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The best weapons in Warzone

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Now that Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 Season 4 has been out for a little while, we’ve got a better sense of the game’s weapon meta. There are some clear winners that carry over from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, but there are other top-tier weapons that might surprise you in battle royale. Of course, the weapon meta constantly shifts as Activision updates the way firearms perform, so we’ll make sure to keep this up to date with each new patch.

These are the best Warzone 2.0 weapons for Season 4, categorized by weapon type. Keep in mind, some categories will be skipped, as they don’t have any viable — let alone meta — options at the moment.

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Assault rifles

Chimera

Chimera in Warzone.
Activision

When it comes to midrange sniper support weapons, few weapons compete with the Chimera. Although this is in the assault rifle category, it functions more like an SMG, with an extremely fast time to kill (TTK) up close.

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Kastov 74u

Kastov 74u in Warzone.
Activision

The Kastov 74u is a lot like the Chimera in terms of functionality, excelling as a sniper support or mid-range rifle. Although this weapon is a bit easier to control than the Chimera, making it a solid option for newcomers. It hits almost as hard, too.

Lachmann 556

Lachmann-556 in Warzone.
Activision

In terms of long-range rifles, the Lachmann 556 is at the top of its class, as it’s extremely easy to use. It doesn’t hit as hard as some of the heavier LMGs, but thanks to its ease of use, you shouldn’t have any trouble hitting your shots from afar.

TAQ-56

The TAQ-56 in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even after a slight meta shift, the TAQ-56 is still one of the best assault rifles in the game. It’s easy to use, has very little recoil and kick, offers a competitive TTK, and includes very clean iron sights, saving you a weapon attachment slot. This weapon has a lot going for it, as it’s a versatile, practical choice in the Assault Rifle category.

SMGs

ISO 45

ISO 45 in Warzone.
Activision

The new ISO 45 is easily a top contended up-close. It has one of the fastest close-range TTKs and competes with many of the other sniper support weapons at mid-range. The main thing to be aware of is the small mag size of 45, which can be tough to manage in trios or quads.

Lachmann Sub

The Lachmann Sub in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For a more practical option, we recommend the Lachmann Sub (essentially the MP5). This weapon has comparable TTKs to the Fennec and a slower rate of fire, meaning it’s a little less forgiving, but it won’t blow through ammo as quickly. The Lachmann has plenty of power and even works well at midrange, making it a versatile option. It’s a little harder to use than the Fennec, but if you plan on playing Trios or Quads, the Lachmann is the way to go. This will likely be a much more practical choice for most players.

Shotguns

KV Broadside

The KV Broadside in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As much as it pains us to include this Shotgun on our list, we cannot overlook the sheer power of the KV Broadside — particularly with the Dragon’s Breath rounds. Full-stop, it needs to be nerfed, but until then, you might as well give it a try. This weapon is devastating up close, and is capable of downing an enemy in just a couple of shots, depending on how close you are. But with the Dragon’s Breath rounds, you’ll deal fire damage for a short period afterward, making you practically unstoppable up close. Enjoy this while it lasts, because it will no doubt get nerfed.

LMGs

HCR

The HCR in Warzone.
Activision

The HCR has been slept on for a while, but now that some of the other meta weapons have received nerfs, this LMG can shine. It’s not as heavy as some of the other LMGs, functioning more like an assault rifle, while still retaining a fast TTK and relative ease of use.

RAAL MG

The RAAL MG in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The RAAL MG is technically more powerful than the RPK, offering better TTKs in most situations. It’s dominant up close, at midrange, and even from afar, with faster bullet velocity than the RPK. However, this weapon feels much slower in nearly every way, which could make the difference between winning and losing a gunfight. It has sluggish ADS speed, reload times, sprint-to-fire speed, and overall mobility, so it definitely has its downsides. However, once you actually connect with your shots, this weapon is absurdly good.

