"Black Ops 4" Arsenal Associator Quiz

Answer: Assault Rifles

The ICR-7 is basically a copy/paste of the ICR-1 from "Black Ops 3", although the weapon is otherwise a fairly significantly nerfed version. Even nerfed, it's still a very strong option, with excellent accuracy, good damage and a bevy of useful attachments.

This goes for both Multiplayer, where it is immediately available on profile creation, and Zombies, where it is a wall weapon on all maps.

Answer: Submachine Guns

The MX9 is essentially a futuristic version of the MP5/MP5K from the first and second "Black Ops" games, taking after the Kuda from "Black Ops 3" in doing so. Just like its predecessors, the MX9 has a fire rate which doesn't compete favorably with other SMGs and its damage output is only just passable, while the accuracy poses as its selling point in being above average.

It is ultimately a gun that just exists in both Multiplayer and Zombies. Not bad necessarily, but not exciting in the slightest, and not boasting spectacular performance.

Answer: Tactical Rifles

The Auger DMR is a semi automatic rifle. In Multiplayer, this weapon is absolutely lethal with a great fire rate and excellent damage. Its mobility being on the lower side is sometimes a hindrance, but "Black Ops 4's" Multiplayer is lauded as having the most forgivable TTK (time to kill) in the entire franchise, so being caught off-guard isn't quite as punishing in this game as others, and that is favorable to low mobility weapons like this.

In Zombies, this gets my pick for the best wall weapon in the game. The headshot damage is filthy, a guaranteed one shot to the head until round 33 and remaining at least productive indefinitely. It comes with plenty of ammunition, has a bevy of great attachments to enhance its performance, and really has no drawbacks worth mentioning in a Zombies context.

Answer: Light Machine Guns

The Titan essentially takes after the BRM of "Black Ops 3". It has fairly decent all around stats, with the same slow reload speed and horrendous mobility LMGs in general are known to have, so it is very user friendly and reliable. It is the LMG players begin their profiles with, though that does bear slightly less meaning in this game than past entries in general due to how quickly one can level up a profile in this game.

In Zombies, the Titan is a pretty good weapon. However, it has one enormous, glaring flaw: it may be a wall weapon on all maps, but it costs an absolutely ridiculous 4500 points to purchase. The weapon is strong for sure, but there are plenty of way, way cheaper alternatives which are at least competitive, if not superior, to the Titan. As such, from a purely utilitarian perspective, the Titan's high cost dooms it to relative obscurity in Zombies. But, as a stand alone weapon, ignoring the ridiculous cost, the Titan definitely gets the job done in this mode. Pity that it randomly costs so much.

Answer: Sniper Rifles

The Paladin HB50 is a massive, bolt action sniper rifle whose loud shots command the attention of everyone around the wielder. In that sense, it is a spiritual successor to "Black Ops 3's" SVG-100. Compared to the old SVG-100, the Paladin is heavier and thus features worse mobility. However, for as earth-shatteringly strong as the SVG-100 was, the Paladin HB50 has it beat. This is the only weapon in all of Multiplayer, even with DLC weapons factored in, that is a 100% guaranteed one-shot kill to the head, no questions asked. Even the DLC weapon Locus, a weapon which could do that in "Black Ops 3", cannot do that here in this game. Though the Paladin is unwieldy and difficult to use, its unmatched raw power ensures it has a niche in Multiplayer.

Much the same could be said of it in Zombies. This is one of few weapons which can guarantee a one shot kill to the head of a zombie forever and ever, never losing the ability to do this. However, it is not alone in doing so this time, so the fact that it is heavy and difficult to use makes it less favorable here. Still, raw power is always valuable in this mode, and the Paladin HB50 can deliver that reliably.

Answer: Secondary Weapons

Interestingly, if you just so happened to pre-order "Black Ops 4" back in the day, you gained a special variant of the Strife called the Divinity variant.

As for actual performance, this is a very straightforward semi automatic pistol. It functions as a side arm, so it has weak bullet damage and range with top notch mobility and reload speed.

In Zombies, when Pack-a-Punched, the Strife uniquely becomes fully automatic. A PaPed version of this gun can be earned for free, quickly, on the IX map. It still isn't the strongest, but it serves as an excellent early game point weapon on any map in the game. Players can choose to begin their game with the Strife, and it exclusively comes with a Tactical Knife attachment.

Answer: Assault Rifles

The Rampart 17 is a strong assault rifle with above average damage in exchange for below average mobility. In the end, it is a fine assault rifle one could competently wield in just about any situation for Multiplayer.

