Our best assault rifle, sniper rifle, shotgun, SMG and LMG weapon recommendations • Eurogamer.net

What are the best new guns in Warzone after the Season 4 update?

It used to be that you could just visit our list of the best guns in Modern Warfare to also learn what’s the best in Warzone, but times have changed. Warzone has become its own beast at this point, and Season 3 even went ahead and ditched the presence of Modern Warfare weapons entirely as loot (don’t worry, your loadouts still count!).

The update in December 2020, which reset the Season count in Warzone back to 1, marked a new foundation for Warzone with an array of additions and new weapon classes from the latest Call of Duty game, Black Ops: Cold War.

Season 2 Reloaded was present all the way from late February to April. Then, Season 3 officially kicked things off with several balance updates and new weapons, following with a 80s focused mid-season update with Season 3 Reloaded, bringing new updates to both old and new favourites.

The regular Verdansk map got nuked at the end of Season 2, and players were teleported back to 1984. This brought a new gulag as well as several new points of interest. With Season 4 the map remains fairly similar, although some strange appearances have started taking place, such as satellites falling from the sky.

As players continue unraveling everything that has changed post this new season update, there have been some interesting changes already. The Dead Silence field upgrade is under consideration for changes soon, while the controversial Roze skin has been nerfed. Oh, and there is also a deadly door, just FYI.

In terms of weapons we have seen interesting changes around barrels, as well as the addition of a strangely powerful Nail Gun and a new LMG called MG 82 that immediately jumped to the meta. As expected, developer Raven went ahead and nerfed it a couple days after launch. Still, it remains a powerhouse.

As usual, we recommend equipping Overkill so you can carry two primary weapons at once to make the most out of your battle royale expeditions.

Best Assault Rifle in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: CR-56 AMAX (Modern Warfare)
How to unlock the CR-56: Get 3 Gunbutt kills while using an Assault Rifle in 10 different matches (in Black Ops: Cold War or Warzone)

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Despite the nerf in May (which decreased minimum damage from 32 to 31), the CR-56 AMAX still reigns supreme in Warzone.

The AK-47 was our favourite choice throughout the first half of Season 3, but the reality is that the AMAX continues to be more than a viable option, and a recurrent choice for skilled players.

It excels at mid range but it won’t let you down at close range either, paired up with a high fire rate that puts this weapon amongst the best to pick. As for attachments, make sure to target and increase its bullet velocity, as well as adding an optic to make full use of that range advantage. Until developer Raven decides to nerf it down significantly, we don’t see the AMAX going anywhere anytime soon.

If you want to get the most out of the weapon, our best AMAX loadout recommendation can help.

Best Sniper Rifle in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: LW3 Tundra
How to unlock the LW3 Tundra: Reach Player Level 25 (in Black Ops: Cold War or Warzone)

Sniper Rifles have slowly but surely been receiving a better treatment overall from Raven, all the way from bullet velocity to the way attachments work. Past favourites such as the HDR or Season 3’s Swiss K31 are still good options, but a handful of specific changes have put the LW3 Tundra on the spotlight.

One could argue that the ZRG 20mm makes for a compelling case due to its massive damage against both enemy targets and vehicles, especially considering the ‘Big Bertha meta‘, but the LW3 Tundra has become a super fast sniper rifle to use, with slow ADS and reload time to make for the perfect combo, as well as a more than decent damage, particularly with headshots.

Best Marksman Rifle in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: KAR98K
How to unlock the KAR98K: Reach Player Level 33 (in Modern Warfare or Warzone)

The Marksman Rifles can often end up feeling a bit like a diet Sniper Rifle, but thanks to constant tweaks throughout Warzone’s existence the KAR87K can almost rival them. Even now in Season 2, the weapon hasn’t received any nerfs, so it still retains the same range, damage, and accuracy from the first Season, as well as its mobility.

We highly recommend opting for this if you’re used to Sniper Rifles, since this weapon works best when you’re aiming for headshots. Its biggest advantage comes down to its ADS speed (aim down sight), which is unparalleled compared to Snipers.

