Rainbow Six Siege Operation Split Fire changes Dokkaebi, Kali, Lion, Kapkan, Echo, five weapons, two Defender attachments, and the Claymore. The largest nerfs hit the SMG-12 and defensive DMR play, while smaller buffs improve the SPSMG9, Sonic Burst, Entry Denial Device, EE-ONE-D scan, and Claymore.
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Operation Split Fire is the Year 11 Season 3 update for Rainbow Six Siege. Its balance pass is focused rather than universal: a few high-impact weapons receive substantial reductions, two Operators receive more complex mechanical changes, and several underperforming tools gain small numerical improvements.
The most important distinction is that not every adjustment fits neatly into a buff or nerf. Dokkaebi now takes more risk when using the Jegeo Payload and loses her Impact EMP Grenades, making her change a rework that leans toward a nerf. Kali gains faster handling and more ammunition but also receives recoil and hip-fire penalties, so her update is genuinely mixed.
The official Split Fire balance set includes:
A Dokkaebi Jegeo Payload rework and secondary-gadget swap
A mixed Kali and CSRX 300 rebalance
Major SMG-12 damage, magazine, and ammunition nerfs
Damage and recoil nerfs for the AR-15.50 and Mk 14 EBR
Muzzle Brake removals for Aruni and Tubarão
Small buffs for Lion, Kapkan, Echo, the SPSMG9, and Claymore
These are the published Y11S3 balance values, not speculative test-server numbers. The separate launch addendum covers bug fixes and does not add another group of balance adjustments.
Dokkaebi must maintain a connection with her selected target while the Jegeo Payload upload completes. Interrupting the signal cancels the upload, and her tablet remains active throughout the process.
Her Impact EMP Grenades have also been removed and replaced by Breach Charges. The change gives Defenders clearer counterplay and makes Dokkaebi less self-sufficient against electronic utility.
The SMG-12 receives the largest direct weapon nerf in Split Fire:
Damage reduced from 28 to 16
Magazine capacity reduced from 32 to 22
Maximum ammunition reduced from 129 to 111
The change affects Dokkaebi, Vigil, and Warden. Long sprays are less threatening, missed rounds are more expensive, and body-shot damage is considerably less reliable.
The AR-15.50 receives lower damage and more demanding recoil:
Damage reduced from 67 to 59
Mouse and keyboard first-shot multiplier increased from 1.7 to 3.7
Mouse and keyboard camera-up speed changed from 1.4 to 1
Controller first-shot multiplier increased from 1.3 to 2.3
Controller camera-up speed changed from 0.9 to 1
The weapon is available to Maverick and Tubarão. Tubarão also loses access to the Muzzle Brake on the AR-15.50.
The Mk 14 EBR is also less forgiving:
Damage reduced from 60 to 56
Mouse and keyboard first-shot multiplier increased from 1.8 to 3.5
The damage reduction affects both Dokkaebi and Aruni. Aruni additionally loses access to the Muzzle Brake on the Mk 14 EBR.
Two specific attachment removals reinforce the defensive DMR nerfs:
Aruni can no longer equip the Muzzle Brake on the Mk 14 EBR
Tubarão can no longer equip the Muzzle Brake on the AR-15.50
These are Operator-specific loadout changes. The shared weapons remain available to their other users, but the direct damage and recoil changes still apply wherever those weapons appear.
Lion's scan warning is reduced from 1.5 seconds to 1.4 seconds. Defenders have one tenth of a second less to stop moving before the EE-ONE-D scan resolves.
Kapkan's Entry Denial Device damage increases from 60 to 62. It is a small increase, but it makes every unchecked trap slightly more punishing.
Echo's Sonic Burst refill time is reduced from 16 seconds to 15 seconds. Yokai drones regain their disruption charge one second sooner.
The SPSMG9's damage increases from 33 to 35. The buff applies to Clash and Kali and improves the weapon's close-range body-shot output without changing its role.
Claymore damage increases from 150 to 155. This is a minor lethality and consistency buff for every Attacker who can equip the gadget.
Dokkaebi receives one of the season's most strategically important changes. The Jegeo Payload is no longer an interaction she can begin without remaining committed to the target. She must preserve the connection until the upload finishes, her tablet stays active during that window, and an interrupted signal cancels the attempt.
The result is a clearer risk-and-reward exchange. Dokkaebi can still create valuable pressure, but she must choose a safer time and position instead of treating the upload like a low-commitment action.
The new requirement matters in several ways:
Dokkaebi is occupied for the duration of the upload
Moving into a bad position before activating the ability becomes more dangerous
Defenders gain time to react and attempt an interruption
Losing the connection ends the current upload attempt before completion
Teammates need to protect Dokkaebi while she commits to the action
Mute's Signal Disruptors can interfere with the connection, giving Defenders a direct way to contest the upload. Solis can also detect Dokkaebi's active tablet, potentially exposing her position while the interaction is underway.
