Call of Duty: Warzone has been through several meta cycles so far, where a weapon emerges as the top dog and becomes the weapon of choice for most of the player base. A weapon reaches this point in Call of Duty:Â Warzone organically as people discover its power, but also through the influence of streamers and content creators who hype guns up when they find something they like.
After it became abundantly clear that the DMR-14 was overpowered, the tactical rifle took over the meta in Warzone. The weapon created a situation where there was no alternative way to play, as even players that did not want to use the gun had no way to counter. The only way to fight the DMR was to use the DMR, and a result, fans were not happy with the state of Call of Duty: Warzone.
The second nerf to the gun came in a recent Warzone update that also nerfed the Type-63 tactical rifle, which was comparable to the DMR and could have taken over in a similar fashion. Now, Warzone is heading into a Double Weapon XP weekend after the midseason update for Black Ops Cold War and Warzone dropped January 14th. This coupled with the DMR nerf make it a perfect time to try out some new weapons.
The DMR is Still Mostly Viable
Despite two nerfs to the DMR-14, it is still viable if a player can adjust to the new recoil kick added to the gun and can deal with the decrease in far range damage. Nothing was done to the rate of fire, so if players can land their shots, it is still quick to kill. The Titanium Barrel and Field Agent Grip are essential attachments for the DMR, and most players add the Axial Arms 3x optic for range. While the gun is not as broken as it was, it still works and will pair well with an SMG like the Mac-10 or an MP7 for closer fights.
The Top AR: CR-56 AMAX
The AMAX looks to be the new king of the assault rifle category, though it is a gun that some folks have been using for a while. Popular Warzone streamer NICKMERCS just put out a video with a new loadout for the the AMAX, so it is likely to take off in terms of popularity. The gun has manageable recoil, can take down an enemy quickly, and doesn't have a severe drop off in damage at range so can be used to pick people off at longer distances. The XRK Zodiac Barrel and Commando Foregrip help increase damage range and stabilize the recoil. After the Kilo was nerfed, this AR got a look from some streamers and content creators, and now looks poised to take over as a meta gun.
The New Kid: FFAR
The FFAR is one of the few Cold War guns that is making inroads with streamers as a gun that has some significant viability going forward. For shorter to medium range engagements, the FFAR hits hard. The gun does have a fair amount of kick, which makes being accurate at longer ranges a bit more of a challenge. With the right attachments, in particular the Bruiser Foregrip (though the Field Agent works well too) and the 50 round fast magazine, the gun will win a lot of the closer battles players come across. Pairing this gun with a sniper seems to be the right way to use it, though a Mac-10 secondary is also a solid option.
The Fun One: Kar98
With no weapon clearly overrunning Call of Duty:Â Warzone, it opens up opportunities for some more creative class setups to enter the fray. Snipers in Warzone stand a chance now that the DMR is no longer obliterating players. This is why the Kar98 has moved back into viable status for those looking for something that can hit from range, with a quick aim down sight time. A player running the Kar98 will need to hit their shots though, with only a few bullets in the magazine, headshots are essential. Key attachments to unlock include the Singuard Custom Barrel which offers an increase to damage range, and the FTAC Sport Comb which will help the ADS time.
Old Favorites - the M4A1 & the Grau 5.56
These two assault rifles were previously much more common to find at the top of the tier list, with the M4A1 popular when Warzone started, and the Grau running the meta in Season 3. While both were nerfed, they remain viable guns, especially after the Kilo was knocked off its meta perch when it took a big hit to its damage at range. Revisiting previously meta Warzone weapons can be worthwhile, particularly for players new to Warzone who might have missed the guns the first time around. Both guns make use of the Commando Foregrip and their longest barrel for stability and damage range, which is fairly common for Modern Warfare assault rifles.
New & Quirky - The Groza and The Cold War AUG
Finally, a couple of weapons that might not become full meta, but when paired with a sniper (or conversely something really close range like the Diamattis), these might work. Both the Groza and the CW AUG are powerful weapons in the medium range, with quick time-to-kill and manageable recoil, but suffer at longer distances. The two weapons could be worth trying in a mode like Buy Back Solos, where a player can manage their engagements a little easier.
The Groza is an AR that has a bit of bounce to it, but with the right attachments that recoil can be mitigated. The AUG is a burst tactical rifle, so hitting all three shots that come out of the burst is the key to this weapon. If the bursts hit, enemies drop quick. One problem hampering the Cold War guns in general though is the weapon attachments not doing what they say they will in some cases. Their descriptions can be a general guide, but might not have as strong an effect as expected.
With the DMR-14 nerfed it has opened Warzone up to a number of possibilities going forward. It feels like a breath of fresh air after the suffocating dominance of the DMR. There is not a clear front runner to take the crown as top meta gun, which means a lot of room for experimentation.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.