Rainbow Six Siege Jan 16 Test Server update patch notes

Ubisoft and the Rainbow Six Siege have released their first test server update for 2020, which focused on changes to Aim Down Sights for all weapons, as well as making Echo and Ela’s Scorpion Evo3 less frustrating, improvements to Ying’s Candela explosives and more.

Rainbow Six Siege is all about balance, and the Ubisoft Montreal team is starting their fifth year of the popular tactical shooter with numerous changes to promote balance in the current meta.

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A full breakdown of this January 16 update can be found below, including a look at the weapon adjustments, Operator changes, and everything else listed in the official patch notes.

ADS Changes

Aim Down Sights time has been increased for all weapons, with the biggest increase in ADS time coming to SMGs equipped in the secondary slot.

• Assault rifles: from 0.30s to 0.40s

• DMRs: from 0.30s up to 0.40s

• SMGs: from 0.20s up to 0.30s

• LMGs: from 0.40s up to 0.45s

• Pistol: 0.10s up to 0.20s

• SMG in secondary slots: 0.10s up to 0.35s

• Shotguns: 0.20s up to 0.25s

The developers say that “there was an overhaul of the animations” in the Ember Rise operation that caused ADS time to decrease for all weapons. With the latest update, the speeds now match what they were before the operation.

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Operator Changes

Ubisoft

Echo, introduced in Operation Red Crow, is now easier to counter.

One of the biggest updates comes to Echo, an operator with a high ban rate that the developers said was “frustrating to play against.” With more “counter-play and counter-intel options” in mind, Echo and his drones can now be hacked Dokkaebi, and is no longer immune to her Logic Bomb. Dokkaebi can also hack a phone that Echo drops on death, granting the Attackers access to the Yokai cameras.

Another big change comes to Ying’s Candela explosives, which the developers look to make more “reliable and consistent.” With that, the amount of pellets has increased, the detonation time has decreased, the pellets can now bounce, and the flash distribution has improved.

Additionally, the learning barrier to Ela has been lowered with reduced recoil on her Scorpion Evo3 submachine gun. Damage changes have been implemented for Finka, Jager, and Nokk.

Full patch notes for R6 Jan 16 Test Server update

BALANCING

ADS

ADS time has increased for all weapons

• Assault rifles: from 0.30s to 0.40s
• DMRs: from 0.30s up to 0.40s
• SMGs: from 0.20s up to 0.30s
• LMGs: from 0.40s up to 0.45s
• Pistol: 0.10s up to 0.20s
• SMG in secondary slots: 0.10s up to 0.35s
• Shotguns: 0.20s up to 0.25s

In Ember Rise there was an overhaul of the animations which caused ADS time to decrease across the board for all weapons. This change will make ADS speeds similar to what they were pre-Ember Rise, as well as align ADS times for all weapons in each of their respective classes.

BLACKBEARD

• ADS penalization will only apply when Blackbeard’s Gun Shield is equipped.
• Weapons without the Gun Shield will maintain the same timings as any other Assault Rifle, weapons with the Gun Shield will have the same timings as they have now, and the Angled Grip will affect the SCAR with and without the Gun Shield equipped.

Giving Nerfbeard a little love.

ECHO

• Echo and Yokai can now be hacked by Dokkaebi.
• Echo is no longer immune to Dokkaebi’s Logic Bomb. Additionally, if Dokkaebi is present in the round, Echo drops a phone that can be hacked when he is killed. When Dokkaebi hacks the Defender’s Observation Tools system, access to the Yokai cameras is also granted for Attackers.
• With this change, Yokai now has lights that show only when NOT cloaked, and Yokai drone lights will change to reflect it is hacked.

Echo has a high ban rate and is frustrating to play against, so we want to make more counter-play and counter-intel options against him available.

ELA

• Reduced recoil on Scorpion Evo3 for the first 16 shots, any proceeding shots will have recoil similar to what it is currently on live.

Ela’s Scorpion Evo3 is one of the most difficult and frustrating weapons to handle among our arsenal. While Ela still performs well overall, we want to make the Scorpion less of a learning barrier while still maintaining Ela’s balance. A little more princess, a little less Nerferella.

FINKA

• Increased Finka’s Spear .308 damage to 42 (up from 38)

We’ve seen that Finka’s spear underperforms all other Assault Rifles on Att and are looking to make it a more viable option.

JAGER

• Reduced Jager’s 416-C damage to 38 (down from 43)

We’re still tinkering with Jager, but Wamai now in the game we feel it’s an appropriate time to make some moves and try to reduce the power of his 416-C which outperforms all other guns on Def.

MAESTRO

• ACOG removed from Maestro’s ALDA

We think the ALDA is powerful even without the ACOG and want to see if it’s removal will highlight its other great qualities.

NOKK + SMOKE

• Increased Nokk’s FMG9 damage to 34 (up from 30)

We want to give her a bit more confidence to make full use of her identity to sneak around and take 1v1 situations and gunfights.

YING

• Candela’s now have a new outline that is visible only to Ying
• Improved distribution of Cluster Flashes to make the flash more reliable.
• Number of pellets per Candela increased to 7 (up from 6) – (1 at floor level, 3 at around hip level and 3 at head level).
• Pellets detonation time reduced to 0.3s (from 1s on throw and 2.5s on deploy).
• Pellets that bounce on environmental props maintain their velocity instead of falling and detonating on the floor.
• Candela explosion minor VFX improvements.

We’re looking to make Ying’s Candelas more reliable and consistent as a whole. The new outline will also make her Candela mechanics more readable. And as pellets will explode mid-air instead of on the floor to avoid undesirable collisions, it will make Candela mechanics clearer.

Ubisoft

Ying’s Candela explosives are more viable now.

BUG FIXES

GAMEPLAY

• FIXED – Jackal can’t scan footsteps while within the warning area of a Mute jammer. He can now scan footsteps while in the warning area – making it more in alignment with Finka’s ability as she can use her gadget while still in the warning area of a jammer.
• FIXED – A rolling Candela that stops on a staircase will slide downstairs before detonating. Candelas will now stop and stay in place where they activated, even on stairs or uneven surfaces.
• FIXED – Glaz’s Holographic Sight has a larger and thicker red reticle than other Russian Holographic Sights

USER EXPERIENCE

• FIXED – If a player mutes a teammate, they can still hear muted teammates after switching sides, even though the HUD indicates they are muted.
• FIXED – In Caster or support mode, Nomad’s warheads pops in her hand while switching/reloading
• FIXED – Bandit’s shockwire gadget appears offset when he holds it in his hands.
• FIXED – Operator’s arms appear twisted or broken if affected by flash FX and while holding certain weapons.
• FIXED – Incorrect animation for Ballistic Shield ops when being pushed back.
• FIXED – Zofia’s KS79 Lifeline grenade launcher’s ammo face the wrong side.
• FIXED – Swapping weapons while vaulting will cause the operators arm to appear broken from a 3rd person POV.
• FIXED – Minor shop and cosmetic issues.