In Zombies, the Rampart 17 is fine on paper. In practice, it suffers from an availability issue. This is not a wall weapon, but its performance basically mirrors the numerous wall ARs in this game. The Rampart isn't bad on its own, but there is very little reason to specifically seek one out when the player could instead just buy an ICR-7 or KN-57. The Rampart being a Mystery Box weapon on all maps is what makes tracking it down potentially irritating, especially with the game's many DLC weapons populating the Mystery Box and making it even less likely to get a Rampart 17.

Answer: Submachine Guns

The GKS is essentially the AK74U from the first two "Black Ops" games. It has good handling and accuracy with a relatively good fire rate and good reload speed. It functions very effectively at a mid range in Multiplayer. This is basically a better all-around take on what the MX9 is going for, in the grand scheme of things.

In Zombies, this weapon is somewhat of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is a wall weapon on all maps. On the other, it comes with surprisingly low ammunition, so the player will end up returning to the wall buy to buy ammo more frequently than other wall weapons.

Answer: Tactical Rifles

The ABR 223 is one of two base game burst rifles. Compared to the Swordfish, the ABR has a lower fire rate and deals less damage but handles more effectively compared to the Swordfish. Personal preference ultimately dictates which of the two is better for Multiplayer.

Personal preference would dictate which of the two, between the ABR 223 and Swordfish, is better in Zombies too. However, the Swordfish ultimately wins in this mode simply because it is a wall weapon, while the ABR 223 is only available out of the Mystery Box. Just like the Rampart 17, that alone makes it pretty questionable to try and get, as the Swordfish offers perfectly competitive performance with far more accessible availability.

Answer: Light Machine Guns

The Hades is essentially a spiritual successor of the fan favorite Dingo from "Black Ops 3". It has the same well above average reload speed, excellent damage and great stability that the Dingo did. It's really as if the Dingo was simply copy/pasted with no changes whatsoever.

A free Pack-a-Punched Hades can be acquired on the IX map for Zombies. Other than that, this is a Mystery Box weapon. Here though, while the wall weapon Titan is strong, it's also ridiculously expensive and the Hades is objectively superior to it anyway, so the Hades is a Mystery Box weapon actually worth seeking out, just like the Dingo before it.

Answer: Sniper Rifles

The Outlaw is a fast firing sniper rifle with a unique gimmick; it features a cylinder with six chambers in it, akin to a revolver, letting it reload and fire faster than the average sniper rifle. It also boasts a pretty great headshot multiplier, letting it drop enemies in Multiplayer in two clean hits to the head reliably.

In Zombies, this weapon is uniquely a guaranteed one shot to the head against a zombie forever. Combined with its very fast fire speed, this is an absolute juggernaut of a gun in this mode. It is typically competitive with a given map's Wonder Weapon, if not downright superior, and is available out of the Mystery Box on all maps.

Answer: Secondary Weapons

The Mozu is arguably the single cheesiest, most annoying weapon to use and face off againt in all of Multiplayer. This gun, on paper, is just a plain revolver. It features high damage for a pistol, but slow fire rate just as any revolver would. And if you're using a Mozu that has not been maxed out, this is exactly how it functions. If a Mozu has specifically been maxed, however, the Head Splitter attachment becomes unlocked. Head Splitter causes the Mozu to deal infinite damage on headshots, guaranteeing a one shot to the head if the bullet so much as grazes the target's head. As such, this gun essentially became a pocket sniper rifle, and was without remote question the absolute best pistol in all of Multiplayer, DLC included, by a landslider. This gun was nerfed four individual times throughout the life cycle of "Black Ops 4", taking the throne as the most nerfed gun in the game's history. Even still, Head Splitter simply existing relegates that to being entirely moot.

In Zombies, the dynamic works somewhat similarly. However here, the four nerfs this weapon suffered actually hurt it fairly good. At launch, the aforementioned Head Splitter made it one shot Zombies to the head forever and ever. After the very first nerf it received, however, Head Splitter would now stop one-shotting a Zombie at round 31, though it would consistently two-shot forever. This nerf definitely hurt the Mozu, but not badly enough to stop it from still being a genuinely great choice as a wall weapon.

Answer: Assault Rifles

This is, as per the name, basically a copy/paste of the KN-44 from "Black Ops 3". It is statistically the exact same down to the decimal point and even has all of the same attachments as well. It's a wonder that it even got a different name to begin with.