For Attackers, the correct response is preparation. Clear nearby roamers, identify likely Mute coverage, and start the upload from cover. The ability is strongest when a teammate is ready to act on the pressure immediately rather than after the Defender has recovered.
The secondary-gadget swap reduces Dokkaebi's ability to solve electronic utility by herself. Breach Charges give her soft-destruction and vertical-play options, but they do not replace the electronic disruption supplied by Impact EMP Grenades.
A Dokkaebi lineup may therefore need another source of anti-gadget utility. Teams should decide who will disable or destroy electronic defenses before the round begins instead of discovering during the execute that Dokkaebi no longer covers that responsibility.
The Breach Charges are not useless compensation. They can open soft floors, ceilings, and walls, helping Dokkaebi create sightlines or pressure positions revealed through information. Their value depends on the map and objective, while Impact EMP Grenades were more broadly useful against electronic setups.
It is best described as a rework that leans toward a nerf. The Jegeo Payload gains more counterplay, Dokkaebi must remain exposed to risk for longer, and her loadout loses Impact EMP utility. Breach Charges add a different tactical option, but they do not cancel out the additional commitment or restore her former electronic-disruption role.
Kali's update combines usability improvements with accuracy penalties. Calling the entire package a buff ignores the harsher first-shot behavior and hip-fire spread, while calling it a pure nerf ignores the faster bolt cycle, larger ammunition supply, more practical magnification, and smoother gadget handling.
Kali can activate or deactivate the V-Lance without cancelling her aim-down-sights or lean state. This makes the gadget feel less disruptive during an engagement because Kali can manage it without repeatedly rebuilding her stance and sight picture.
The change improves fluidity, but it does not remove the need for safe positioning. Activating utility while holding a contested angle can still divide attention at the wrong moment.
The CSRX 300 receives seven adjustments:
Default magnification reduced from 5x to 3.5x
Long magnification reduced from 12x to 8x
First-person bullet-trace duration reduced from 2 seconds to 1 second
Maximum ammunition increased from 36 to 51 rounds
Pump time reduced from 1 second to 0.8 seconds
First-shot multiplier increased from 2.5 to 3.5
Hip-fire spread increased from 0.3455 to 0.4
The 0.8-second pump time permits quicker follow-up shots, and the additional ammunition gives Kali more freedom to destroy utility, open lines, and take repeated engagements. The 3.5x and 8x options are generally easier to use across common indoor sightlines than the old 5x and 12x magnifications.
The tradeoff is less forgiving weapon control. A higher first-shot multiplier demands better re-centering, while the wider hip-fire spread makes emergency close-range shots less dependable.
Returning Kali players should retest both magnification levels before using familiar positions. An angle built around the previous 12x view may no longer feel the same, while the new 3.5x option can make medium-distance fights more comfortable.
Use the faster pump to recover for a deliberate second shot, not as an invitation to fire without resetting the crosshair. At very close range, switching to the SPSMG9 is more reliable than gambling on the CSRX 300's weaker hip-fire accuracy. That choice is reinforced by the SPSMG9 damage buff from 33 to 35.
No weapon loses more immediate fighting power in this balance pass than the SMG-12. Its damage falls by 12 points, its magazine loses 10 rounds, and its total ammunition is reduced by 18.
The three reductions work together. Lower damage means players may need more hits when they do not land a decisive shot. The smaller magazine provides fewer opportunities to correct missed shots, and the lower reserve count makes repeated pre-firing and destructive spraying more costly across the round.
Dokkaebi is hit especially hard because Split Fire also reduces the damage of her Mk 14 EBR and makes the Jegeo Payload more committal. Her loadout remains versatile, but players must be more precise with both weapon classes.
Vigil and Warden can still use the SMG-12 as a close-range secondary, but it is less suitable for sustained pressure. Players who previously relied on a long recoil-controlled spray will run out of useful rounds much sooner.
The weapon now rewards discipline more strongly:
Fire short bursts around close sightlines
Keep the crosshair at likely head level before contact
Avoid speculative sprays through multiple surfaces
Reload behind cover instead of after overextending
Use the primary weapon when the expected fight exceeds the SMG-12's comfortable range
Stop firing and reset when recoil moves beyond a controllable pattern
The SMG-12 is not unusable. Its fire rate can still punish an opponent at close range, but the margin for wasted ammunition and low-value body shots is dramatically smaller.
The AR-15.50 and Mk 14 EBR both lose damage, and their recoil becomes less forgiving. Ubisoft's stated direction is to reduce the consistency of DMR pressure on defense, where strong single-shot weapons can be especially difficult to challenge around prepared angles.