RAPP H

RAPP H in Warzone.
Activision

The RAPP H is easily one of the best LMGs in terms of TTK, though it can feel a bit unwieldy. If you can learn to master the recoil, you’ll absolutely fry the competition with this weapon. Just make sure to time your reloads appropriately.

Sniper Rifles

FJX Imperium

FJX Imperium in Warzone.
Activision

As long as you equip explosive rounds and aim for the head, the FJX Imperium can earn one-hit kills in Warzone. It’s certainly harder to use than other rifles, but if you’re consistent at earning headshots, you’ll enjoy using this weapon.

Signal 50

The Signal 50 in Warzone 2.0.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Since snipers do not earn a one-hit elimination (even to the head), many of them are not as viable in Warzone 2.0. However, the Signal 50 is still highly usable, specifically because of its fire rate. Thanks to its high power and fire rate, you can quickly pull off follow-up shots to secure fast eliminations. By default, the Signal 50 deals around 234 damage to the head (according to TrueGameData), meaning it’ll take two shots to down a fully-plated enemy.

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Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
The best Wildcards in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Kill Order gameplay in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

The concept of a Wildcard might sound like a risky endeavor in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, but this part of your loadout isn't random at all. We haven't seen this system since Cold War, and even those who remember it from that game will need to learn all the new cards there are in Black Ops 6. You can only equip a single Wildcard on your loadout, but they are powerful enough to completely redefine your playstyle. So far, there are only six to unlock while grinding through the levels with your friends, but picking just one is still a tough choice, especially if you want to use a permanent unlock on one after hitting Prestige. We've ranked all the Wildcards in Black Ops 6 so you can always have the winning hand.
All Black Ops 6 Wildcards, ranked

There is a level of personal preference in which Wildcard you will find better than others, but in most cases, the ones we've ranked as the best will help every player gain an edge in online matches. Here's our ranking of each Wildcard from best to worst, along with what level you unlock them at.
Perk Greed - Level 54
The last Wildcard you unlock is easily the most powerful. Perk Greed lets you unlock a fourth Perk to your loadout instead of being limited to three, which can borderline break the game if you choose the right set of Perks. It is also the most versatile of the Wildcards since it gives you the most options to play with instead of a specific bonus you may not find useful. It can also more easily unlock the special bonus buff you get for equipping three Perks from the same category.
Gunfighter - Level 33
Right in the middle of the unlock list, Gunfighter is one Wildcard you could easily make a case for over Perk Greed in some situations. This one increases your attachment points for your primary weapon by three. If you're rocking a top-tier weapon already, this Wildcard can let you tweak its stats even higher. We rank it second because it only applies to one weapon and thus is a bit more limiting.
Overkill - Level 24
For such an early Wildcard, Overkill is quite a powerful choice. This card lets you equip any weapon (except melee weapons) in your Primary and Secondary slots instead of the ones typically reserved for each. That means you can build a loadout with two Primary weapons and be far more versatile on the battlefield. Instead of having to trade off range, damage, rate of fire, mobility, or any other aspect of your game, you can cover almost all your bases by picking two Primary weapons that cover each other's weaknesses.
Prepper - Level 45
Field upgrades are powerful, don't get us wrong, but having two instead of one isn't always that much of a game-changer. It's a bit less useful than Gunfighter only because field upgrades are more situational and require more attention to use to their full potential. If that's you, then this is a great choice.
Danger Close - Level 38
Who doesn't want another grenade, Molotov, or combat axe? Is getting a second Lethal worth the Wildcard slot, though? Not in our opinion. Most of the time, Lethals are used in desperation or as a way to deny enemy movement for a time, and even then, they are risky because of how vulnerable you are while using them.
Tactical Expert - Level 15
The first Wildcard you get is better than nothing, but only just. It's exactly like Danger Close, only you can hold two Tacticals instead of Lethals. This is, by nature, a little worse since Tacticals don't have the ability to kill an enemy (unless you get super lucky and you directly hit an enemy with one who is on low HP). You can get some use out of them, but you're better off upgrading as soon as you have another option.

