Top Weapons to Start with in Zombie Mode

Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War is yet another Call Of Duty game to feature a Zombies mode. Black Ops Cold War takes players back to the original Zombies map, Nacht der Untoten, only this time it has been revamped, renamed, and reimagined.

Not only has the map been recreated, but the entire system that was once Zombies has been redone as well. Now players can take on the hordes with a weapon of their choice right off the bat. On top of that, these weapons can also be upgraded in multiple ways.

Updated on September 27, 2024, by Nathan Halsey: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is on the horizon, and will feature a return to the wave-based formula last seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Players interested in playing this style of Zombies before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches can return to this previous entry, either to catch up on the Zombies story, or to practice. On top of this it has been confirmed already that the loadout system is making a return, which is the focal point of this article, so players who engage with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s loadouts should be able to familiarize themselves easily with the next iteration of the system.

15 AMP63

For Being Lightweight and Reliable

• Zombies Unlock Requirement: Reach 400 Headshots With Pistols

Size matters not when it comes to the AMP63s, an agile pistol that boasts fast firepower and effective headshot damage. The AMP63 might not be the best Cold War gun, but it certainly is one of the most fun. Not only are attachments effective with this gun, but the akimbo will truly make it a weapon from another planet, especially once pack-a-punch has been acquired for the weapon.

Using the AMP63 Akimbo will see players benefit from the early rounds, and when they have the points to upgrade this weapon, they will be able to rip and tear through zombies and minibosses like they’re nothing. It’s one to aim toward, and the fact that such hard-hitting, fast-shooting weapons can grant such great speed boosts, makes it a wonderful choice in a map filled with wonder weapons.

14 QBZ-83

For Ammo Efficiency

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 31

In the assault rifle department, players will be able to pick themselves a QBZ-83, a weapon that is often forgotten among its peers for alternative and fiercer weapons in the same category. Yet, for players who have reached Level 31, it’s worth giving it a shot, as there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this loyal weapon in the hands of those who wield it.

The QBZ-83 has a decent speed, and an impressive amount of mobility and handling, ensuring that players are always in control of the motion of this gun, and will not be weighed down by its class. The only disadvantages come from the recoil, meaning hip firing isn’t going to be the best, but the best zombie trainers out there will know how to line up those easy headshots.

13 PPSH-41

For Extreme Mobility While Firing

• Zombies Unlock Requirement: Get 50 Special/Elite Zombie Kills Affected by Toxic Growth

Another staple of the Call of Duty franchise is the PPSH-41, a gun that featured prominently as one of the fastest shooting guns in Call of Duty: World at War, that ravished through multiplayer lobbies and zombie hordes alike. The PPSH-41 returns in Black Ops Cold War, with its intense firepower and speed.

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The biggest draw for the weapon is its incredibly fast move speed while aiming, and firing, as well as its sprint to fire. It’s really easy to make the PPSH-41 a mobile weapon, which is incredibly important depending on the players loadout. This weapon may fall off earlier than other weapons in terms of damage, but it is incredibly fast and boasts a lot of ammo. This weapon is definitely a must-try for those who know they’re going to be spending the early rounds covering a lot of distance.

12 Magnum

For Mobile Boss Damage

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 31

The Magnum is essentially an easier melee weapon. It functions very much the same in terms of use, getting high single-target damage at close range, but it is more lenient than a melee weapon. It’s best dual wielded for added firerate, with its hipfire accuracy boosted as high as possible. Like this the weapon allows for extremely high damage output with no cost to mobility, as the weapon is incredibly light. The weapon can also stand up against normal zombies in a pinch, but players need to be wary of its long reload and low ammo when using it as a supplemental weapon.

11 Stoner 63

For Great Hip-Fire

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 4

The Stoner 63 LMG is the first LMG players will get access to, and it is a game-changer. Even without any upgrades, this weapon can shred through zombies in the early rounds. The biggest perk of the Stoner 63 is its great hip-fire, which allows this weapon to stay effective while in constant motion.

The only cons of the Stoner 63 are its reload and speed as well as its overall movement speed. Alleviating these with attachments as much as possible is recommended, as this will make reloading less risky, and will make playing into the Stoner 63’s good hip-fire easier for when the zombies get too close for comfort.

10 Krig 6

For Unmatched Stability

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 16

The Krig 6 is similar to the Galil from previous Zombies games. It has a very steady rate of fire that doesn’t throw the player’s view around, and can easily help them get through the early rounds without a problem. This gun is even better when upgraded and the attachments make it even more worthwhile.

Players who don’t upgrade the weapon will notice a decent damage dropoff when they start to get into the higher rounds. However, for starting, the Krig 6 is perhaps the best of the best when it comes to assault rifles.

9 AUG

For Great Flexibility

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 28

Players will remember the AUG from many other Call of Duty Zombies modes. It was once a fan favorite, and it still holds good merit. This gun is a headshot machine, and players with a rate of fire high enough to compete with Assault Rifles and Submachine guns.

The downside to this weapon is that it is really dependent on headshot damage, with body shots not doing a whole lot of damage. This makes positioning crucial, as players will need to give themselves time to aim and be accurate to get the most out of this gun.