In Zombies, this is one of several great wall weapon candidates. Quite frankly, there are a lot of great wall weapons in this game, this is definitely one of them, and the player could just use this indefinitely, game in and game out, if they want something reliable.

Answer: Submachine Guns

The Spitfire is essentially the successor of the Vesper from "Black Ops 3". It has the same ridiculously high fire rate to go with the same comically poor stability and accuracy. It dominates Multiplayer in close quarters and similarly has a snowball's chance of competing with the heat-induced LMGs and assault rifles of this game from a distance.

In Zombies, this is a wall weapon on all maps. Despite the sizzling fire rate, this weapon's relatively low power makes it a relatively iffy option. Sadly, because of how this game changed up the formula for earning points, the Spitfire can't be useful in this capacity. If this was "Black Ops 3" or earlier, the Spitfire would have been a good tier option for earning points.

Answer: Tactical Rifles

This is a four round burst assault rifle. It outputs more damage with a higher fire rate compared to the ABR 223, in return for being slightly less accurate and featuring slower burst cycles. In Multiplayer, it really comes down to personal preference as to which between the two is better. Both have perfectly good arguments to the point where it's difficult to objectively give one the upper hand over the other.

The Swordfish is a wall weapon in Zombies. The only criticism this gun seriously warrants is that, for some reason whether intentionally or not, its location just so happens to consistently be in the most inconvenient place on a given map of all wall weapons. For example, on Blood of the Dead, the Swordfish wall buy is right smack dab in the dead center of the infamous Catwalk, the single most dangerous area in the entire map by far. It's not known if this was done for a specific reason or if it was coincidental. But, in terms of pure performance, the Swordfish certainly checks out as a strong option.

Answer: Light Machine Guns

The VKM-750 effectively poses as a successor to the Gorgon of "Black Ops 3". It is a very slow firing LMG with beefy damage numbers and laser-sharp accuracy. The Gorgon was a camper's paradise, and one may assume the same fate befell the VKM-750. However, as "Black Ops 4" offered slow TTK (time to kill) and enhanced movement options with less general lethality, the VKM-750 is not as strong as camping as the Gorgon was a game prior. This is technically a negative for the gun itself, but is a positive for the health of the game as a whole.

In Zombies, unfortunately, the VKM-750 really doesn't stand out in the same way the Gorgon once did. This is not really the VKM's fault and is moreso just because the sheer competition from weapon peers is just staggering. The VKM-750 is nice to have and effective in a nutshell, it just isn't really great to the point of being worth singling out by constantly spinning the Mystery Box.

Answer: Sniper Rifles

The SDM is basically the M14 from the previous three "Black Ops" titles, if the M14 put on about 200 pounds. The SDM delivers beastly blows for being a spammable semi automatic rifle, but it's quite heavy and has fairly poor mobility and sprint-to-fire time as a result. In Multiplayer, this weapon struggles to consistently land two-shot kills, which makes it difficult to wield effectively.

In Zombies, this weapon is only available from the Mystery Box. With this game offering by far the best catalogue of wall weapons to this point and, maybe in retrospect, all of Zombies history, Mystery Box-exclusive weapons have a hard time. A box weapon has to be truly elite to be worth going after, like the Hades. The SDM isn't bad, it just isn't necessarily worth going after.

Answer: Secondary Weapons

This is basically the RK5 from "Black Ops 3" with a different coat of paint and a new name. Sadly, it is nowhere near as good as its spiritual predecessor. That's less an issue with the pistol and more due to the mechanical changes brought forth by a new game. TTK (time to kill) is much higher in this game than other games in the franchise, making it difficult for a sidearm to stand out. There are more ways to quickly regenerate health or attack at a distance that makes it hard for pistols to succeed.

In Zombies, this is a gun players can start the game with. However, there is no reason to choose it over the Strife, simply because the Strife has an enhanced melee attachment putting the entire RK7 Garrison to shame.

It is also a wall weapon on all maps, but why bother buying it if you can start with it for free? And, as established, there's no reason to do that either. Not all guns were created equal, unfortunately.

Answer: Assault Rifles

The VAPR-XKG is a light, compact assault rifle. At a glance, it is small enough to look like an SMG, but as it fires rifle bullets, it's actually an assault rifle. Sadly, despite its small size, it doesn't offer any advantages to mobility or stability over its peers. It is firmly competitive in all important aspects of a gun, including damage, fire rate, accuracy, reload speed and general handling.

