Links for reference: 

• Full patchnotes
• Melee Guide (updated)

Standard Knife – Wielded Melee

• Refire time from 500ms to 400ms

Refire Time is time between melee swings. This change will allow standard knives to perform wielded attacks a bit faster.

• Sprint Block override from 300ms to 250ms
• Ability Block override from 500ms to 300ms

I assume these override times refer to the delay before you can sprint or use abilities, like cloak, after you have swung your knife.

This is different from Sprint Recovery Time, which refers to how fast you can swing a knife after sprinting.

Quick Knife attacks use Sprint Recovery Time of the item you currently have in your hands. It’s equal to 0.3 second for most, if not all, infantry weapons.

Wielded Knife attacks ignore Sprint Recovery Time, and can now be performed out of sprint. 

Performing a melee attack will still kick you out of sprint, and subject you to aforementioned Sprint Block Override, but you will not slow down until the melee attack is actually performed (source).

These changes will make moving about and engaging targets in melee easier and more convenient and responsive.

• Projectile lifespan from 0.1 seconds to 0.12 seconds

When you perform a wielded knife attack, your knife functions like a gun, and fires an invisible bullet that travels at 13 m/s.

That bullet exists for “Projectile Lifespan” amount of time, and if it doesn’t hit anything during that time, it just disappears. 

These changes will effectively boost the maximum range from 1.3 meters to 1.56 meters.

Keep in mind that range is relative to the position you “fired” the bullet from. If the enemy is running away, the bullet might disappear before catching up to him. But it should be much easier to hit an enemy if he’s just backpedaling from you.

• Projectile collision radius from 0.1 to 0.2 (non-power knives only)

This refers to the hitbox of that invisible projectile. I assume it is measured in meters.

After this change, aiming a wielded knife strike will be a bit more forgiving.

Power Knife – Quick Attack

• Now uses a standard “melee swing” during quick melee

When you perform a quick melee with a standard knife, your knife automatically strikes one target in a wide arc in front of you.

Previously, power knives had the “invisible bullet” hit detection method even when used in quick melee, which made them clunky and punishing, penalizing the user for not choosing a standard knife for a quick melee attack.

After these changes, power knives will use the same “wide arc” method of hit detection when used in quick melee attacks, making them more reliable finishers in a frantic gunfight gone melee.

• Animation duration from 625ms to 450ms

As it sounds, just going to make the animation a bit faster. It was unrealistically slow before.

• Firing delay from 125ms to 0ms

Refers to the delay before the invisible projectile fires after you have clicked “fire” button. I assume this delay was in place to make the knife swing coincide with the invisible bullet leaving the invisible barrel.

Naturally, this delay is getting removed, as it will now use the same “wide arc” hit detection.

• Detection range from 5m to 0m

This refers to minimap detection range when you use your weapon. To be honest, I didn’t even know power knives had this mechanic, but from these patch notes we can assume that it will remain in wielded mode.

• Sprint Block override from 450ms to 300ms
• Ability block override from 500ms to 333ms

Same as for standard knives, this change will make power knives more convenient and fluid.

Power Knife – Wielded

• Refire time from 500ms to 675ms
• Firing delay from 125ms to 75ms
• Projectile lifespan from 0.1 seconds to 0.12 seconds

Power Knife – Activated

• Refire time from 500ms to 675ms
• Firing delay from 125ms to 75ms
• Projectile lifespan from 0.1 seconds to 0.12 seconds

Power knives in wielded mode are also getting buffs to effective range and a reduction to firing delay. 

They are also getting a small nerf to refire time. The goal is to make a bigger gap in speed and power between standard and power knives, and to balance for the fact that individual swings will be easier to hit now.

 Personal Take

This solid set of changes comes as a huge and welcome surprise. 

Most people will not care about these changes, but there is a small and dedicated part of the community that enjoys stealthy melee play and breathtaking and daring melee charges in direct combat, and they will find these changes most welcome.

These changes will make knives less frustrating without making them overpowered. For once, DBG did exactly what was needed, not more, not less. Color me impressed.

I also endlessly appreciate the detail DBG puts into their patchnotes, this makes it much easier to write articles such as this one.

TL;DR

At least 20% effective range buff in wielded move. Knives will also be overall more responsive and convenient to use.