New Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege: Loadout, abilities, gadget, and more
With the upcoming final season of Year 9, the developers are introducing a Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege Operation Collision Point. He is a support operator who excels in assisting his team with cover fire either by entering the map after aggressively taking space or by rappelling. With his previous primary gadget, Blackbeard was only able to protect his head from getting shot but that Rifle shield was sturdy enough to only mitigate the damage of a single headshot.
With this new gadget, Blackbeard will be able to protect more than just his head. It resembles a Bulwark Shield in the extended state and a Crusader Shield in the unextended state from The Division 2. The similarity does not end there: in the unextended state, Blackbeard will be able to use his primary weapon just like a Crusader Shield.
Bringing in completely new playstyle and loadout options, let us explore the Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege and everything it has to offer.
Loadout for the new Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege
After undergoing a rework, Blackbeard will no longer be able to wield any secondary weapons. His main primaries will be the Mk17 CQB assault rifle and the SR-25 DMR. Both are reliable primary weapons: however, the SR-25 is the better option in most cases, thanks to its higher DPS. It is also rated higher on our Attacker weapons tier list.
With only a meager 20+1 round magazine and 585 RPM, the MK17 features some of the worst stats for an assault rifle.
In comparison, the SR-25 can dish out more damage due to its higher damage per bullet stat even though the magazine size and fire rate are similar or worse on paper. The destructive power of a DMR also makes it a better option to create openings in soft walls or deal with defender setups.
New abilities in the Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege
After having replaced the Rifle shield with a HULL Shield, Blackbeard will be able to run through soft walls like Oryx. The only difference is that the latter has this as an unconditional ability while Blackbeard needs to keep his HULL Shield in an extended state to do this.
Like other primary shields and their nerfed melee, the new Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege will not allow him to do damage and two-hit kill opponents. This ensures that shields' aggressiveness is dialed back to allow defenders more breathing room. However, there are several scenarios where Blackbeard can be a viable pick.
The effectiveness of the HULL Shield in the new Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege will shine when defenders like Azami and Castle are on the opposing team.
In the extended state, the HULL Shield can dash through Kiba Barriers, Deployable Shields, and Castle Armor Panels, making him the best possible direct counter to Castle after Sledge. HULL Shield will also be deployable while rappeling.
In the unextended state of HULL Shield, players will be able to pull out their primary weapon, similar to how a Crusader shield works in The Division 2, while covering the torso. In both states, Blackbeard will have his legs completely exposed from the torso below.
Gadgets available after the new Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege
Blackbeard has access to two secondary gadgets. These are.
- Claymores: These help trap runouts from aggressive defenders. It also works as a flank-watch gadget.
- Frag grenades: These are lethal grenades that can work as area denial and also assist in clearing out angles where defenders are holding.
Also read: Rainbow Six Siege Y9 Roadmap update
Additional information about the new Blackbeard Rework in Rainbow Six Siege
Defenders like Oryx will be able to counter Blackbeard even when his shied is extended. This interaction is similar to an Oryx-Montagne and how their melees work. Tubarao will be able to slow down Blackbeard and players can shoot his legs and head when the HULL Shield is unextended.
Players can shoot his shield to trigger the suppression mechanic to slow him down. This is a universal nerf given to all shields where suppression can be triggered in a smaller amount of time. Trappers like Kapkan and Lesion will also serve as a counter to Blackbeard and further slow his pushes since he won't be as useless as a Montage in front of Castle Armor Panels or Kiba Barriers.
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