With Operation Collision Point being just around the corner, players are now thrilled to get their hands on the new changes. While they can already do so in the game's Test Server, players will have to wait until December 3 to see the updates being deployed in the live version of the game.
As unveiled during the BLAST R6 Major Montreal, Operation Collision Point will be the final season of Rainbow Six Siege's Year 9. Although the jewel of the crown is Blackbeard's rework, the American operator won't be the only one getting a change: shields and Ying will be nerfed while Sens and Thunderbird will be buffed.
In this article, we will focus on the Canadian defender. Similarly to Sens, Thunderbird is one of the least-played operators in Rainbow Six Siege as her pick rate in Platinum and above PC lobbies is even lower than Clash and Tachanka's, making her the least-played defender in the game.
One of the main reasons for the lack of Thunderbird players in Rainbow Six Siege is Doc's position in the current meta. The French defender has access to one of the best weapons in the game, the MP5, and an ACOG. Additionally, he also brings the Bailiff 410, which can be used to easily open rotations and new angles of sight. Compared to Thunderbird's loadout, Doc's is ages ahead.
If we just focus on their healing gadgets, both have their pros and cons. While Thunderbird's Kóna Stations heal less than Doc's Stim Pistol, they can be used multiple times, even if Thunderbird is dead. Additionally, players who need healing don't have to look for Thunderbird to get the healing; they just have to go to the nearest Kóna Station.
Meanwhile, Doc's Stim Pistol heals the operator's HPs to their maximum, but the French operator only has three charges and operators must look for Doc to be healed. In terms of healing, Thunderbird may be slightly ahead.
To balance things, Ubisoft is introducing a buff that should improve Thunderbird's pick rate in the game. Here's what you need to know about it:
Thunderbird's buff explained
Starting from Operation Collision Point, Kóna Stations will automatically heal 20 HP after being triggered. After that, the operator's health will progressively increase up to the top of the HP bar.
For instance, a three-speed operator with 20 HP will automatically be healed to 40 HP and progressively heal up to 100 HP.
However, there's a counter to Thunderbird's gadget: hitting the healed operator will stop the second healing. For instance, if an operator has been healed up to 70 HP and it's hit by a shot then, the healing won't continue.
Despite considerably buffing the Kóna Stations, these will still be triggered by all kinds of operators: including the attackers.
Last but not least, Ubisoft is adding the ITA12S to Thunderbird's loadout. This will allow players to open rotations easily while not wasting their gadgets.
With this change, Ubisoft is hoping to make Thunderbird a viable alternative to Doc. Right now, the French operator is the most-played defender in Platinum and above PC lobbies with a pick rate of 45%.
Will Thunderbird's pick rate improve in Operation Collision Point?
Overall, Thunderbird's changes are a big improvement not just to her operator gadget but also to her loadout. She will definitely be the best option in terms of healing defenders: she will be able to heal at any time with her Kóna Stations.
With Thunderbird's importance increasing in Operation Collision Point, Twitch's drones may get even more key. Recently, the French attacker has become a great pick to counter trap operators, Goyo's canisters, and many more defensive utility. Thunderbird isn't an exception.
At the same time, Mute's jammers could be placed around the Kóna Stations to stop Twitch from destroying the healing stations. The possibilities are infinite!
Although we expect Thunderbird's pick rate to improve in Operation Collision Point, Doc's pick rate won't necessarily go down at the same time. Doc's pick rate isn't high solely because of his healing abilities but because of his weapon and, mainly, his ACOG.
If Ranked players use Doc to roam and heal themselves after a failed spawn peek, their favorite choice will still be Doc. However, if players had been picking Doc due to his healing ability, Thunderbird should become their most preferred option in Operation Collision Point.
In conclusion, the difference between Doc and Thunderbird is still obvious: the game's weapon meta. While Thunderbird will become the better healing option, Doc will still be the go-to operator for aggressive players. If that's the right way to play the game, well, that's a question for another day.