CoD Vanguard devs outline major Incendiary nerfs on the way

Brad Norton
CoD Vanguard gameplay

Fires are being put out across Call of Duty: Vanguard as Sledgehammer Games has finally revealed a number of Incendiary nerfs and changes on the way in future updates.

Outside of “broken” shotguns and Bayonet builds, one particular feature has reigned supreme in CoD Vanguard. Whether it’s Incendiary Rounds or damage from lethal equipment, fire effects have been dominant since launch.

This issue was only amplified when Season 1 introduced “tone deaf” Incendiary Grenades. With thousands pleading for nerfs on a daily basis, the calls have finally been heard.

Fire damage is being tweaked in CoD Vanguard, Sledgehammer confirmed on January 7. While an exact date hasn’t been confirmed, we already know a few different changes to expect soon.

The most obvious tweak aims to address Incendiary Grenades off the rip. “We’re nerfing Incendiary Grenades by reducing the overall damage dealt,” the devs put simply.

“They’ll still be painful, but you’ll recover.” This indicates the lethal equipment will no longer outright kill. Instead, it should apply damage over time but allow targets a chance to survive.

On top of that, two Vanguard Perks are being buffed to further counter fire damage. Both Fortified and Dauntless are in line for big improvements to address the contentious damage effect.

The former “will significantly reduce incoming fire damage” while the latter is set to “grant immunity when moving through fire.”

Sledgehammer is “confident” this initial series of adjustments will “have a positive impact” on Vanguard, but the devs aren’t stopping there. 

Another future update is also looking to address Incendiary Grenades in another way. Rather than tweaking damage directly, the next update seeks to “reduce the area affected.”

This applies to both the radius of fire along with the smoke effect that blocks sightlines.

CoD Vangaurd Incendiary Grenade gameplay
Incendiary Grenades have been prevalent in almost every Vanguard loadout since their introduction in Season 1.

No specific dates were announced for these key updates, but devs assured more details will “come later.”

Keep your eyes peeled for any surprise updates over the coming days, but rest assured fire damage won’t be tearing up every single Vanguard lobby for much longer.