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The best Perk-A-Colas in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
A screenshot from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's zombies mode.

There's nothing more refreshing than taking a nice big swig of a Perk-A-Cola during an intense Zombies match with your pals in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Besides tasting great (we assume), these colas empower you with buffs that will keep you alive until the later rounds. These bonuses are just as important as the Pack-A-Punch, but come in a wider range of flavors. It is possible to stack them all, but that gets expensive very fast so you need to be thrifty about choosing which ones are most valuable early on. These colas come in eight different types that may or may not be worth your Essence to chug. If you want to know which ones are the best in Black Ops 6, check out our ranking.
Best Perk-A-Colas in Black Ops 6

We're ranking these Perk-A-Colas based on their base bonuses, not any additional effects you can get if you Augment them, from best to worst.
Jugger-Nog
You can never go wrong with the classic Jugger-Nog. Increasing your health by 100 is useful for the entire duration of a Zombies mode, but especially in the early rounds. Going down is at best a major setback and at worst a cascade into defeat. This extra health allows you to get out of a bad situation that would otherwise end your run.
Quick Revive
This Perk has two components, with the less useful one being the ability to revive teammates 50% faster. Ideally, that shouldn't be needed but is nice. However, what makes it rank so high is the 50% shorter delay on health regen. Your health will come back over time in Zombies but at a dreadful pace. Starting to heal faster means less time running and kiting zombies around and more time in the action helping the team.
Speed Cola
The best early guns for Zombies mode have a large magazine, fast reload, or both. Running out of ammo at the wrong time and not being able to get more rounds in the chamber fast enough has ended many a run, but Speed Cola is the solution. It will speed up your reloads and armor plating by 30%. That's not a massive number, but fast enough to make the difference.
Stamin-Up
These zombies aren't the shambling types. They will chase you down like sprinters, and some of the monstrous ones can outpace you even at full tilt. Stamin-Up sounds like it would let you run for longer, but actually just lets you run faster since you have no limit on sprint in Black Ops 6. Positioning is everything in Zombies so being able to get where you need to be faster is never a bad thing, especially if it's a downed teammate bleeding out.
Deadshot Daiquiri
Every zombie has a weak spot, which is most often the head. Deadshot Daiquiri makes a critical hit hurt even more than normal, plus increases your auto-aim on those weak points when you aim down sights (ADS). That second part shouldn't factor much if you've got good aim, which is why this is only a decent Perk-A-Cola.
PhD Flopper
Not being able to hurt yourself is situationally useful, and the ability to cause an explosion by diving is a risky move. Yes, it's cool, but you don't want to be lying prone surrounded by zombies. This is a cool gimmick, but save yourself the Essence and skip it.
Elemental Pop
When Elemental Pop works, it's great. The problem with it is that you can't rely on it. It gives a small chance on every shot you take to add a random ammo mod effect, which is cool but impractical. If you have spare Essence on you, sure, it won't hurt you to have, but it isn't something that will turn the tide for you or your team.
Melee Macchiato
Finally, Melee Macchiato bottoms out the list. It is fine in the early game when the hordes are small and you're better off meleeing enemies since it will smack enemies away with each hit, but quickly drops off in usefulness. When the zombies get too strong and too numerous, you will need a lot more than a strong punch to deal with them and end up forgetting you even have it.

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The best Call of Duty games, ranked
Soldier holding weapon in Modern Warfare II.

Few video game series are as influential and popular as Call of Duty. The annualized franchise throws players into fast-paced battles across various historical time periods -- along with fictional eras as well. Call of Duty has taken us to World War II, the Cold War, a modern setting, and even to the future.

Although it's one of the most successful video game franchises out there, Call of Duty's quality varies significantly from game to game, with some fantastic entries in the series, but many mediocre ones as well. But which Call of Duty games are worth your time and which ones should you skip? To answer that question, we've ranked all the mainline entries in the series, with details about why you should or shouldn't play a particular game.

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