another user, fanficmilf6969, outlined the main grievances:
“So…
- Invisible Sova drone
- Flanking ability to break flank trips without lineups
- Ult KOs from full setups
- One-tick molly without lineup to beat KJ ultimate
- 8 second suppression on the drone
- Ult can delete full Cypher setups…
I don’t like reactivity, but is there any way that this isn’t broken?”
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