Warzone was in a stalemate until the massive update on December 16th. After nearly a year, the meta has shifted quite a lot. Many players considered the M4 and MP5 as the meta at launch. After the Grau was added, the gun took over Warzone for several months before it was nerfed. Similarly, the Bruen was the best gun in the game for a couple of months before it was nerfed. The MP5 is still good, but the MAC-10 is now cemented in the meta. Top streamers and pros were using the Kilo paired with a fire shotgun before the stealth nerf several weeks ago.
With the Cold War integration over two months ago, it is time for a change in Warzone. The Cold War integration introduced 30 new weapons to the game, including new variations of the duplicate weapons.
Updated March 4th, 2021, by Payton Lott: The best weapons after the integration were the DMR-14 and the MAC-10. Thankfully, Raven have nerfed the DMR and MAC-10, both of which are still good weapons in Warzone. However, Warzone is currently dominated by the sniper FFAR combo. With most of the Cold War attachments finally working properly, gamers can gauge where all of the weapons fit into the meta. It may take a few weeks before all of the weapons and attachments are tested thoroughly, but there are a few weapons that will certainly benefit from the changes. Below are ten Cold War guns that may surprise you in the weeks to come.
10 FFAR
The FFAR is the most powerful AR in Warzone. Even if players are only hitting body shots, the FFAR is at the top of the assault rifles in damage per second. However, the FFAR does not have a controllable recoil pattern. The weapon's S shaped recoil is difficult to control outside of 20 meters. The FFAR does not resemble the Kilo and Grau, which are controllable and reliable from range.
Despite the weapon's poor recoil control, it is a sniper's best friend. The FFAR has amazing iron sights and melts enemies up close. Until snipers are no longer the meta primary weapons, the FFAR will be in most loadouts in Verdansk.
9 Stoner 63
The Stoner 63 resembles the Bruen in many respects. It has a good fire rate for an LMG and has a very modest and controllable recoil pattern. The Bruen was so dominant because it had the handling stats of an assault rifle, but the damage profile of an LMG. If players modify the Stoner 63 for mobility and a quick aim down sight time, it can be a meta weapon in Season 2. With the attachments finally working as intended, the Stoner will be a much improved option in Warzone.
8 MAC-10
Not much needs to be said about the MAC-10. It is and has been one of the top SMGs since the December updates. With an insane fire rate and a headshot multiplier, players can down enemies in an instant. The "nerfs" to the weapon were just headshot damage reductions. Expect the MAC-10 to be one of the best guns in the game for some time.
7 M16
The FR.556 was the only weapon in Modern Warfare with a three-round burst at launch and it was one of the worst weapons in the game. Nearly every Call of Duty game has featured a burst weapon that could challenge the best guns in the game. The M-16 has filled the role in Warzone as a viable three round burst weapon for medium to long range encounters. After the DMR nerf and a few changes to the Cold War weapons, more players are using the M16 than ever before. The weapon will down enemies in just two bursts if players can manage to hit every shot.
6 Bullfrog
The bullfrog was an underrated SMG at the beginning of last season, and many gamers are beginning to catch on. The weapon does more damage and has a faster fire rate than its sister the Bizon. It also has virtually no recoil up to intermediate ranges. Gamers that want a gun with more ammo than the FFAR to pair with a sniper should be using the Bullfrog. With a lot of tinkering going on with the weapons currently, it would not be a surprise if the Bullfrog moves into the meta.
5 XM4
The XM4 is slightly similar to the M4 from Modern Warfare. The gun has controllable recoil and good damage values with a high fire rate. The XM4 was not a good weapon weeks after the integration, with low bullet velocity and a ton of visual recoil. After a few updates, the gun's bullet velocity is finally high enough. The XM4 has quietly become a viable weapon to use in Warzone. It can be paired with a sniper or used as a longer ranged option.
4 MP5
Warzone players know all too well how powerful the MP5 is. The gun has dominated Verdansk since launch, and the new Mp5 is just as effective. The gun has great DPS up close and can kill enemies competitively at medium to long range. After testing, the MP5 is actually just as good as the MAC-10. Because the MAC-10 has an open bolt delay, both guns have a seemingly identical time to kill. If the MAC-10 gets a third nerf, expect players to use the MP5 at close ranges.
3 Pelington 703
The current best snipers in Warzone are the SPR and the Kar-98. However, with the lack of sniper glint on the 1x to 10x and 1x to 20x scopes, the Pelington may be the next best one shot gun to use in Warzone. *Gamers can use the 4x scope as well, which provides the same optical zoom as the Modern Warfare sniper scopes without any glint.
The Pelington will fill a role somewhere in between the marksman and sniper rifles. The Kar-98 and SPR are great snipers, but they do not have the range capabilities of the slower sniper rifles. The Pelington is a medium to long range sniper with slightly better mobility than the Tundra. With high mobility and 20x range, the Pelington should be a great gun to use in the future.
2 AUG
The AUG is a great weapon in Warzone after it finally received some love. The gun can deal a competitive amount of damage if all three burst shots hit an opponent. From short to medium range, the AUG is a surprising meta weapon. At the moment, the three round burst weapons are making a comeback, and the AUG looks to be a top tier gun in the near future.
1 Gallo SA 12
The Gallo SA 12 might sneak into the meta as the best point blank weapon. With the R-9 being nerfed into the ground, a new shotgun should make its way into the circulation. The SA 12 actually has the best damage output and range of all the shotguns. The only downside to the gun is its small magazine, which makes it only viable in solos and duos.