Rainbow Six Siege: Is Kali’s rifle underpowered?

With the launch of Rainbow Six: Siege Operation Shifting Tides, a unique operator joined the roster. Kali and her bolt action rifle can potentially change the way Siege is played. However, this new weapon may not be enough for Kali to find a place in the competitive scene.

When it comes to casual players, Kali is a fun and unique operator to play. Her rifle kills players with one headshot, downs players with a single hit to the torso, and breach unreinforced hatches in one shot. The under-barrel gadget attached to her rifle also allows her to disable other operator’s gadgets normally protecting reinforced walls. This gives hard breachers like Thermite or Hibana the chance to easily do their job.

With the new bullet penetration rework and her powerful sniper rifle, Kali may find a niche with some players. The scope attached to the bolt-action rifle can zoom up to 12x. Combined with the rifle’s ability to make large holes in multiple walls, this allows players to make new angles. They can even potentially get kills from across the map. Another factor giving Kali a leg up on other operators is the fact that her rifle’s bullets can travel through multiple opponents. With skill and a little bit of luck, Siege players can pull off stunning plays, neutralizing multiple enemies in a single shot.

Although Kali’s main weapon is unique, it’s doesn’t offer much in terms of competitive play. Almost every pro Siege player is able to get a headshot and instant kill with any operator. For pro players, the benefits of causing an instant down with a shot to the torso may be offset by the considerably slow fire rate of Kali’s weapon.

Popular streamers also agree with this line of reasoning. Streamer and YouTuber Matimi0 gave his opinion to Esportz Network during a stream.

Although he isn’t a pro, Matimi0’s videos often deal with the balance of Siege’s meta and its individual operators. His perspective is very clear that Kali won’t find a niche in Siege’s pro scene. Despite the fun factor that the initial release of Kali inevitably brings, Matimi0 believes Kali will fade in popularity after a few months.

“Oh damn, that was a great shot, but you could have just one tapped them in the head like you always do and not left yourself flat-footed if you had missed.”

This sentiment may ring true for most players after they see what Kali can do.

Kali works well for players who want a replacement for Thatcher. She will certainly be more appealing to players who prefer slower and more methodical gameplay and strategies. In the end, only time will tell whether Kali will become an integral part of the meta or fade into the background. The outcome will likely be based on her bolt-action rifle. Based on current analysis, it seems that this first-of-it’s-kind weapon in Rainbow Six: Siege may not be enough to keep Kali relevant.

Written by Efren Hurtado