Reconsider the Current SWAT Shock Bomb Nerfs
Posted: May 13, 2026, 12:56 am
Your name: Kawish
Suggestion headline: Reconsider the Current SWAT Shock Bomb Nerfs
Picture:
Importance of suggestion: 8/10
Why should it be accepted:
The SWAT Shock Bomb got nerfed pretty heavily around 4 months ago, and honestly this isn’t just something I feel alone, a lot of people around me think the same.
SWAT has already become one of those factions that doesn’t have the same activity or presence it used to have. I’ve been in SWAT for close to a decade now, and over that time I’ve seen pretty much every discussion and suggestion you can think of around SWAT, especially the old explosive SWAT bomb. That thing was actually insane back in the day, it could wipe multiple people if you detonated it properly, which is exactly why it eventually got replaced.
After that, the SWAT Shock Bomb came in around 2019, and for a long time there weren’t really any serious complaints about it. Most people just saw it as balanced and moved on.
But instead of focusing only on that issue, the changes that went through felt a bit too heavy overall. Things like cooldowns, ejection removal, jammer failure, and restrictions on multiple detonations were all added together.
In my opinion, that specific issue could have been solved in much simpler and less extreme ways such as:
Another thing is how SWAT is viewed in general.
Criminals will naturally always be more reactive toward SWAT because we arrest and they actually have to serve jail time, while Army just kills and they respawn instantly. So SWAT ends up getting targeted more no matter what.
That’s just how it’s always been.
In reality, there are only a handful of active SWAT players left, and most of them play solo most of the time. Solo SWAT gameplay is already harder than regular cop gameplay in many situations, and I think most people would agree with that.
On top of that, criminals already have access to several counters including:
For example:
Just a side note from my side, criminals will naturally always be more reactionary toward SWAT because of the arresting aspect of it However, I still believe changes like these should be approached more carefully and fairly, especially by seniors, instead of being implemented too suddenly or impulsively without properly considering the opinions of people who actively play SWAT and understand its gameplay firsthand.
I also think CX understood this well during his time as SWAT Commander. Not every complaint or backlash toward SWAT necessarily meant something was genuinely overpowered or unhealthy for gameplay, because SWAT has almost always been a faction that receives complaints by nature.
Changing mechanics that have existed for years and suddenly treating them as “illogical” without properly balancing them for everyone can honestly make people lose interest, especially when the changes feel one sided rather than fair to all sides involved.
Even right now, criminals already have access to VIP Packet and items like taze reflectors, cop bat, and auto /bc, along with shock on spawn, yet there is still often a lot of backlash when it comes to getting arrested.
This is just feedback from someone who has played the faction for a long time and has seen how these changes actually play out in real situations.
Suggestion headline: Reconsider the Current SWAT Shock Bomb Nerfs
Picture:
Spoiler: show
Importance of suggestion: 8/10
Why should it be accepted:
The SWAT Shock Bomb got nerfed pretty heavily around 4 months ago, and honestly this isn’t just something I feel alone, a lot of people around me think the same.
SWAT has already become one of those factions that doesn’t have the same activity or presence it used to have. I’ve been in SWAT for close to a decade now, and over that time I’ve seen pretty much every discussion and suggestion you can think of around SWAT, especially the old explosive SWAT bomb. That thing was actually insane back in the day, it could wipe multiple people if you detonated it properly, which is exactly why it eventually got replaced.
After that, the SWAT Shock Bomb came in around 2019, and for a long time there weren’t really any serious complaints about it. Most people just saw it as balanced and moved on.
What Was Actually The Problem?
A few months ago, the whole nerf discussion started again. From what I saw, the real issue people had wasn’t even that the bomb itself was "too strong", it was more about multiple SWAT members stacking it on one guy in a short span of time that part I can understand. But instead of focusing only on that issue, the changes that went through felt a bit too heavy overall. Things like cooldowns, ejection removal, jammer failure, and restrictions on multiple detonations were all added together.
In my opinion, that specific issue could have been solved in much simpler and less extreme ways such as:
- Adding rules for repeated usage on the same target
- Allowing criminals to carry multiple jammers
- Making jammers easier to purchase instead of only BM (24/7s maybe?)
- Adding a global short (15s to 30s) delay between detonations
Nerfs That Were Added
Instead, the SWAT Shock Bomb received several changes at once:- Engine-off timer reduced to 5 seconds (previously around 8 seconds)
- Automatic ejection removed from NRG-type bikes
- Per-SWAT-member cooldown added
- Cooldown was initially 20 minutes, later reduced to 15 minutes
- Restrictions added to prevent multiple SWAT members from detonating in a short timeframe
Why SWAT Gameplay Is Different
SWAT situations are rarely controlled or isolated. As soon as you drag someone, the location gets announced in main chat, and within seconds criminals start showing up, even if they’re not teamed. That’s just how SWAT has always been, chaotic and usually outnumbered.Another thing is how SWAT is viewed in general.
Criminals will naturally always be more reactive toward SWAT because we arrest and they actually have to serve jail time, while Army just kills and they respawn instantly. So SWAT ends up getting targeted more no matter what.
That’s just how it’s always been.
Current State Of SWAT
SWAT is already one of the least populated factions right now. There are around 11 members total, with a few being staff and some not consistently active.In reality, there are only a handful of active SWAT players left, and most of them play solo most of the time. Solo SWAT gameplay is already harder than regular cop gameplay in many situations, and I think most people would agree with that.
On top of that, criminals already have access to several counters including:
- BM items
- Jammers
- Taze reflectors
- 9 shocks
- Cop bat
Suggested Alternative Changes
Personally, I believe the SWAT Shock Bomb should either be reverted closer to its old form or adjusted with much lighter balancing changes instead.For example:
- 15–30 second delay between detonations
- Easier access to jammers
- Allowing multiple jammers to be carried
Just a side note from my side, criminals will naturally always be more reactionary toward SWAT because of the arresting aspect of it However, I still believe changes like these should be approached more carefully and fairly, especially by seniors, instead of being implemented too suddenly or impulsively without properly considering the opinions of people who actively play SWAT and understand its gameplay firsthand.
I also think CX understood this well during his time as SWAT Commander. Not every complaint or backlash toward SWAT necessarily meant something was genuinely overpowered or unhealthy for gameplay, because SWAT has almost always been a faction that receives complaints by nature.
Changing mechanics that have existed for years and suddenly treating them as “illogical” without properly balancing them for everyone can honestly make people lose interest, especially when the changes feel one sided rather than fair to all sides involved.
Even right now, criminals already have access to VIP Packet and items like taze reflectors, cop bat, and auto /bc, along with shock on spawn, yet there is still often a lot of backlash when it comes to getting arrested.
This is just feedback from someone who has played the faction for a long time and has seen how these changes actually play out in real situations.