Best Tactical Rifle in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: M16
How to unlock the M16: Reach Player Level 10 (in Black Ops: Cold War or Warzone)

The AUG withheld its place throughout most of the duration of Season 2, but the Season 3 balance patch increased its time between bursts by 33 per cent, as well as lowering its neck damage multiplier. The M16, whilst also affected by similar changes, doesn’t see a drastic change in the battlefield.

The time between bursts was only increased by 10 per cent in comparison, and it remains super fast still. Paired with its short time to kill, the M16 is the best tactical rifle during the start of the season. Just make sure to increase its magazine capacity and focus on attachments that decrease its overall ADS time and sprint speed to further enhance its qualities.

If you want to get the most out of the weapon, our best M16 loadout recommendation can help.

Best Shotgun in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: JAK-12
How to unlock the JAK-12: Get 3 Hipfire Kills using Shotguns in 7 different matches

Shotguns have been all over the place in terms of preference for Warzone. The Gallo was a reliable option in the previous season, but it can’t quite compare to the Streetsweeper and the JAK-12. Amongst these two, we always opt for the lethal Hipfire of the JAK.

If you ask us, shotguns in Warzone are at their best when you don’t have to worry about aiming down the sight to land a headshot, especially when you have to stop mid-sprint to defend yourself.

Of course, it would be wise to pair this weapon with the AUG or the LC10, just to cover different bases depending on the situation.

But when it comes to close quarter encounters, this is the one for you.

Best SMG in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: PPSh 41
How to unlock the PPSh 41: Reach Level 15 of the Battle Pass (in Black Ops: Cold War or Warzone)

The PPSh 41 introduced itself as a daunting SMG from the get-go, mixing rapid fire with the possibility to have a huge ammo mag that supported its nature. With not too much to worry about reloading and a decent hip fire as a cool bonus, it had a promising prospect, but wasn’t quite enough to shake the meta.

But now our past favourite, the Bullfrog, has been dethroned by the PPSh 41, and for good reason. This SMG’s maximum damage was increased from 27 to 28, while the maximum damage range got bumped by 3.8 percent. Paired up with the right attachments, it’s likely that you’ll be seeing this weapon quite frequently in Warzone, and it should definitely become part of your primary loadouts.

If you want to get the most out of the weapon, our best PPSh 41 loadout recommendation can help.

Best LMG in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: MG 82
How to unlock the MG 82: Reach level 31 of the battle pass (this includes the free version).

Light machine guns aren’t exactly the most popular choice in Warzone, but the MG 82 is definitely want you will see often in Warzone. It introduced itself as an absolute powerhouse with a massive mag, quick fire rate and moderate recoil for a weapon of its category.

The sudden nerf a few days after release from Raven was sadly expected, affecting a number of damage values, as well as both its range and recoil. Still, it remains the best option at the moment compared to the Stoner 63, but only time will tell if the developer will continue tweaking it further and, inevitably, lose its top spot.

If you want to get the most out of the weapon, our best MG 82 loadout recommendation can help.

Best Launcher in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: Strela-P (Modern Warfare)
How to unlock the Strela-P: Reach Player Level 17 (in Black Ops: Cold War or Warzone)

We know launchers might be a bit much for Warzone, especially when you could be using that loadout room for literally any other weapon. But if you end up in a situation where you have to choose one, we recommend the Strela-P.

The Strela is great at firing vehicles (or any unfortunate enemy who happens to be in the way of that rocket), and it has a particular high velocity that you don’t usually find in other launchers. Amidst the other options from this category, the Strela is certainly the best one.

Best Melee weapon in Warzone recommendation

Best weapon recommendation: Kali Sticks (Modern Warfare)
How to unlock the Kali Sticks: Using the Knife, get 3 kills while sliding in 15 different matches (in Modern Warfare or Warzone)

Melee weapons wouldn’t usually be our first choice when it comes to Warzone weaponry, but we aren’t here to judge. If you want to see how far you can go with this category, we highly recommend carrying the Kali Sticks with you as a secondary option for your loadout.

You will most likely need two hits instead of one to take down an enemy, but the Kali Sticks provide a fast and reliable way to do so thanks to the range they have. Just don’t blame us if your squadmates get mad at you for choosing this over a fire weapon. At the very least, you’ll be bringing the best sticks available to a gunfight.