Because both weapons are shared, the changes also affect their attacking users. Maverick inherits the AR-15.50 adjustments, while Dokkaebi inherits the Mk 14 EBR damage and recoil changes.
The AR-15.50 drops from 67 to 59 damage. Its first-shot multiplier increases on both mouse and keyboard and controller, accompanied by platform-specific camera-up speed adjustments.
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Tubarão feels the complete package most directly because he also loses the Muzzle Brake. Players should allow the sight to settle between shots and avoid treating maximum fire rate as the default answer to every engagement.
Maverick players face the base damage and recoil changes but not Tubarão's Operator-specific attachment removal. Anyone who struggles to regain the sight picture should compare the DMR with Maverick's alternative primary instead of forcing an old firing rhythm onto the revised weapon.
The Mk 14 EBR drops from 60 to 56 damage, and its mouse-and-keyboard first-shot multiplier rises from 1.8 to 3.5. Aruni loses the Muzzle Brake, making disciplined shot timing even more important for her version of the loadout.
Dokkaebi must account for the base Mk 14 EBR nerfs at the same time as the SMG-12 changes. A player who uses both weapons cannot rely on the previous damage profile of the primary or the old magazine and body-shot power of the secondary.
DMR users should focus on first-shot accuracy rather than recovering from a rushed opening shot. Hold angles that provide enough cover to reset, avoid spamming at a target that has already escaped, and change position when repeated fire reveals the angle.
The damage reductions do not erase the weapons' strengths. They remain useful for destruction and precise fire, but poor timing and recoil management carry a larger cost.
Split Fire's smaller improvements are unlikely to redefine the entire meta by themselves. Their real value appears when players use them alongside sound information, timing, and positioning.
Lion's warning drops from 1.5 to 1.4 seconds. The difference is only 0.1 seconds, so an isolated scan remains easy to waste. The improvement becomes more meaningful when the scan overlaps with an entry, flank watch, explosive pressure, or a Defender rotating between cover.
Lion players should communicate before activating the EE-ONE-D. The buff shortens the response window; it does not make an uncoordinated scan automatically productive.
Each Entry Denial Device now deals 62 damage instead of 60. The extra two points strengthen Kapkan's punishment against careless entry, but exact survival outcomes can still depend on health, armor, prior damage, and how many devices trigger.
Good placement remains more important than the raw increase. Mix trap heights, avoid the most obvious doors when the Attackers are checking carefully, and use information or pressure to make them rush through a trapped route.
Echo's Sonic Burst refill falls from 16 seconds to 15 seconds. A single second sounds minor, but it can return an additional denial opportunity sooner during a prolonged execute.
The buff does not justify firing every charge immediately. Preserve Yokai drones, move them when discovered, and use Sonic Burst when it disrupts a plant, an entry, or another action that matters.
The SPSMG9 rises from 33 to 35 damage for Clash and Kali. It remains most comfortable at short range, where its fire rate and handling can support a quick weapon transition.
Kali benefits from a clearer division between her weapons: the CSRX 300 handles deliberate ranged pressure, while the improved SPSMG9 is the safer choice when a Defender closes the distance. Clash gains slightly stronger finishing power when it is safe to switch away from her shield.
Claymore damage rises from 150 to 155. This improves lethality and consistency, but it does not solve poor placement. A Claymore can still be spotted, destroyed, avoided, or approached from an angle outside its effective coverage.
Place it where a Defender must expose themselves to clear it or where another sound can mask the deployment. Covering a predictable runout or flank is more valuable than placing it simply because the gadget is available.
Kali is a conditional winner. Her main weapon becomes quicker and better supplied, her V-Lance handling is smoother, and the SPSMG9 deals more damage. Players who adapt to the recoil and hip-fire penalties gain a more flexible overall kit.
Mute and Solis gain more relevance against Dokkaebi's upload process. Mute can help interrupt the connection, while Solis can detect the active tablet and turn Dokkaebi's commitment into information for the defense.
Lion, Kapkan, and Echo each receive a modest improvement to their defining utility. None becomes an automatic selection from the numerical change alone, but all three perform their established role slightly better.
Attackers carrying Claymores gain a small consistency improvement, particularly when the gadget is placed to punish an already-damaged Defender or secure a tightly constrained route.
SMG-12 users lose the most raw weapon strength. Dokkaebi, Vigil, and Warden must work with substantially lower damage and a much smaller magazine.
Aruni and Tubarão receive layered reductions because their DMRs lose damage and recoil control while their specific Muzzle Brake options are removed. Their weapons still reward precision, but repeated shots are less comfortable.
