Season 28 has landed in Quake Champions, and it's brought some of the most significant meta-shaking changes we've seen in a while. The update delivers a fundamental overhaul to champion movement, reworks Clutch entirely, and most notably, nerfs the iconic Railgun's damage from 90 down to 80.
A New Pace for the Arena
The entire flow of combat is being adjusted with new base movement speeds across all champion classes. Light, Medium, and Heavy champions have all had their speeds tweaked, which will change everything from map positioning to escape viability. This isn't just a numbers game; it's a change to the core feel of every duel.
The biggest mobility shift comes to Clutch, who has been completely reworked. His controversial Forward Accel is gone, replaced by a new Single-tap Dodge system governed by a stamina meter. It’s a massive change that aims to make him more predictable to fight against while giving his pilots a more deliberate movement tool instead of the old 'hold W to win' strategy.
How does the Railgun nerf change the meta?
For many players, the headline change is the Railgun nerf. Dropping the damage from 90 to 80 is a huge deal. This means a clean rail shot no longer guarantees a kill on a freshly spawned light champion under certain conditions, fundamentally requiring a follow-up shot or a different approach. It pushes the weapon away from being a one-shot-wonder and more towards a high-skill, long-range pressure tool. This single change will force veterans to adapt their entire playstyle and might open the door for other weapons to shine.
Champion Abilities and Weapon Tuning
Beyond the Railgun, other key balance changes are in play. The Shotgun and Lightning Gun have both seen their rate of fire adjusted, which will impact close-to-mid-range engagements. On the champion side, Death Knight can now steal armor with his Flame Strike, making him more durable in brawls. Meanwhile, Galena's totems now provide her with lifesteal, rewarding strategic placement with more self-sustain.
As with every new season, all Ranked Skill Ratings and leaderboards have been wiped clean, giving everyone a fresh start to climb the ladder. To top it off, a new vanity item has been added for Tri-bolt users: the Quake 4 NAPALM LAUNCHER skin. It's a great cosmetic nod to the series' history. This patch is a big one, fundamentally altering movement and the long-range meta. It's time to hit the arenas and relearn some muscle memory.