Rainbow Six Siege Year 9 Season 3.3 Designer’s Notes: Character Buffs, Bullet Trail Adjustments, and Additional Updates

The latest installment of the Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer’s Notes focuses primarily on operators who are not frequently chosen, yet possess notable strengths on paper. This initiative aims to address the current disparity in win rates and operator presence, especially since Ash remains the top-pick attacker. Despite experiencing a recent nerf to her magazine capacity, she continues to perform consistently.

Changes to Operators in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer’s Notes

Attacker Win Delta vs Presence illustrated in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer's Notes (Image via Ubisoft) — Attacker Win Delta vs Presence illustrated in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer’s Notes (Image via Ubisoft)

Iana

Gemini Replicator cooldown after destruction: Decreased to 20 seconds (previously 30).

The Gemini Replicator, unlike traditional drones, is easily identifiable and vulnerable to destruction, diminishing its effectiveness. Its primary benefit lies in the absence of resource depletion upon being taken out. Accordingly, the developers have chosen to shorten the cooldown period for Iana’s Gemini Replicator in the Y9S3.3 updates.

Jackal

Distortion effects from bullets on Eyenox Visor have been eliminated.

The removal of distortion effects during shooting enables Jackal to utilize his Eyenox more effectively under stressful conditions. This adjustment permits him to provide valuable intel to his team while maintaining clear visuals for extended periods.

Defender Win Delta vs Presence depicted in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer's Notes (Image via Ubisoft) — Defender Win Delta vs Presence depicted in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer’s Notes (Image via Ubisoft)

Time

New Secondary Gadget: Smoke Grenades added.

The introduction of Smoke Grenades will enhance Kali’s stealth capabilities and assist her team in obstructing defenders’ visibility. This change will facilitate tactical maneuvers, especially when combined with the adjustments to her weapon, allowing for more covert gameplay.

Mozzie

Maximum number of Pest Launchers increased to 4 (from 3).

Mozzie has always had the potential to outperform various intel operators; however, his gadget lacked consistency. The latest update aims to enhance his efficiency during both the preparation phase and throughout the match by granting him an additional Pest launcher.

Furthermore, allowing Mozzie to equip Impact Grenades will boost his effectiveness as a roamer, further enhancing his playstyle.

Attacker ban rates recorded in Y9S3.2 (Image via Ubisoft)

Zero

Maximum Argus cam resources increased to six (from four).

Argus Cameras are often deployed in precarious positions, making them susceptible to destruction. The enhancement of resources aims to provide Zero with increased opportunities for strategic placement, leading to improved coverage of critical areas and flanking routes.

Sophie

Gadgets altered: Breach Charges removed; Hard Breach Charges added.

By substituting Zofia’s Breach Charges with Hard Breach Charges, the developers aim to expand her operational capabilities, thereby enabling her to execute both soft and hard breaching tasks while also using her concussion grenades for angle clearance.

Adjustments to Bullet Trails in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.3 Designer’s Notes

Defender ban rates mentioned in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S3.2 patch (Image via Ubisoft)

The bullet trails from the CSRX 300 are significantly more pronounced than standard gun trails, allowing defenders to easily identify Kali’s location without offering her the opportunity to engage. As a result, the developers have decided to reduce both the size and duration of her bullet trails in the Y9S3.3 updates.

This modification will give Kali a greater chance to take another shot before her position is revealed.

Bullet trail Duration: Reduced to 1 second (previously 2).
Bullet trail Size: Decreased by 75%.

Upcoming Changes in Rainbow Six Siege Y9S4

Since the introduction of shield modifications in Y9S1, there has been a notable increase in the use of Shield operators throughout the game. This has facilitated quicker site control and a more aggressive clearance of defenders.

The high prevalence of Shield operators has exceeded the developers’ expectations for balance. Consequently, adjustments are planned to re-align shields with other attackers in the forthcoming update.

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