Lethals have always brought an interesting change of play to Call of Duty. Now, with Modern Warfare 2 (2022) released, there are more lethals than ever. Tactics have never been more important in modern Call of Duty, and players will need to know the best lethals in Modern Warfare 2 to win the intense fight.
The way players enjoy and compete in Call of Duty changes for every game and with every new player that joins the combat. With the game releasing with 9 lethals, there are many ways that players can enjoy making other players explode, both physically and mentally.
9 Molotov Cocktail
Perhaps the weakest of the lethal in Modern Warfare 2 is that of the molotov cocktail. This classic weapon that consists of alcohol, a rag, and flame might be a classic for warfare and Call of Duty in particular, but it doesn’t have a lot of usefulness.
The molotov cocktail is an improvised incendiary device that can be thrown, with a small radius of fire that can cause a ruckus to players that it hits or if they run through it. However, as the damage is over time, the human BBQ is not worth the effort, especially when it unlocks at level 17.
8 Thermite
Tactics have become quite fashionable in Call of Duty in recent years. With thermite, players will have an explosive device that deals incendiary damage. The pay-off is that thermite sticks to surfaces, meaning players have more tactical control over the lethal.
However, with an unlock at level 36, and vastly inferior damage output, thermite seems pretty pointless in the grand scope of Modern Warfare 2’s quick action and ultimate pacing.
7 Proximity Mine
Players will automatically unlock the proximity mine upon level 1, and in doing so will be gifted an explosive that will launch into the air and explode in the surrounding area once someone walks within its trigger radius. Damage is fairly decent for the proximity mine, but it relies on the positioning.
Weapons like mines are proximity-triggered, meaning that players need to not watch where they are stepping to trigger it. Considering most Modern Warfare 2 game modes are fast-paced, with pathing unexpected, the proximity mine isn’t worth the patience, especially when one can crouch to reduce the damage.
6 Drill Charge
From level 7, the drill charge will be accessible to players and their load-outs. This lethal is new to Modern Warfare 2 and further boasts the attempts by Infinity Ward to add more tactical play to the first-person shooter. The drill charge will bury itself into a surface to explode on the other side.
This is greatly useful to counter pesky campers that hide behind walls. Players will be able to use the drill charge to damage players on the other side of where they place the lethal. However, the reliance on chance or precision isn’t worth the added thought.
5 Semtex
One of the undisputed classics of Call of Duty is the Semtex grenade. Available at level 20, players will have a sticky grenade that attaches to surfaces or people. It can be great fun to throw the Semtex at an unsuspecting player and watch them run around like a headless chicken, knowing they are about to explode with no prevention.
The Semtex may be a lot of fun, but the fact that it cannot roll erases the opportunity of sheer chance for a kill, as the regular hand grenade can move around unsuspectingly. The Semtex is a good lethal in its own right.
4 Claymore
Players may still have nightmares from the classic red laser beams that act as the proximity sensor for the claymore. This lethal in Modern Warfare 2 has been a staple of the series and acts as the best line of defense for players that want to snipe in peace.
Unlocked at level 25, players will be able to place a claymore in doorways, or in tall grass to hope that some unfortunate foe takes the wrong step. The Claymore is a great piece of equipment for campers, as the explosive mine activates instantly, with no prevention.
3 Frag Grenade
One of the most recognizable lethals in the world and Call of Duty, the frag grenade returns once more to annoy players on both sides. It is automatically unlocked for all players, so everyone can enjoy the privilege of spanning the throw lethals button and unleashing explosives together upon the battlefield.
The frag grenade can be good for a multitude of reasons. It can be cooked, meaning players can pull the pin and wait a few seconds before throwing, ensuring that players that are unfortunate enough to see the hand grenade will have no time to throw it back. Its lack of predictability when rolling also means a random and fun kill now and then.
2 Throwing Knife
Instakills seem to be a way of the past in Call of Duty. Once upon a time, a melee strike meant death. However, the universal constant in Call of Duty is the throwing knife, in which no matter where it hits, whether that is the foot or head, it is lethal, and instantly kills the player.
Not only is the throwing knife a one-shot kill, but throwing it is greatly fast and can be better than some guns and their rate of fire. With the throwing knife unlocked at level 54, most players would have the experience to learn a difficult yet powerful weapon.
1 C4
Arguably the most dangerous lethal in Call of Duty, the C4 is extremely powerful, with some controversial players electing to use nothing but the C4. It has an extremely large radius and is very quick to activate. Vehicles will explode almost instantly, even with certain perks, if hit with C4, as will those that are thrown the death parcel.
From level 23, players will be able to access C4. This explosive lethal can stick to surfaces and can be remotely detonated whenever the player chooses. It can be used as a trap, or just used to be a nuisance on Call of Duty’s battlefield.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.