In this latest edition of Designer's Notes, we'll go into detail about the balancing changes that'll come with the Y9S4.2 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
BUCK
While Hard Breach Charges are useful for opening a couple of reinforcements, Buck's primary role is soft breaching with his Skeleton Key. This role is almost always needed, and the Hard Breach Charges gave him too much flexibility, making him a one-man-army in many situations. By removing them, we aim to encourage more cooperation among team members.
Additionally, equipping Buck with Claymores can enhance his utility. Instead of taking on multiple roles, he can focus on his primary job more safely. Buck can secure key entry points and prevent roamers from sneaking up on him or his team. This allows him to maintain control over the map, ensuring that enemies are either killed, deterred, or forced to reveal their positions if they attempt to flank.
LOADOUT
- Gadgets: Removed Hard Breach Charge. Added Claymore.
KAPKAN
We have decided to replace Kapkan's Nitro Cell with Barbed Wire to reduce his killing potential., as his EDDs are already enough explosives and are quite effective.
The Barbed Wire will enhance Kapkan's ability to delay and disturb attackers' progress through the map, emphasizing area denial over lethality. It can be used to block or control key pathways, forcing attackers to take alternative routes where EDDs might be placed. This strategic placement can funnel attackers into more predictable and dangerous areas.
LOADOUT
- Gadgets: Removed Nitro Cell. Added Barbed Wire.
LESION
We believe that Lesion currently exerts too much map control too quickly due to the number of mines he can deploy per round. The strategic placements of these mines are effectively countering the removal of their cloaking, which means some of the buffs we introduced along that change are no longer necessary.
At present, Lesion can cover up to 5 entry points within the first minute of Action Phase. By adjusting the refill time, this will be reduced by 1. Fewer mines will force Lesion players to be more strategic about where and when they place their mines. They will need to prioritize high-traffic areas and key objectives, rather than spreading mines more liberally across the map. This adjustment will also make easier for attackers to navigate the map without the constant threat of stepping on a GU Mine, allowing them more freedom to move quickly and aggressively, and making it more challenging for Lesion to control the pace of the game.
BASE STATS
- Max. resources: Reduced to 8 mines (from 9).
GU MINE
- Refill time: Increased to 30 seconds (from 25).
ORYX
Previously, the recovery times after using his dash were long enough for attackers to react and potentially eliminate him. By reducing them, Oryx can capitalize on the element of surprise more consistently and make more effective use of his mobility without being too vulnerable. This change enhances his ability to disrupt enemy plans and maintain pressure on attackers, making him more viable and competitive operator.
The new timings will also synergy really well with the recently buffed SPAS-12, as it is more comfortable to use and will be very reliable to finish enemies, and be more consistent against Ballistic Shields.
REMAH DASH
- Weapon recovery time after dashing: Reduced to 0.2 seconds (from 0.5).
- Weapon recovery time after dashing against a wall: Reduced to 0.3 seconds (from 0.5).
- Weapon recovery time after dashing against an enemy: Reduced to 0.1 seconds (from 0.5).
RAM
The BU-GI Auto Breacher is one of the most destructive gadgets available, capable of destroying a wide range of objects and surfaces while allowing Ram to remain in a safe position or be ready to act on the destruction created. Her ability to clear entire ceiling in a split second and displace defenders below is unparalleled.
We believe this should be her main focus, leaving more precise destruction to other soft-breachers. Therefore, we have decided to remove the ITA12S from her loadout.
LOADOUT
- Secondary weapons: Removed ITA12S.
SLEDGE
The soft-breach ecosystem has evolved significantly since we implemented the armor and speed reshuffle at the end of Year 7. With the introduction of Ram and the Frag Grenade changes at the end of Year 8, it is now time to reassess the entire ecosystem.
Given the new situation, we believe that enhancing Sledge's speed will be more advantageous than focusing on his survivability. As Sledge is the only operator who needs to be in close proximity to the target surface, increased speed will aid him in rotating quickly when his secondary utility is required elsewhere.
Buck offers the most flexibility, capable of playing from bottom to top. Ram boasts the highest destruction potential with minimal risk. And Sledge stands out for his precision and reliability. We believe that the changes made to them will create a more balanced ecosystem where each of them has its own space in the meta.
BASE STATS
- Speed: 2 (from 1)
- Health: 2 (from 3)
WEAPON BALANCING
SLUG SHOTGUNS
Back in Y9S1, when we normalized the damage drop-off of every weapon to match its weapon class, the BOSG.12.2 was one of the exceptions cleared. As a result, its damage drop-off changed from starting at 10 meters to 25 meters and ending at 18 meters to 35 meters.
With some time now in the live servers, we believe the Slug Shotgun class is not performing as intended. Our initial goal was to create something between a Shotgun and a DMR, but the data shows they are closer to the latter, with the BOSG.12.2 being the most prominent example.
Therefore, we have decided to adjust their damage drop-off again to align more closely with regular Shotguns. This adjustment will maintain their lethality at short-mid range while reducing their effectiveness in long range engagements. However, the Magnified Scopes will remain to facilitate landing more precise shots.
BASE STATS
- Damage drop off start: Reduced to 15 meters (from 25).
- Damage drop off end: Reduced to 25 meters (from 35).
- Damage at maximum range: Reduced to 60% (from 70).
- Destruction range: Reduced.
WEAPONS AFFECTED
- ACS12
- BOSG.12.2
- TCSG12
- .44 Vendetta*
OPERATORS AFFECTED
- Alibi
- Azami
- Dokkaebi
- Goyo
- Kaid
- Maestro
- Vigil
- Deimos*
*Only apply the destruction change because it uses the same caliber, but the damage configuration is unchanged.
G36C
During Y8S4.2, the G36C became one of the Attacker weapons with a higher K/D ratio. At that time, we increased its recoil, which significantly impacted its popularity. Currently, Iana chooses it in approximately 40% of the rounds, while Ash use it in only 2% of the rounds. We are proposing a new recoil adjustment to make the weapon more appealing while maintaining its killing performance. The new recoil setting will be a middle ground between its states before Y8S4.2 and its pre-patch configuration.
RECOIL - PC & CONSOLE
- Vertical: Reduced.
- Horizontal: Reduced.
OPERATORS AFFECTED
- Ash
- Iana
TCSG12
The weapon has been performing very well since the last changes. However, the new tweak to the Slug Shotgun class might cause it underperform. To compensate for this, we are increasing its base damage to ensure it remains as effective as before at long range.
BASE STATS
- Damage: Increased to 75hp (from 63).
OPERATORS AFFECTED
- Goyo
- Kaid
