TL;DR
- Major bullet penetration system overhaul removes surface thickness calculations
- Popular assault rifles receive movement speed nerfs while SMGs get ammo capacity buffs
- Quickstep Foregrip adjustments affect multiple weapon classes simultaneously
- Devs confirm comprehensive balance update coming in 2-3 weeks
- Strategic attachment selection becomes crucial for optimal loadout performance
The launch of Black Ops 7 Season 1 marks a significant milestone with full weapon integration into Warzone, accompanied by extensive balancing adjustments that impact nearly every firearm in the arsenal. While the most notable system change involves bullet penetration mechanics no longer considering surface thickness, developers have implemented targeted buffs and nerfs across attachment categories. Fan-favorite weapons including the M15 Mod 0 and Dravec 45 receive notable modifications, potentially requiring players to reconsider their established loadout configurations.
Season 1 introduces a fundamental shift in how weapon attachments perform, with particular emphasis on movement speed characteristics. The adjustments reflect Treyarch’s ongoing effort to maintain competitive balance while addressing community feedback about attachment performance consistency.
Image Credit: Activision
Game developers have officially stated that a more comprehensive weapon adjustments update will deploy approximately two to three weeks into the season. For the immediate future, Treyarch has focused on rebalancing popular attachments for specific weapons rather than implementing broad category-wide changes.
Assault Rifles
| Weapon Name | Changes |
|---|---|
| M15 Mod 0 | 16.5″ Fusion Barrel (Nerf) – Damage Range improvement decreased from 20% to 18.5% |
| AK-27 | Strider Handstop (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.05m/s.
Flowguard Foregrip (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.05m/s. Caliban Light Stock (Nerf)– Hipfire Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.075m/s. Viktor-7R Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.06m/s. Pugil Heavy Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed penalty increased by 0.075m/s. |
| MXR-17 | Quickstep Foregrip (Buff) – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s.
EAM Steady-90 Grip (Buff) – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. Winch Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed penalty increased by 0.05m/s. |
| X9 Maverick | Quickstep Foregrip (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. Removed unintended Sprint Speed improvement. Ethereal Wave Stock (Nerf) – Hipfire Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Strider Overstep Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. H01-90 Full Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. |
| DS20 Mirage | Strider Handstop (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.04m/s.
Assault Division Stock (Nerf) – Hipfire Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.05m/s. Weighted Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed penalty increased by 0.05m/s. Redwell Carrion Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.04m/s |
| Peacekeeper MK1 | Quickstep Foregrip (Adjustment) – Now correctly improves ADS Crouch Movement Speed by the same amount as regular ADS Movement Speed.
Swift-B Guard Stock (Buff) – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.13m/s. |
Strategic Insight: The AK-27 receives the most extensive nerfs among assault rifles, with five different attachments seeing reduced effectiveness. This suggests Treyarch identified the weapon as overperforming with specific attachment combinations. Players should experiment with alternative foregrips and stocks to maintain competitive movement speeds while adapting to the reduced performance of previously dominant options.
SMGs
| Weapon Name | Changes |
|---|---|
| Ryden 45K | 11″ Rauch 6L-R Barrel (Buff) – Bullet Velocity improvement increased from 25% to 27%.
10.5″ Greaves Whiptail Barrel (Nerf)– Bullet Velocity improvement decreased from 12.5% to 13.5%. EAM Lightpath Foregrip (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.075m/s. Collapsible Stock – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. (Buff) SKE-02 Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.075m/s. |
| RK-9 | Quickstep Foregrip – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. (Nerf) ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.05m/s. (Buff) Envoy Foregrip (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Alliance Extended Mag (Buff) – Ammo count increased from 40 to 42. Ascot Drum Mag (Buff) – Ammo Count increased from 55 to 57. Compact Void Mag (Buff) – Ammo Count Increased from 25 to 27. Nightfall Rapid Stock – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. (Buff) VQ-45 Harpy Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.05m/s. |
| Razor 9MM | EAM Lightpath Foregrip – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. (Nerf) ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.06m/s. (Buff) EAM Steady-90 Grip (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Serpent Pad (Nerf) – Sprint Speed improvement decreased by 0.05m/s. Renegade Pad (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.06m/s. |
| Dravec 45 | 19″ EAM Horizon Barrel (Nerf) – Damage Range improvement decreased from 30% to 27%.
14″ Verse Barrel (Nerf) – Damage Range improvement decreased from 15% to 13.5%. EAM Heritage Stock – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.075m/s. (Nerf) Serval Q-Step Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. |
| Carbon 57 | 14″ Rockleigh Barrel (Buff)– Damage Range improvement increased from 27% to 30%.
