The latest major update in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has implemented some massive changes to the balancing of several weapons in Multiplayer and Blackout.

[ad name=”article1″]

In the v1.13 update, which went live on February 19, developers Treyarch have adjusted the effectiveness of some weapons based on the feedback received from players as well as their own analysis of how those weapons perform in-game.

Not all of the changes have been applied universally, however, as some have been implemented only on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.

[ad name=”article2″]

As expected, the lesser used weapons have received buffs to make them more viable while the guns that were considered to be too powerful have been given slight nerfs.

• Read More: Loot boxes make a return to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

In the Multiplayer, the two main weapons all eyes are on are the Maddox RBF assault rifle and Saug 9mm submachine gun, as both are considered the meta of their respective classes in both competitive and casual modes.

[ad name=”article3″]

The Maddox has seen its recoil stability reduced in the first five shots, while the Quickdraw I and II attachments have been nerfed in terms of ADS-in speed.

Both the Stock and ELO for the Maddox have also been nerfed, with the Stock offering less ADS move speed and the ELO less recoil stability.

There has been one console-exclusive change made to the Maddox and that is the reduction of max damage range from 23.6 yards to 20.8.

[ad name=”article4″]

The Saug 9mm has also seen some significant nerfs, as the sprint-out and base move speeds have been reduced to match most other SMGs.

The controversial Stock I and II attachments now offer a reduced ADS move speed, while the Grip attachment provides less recoil stability.

Two console-only changes have been made to the Saug’s Dual Wield mode, one being a reduced hip-fire accuracy and other other a reduced max damage from 11.1 yards to 8.3.

[ad name=”article5″]

As for Blackout, there haven’t been too many changes that are catching players’ attention, except perhaps the universal increase of damage that all Light Machine Guns deal against vehicles and Equipment.

---

You can see the patch notes for all of the changes made to weapons in both Multiplayer and Blackout down below, and more information about the update can be seen in the full v1.13 patch notes.

Multiplayer

Weapon Tuning

• Assault Rifles
  • Rampart 17
    • Increased max damage range from 37.6 yards to 41.6 yards.
  • KN-57
    • Increased max damage range from 15.2 yards to 17.3.
  • VAPR-XKG
    • Increased 5-hit kill range from 34.7 yards to 50 yards.
    • Improved ADS idle to sway less.
  • Maddox RFB
    • Reduced recoil stability in first 5 shots in bullet pattern.
    • Echo Fire Operator Mod: Improved recoil stability.
    • Quickdraw: Reduced ADS-in speed.
    • Quickdraw II: Reduced ADS-in speed.
    • Stock: Reduced ADS move speed.
    • ELO: Reduced recoil stability.
    • [Console only] Reduced max damage range from 23.6 yards to 20.8 yards.
• Submachine Guns
  • MX9
    • Increased 5-hit kill range from 5.5 yards to 7.6 yards.
    • Improved ADS-in speed.
  • GKS
    • Increased 5-hit kill range from 2.7 yards to 5.5 yards.
  • Spitfire
    • Reduced max damage range from 9.7 yards to 7.6 yards.
    • Stock: Reduced ADS move speed.
    • Extended Mags: Reduced magazine size.
    • Fast Mags: Reduced reload speed enhancement.
  • Cordite
    • Belt-Fed: Reduced overheat cooldown speed.
    • Grip: Reduced recoil stability.
  • Saug 9mm
    • Reduced sprint-out speed (now the same as most other SMGs).
    • Reduced base move speed (now the same as other SMGs).
    • Stock: Reduced ADS move speed.
    • Stock II: Reduced ADS move speed.
    • Grip: Reduced recoil stability.
    • [Console only] Dual Wield: Reduced hip-fire accuracy.
    • [Console only] Dual Wield: Reduced max damage range from 11.1 yards to 8.3 yards.
  • Daemon 3XB
    • Increased max damage range from 6.9 yards to 9 yards.
• Tactical Rifles
  • Auger DMR
    • Increased ADS move speed.
    • Increased firing speed.
    • Double Tap Operator Mod: Improved firing time between shots.
  • ABR 223
    • Increased ADS move speed.
    • Improved sprint-out speed.
  • Swordfish
    • Increased ADS move speed.
    • Quickdraw II: Improved ADS-in speed.
• Light Machine Guns
  • Titan
    • Reduced max damage from 46 to 38.
    • Reduced flinch resistance when being hit.
    • Stock: Reduced ADS move speed.
• Sniper Rifles
  • Outlaw
    • [Console only] Increased firing speed.
  • Koshka
    • Reduced ADS sway.
    • [Console only] Quickdraw 2: Improved ADS-in speed.
• Pistols
  • RK 7 Garrison
    • Increased all damage ranges.
• Shotguns
  • MOG 12
    • Dragon’s Breath Operator Mod: Now does 1 quick blast of fire damage instead of damage-over time. This increases its one-hit-kill potential at certain close ranges, and is especially effective when paired with Choke Barrel.
    • Increased max damage Range from 3.75 yards to 4.1 yards.
    • Quickdraw: Improved ADS-in speed.
    • [Console only] Barrel Choke: Improved accuracy, pellet damage, and max damage range.
  • SG12
    • Strobe Light Operator Mod: Reduced luminosity on visual light effect.

---

Blackout

Merit System Update

• Merit scoring has increased x10 from the previous model (for example, kills now award 100 Merits instead of 10), with progression also scaling x10 to match.
• Merits are now awarded for a wider range of situations and final match placements, particularly in Solo and Duo matches.
• This means that while players won’t necessarily rank up faster than before, there are now more opportunities to earn Merits without placing in the top 15 in Solos or top 10 in Duos.

Armor Tuning

• Increased Level 1 Armor damage mitigation to 25%.
• Increased Level 2 Armor damage mitigation to 35%.
• Increased Level 3 Armor melee damage mitigation to 50%.
• Reduced number of Armor Plates to fully repair Level 3 Armor from 10 to 5.

Weapon Tuning

• Assault Rifles
  • Maddox RFB
    • Reduced idle sway.
  • VAPR-XKG
    • Reduced 1st and 2nd shot recoil.
    • Reduced idle sway.
  • SWAT RFT
    • Increased idle sway.
    • Reduced damage.
    • Increased 1st and 2nd shot recoil.
• Submachine Guns
  • Spitfire
    • Reduced 6-hit kill range.
  • