VALORANT player cites Neon's instant weapon equip as primary issue
VALORANT community member AndrewisSpider has highlighted a specific mechanical weakness in the agent Neon, identifying her weapon equip speed as a more critical issue than previously discussed mobility concerns.
According to recent testing, Neon's primary struggle is not bunny hopping, but the extremely short time required to ready her shotgun after using her abilities. The user recorded that equipping a shotgun takes only 0.42 seconds immediately following a slide and 0.54 seconds after exiting High Gear.
In comparison, other mobile duelists face significantly longer delays: Waylay requires 1.01 seconds after one dash, while Jett needs 1.24 seconds and Raze takes 1.35 seconds after using their respective abilities.
This mechanic was introduced in patch 8.11 when Riot Games changed Neon's slide equip speed to instant with a 0.2-second buffer. Although subsequent patches nerfed her slide charges, lowered sliding accuracy, and removed the airborne speed bonus from High Gear, they did not adjust her weapon equip time.
The faster equip allows Neon to force opponents to miss while she is moving, enabling her to fire almost immediately without landing a precise rifle shot. Community feedback remains divided on whether this compensates for her lack of vertical mobility or creates an unfair counterplay window.
Имба