Dokkaebi is the most broadly affected individual Operator. Her ability gains interruptible counterplay, Impact EMP Grenades disappear from her loadout, the Mk 14 EBR is weakened, and the SMG-12 receives the season's harshest weapon nerf.
The balance pass rewards teams that assign clear jobs instead of expecting one flexible Operator to solve several problems alone.
If a strategy previously depended on Dokkaebi's Impact EMP Grenades, add another way to handle electronic utility. Her Breach Charges can support soft destruction, but the team must deliberately cover the capability she lost.
Protect her during Jegeo Payload uploads and avoid activating the ability from an exposed doorway. The upload should support an immediate team action, not occur while the rest of the lineup is unable to capitalize.
Vigil and Warden players should treat the SMG-12 as a close-range option rather than the answer to every gunfight. Aruni and Tubarão players should compare their revised DMRs with their alternative primaries based on the objective's sightlines and the role they intend to play.
Kali players should use the CSRX 300 for controlled ranged pressure and transition to the buffed SPSMG9 when the fight compresses. The wider CSRX hip-fire spread makes that weapon swap more important than before.
Attachment availability, first-shot multipliers, and camera behavior have changed. A familiar sensitivity does not guarantee that an old firing rhythm will remain comfortable.
Use the Shooting Range to compare small groups at realistic engagement distances. The goal is to identify how quickly the sight returns after the first shot and how many SMG-12 rounds can be controlled before the burst becomes wasteful.
Kali receives faster handling, more ammunition, and lower magnification, but the CSRX 300 also gains a higher first-shot multiplier and wider hip-fire spread. Her update is a tradeoff, not an unconditional upgrade.
The magazine now holds 22 rounds instead of 32, while each body shot deals much less damage. Long sprays consume the weapon's limited margin for error without guaranteeing useful pressure.
Breach Charges and Impact EMP Grenades solve different problems. A lineup that does not replace Dokkaebi's former electronic-disruption role may stall against protected Defender utility.
The AR-15.50 and Mk 14 EBR now demand more deliberate recoil recovery. Fast repeated shots can move the sight away from the intended target and waste the value of a precision weapon.
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Lion gains 0.1 seconds of tighter scan timing, Kapkan gains two trap-damage points, and Echo gains a one-second faster refill. These are useful improvements, but coordination and placement still decide whether the utility succeeds.
The Claymore buff appears in the official Designer's Notes even though it is easy to miss when reviewing the shorter seasonal balance summary. Its damage increases from 150 to 155.
The SMG-12 receives the biggest direct weapon nerf. Its damage drops from 28 to 16, its magazine falls from 32 to 22 rounds, and its maximum ammunition decreases from 129 to 111.
Dokkaebi's change is a rework that leans toward a nerf. Her Jegeo Payload requires a maintained, interruptible connection, her tablet stays active during the upload, and Impact EMP Grenades are replaced by Breach Charges. Her Mk 14 EBR and SMG-12 are also weakened.
Kali receives a mixed rebalance. Faster pump time, more ammunition, smoother V-Lance handling, lower scope magnification, and an SPSMG9 damage buff improve her kit. A higher CSRX 300 first-shot multiplier and wider hip-fire spread make inaccurate or rushed shots less forgiving.
Dokkaebi, Vigil, and Warden are affected by the SMG-12 damage, magazine, and maximum-ammunition reductions.
The AR-15.50 changes affect Maverick and Tubarão. The Mk 14 EBR changes affect Dokkaebi and Aruni. Tubarão also loses the AR-15.50 Muzzle Brake, while Aruni loses the Mk 14 EBR Muzzle Brake.
The SPSMG9 is the direct weapon buff, increasing from 33 to 35 damage. Kali's CSRX 300 also receives several beneficial handling and ammunition changes, but those arrive alongside recoil and hip-fire nerfs.
Yes. Claymore damage increases from 150 to 155. Placement and flank coverage remain more important than the five-point increase.
No additional balance set appears in the Y11S3 launch addendum. It lists bug fixes, while the buffs, nerfs, and reworks covered here come from the official Split Fire season information and Designer's Notes.
Operation Split Fire reduces the reliability of sustained secondary-weapon fire and defensive DMR pressure while giving several utility-focused Operators modest improvements.
The SMG-12 is the clearest loser, and Dokkaebi is the most broadly affected Operator because her ability, secondary gadget, primary DMR, and secondary machine pistol all change at once. Kali's update is more balanced: stronger handling and ammunition give her new flexibility, but the recoil and hip-fire penalties still demand precision.
The practical lesson is straightforward. Use shorter SMG-12 bursts, slow down repeated DMR shots, protect Dokkaebi during uploads, and retest Kali's new magnification levels. The smaller Lion, Kapkan, Echo, SPSMG9, and Claymore buffs reward good execution, but none replaces sound timing, positioning, or team coordination.
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