8 M60

For Great Sustained Damage

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 46

The M60 is perhaps the best LMG players can start with. It has high damage and can easily carry players above round ten, without the need for upgrades. It has a massive damage output that puts other guns to shame.

The only problems the gun faces, like with all LMGs, are the lack of movement when carrying it and its horrible reload speed. Still, the reload speed can always be upgraded through perks and attachments, and the same goes for mobility. Bosses can easily be taken down with this weapon, without using tons of ammo in the process.

7 M16

For High Single-Target Damage

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 10

he game, the M16 has become a favorite amongst players for its huge damage potential. This gun can take gamers into high rounds with relative ease without losing too much of its damage — as long as players remember to upgrade it.

Even without upgrading this weapon, it can easily handle the early rounds. Players who aim for the head will find that the M16 can instantly kill many enemies that dare cross into its line of fire.

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The only true downside to this gun is that it is pump-action, which makes it fire a little slower than the norm. However, even that drawback doesn’t matter too much when each zombie is killed in one or two shots.

6 AK74u

Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 19

• Very lightweight and won’t slow players down
• Good for low and high rounds
• One of the best SMGs

The AK74u is a returning weapon from previous Black Ops games that fans have grown to love. Some may overlook it because players might think it deals less damage; however, this weapon deals decent damage while also allowing players to move quickly.This is an SMG, after all.

Speed is always important when dealing with zombie hordes, and players who choose this weapon won’t be lacking it. Pack-A-Punching this weapon will lead to a large increase in damage that is incredibly useful for later rounds.

5 Knife

For Boss Damage And Ammo Efficiency

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 13

It might sound strange that a knife would be one of the best weapons in the game, but that is the case. The knife is capable of getting one-hit-kills up to round 15 without needing to use the Pack-A-Punch machine.

It can easily get good players up to round fifteen without any troubles, as long as they don’t get caught in the middle of a horde. This weapon is also surprisingly good against bosses when the Melee Weapon skills are fully upgraded, as the final one refunds health while dealing damage, often outhealing the boss you are attacking.

4 Tec-9

For Being Plain Busted

• Zombies Unlock Requirements: Kill 30 Elite Enemies (Bosses) with SMG’s

The Tec-9 is almost as powerful in Zombies as it is in Multiplayer, with many of its strengths transferring over to Zombies seamlessly. It’s the lethality of an Assault Rifle packed into the mobility of an SMG. Much like the AK74u the weapon excels in dealing damage while on the move, but it’s just overall better. It consumes less ammo than the AK74u, holds more, and does more damage. It’s pretty cut and dry in that regard, with the only drawbacks being that with less shots comes less of a chance to proc Ammo Mods like Shatter Blast and Napalm Burst, but these procs are not reliable as they are based on chance.

3 Gallo SA12

For Highest Damage Per Shot

• Unlock Requirements: Reach Level 34

The Gallo SA12 is the first shotgun players get access to when leveling up, and the last shotgun they will ever need. Capable of killing zombies with one hit up to round 12, this gun is well-equipped from the start.

Getting attachments for this weapon pushes its damage potential even further, with the 24.8″ Task Force barrel increasing the damage per shot by 89% for only a 13% reduction in range, which is not nearly as useful of a stat in Zombies. The Infantry V-Choke also has an interesting effect on the weapon, essentially transforming the weapon into a slug shotgun when aiming, making it easier to flex between critical-hit focused damage for bosses as well as general horde clearing.

2 Streetsweeper

For Unparralleled Horde Clearing

• Zombies Unlock Requirements: Get 10 Kills Quickly (Carnage Medal), 50 times.

Many players overlook the Streetsweeper because of its incredibly long reload speed. They quickly move on to the next gun and forget they ever saw it. However, despite having such a long reload speed, the Streetsweeper can take on some pretty large hordes of zombies without fail.

Pack-A-Punching this weapon gives it a whopping 38 rounds. Thanks to this it can deal a large amount of damage to a lot of enemies quickly, though Speed Cola is essential to keeping this weapon’s reload speed in check.

No, This Isn’t A Joke

• Zombies Unlock Requirements: Kill 50 Special Enemies with a Melee Weapon

The E-Tool is one of the strongest weapons in Zombies, and probably one of the least expected of the title at first glance. To understand what makes this weapon so good requires understanding how melee weapons function. Each weapon has a hidden stat, not represented by any menu, that determines how strongly it ‘snaps’ to targets when making a melee attack. This makes certain weapons easier to hit enemies than others, typically with the drawback that it stops you from moving.

This lock-on feature is good in faced-paced multiplayer matches, where a slight movement penalty means nothing after you’ve secured the kill, but it is lethal in Zombies where staying still for even a moment is enough to get pinned. The E-tool has no lock-on, meaning that it incurs no movement penalty when used. This allows players to kill Zombies while staying completely mobile, and moving in any direction. Given the strength of melee weapons, as well as their innate ability to not require ammo, this is definitively the best weapon to bring into Zombies, allowing players to save all of their money for upgrades, Mystery Box runs, and Perks.