Redeploy is back. Epic’s most controversial item released is now here again, this time with a new twist. The first time Redeploy was released, it was available to all players that jumped from over three blocks high. With concerns for third partying and not enough time to heal, players revolted and Epic removed it. Calling it a “test phase”, Epic re-evaluated Redeploy and have reintroduced it. Now, Redeploy has 10 charges and is a rare floor drop. Now that it takes up an inventory slot, it is interesting to see how players are adapting to this change.
RNG
RNG is a huge factor in the new Redeploy system. The new drop system means that not all players have access to Redeploy right away. Players have to search chests, floors, llamas and vending machines for this item, making it totally random. Randomizing it means that players now need to find it to access it. This makes the ability to move around the map significantly better for a percentage of the players. This allows players with Redeploy to do things like third party very easily. If the teams being third partied do not have Redeploy like the enemy, they cannot leave, forcing them into a bad situation. Players with Redeploy also do not have to worry about the storm since a quick ramp is the solution. This allows them to get the upper hand on teams that have to rotate since they may not have the item
The RNG based glider also makes it very difficult to find shields, since the rarity is rare. Redeploy drops have taken over shield drops, making both big shield and minis a lot harder to come by. The stack size for minis is also lower, being reduced to six, leaving less of a chance for players killed to have substantial shields. This allows a further advantage for players that use Redeploy since they do not have to rotate as quickly. Enemies are free to sit back and take out players’ shields while they have their back turned rotating. If the enemies cannot land shield shots, they force players to waste mats. This gives the enemy the upper hand in the fight when they Redeploy in.
Meta Changes
The recent addition of Redeploy as a floor drop has also changed the meta again. With the meta being shotgun, Deagle, AR, special and shield, it has now been totally thrown off. Players who want to run redeploy are forced to run two guns or only one healing slot. In public play, players run the loadout seen in the picture, so it is not as big of a change for the general population.
For scrims and competitive play, the ability to carry two different healing types saves players late game. Shotgun, Deagle and AR were the guns of choice, and now there are lots of sacrifices. If players want to run two heals still, they have to give up the AR since it is the least useful of the three. When a player is running around and they see a grappler, the meta struggle becomes even more complicated. The player must make that decision of what weapon will help them the most in their situation, and if Redeploy is worth it at that point. It will continue to throw off the meta for a few weeks until players decide what is most useful in a scrim environment.
Old vs. New
This leaves the question of which Redeploy is better. The old Redeploy allowed players to move freely around the map in a way that was hard to counter. It was accessible and made storm fights a lot slower-paced, allowing players to rotate later in the game. The new redeploy is only accessible to some players and creates an advantage for those who have it. The only upside to the new Redeploy is that it takes up an inventory slot, making players who want it sacrifice a part of their loadout.
The new Redeploy is still a fairly recent addition, but so far players haven’t complained on social media nearly as much. An enemy gliding towards the player means that the enemy most likely has a worse loadout, making them an easier kill than someone who could hold that AR, grappler or special weapon. Balance and power are two different things, but for the moment the new Redeploy is definitely balanced. It rewards sacrifice of a slot with mobility and isn’t available to everyone, making third partying a less frequent occurrence.
Feature Image Courtesy of @_NicholasRivera
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