Key Highlights
- Arc Raiders’ design lead confirms upcoming changes to Kettle rifles and Trigger Nades.
- The updates aim to make these items more balanced without removing their potency.
- Players will need a bit more precision with Trigger Nades, as they can no longer be used immediately after being picked up.
Upcoming Balance Changes in Arc Raiders: Kettle Rifles and Trigger Nades
Arc Raiders, the third-person shooter developed by Embark Studios, is set to receive a significant balance patch on Tuesday, January 13. As part of this update, design lead Virgil Watkins has confirmed that two key items—Kettle rifles and Trigger Nades—will undergo notable changes.
Mitigating the Kettle Issue
The Kettle rifle is a semi-auto weapon known for its high fire rate, which can quickly decimate players if used effectively. According to Watkins, Embark is addressing this by lowering the maximum possible fire rate of the Kettle. “We even saw videos of people doing it manually, they’re just that fast,” Watkins explains. “But yeah, it is really just that we lowered its max possible fire rate.” This change aims to make the weapon less exploitable while still keeping it effective in skilled hands.
Reining in Trigger Nades
Trigger Nades, on the other hand, are among the most lethal grenades in Arc Raiders. They have often been criticized for their one-size-fits-all potency and how they can turn PvP into a game of dodgeball. Watkins discusses the intended changes: “The intent right now is, the damage falloff curve is changing.
You have to be a lot more exact to get the full damage. The intent with them is, you land them on the target and that’s where you’re doing your max damage. And then a triggering time adjustment, so you can’t have it leave your hand and just blow it up immediately. You require a bit more lead time.” These adjustments are designed to preserve the precise and powerful explosions of Trigger Nades while making them less easy to use effectively.
Broader Balancing Considerations
In addition to these specific changes, Watkins mentions that Embark is also looking at broader balancing issues. “Then we’re taking a look more widely at the band of, where does it sit on the rarity spectrum? What does it cost to make or maintain using these things versus the effective output of them, and shuffling those things a little bit.” This suggests that there may be further adjustments to how various items are balanced within the game.
These changes come as part of Embark’s ongoing efforts to refine Arc Raiders’ gameplay balance. While Watkins does not provide specifics on when or if these changes will be implemented, they represent an important step towards making sure all players have a more fair and engaging experience.
