In this latest edition of Designer's Notes, we'll go into detail about the balancing changes that'll come with the Y9S2.3 update and give you some insight into the reasons behind them.
BALANCING MATRIX AND TOP OPERATOR BANS
WIN DELTA VS. PRESENCE
Please note that we are using presence to gauge the popularity of an Operator. This notion had to be introduced to reflect the implementation of the pick & ban.
Presence definition: pick rate of an Operator when not banned. Win Delta: The Win Delta is aggregated from Operator's Win Deltas per Bomb Site.
OPERATOR BAN RATE
OPERATOR BALANCING
AZAMI
In Y8S4, the destruction rates of the Kiba Barriers were divided between 56% from explosives and 44% from melee attacks. Following the update in Y9S1, the rates shifted to 42% explosives, 29% melee, and 28% bullets. However, during the season, explosive usage increased while bullet damage decreased. As a result, we made adjustments in the mid-season patch, but the usage of bullets didn't even match the numbers we had at the beginning of the season.
To address this, we've decided to further boost the damage modifiers. After analyzing a longer data period, we're less concerned about barriers being too vulnerable to bullets at close range. Melee attackers continue to be a more efficient and quicker method for barrier destruction. Our goal is to make barrier destruction more viable from longer distances, taking into account the damage drop-off of weapons. We aim for a more balanced usage of bullets and explosives.
KIBA BARRIER
- Increased damage received by Handguns:
- 20% by Small calibers (e.g. USP40).
- 30% by Medium calibers (e.g. M45 MEUSOC).
- 20% by High calibers (e.g. D-50).
- Increased by 20% the damage received by Revolvers.
- Increased by 30% the damage received by Machine Pistols.
- Increased damage increased by Submachine Guns:
- 30% by Small calibers (e.g. Mx4 Storm).
- 20% by Medium calibers (e.g. K1A).
- 20% by High calibers (e.g. UZK50GI).
- Increased by 20% the damage received by Assault Rifles.
- Increased by 20% the damage received by Light Machine Guns.
- Increased by 20% the damage received by Designated Marksman Rifles.
- Increased by 20% the damage received by Sniper Rifles.
- 150% by CSRX 300.
BUCK
Over the past couple of years, attackers have gained additional tools to counter defenders' bulletproof utility (such as Brava and Ram) and increased access to explosives (including the additional Gonne-6 and Frag Grenades). As time has passed, many of the stronger defenders have already been addressed by adding more non-explosive counters (like Azami and Fenrir). Therefore, we believe that Buck's Gonne-6 is overshadowing other operators who specialize in explosive capabilities.
Our intention for Buck is to maintain his focus on environmental destruction and vertical play. We feel that the Gonne-6 is unnecessary for him to excel in this area.
LOADOUT
- Secondary weapons: Removed Gonne-6.
ECHO
Despite the increased pick rate of the Supernova (approximately from 5% to 20%), our intention to position it as an alternative to the usual site architects has unfortunately resulted in it being underutilized. Consequently, we have decided to restore its armor and speed ratings and reintroduce the Magnified Scopes into the MP5SD. The new sights are designed to encourage a more passive playstyle, which should synergy well with him staying on drones at a distance from the action and hold long angles if needed.
We acknowledge that these adjustments alone may not be sufficient to increase Echo's presence substantially, so we are investigating additional changes for the Yokai drones in the background.
BASE STATS
- Armor: 3 (from 2).
- Speed: 1 (from 2).
LOADOUT
- MP5SD: Added Magnified Scopes to sights options.
ELA
As we are adjusting the killing potential of Melusi and Wamai, we have identified an opportunity to enhance her roaming capabilities to fill the gap that those operators might be leaving. Given the recent additions to the defensive roaster, Ela's role has become more constrained. To address this, we have decided to reintroduce her Impact Grenades, allowing her greater mobility and additional tools against Ballistic Shields.
Ela's current lethality is significantly lower than it was in Year 3 when we initially removed the grenades. By reintroducing them, our goal is to make her gameplay more dynamic during the round without creating an overly oppressive experience for the attacking team.
LOADOUT
- Secondary gadgets: Removed Observation Blocker. Added Impact Grenades.
GRIDLOCK
Despite she has a lot of resources and each canister covering a relatively large area, defenders do not seem particularly scared when encountering them. And the punishment for ignoring them is not severe enough. Currently, an enemy only takes 3 ticks of damage when crossing a fully expanded canister, which is only 30 hit points. Furthermore, even if the covered area is extensive, it is unnecessary to destroy all deployed Trax devices to create a safer path, so only a few bullets are needed to invalidate them.
To address this, we plan to increase the damage dealt per second. This adjustment will make them more intimidating, prompting defenders to ensure that the path is clear before proceeding. With the new damage output, crossing the area will cost 45 hp, which should encourage defenders to play more cautiously and give attackers more time to react. We remain open to further adjustments if this value does not meet our expectation in practice.
TRAX STINGERS
- Damage: Increased to 15hp per second in movement (from 10).
MELUSI
The Magnified Scope has notably enhanced her efficiency in combat scenarios, even outperforming other operators with the MP5. Despite her being a 3-armor like Doc and Rook, we consider that she should be more focused on utility usage. Additionally, the introduction of other operators who can fulfill a similar role in a more flexible manner, such as Fenrir, has diminished her utility.
The proposed adjustments are designed to reduce her killing potential while expanding her contribution to team strategy. The additional resources will help her cover more space or double down in locations that might need more attention. Furthermore, the introduction of a secondary shotgun is intended to foster creativity and versatility preparing the defensive setup.
BANSHEE SONIC DEFENSE
- Max. resources: Increase to 4 (from 3).
LOADOUT
- MP5: Removed Magnified Scopes from sights options.
- Secondary weapons: Added ITA12S.
WAMAI
While the MP5K statistics do not currently raise immediate concerns, on the contrary, its efficiency went almost back to pre-Acog levels by the end of Season 1. The rising presence presents a pattern that can remind of past experiences with other operators, such as Alibi, Oryx, and Warden. While these operators weren't overwhelmingly overpowered in terms of stats, their significant presence - specifically the motivation to pick them - was perceived negatively, leading to concerns about game balance. In light of these considerations, we have decided to remove the Magnified Scope.
LOADOUT
- MP5K: Removed Magnified Scopes from sights options.
