Jackal is getting Frag Grenades and the ability to track footprints through floors. The Rainbow Six Siege Y11S1.2 Designer's Notes have arrived, signaling a massive shift for several high-pick operators and a significant quality-of-life pass for Rauora.
The headline change for many will be the Jackal rework. By adding Frag Grenades to his kit and allowing his Eyenox Model III to detect footprints through vertical destruction (floors and ceilings), Ubisoft is leaning into his role as a premier roam clearer. This vertical tracking is a game-changer for maps like Coastline or Bank, where Jackal can now safely pin down defenders from a different floor without exposing himself to a direct line of sight.
Rauora is also seeing a substantial buff to her D.O.M. Panel Launcher. The effective range has been boosted from 15m to 25m, allowing for much safer deployments against fortified sites. More importantly, her charges are now fixed at the start of the round, removing the cooldown-based accumulation. This encourages more aggressive early-round utility usage rather than hoarding panels for the final push.
Defenders aren't being ignored, as Smoke finally gets his Deployable Shield back. This gadget is vital for Smoke's identity as an anchor, allowing him to create 'pixels' and safe rotations while holding his canisters for area denial. Other notable tweaks include:
- Clash: Taser battery duration increased to 15 seconds, making her even more frustrating to push without coordination.
- Frost: The 'limp' debuff from Welcome Mats now lasts 70 seconds, severely punishing attackers who don't have a dedicated healer.
- Thunderbird: Received minor buffs to improve the reliability of her Kona Stations.
- Grim: A slight nerf to balance his recent dominance in the meta.
These changes reflect a push toward higher lethality and more distinct utility roles. Whether Jackal with Frags becomes an instant ban in ranked remains to be seen, but the vertical tracking buff certainly raises his skill ceiling significantly.
Soren