Embark Studios has officially nerfed the overpowered Il Toro shotgun in the latest Arc Raiders update (1.20.0), responding to widespread community complaints about the weapon’s dominance in close-quarters combat within the Stella Montis map.
The End of the Il Toro Era
For players navigating the tight corridors of Stella Montis, the Il Toro had become a source of constant frustration. The shotgun was capable of securing one-tap kills with ease, turning PvP encounters into lopsided affairs. Embark acknowledged this imbalance, confirming that the weapon has been tuned to better reflect its status as a green-rarity item, making it more dependent on specific attachments rather than raw base power.
Drastic Changes to Combat Mechanics
The patch notes detail a comprehensive overhaul of the weapon’s performance. The developers have reduced the shotgun’s pellet damage, base dispersion, and damage fall-off. These changes force players to engage at much closer ranges to secure maximum damage. Additionally, the fire rate has been slowed, increasing the penalty for missing a shot, while the reload speed has been significantly hindered—adding a 1.4-second delay when reloading from empty.
While the community had been clamoring for a nerf, the severity of these adjustments caught many by surprise. Embark stated that they are monitoring the situation closely and remain open to further balance tweaks if the weapon’s performance falls too far outside the intended meta.
Closing the Energy Clip Money Exploit
Beyond weapon balancing, update 1.20.0 addresses a significant economy loophole involving Energy Clips. Previously, players could craft these items using cheap materials (one Advanced Arc Powercell and two Batteries) and sell them for 1,000 coins, facilitating a rapid money-making exploit. To normalize the game’s economy, Embark has slashed the sell price of Energy Clips to 200 coins, forcing players to rely on traditional looting of high-value items rather than crafting exploits.
