In most Call of Duty games, you can rely on your aim and reflexes to get you pretty far in multiplayer, but Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will ask a lot more of you if you want to outplay the competition. Getting the feel for new weapons won’t take you long, but there’s a lot more you need to wrap your head around in this entry, from the completely revamped movement systems and perks to new game modes and scorestreaks.
Black Ops 6 proves that we’re long past the days of this series being a simple shooter. While the campaign is great fun for a while, and Zombies has a lot to sink your teeth into as well, it is the competitive multiplayer mode that most of us spend the most time with. This is the biggest Call of Duty has been in years, so the competition has never been fiercer. If you want that edge on the battlefield, these tips and tricks will give it to you.
Master the movement
The biggest change to the core Call of Duty formula in Black Ops 6 is the omnimovement system. This new movement system is meant to make for a more fluid and dynamic feel compared to past games, but isn’t bringing back things like boosts and wall running. Initially, you should get used to being able to spring in any direction, not just forward. While this does make traversing the map easier, keep in mind it still has the same downsides sprinting always does, which is that it will take an extra second to aim and fire. Sprint wisely, but don’t abuse it.
Along with sprinting in all directions, this system also opens up sliding and diving in any way you please. We all know how annoying drop-shots and dolphin diving can be, but there’s no excuse to not master it now that you can leap sideways around corners or backward into cover. On the ground, you can also fully rotate to shoot in any direction so you aren’t as much of a sitting duck as before.
Omnimovement cannot be disabled in any mode so learning its ins and outs is non-negotiable in Black Ops 6. There are ways you can customize it, though, such as toggling sprint assist, mantle, assist, crouch assist, and more. Take a look in the settings to tune your movement before (literally) diving into battle. Head into the Training Course to get a feel for the system before testing it out in multiplayer.
Pick your Perks and Wildcards
Perks are nothing new to Black Ops 6 but always have adjustments from game to game. This time, Perks are divided into three categories: Enforcer, Recon, and Strategist. While you could build your loadout with any combination of perks from these categories, you do get a special Combat Speciality if you choose all three Perks from one category. Here’s what bonus you get for each one:
Enforcer: Killing enemies grants a temporary buff to movement speed and health regen rate.
Recon: Enemies can be seen through walls for a short time after respawn; a HUD edge indicator flashes when an enemy is outside your view; leave no death skulls when killing enemies.
Strategist: Earn a score bonus for objectives and destroying enemy content; see enemy content through walls a short distance; deploy equipment and field upgrades faster.
Wildcards return from Cold War and give you the option to add extra slots to your loadout. Because these are so powerful, you can only apply one to a loadout, so pick carefully. The best Wildcard most people will want is Perk Greed, which lets you quip a fourth Perk, but you can only get this one after reaching level 54. Gunfighter unlocks at level 33 and is a great option until then since it adds three more attachment points for your primary weapon.
Prestige is back
One of the most requested features from classic Call of Duty games is finally back and more rewarding than ever. The Prestige system is the ultimate flex you can do in Black Ops 6, but may not be something you want to do right away. As a quick refresher, the way Prestige works is that once you hit level 55, you are given the option to reset your level and unlocks back to 1 in exchange for a unique reward and increase to your Prestige Rank. The only exceptions to what is reset are your weapon progression, weapon builds (once you unlock the weapons again) cosmetics, and blueprints. Every time you Prestige also grants you one permanent unlock you can apply to a single weapon, tactical, or other piece of gear you normally have to level up to get. This should be used on something like the best Perk or weapon that you don’t unlock until a high level.
There are 10 initial Prestige Ranks to grind through, but then you can start grinding 1,000 Prestige Master ranks.
Maximize your XP
Everything in Black Ops 6 revolves around XP. As we just covered, getting through all the Prestige and Master ranks sounds like it could take months of effort. Even if you don’t care much for Prestige, leveling up is the only way to access the full suite of weapons and equipment to make your ideal loadouts. Nothing you do is a waste of time, but there are a few ways to get far more XP in the same amount of time.
First, always note your daily and weekly challenges. These have been staples of Call of Duty, and most multiplayer FPS games, for years now, so it should not be surprising. Every day and week you will have a series of specific tasks to do for some bonus XP. Dailies tend to be simple and worth a smaller amount, while weekly challenges take a bit more time but have a bigger payout. Doing all three daily challenges also grants an extra XP payout.
In addition to these challenges, also aim to complete your Calling Card and Mastery challenges. These are mainly for unlocking Calling Cards and such but also give valuable XP.
If you’re trying to grind weapon XP specifically, Zombies mode is far more efficient than regular multiplayer in Black Ops 6.
Play with friends and focus on the objective. Some game mods give you a flat bonus just for playing with a squad, but playing with a team you know tends to lead to more wins compared to solo queuing. Winning a match is worth more than a loss, so always do your best to win. Objective game modes, like Hardpoint and Domination, are also preferred because they give you more ways to earn XP than simply getting kills. If you are focused on playing the objective, you can earn way more XP in a single match than you would even if you were crushing the enemy in deathmatch.
Finally, don’t waste your double XP tokens. You will slowly start to pick up double XP tokens as you rank up and move through the battle pass but also can get them by playing the campaign. These are time-sensitive tokens that last for 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes after activation. Only trigger one when you’re ready to make the most of it and grind out a ton of XP. Additionally, Black Ops 6 will sometimes host double XP events where you don’t need to spend a consumable token to get this bonus. Check out when these events are happening and try to plan your gaming around them if possible.
New maps and tricks
Besides omnimovement, the biggest change to basic gameplay in Black Ops 6 has to be the new meatshield mechanic. This lets you sneak up on an opponent and take them hostage as a living shield to block bullets and fire back. You’re not invincible while doing this, especially from behind, and move slowly, but it can be very effective in some scenarios. Plus, with the proximity chat option, you can do a little trash-talking with your hostage before you execute them or walk them into gunfire.
Black Ops 6 introduces 16 new maps to learn, which is the most we’ve had in a long time at launch. Knowing the best paths, sightlines, and chokepoints early will help you get the jump on players running around wildly. You should also investigate maps for secret paths and routes that aren’t immediately obvious. Most have some secret tunnels or paths that can give you a safe way to flank the enemy.
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