Ubisoft has detailed plans to deploy a fresh update for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, tweaking its lineup of playable Operators following Operation Burnt Horizon. Formally dubbed the Year 4 Season 1.3 update, anticipate significant changes to eight existing abilities – including the long-awaited full rework of Lion. The Y4S1.3 patch is slated for April 16 on PC, with a delayed rollout on April 17 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
First detailed in February at the Six Invitational in Montreal, Lion's upcoming rework aims to fix one of Rainbow Six Siege's most controversial Operators to date. The offensive Operator's global wall-hack ability has faced intense criticism in a tactical setting, even ousted from its official Rainbow Six Pro League competitions.
With Y4S1.3, Lion is shifting toward an "intel-based" role, replacing the red on-screen outline with a one-dimensional ping. Duration, warning, and cooldown have also been reduced, making for a more reactive and balanced gadget.
Capitão is also set for significant changes, reducing fire damage in exchange for increased area-of-effect. Blitz, Maestro, and Nomad are also set for game-changing nerfs, while Kaid, Ying, and Echo see general tweaks.
Check out the full list of balancing tweaks below, extracted from the Y4S1.3 changelog:
LION REWORK
- Reduced the ability warning to 1.5 seconds (from 3 seconds).
- Reduced the scanning to 2 seconds (from 4 seconds).
- Replaced the scan outline by a red ping debuff.
- Increased the number of charges to 3 (from 2 charges).
- Reduced the ability cooldown to 15 seconds (from 27 seconds).
- Vigil's ability ERC–7's cloak makes him immune to Lion's scan.
With more of a focus on intel gathering, now this predator has to play smart to catch his prey. Check out the Designer's Notes to learn more.
CAPITÃO V2
- Dart fire damage per tick reduced to 12 (from 19/tick).
- Dart fire AOE size increased and now takes 2 seconds to reach max size.
- Arrows now follow a straight trajectory until 10 meters. Past 10 meters, there is an arrow trajectory falloff due to gravity.
Adjustments to his AOE damage will now emphasize skill and not blind luck.
BLITZ
- Ballistic shield flash cooldown increased to 7 seconds between flashes (from 2 second CD).
Enjoy the breather!
KAID
- AUG–A3 damage increased to 33 (up from 27).
- Remove a magazine from TCSG12 Shotgun to reduce total ammunition to 51 (down from 61).
Now the commander has a few choices to make.
MAESTRO
- Maestro's Evil Eyes windows will automatically open halfway when disabled by EMPs or Shock Drones.
Maestro's defenses were a bit too ironclad, so we've opened up the window of opportunity a little.
NOMAD
- Added idle SFX to Nomad's Airjab once deployed to act as warning feedback for gadget position when active Airjabs are nearby.
- Replaced Claymore with 3x Stun Grenades in Nomad's loadout.
Listen to the wind, it talks.
YING
- Changes to the reverse Candela cooking mechanic. The longer it cooks, the less time it takes to explode.
New and improved recipe.
ECHO
- IQ can now detect Echo when he is using his PDA.
Following its Y4S1.3 patch, Ubisoft is also gearing up for its next major update, currently dubbed Year 4 Season 2.
Addictive, challenging shooter action.
Ubisoft's hit shooter is hotter than ever, touting tense tactical gameplay, and regular free updates. With millions of players in 2019, Rainbow Six isn't slowing down.
Rainbow Six Siege accessories you'll love
While you're checking out Rainbow Six Siege's next update, don't miss these awesome, affordable accessories today.
HyperX Alloy FPS Pro Keyboard ($70 at Amazon)
The HyperX Alloy FPS Pro is a reliable mechanical companion, primed for responsive FPS gaming. It boasts strong build quality, the Cherry MX Red switches are snappy, and textured WASD keycaps accommodate shooter fans. It's an essential and affordable piece for any setup.
SteelSeries Rival 310 Gaming Mouse ($40 at Amazon)
This budget gaming mouse excels in performance, packing SteelSeries' leading TrueMove 3 sensor and comfortable in-hand feel.
AmazonBasics Xbox One Wired Controller ($25 at Amazon)
While Amazon isn't famed for Xbox One accessories, the mega-retailer's spin on Microsoft's own is ideal for budget gamers. It stows a lengthy cable, headset support, and strong grippy build quality ideal for everyday gaming.
