Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Grand Master Armor

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is all about the future. Not only does the game feature a sort-of plausible sci-fi setting, but the game's new "Exosuit" feature pushes the franchise in an exciting new direction, opening up gameplay by introducing a variety of new movement options. It's worked, too. Activision argues that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is "the biggest entertainment launch of 2014," and the game's earned both great reviews and a dedicated multiplayer following.

That's why, when developer Sledgehammer Games unveiled Advanced Warfare's rarest set of character gear, it seemed kind of funny. The suit of armor looks neat, and the hydraulics and gun clips give the whole outfit a steampunk vibe - but the whole ensemble looks more like something you'd find in Dragon Age: Inquisition than a gritty military shooter.

Players who have the misfortune to run across this gear won't be laughing for long. According to Sledgehammer, the armor is only available to the top 100 ranked players. Our advice for anyone who runs across that gold-plated behemoth in a multiplayer match? Run away, as fast as possible.

Like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's other pieces of Character Gear, the "Grand Master" armor is purely aesthetic in function. Gear can be earned through gameplay, but aside from adding some additional personality to players' avatars, it doesn't really do much. That's probably for the best; honestly, if a player is already one of the top one hundred Call of Duty players, they don't need any extra help.

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While the Grand Master outfit is markedly retro, in all other areas Sledgehammer's continuing to push Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare forward. Over the weekend, producer Michael Condrey mentioned that the game's already-robust multiplayer is getting more updates, including further balancing of weapons and the elimination of some map exploits. Early next year, players will also get their hands on the first wave of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's DLC, which includes an update to the franchise's popular zombie mode. Under Sledgehammer's guidance, even the undead are evolving: this time, they're wearing exosuits. As if that armor wasn't scary enough….

With so many people playing Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, most players will never actually run across the Grand Master armor. Still, it's fun to know that it's out there, and a unique (and awesome-looking) outfit is a cool way to reward the best competitors without penalizing the hundreds of thousands of other players who don't quite measure up.

Source: Sledgehammer Games