There are plenty of weapon nerfs and buffs in the patch notes for Warzone 2 Season 3 and Modern Warfare 2. Some weapons have undergone minor changes, while others have been completely redesigned. In addition, the game features two new weapons. With these changes, players can expect a complete overhaul of the meta. For example, the infamous Hemlock ISO received massive nerfs due to its dominance in the previous update. Conversely, a select few snipers can kill an enemy with a single bullet. Here are all the changes in the new MW2 and WZ2 Season 3 update.
MW2 and Warzone 2 weapon balancing: all nerfs and buffs in season 3
assault rifles
- ISO hemlock
- All damage ranges reduced
- Lower torso damage reduced
- M13B
- Headshot damage slightly reduced
- Lower torso damage increased
- Average damage range increased
- Upper torso damage slightly reduced.
- STB 556
- Headshot damage increased
- Leg damage increased
- Lower torso damage increased
- Average damage range increased
- Reduced mid-range damage
- SO-56
- Headshot damage reduced
Battle rifles
- FTAK Intelligence
- Movement speed increased
- Semi-automatic leg damage increased
- Semi-automatic minimum armor damage increased | Warzone 2.0 only
- Upper torso semi-automatic damage increased
- Lachmann 762
- Movement speed increased
- CO-14
- Movement speed increased
- Increased minimum armor damage in semi-automatic mode (Warzone 2.0 only)
- TAQ-V
- Armor minimum damage increased (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Movement speed increased
- Semi-automatic shin damage increased
Pistols
- Basilisk
- Minimum armor damage reduced (Warzone 2.0 only)
light machine guns
- RAAL MG
- Headshot damage reduced
- Minimum armor damage added to semi-auto fire mode (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Semi-automatic headshot damage increased
- Upper torso semi-automatic damage increased
- Semi-auto lower torso damage increased
- PKK
- Melee damage has been slightly reduced.
Shooting rifles
- Tempus Torrent
- All damage ranges slightly reduced
- Melee damage has been slightly reduced.
- Headshot damage reduced
Submachine guns
Increased the spread accuracy of the hips of the submachine gun.
- BAS-P
- ADS movement speed increased
- All damage ranges increased
- Minimum armor damage added to semi-auto fire mode (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Lachmann Sub
- Headshot damage reduced
- Increased leg shot damage
- Reduced burst firing time between shots.
- Increased torso damage from explosive fire
- MX9
- Sprint to fire speed increased
- Vaznev-9K
- Headshot damage reduced
- VEL 46
- Headshot damage reduced
Attachments
Ammunition
- Basilisk
- .500 Serpent Shot
- Added maximum armor damage (Warzone 2.0 only)
- .500 Serpent Shot
- Explosive
- Bolt-action weapons equipped with explosive ammunition can now take down fully armored players with a single shot (Warzone 2.0 only).
- Explosive ammo has been added to the MCPR-300 tree.
- ISO hemlock
- .300 Blackout (all types)
- Headshot damage increased
- Accuracy of hip abduction in prone position increased
- Starting recoil slightly increased
- Ranged damage reduced
- Medium range damage increased
- Minimum armor damage added to semi-auto fire mode (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Recoil violence increased
- .300 Blackout (all types)
Note. The specifications of the barrel, stock, and magazine attachments depend on how “big”, “small”, “heavy”, “light”, “long”, or “short”they are in relation to other attachments. In essence, the changes below increase the positive aspects of most attachment stats while reducing their disadvantages, resulting in an overall increase in the level of attachment strength.
Barrel
- heavy barrels
- ADS speed penalty slightly reduced
- Light barrels
- Muzzle velocity penalty reduced
- Short barrels
- ADS speed advantage increased
- Damage range penalty reduced
- Accuracy gain from the hip increased while moving and shooting.
- Reduced the hip spread accuracy penalty for shotguns while moving and firing.
bipod
- ADS speed reduction
Laser
- Laser brightness increased
Magazine
- Big magazines
- Light machine guns (all countries)
- Handling and movement penalties reduced
- Light machine guns (all countries)
- Kastov 545
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Kastov 762
- Magazine for 40 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 40 rounds
- Lachmann Sub
- 50 round drums
- Processing fee reduced
- 50 round drums
- M13B
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- M16
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Vaznev-9K
- Magazine for 45 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 45 rounds
- VEL 46
- Magazine for 50 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 60 rounds
- Processing fee reduced
- Magazine for 50 rounds
small magazines
Movement speed increased
Sprint to fire speed increased
- Fenech 45
- Fennec Double Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
- Damage increased
- Damage range reduced
- Added minimum armor damage (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Time between queues reduced
- Fennec Double Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
- STB 556
- Single Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
- Damage increased
- Average damage range increased
- Added minimum armor damage | Warzone 2.0 only
- Increased time between shots
- Single Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
Rear handle
- Basilisk
- Akimbo Basilisk
- Added maximum armor damage (Warzone 2.0 only)
- Akimbo Basilisk
stock
- heavy stocks
- ADS movement speed penalty reduced.
- Improved aiming stability
- Aiming advantage while walking increased
That’s all we’ve covered about weapon buffs and nerfs in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 Season 3. For more content like the best Kastov 74-u gear, be sure to check out our MW2 guides section.