In Zombies, this is a wall weapon on all maps. Like most other wall weapons ARs in this game, you really can't go wrong with it. It is competitive with the others here just as in Multiplayer.

Answer: Submachine Guns

The Cordite is a small SMG essentially resembling the PDW-57 from "Black Ops 2". It has high clip size, speedy general handling, but low overall damage output. It is similarly a fairly okay weapon for Multiplayer, though the low damage really hinders it on bigger maps such as Jungle.

In Zombies, the Cordite is unfortunately a low tier overall option. Not only is it Mystery Box exclusive, but its low damage output renders it a very forgettable gun in this game. Like countless other box exclusives, there is just no real reason to actively pursue a Cordite when there are numerous superior options available right off the wall.

Answer: Sniper Rifles

The Koshka is a bolt action sniper rifle. It is much, much lighter and handles far better than the Paladin HB50, but the drawback of simply doing less damage is straightforward. The Koshka cannot cleanly one-shot a target like the Paladin can, but it's actually possible to move on the offensive with the Koshka and not be a sitting duck, unlike the horribly heavy Paladin.

In Zombies, the Koshka is a wall weapon on all maps except for Blood of the Dead. Only, like the Titan, for some absurd reason, it costs 4500 points to purchase. Most players' don't like receiving bolt action rifles in Zombies for free, let alone spending 4500 points. And sadly, while the Koshka isn't necessarily the worst weapon ever, it is simply impossible to justify its price tag. As such, due to said price tag, the Koshka is a genuinely low tier choice in Zombies.

Answer: Secondary Weapons

The MOG 12 is a pump action shotgun. It is well known for, in tandem with the Mozu, being one of the most nerfed weapons in this entire game. At launch, it valiantly carried the torch of the KRM-262 from "Black Ops 3", being a pump shotgun that one-shot people left and right. The problem with that, however, is that this game is balanced very, very differently compared to "BO3", and a shotgun which can threaten a consistent one-shot is way stronger in the fourth iteration. Once nerfed, the MOG 12 literally could not one shot no matter what from full health. It was a shell of its former self, and a fairly poor choice for Multiplayer at that.

In Zombies, the aforementioned nerf hit it even harder here. It was able to threaten a guaranteed one-shot up until round 27, and a guaranteed two-shot for the whole entire length of the match. Once nerfed, the one-shot until r27 remained, but it now would only be able to three-shot a zombie at r35. For a slow weapon, only three-shotting is simply insufficient, rendering the MOG 12 wholly unviable for a high round push.

Answer: Assault Rifles

The Maddox RFB is an assault rifle with a very high fire rate. It doesn't have a "Black Ops 3" counterpart, but a franchise-wide gun to compare it to would be the FAD from the "Modern Warfare" series. It is overall a strong assault rifle, perfectly competitive with its peers in Multiplayer.

In Zombies, the Maddox is a wall weapon. It is, once again, highly competitive with its peers.

Answer: Submachine Guns

This is essentially an Uzi with a different coat of paint. It has very poor accuracy and stability with low damage and a slightly above average fire rate. The only reason the Saug 9mm has for use comes with its own exclusive attachment, that no other SMG (even DLC) in the game gets, a dual-wield mode. Dual-wielded, the two Saugs now have beyond horrendous accuracy but outclass the rest of the SMG catalogue in every other way. This lets the dominate the close quarters, while being basically useless at any further distance.

In Zombies, everything that was said about the Saug in Multiplayer, applies here. However, the low damage is not as well-compensated with Dual Wield as it is in Multiplayer. This is somewhat made up for by the fact the player can actually begin the game with the Saug 9mm. But, it is not a great choice for high round pushes.

Answer: Secondary Weapons

This is a multi-faceted rocket launcher. It can either be fired manually, or be used to lock on to vehicles. This is the go-to for destroying UAVs or other forms of enemy score streak air support. A body collision shot also guarantees a one-shot kill, although this is difficult to actually achieve.

In Zombies however, this is the absolute mac-daddy of the whole entire game. The Hellion Salvo is, hands down, the #1 strongest obtainable weapon in all of Zombies, and it commands the throne with authority. It is actually stronger than every single wonder weapon in the entire game, not just bullet weapons. When Pack-a-Punched, this thing comes with plenty of ammo, and even just the shockwave of its blasts will one-shot entire zombie hordes forever. It's also absolutely essential to have for most Easter Egg Main Quest boss fights, in particular the Eye of Odin on Voyage of Despair. This is a Mystery Box-exclusive weapon which is worth the time and energy to vigorously go after.