In this latest edition of Designer’s Notes, we'll take a deeper dive into the balancing changes introduced in the Y11S3 Mid-Season Update.

"Noor's ability felt a bit short on multiple fronts, so it is receiving some follow-up changes in order to double down on his shield countering capabilities as well as his survivability. The Horus Lance Launcher will receive multiple improvements to make his ability more reactive, more punishing against ballistic shield operators when they make positioning mistakes, but also more rewarding for the risk Noor takes while equipping the launcher."

HORUS LANCE LAUNCHER

• Drilling time reduced on Ballistic Shields, soft surfaces, and solid surfaces (non-destructible surfaces) to 1.5s (from 2s).

• Guardbreak strength on projectile impact against ballistic shield operators is increased to 100% (from 30%).

• Equipping the Horus Lance Launcher uses Quickdraw animations, equip animation timings are reduced to 0.4s (from 0.9s).

• Horus Lance impact damage against an operator is increased to 80 (from 50).

• Horus Lance hitbox improvements for better accuracy and consistency.

• Horus Lance damages Ballistic shield operators while in the removal animation.

Tachanka's Shumikha Launcher relies on bouncing projectiles to deploy fire. While this allows him to apply pressure without exposing himself to enemy fire, the behavior can be difficult to control in situations requiring precision. Additionally, the delay caused by the bouncing mechanic reduces responsiveness, which can be critical in fast-paced engagements where even small timing differences can determine the outcome of a round.

Therefore, we want to improve usability and responsiveness of the Shumikha Launcher by lowering the skill floor required to use the gadget effectively, while providing players with greater control and adaptability depending on the situation.

Introducing an impact-triggered mode allows Tachanka to respond more effectively in precise or time-sensitive scenarios, improving reliability when targeting specific positions or reacting to enemy movement. At the same time, retaining the bouncing behavior preserves his ability to set up layered denial and control space indirectly. The choice between the 2 modes enables greater adaptability, allowing players to select the most appropriate method based on the situation.

SHUMIKHA LAUNCHER

• Added firing mode to trigger Incendiary Grenades on impact.

Solid Snake's Radar provides strong utility across multiple situations, allowing him to apply pressure without much risk.

We want to slightly reduce Snake's overall utility to encourage more deliberate usage and clearer prioritization of targets.

SOLITON RADAR MK III

• Precision mode charges: Reduced to 3 (from 4).

We want to improve Valkyrie's ability to set up and leverage her cameras more efficiently, enhancing her ability to create lines of sight without increasing her overall power.

The addition of the Glaive-12 allows her to create lines of sight more quickly and from further.

LOADOUT

• Secondary weapons: Added Glaive-12.

These are small adjustments that don’t aim to alter an operator’s overall power level or flexibility. Instead, they focus on polishing gameplay details, improving consistency, and enhancing quality-of-life without shifting the meta. Our goal is to maintain a steady stream of these refinements alongside major updates, helping the game evolve and improve at a constant pace.

We want to improve the responsiveness and reliability of Capitao's fire bolts, ensuring they apply pressure more quickly once deployed.

FIRE BOLT

• Expansion: Reduced delay between expansions to 0.9 seconds (from 1).

The Taser only works full power when enemies move toward Clash, while its impact remains significantly low when they run away. This distinction reinforces directional counterplay and encourages players to adapt their positioning during engagements. By increasing the slowdown when enemies retreat we enhance Clash's ability to maintain pressure and control space when enemies attempt to disengage.

TASER

• Slowdown: Increased the strength when running away from her to 10% (from 5%).

This change allows Osa to place her shield in a wider range of situations, improving flexibility and reducing friction when setting up positions.

TALON-8 CLEAR SHIELD

• Reduced deployment restrictions.

We want to reinforce the threat and clarity of fire-based hazards across the game by increasing their lethality, ensuring that standing or crossing these areas carries more immediate consequences.

• Damage: Increased to 14 hp (from 12).

OPERATORS AFFECTED

• Capitao

• Dokkaebi

• Goyo

• Noor

• Tachanka

• Gas Pipes

This change reinforces Barbed Wire as a reliable counter to BU-GIs, giving defenders an additional tool to stop its advance. Defenders are rewarded for proper gadget placement, while Ram players are encouraged to plan deployment paths more carefully and account for defensive setups.

• The BU-GIs become entangled in Barbed Wire, stopping completely and self-destructing.

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