How many agents in Valorant have the ability to instantly destroy crucial enemy utilities like a Sova Drone, Raze Boombot, and Killjoy Alarmbot using just one free, rechargeable ability? The answer is one: Veto. Although new agents are typically met with excitement upon release, many tend to lose their appeal quickly. However, Veto’s impact is undeniable and sets a new standard in gameplay.
Veto is the first character in Valorant that completely undermines essential abilities. With a free ability that obliterates valuable utilities and an Ultimate that grants total invincibility, Veto is a game-changer, shaping the Valorant meta in unprecedented ways.
1. Veto Makes All Abilities Feel Obsolete (Almost)
At first glance, it might seem audacious to label Veto as broken, especially since his debut in the game is fresh. However, this claim holds weight due to two key aspects: his Interceptor ability dismantles enemy utilities, and his Evolution Ultimate negates all debuffs. Veto emerges as a force to be reckoned with in the utility arena.
2. Veto’s Interceptor Is a Utility Black Hole
If you’re familiar with Valorant, you know how essential abilities are for any character. This is where Veto truly excels.
Veto’s Interceptor ability serves as a secondary ally that stands by your side, absorbing and neutralizing enemy abilities. Imagine this: flashes, smokes, traps, and darts—all eliminated in an instant. This creates a real nightmare for Initiators and Sentinels who depend on utility for their strategies. Veto’s Interceptor has the power to snuff out Sova’s Owl Drone, Fade’s Prowler, and Gekko’s Wingman before they even make their move.
This disrupts the coordinated strategies that Initiators and Sentinels often rely on. Major ultimate abilities such as Deadlock’s Annihilation or Killjoy’s Lockdown become easy targets for Veto. The Interceptor transforms every concerted team effort into a gamble, forcing players to adapt on-the-fly instead of executing pre-planned maneuvers.
3. Invulnerability is the New Sentinel Perk
The Evolution ultimate is not just a protective measure for Veto; it fundamentally alters how engagements occur in Valorant. Upon activation, Veto becomes entirely immune to all forms of utility and ability damage for a significant duration. Flashes, mollies, and shock darts become ineffective. Even devastating ultimates like Breach’s Rolling Thunder or Killjoy’s Lockdown can’t hinder him.
Practically speaking, this makes it incredibly difficult to flush Veto out of positions. He can dominate a site, serving as an impenetrable barrier during full executions. Plus, in a post-plant scenario, defusing the spike becomes an easy task for him, transforming what should be a defensive ultimate into a declaration of power where Veto defines the rules of engagement.
4. Veto Isn’t Simply a Sentinel in Disguise
Labeling Veto as just another Sentinel overlooks his disruptive nature. The powerful 29th agent does not merely block pushes or bolster defenses. Instead, he embodies chaos, thriving on mobility and counter-positioning rather than static defense. This makes Veto’s role vital, especially as many existing Sentinels cling to defensive styles.
We can finally stop witnessing Cypher mains photographing enemies from afar instead of engaging fully. Veto serves as a hybrid of main duelist and anti-support, a substantial addition to our meta landscape.
5. Veto-Proofing Your Agent Composition Is Essential
To navigate the post-Veto environment successfully, teams must reconsider their strategies. Agents that require fewer deployables will be advantageous. While it sounds straightforward, even characters like Reyna or Phoenix utilize some utility when engaging with sites. Adopting flexible compositions that include non-targetable utilities could be effective.
Veto’s primary weakness lies in pure gunplay. Teams featuring skilled aimers can exploit his dependence on peeking. Even if you can’t engage him first, focus fire on the Interceptor. Taking out this utility-wrecking ally means Veto must rely solely on his shooting capability.
Despite the terrifying nature of his Evolution ultimate, well-coordinated teams can navigate around it by avoiding ability usage and sticking to disciplined aim duels. This strategy can effectively deplete his ultimate duration, pushing him to different tactical approaches. It still poses challenges; therefore, Veto not only redefines the gameplay but also makes existing Sentinels obsolete.
6. Can Riot Games Balance a True Anti-Utility Agent?
Balancing an agent designed to negate other abilities is a precarious endeavor. If Veto remains as dominant as he is now, every match could hinge on his involvement or how players manage to counter him. Conversely, excessive nerfing could lead him to become yet another casualty in Valorant’s history of over-adjusted agents, particularly among Sentinels.
At this point, Veto represents unpredictability wrapped in a complex metamorphosis—an agent who genuinely challenges Valorant’s established framework. His capability to diminish utilities like they are unimportant could redefine gameplay. Whether he evolves into a legendary figure or a cautionary tale will ultimately depend on how swiftly Riot manages this powerful addition.
What are your thoughts on the latest Sentinel in Valorant? Do you believe Veto deserves the label of a broken agent? Join the conversation and share your views in the comments below.