If there's one thing for sure, Valorant developer Riot knows how to make a stellar agent. All 20 Valorant sidelines, good for nothing.
With a 0% pick rate on most Valorant maps during VCT and a meager 1.8% pick rate in ranked, Yoru unequivocally claims the undesirable title of being the most lackluster agent in Valorant. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is that he can't be saved, perpetually leaving duelist players with one less viable choice.
There's no agent Riot can't fix. The developer saved Viper, Chamber, Cypher, and more from the pits of C-tier. But Yoru is a lost cause; here's why.
Yoru is beyond redemption
Viper was the least viable controller in the early days of Valorant, and then Riot swung its magic wand between patches 1.06-2.06, making Viper the best agent to walk the Mirrorverse. In all honesty, the buffs pale in comparison to what Riot did for Yoru. Still, Viper dominated the ranks.
Yoru, on the other hand, has undergone three significant facelifts. The first patch 2.06 tweaks didn't change much. Then Riot took Yoru to the workshop for a complete overhaul, and he came out unrecognizable. But, to everyone's surprise, Yoru still brought shame to the duelist roster. Another try from Riot came in 5.01, and Yoru's failure to launch persisted.
It's been a year since Yoru's rework in Valorant episode 4, and nothing has changed. Riot no longer tries to put extra effort into its spoiled child because, if so many attempts fail, there's something intrinsically wrong with the agent. Yoru is beyond salvation, and it appears that Riot has come to with this reality.
There'll always be one less duelist
No one seems to care about Yoru's absence from most maps, but in the long run, it's an issue.
Compared to other classes, in which all agents are viable in some way, duelists players will always have one less option. Riot hasn't bothered with Yoru in a whole year, so it's unlikely Yoru is in line for another rework. If that's the case, there'll always be a spot left for a "master of deception" who could toy with realities.
Don't get me wrong, many players still swear by Yoru, but his plunging pick rate reflects poorly on the duelist roster. No other duelist in Valorant comes close to Yoru's numbers. Even Neon struggles a little, but the feisty teen is highly valuable on select maps and a favorite in pro play. With Yoru refusing to leave rock bottom, Valorant players will have one less duelist.
What's Yoru's problem?
Here's my hot take: The skill ceiling of Yoru's toolkit is too high for an average Valorant player. But, conversely, countering Yoru is too easy.
Meaning: If you have mastered Yoru after spending twice the time it takes to hone up Jett's Blade Storm, enemies would still find it easier to counter Yoru than Jett. Even with more effort, Yoru players will often find their well-learned tricks fail in the server. So, naturally, it seems like a better option to practice other duelists, who are much easier than Yoru.
Yoru's toolkit is not bad, it's just too tricky. For Yoru to work, Riot would need to tweak down the difficulty level, which seems like a tall order considering the reality-meddling nature of his kit. But that's a discussion for the day when Riot even considers re-fixing his toolkit, which is currently coated in cobwebs.
But you're under no obligation to run Yoru in ranked. Check out our Valorant Night Market dates so you look good regardless.