Valmont Brings Ruthless Battlemage Power to Predecessor’s Midlane

Omeda Studios has revealed Valmont, the next playable Hero coming to its free-to-play action MOBA, Predecessor. Described as a ruthless battlemage created to dominate the midlane, Valmont will join the roster on September 22 as part of Update 1.17: Bloodtide.

The initial Hero Reveal focuses on establishing Valmont’s identity rather than explaining his complete moveset. His abilities, passive effects, damage scaling and preferred combat patterns have not yet been officially detailed, with Omeda confirming that a separate Hero Overview will follow the reveal.

Even with those mechanical details still under wraps, the combination of Valmont’s battlemage classification and designated midlane role gives players a useful indication of the experience Omeda is building around him. Instead of presenting another conventional long-range caster, Valmont appears positioned as a more forceful magical combatant who will want to control space and confront opponents directly.

A battlemage rather than a traditional caster

Omeda’s decision to describe Valmont specifically as a battlemage is significant. Within MOBAs, conventional mages often depend on distance, carefully timed ability combinations and safe positioning behind their frontline. Battlemages typically operate closer to the danger, remaining involved in fights for longer while using repeated spell casts, area control or defensive mechanics to survive.

That does not confirm the exact shape of Valmont’s kit, but it establishes a different expectation from a fragile artillery character. His fantasy is built around magical power with a more aggressive presence—someone intended to impose himself on a fight rather than simply wait for an opportunity to attack from the backline.

The “ruthless” description reinforces that direction. Valmont is not being introduced as a defensive specialist or utility-focused enchanter. Everything Omeda has communicated so far presents him as an assertive midlaner capable of becoming the central threat in an engagement.

Until the Hero Overview arrives, however, questions remain about how he will achieve that objective. Omeda has not confirmed whether Valmont relies on sustained damage, health restoration, crowd control, empowered basic attacks or another form of combat durability. Players should therefore treat more detailed descriptions of his abilities as speculation for the time being.

Valmont has been designed for the midlane

The midlane is one of the most strategically influential positions in Predecessor. Its central location gives the player relatively quick access to both sides of the battlefield, creating opportunities to rotate toward objectives, support another lane or work with the Jungler to pressure an exposed opponent.

A successful midlaner consequently needs more than raw damage. Wave management, awareness of enemy movements, efficient ability usage and knowing when to leave the lane can all determine how much influence the character has over the wider match.

Valmont’s battlemage identity could give him an interesting place within that structure. A Hero comfortable fighting at closer ranges may be able to contest central territory differently from a conventional ranged mage. That could make positioning around minion waves, narrow approaches and neutral objectives especially important when playing as—or against—him.

The trade-off is that a more committed style of magical combat normally carries additional risk. Moving closer to an enemy can create stronger pressure, but it also leaves fewer opportunities to escape a failed engagement. The eventual Hero Overview will need to show whether Valmont receives defensive tools to support his aggression or whether players will be expected to rely primarily on positioning and precise timing.

A potentially important addition to team composition

Valmont could also provide another option for teams that want magical damage without surrendering frontline presence. Predecessor’s matches are not decided purely by lane matchups; every selection contributes to the structure of the full five-Hero composition.

A traditional backline mage generally needs allies capable of protecting the space around them. A battlemage can potentially reverse that relationship by helping the team occupy contested areas, forcing opponents to move and creating opportunities for Carries or other damage dealers.

The decisive factor will be Valmont’s balance between pressure and vulnerability. If he can survive extended engagements, he may function as a persistent threat during team fights. If his defenses are limited, his success could depend on entering at exactly the right moment, delivering his abilities and withdrawing before the enemy team can retaliate.

His arrival will also create a new matchup for existing midlane selections. Players will need to learn which Heroes can punish his preferred range, interrupt his engagements or prevent him from establishing control. Valmont players, meanwhile, will have to determine whether he is strongest when winning his lane directly or when using his pressure to influence the rest of the map.

Those answers will only become clear once his ability descriptions, numerical values and live-game interactions are available.

Bloodtide is bringing more than a new Hero

Valmont is one of the headline additions included in Update 1.17: Bloodtide, but he will not arrive alone. The same update introduces Crucible, a new 3v3 game mode that reduces the standard team size and promises a more concentrated form of Predecessor combat.

Launching a new Hero and a new mode together makes Bloodtide a substantial update for different sections of the community. Traditional players will have a new midlaner to study, while Crucible offers an alternative format built around smaller teams and more individual responsibility.

The reduced roster size should change how fights are approached. With only three Heroes on each side, every elimination, missed ability and positioning mistake can carry greater weight. Team compositions may also become more specialised because players cannot cover as many roles as they would in the standard five-versus-five format.

It remains to be seen how naturally Valmont will fit into Crucible. A battlemage capable of contesting limited space could theoretically thrive in smaller skirmishes, but that assessment depends entirely on mechanics that Omeda has not revealed yet. His performance in the mode should not be assumed before players have access to the complete kit.

The Hero Overview will provide the crucial details

The next stage of Valmont’s reveal will be far more important for players interested in builds, counters and competitive viability. His Hero Overview is expected to explain his passive, basic abilities and ultimate, alongside the intended connections between them.

Several major questions remain unanswered. Players still need to know whether Valmont attacks from range or at close quarters, what form of crowd control he possesses, how he sustains himself during a fight and whether his power is concentrated into explosive combinations or extended engagements.

His damage type and scaling will influence itemisation, while cooldowns and resource costs will determine how aggressively he can control the lane. Mobility will be another critical consideration. A battlemage with a reliable approach or escape tool creates a very different matchup from one who must advance on foot and carefully preserve defensive abilities.

Omeda’s full Update 1.17 patch notes should also clarify the wider balance environment surrounding his debut. A new Hero does not enter the game in isolation: changes to items, systems and existing characters can all affect which matchups and builds prove effective during the opening days of a patch.

Valmont arrives on September 22

Valmont will become available in Predecessor on September 22, launching alongside Update 1.17: Bloodtide and the new Crucible 3v3 mode. Predecessor is available as a free-to-play title on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, with cross-platform multiplayer supported between its console and PC communities.

For now, the reveal establishes Valmont as an intimidating new magical presence designed for the midlane. His exact abilities remain a mystery, but the battlemage label suggests a Hero who will be expected to take control of contested ground and remain dangerously close to the action.

The forthcoming Hero Overview will determine whether Valmont truly has the tools to dominate the lane—or whether his ruthless ambitions will require considerable mechanical skill to fulfil.