11″ Greaves Repose Barrel (Buff) – Damage Range improvement increased from 13.5% to 15%. Quickstep Foregrip – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. (Nerf) Sapper Guard Handstop (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Graph-Aero Stock – Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.25m/s. (Buff) Bowen Resolute Pad (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.06m/s. |
| MPC-25 | 13.1″ Razorback Barrel (Nerf) – Bullet Velocity improvement decreased from 27% to 25%.
10.4″ Hydra Barrel (Nerf) – Bullet Velocity improvement decreased from 13.5% to 12.5%. Quickstep Foregrip – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. (Nerf) Flowguard Foregrip (Nerf) – Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Viper Wire Stock (Nerf) – Sprint Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. K-1 Pedal Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.025m/s. Arid Full Stock (Buff) – ADS Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.075m/s. |
Advanced Strategy: The RK-9 receives significant magazine capacity improvements across multiple attachment options, suggesting Treyarch wants to enhance its sustained fire capability. However, the mixed adjustments to Quickstep Foregrip across multiple SMGs indicates a nuanced approach to movement balance—rewarding ADS movement while penalizing general movement speed. This creates interesting trade-offs for aggressive players who must choose between mobility during engagements versus overall map traversal speed.
LMGs
| Weapon Name | Changes |
|---|---|
| MK.78 | 17″ Bowen Moon Barrel (Buff) – Damage Range improvement increased from 25% to 30%.
18.5″ Titan Hybrid Barrel (Buff) – Damage Range improvement increased from 12.5% to 15%. Quickstep Foregrip (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Charon Light Stock (Nerf) – Sprint Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. Swift Guard Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. |
| XM325 | 24″ Fractal-LRB Barrel (Nerf) – Damage Range improvement decreased from 30% to 25%.
20″ Rist-76 Nova Barrel (Nerf) – Damage Range improvement decreased from 15% to 12.5%. VG-0 Light Stock (Buff) – Hipfire Movement Speed improvement increased by 0.05m/s. Strider Handstop (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. 2R-Mobility Stock (Nerf) – ADS Movement Speed improvement decreased by 0.025m/s. |
Loadout Optimization: The MK.78 receives substantial damage range buffs through its barrel attachments, positioning it as a more effective long-range suppression weapon. However, the accompanying movement speed nerfs reinforce its role as a positional rather than mobile firearm. Players should pair these LMGs with tactical positioning and area denial strategies rather than aggressive push tactics.
The Season 1 weapon balance changes reveal several strategic patterns that informed players can leverage. The widespread adjustments to Quickstep Foregrip across multiple weapon classes indicates Treyarch’s focus on standardizing movement attachment performance. Weapons that previously dominated the meta through specific attachment combinations have been systematically adjusted to create more balanced gameplay options.
Common Mistakes to Avoid: Many players will instinctively gravitate toward their pre-season loadouts without considering the nuanced changes to attachment performance. The most significant error involves continuing to use nerfed attachment combinations that no longer provide the same competitive advantage. Another frequent mistake is overlooking the mixed adjustments—where some aspects of an attachment are buffed while others are nerfed—requiring careful evaluation of whether the net effect benefits your specific playstyle.
Pro Player Insights: Advanced players should focus on understanding the trade-offs inherent in each attachment change. For instance, the Carbon 57’s Graph-Aero Stock provides a massive 0.25m/s general movement speed buff but comes with hipfire and sprint speed penalties. This creates specialized loadouts that excel in specific combat scenarios rather than providing universal advantages.
For those looking to master weapon mechanics in Black Ops 7, our BF6 Weapons Unlock Guide provides comprehensive strategies for optimizing your arsenal beyond basic attachment selections.
The developers’ confirmation of a more comprehensive balance update in the coming weeks suggests these changes represent an initial tuning pass. Competitive players should monitor their performance metrics closely and remain flexible in their loadout choices as the meta continues to evolve throughout Season 1.
Action Checklist
- Audit your current loadouts and identify attachments affected by nerfs
- Test alternative attachment combinations for your primary weapons in custom matches
- Focus on weapons with significant buffs like the Carbon 57 and MK.78
- Monitor your in-game performance metrics to identify optimal new loadouts
- Prepare backup loadout variations for different game modes and map types
No reproduction without permission：Tsp Game Club » All Black Ops 7 and Warzone Season 1 Weapon Buffs and Nerfs Complete guide to Black Ops 7 Season 1 weapon balancing changes with expert loadout recommendations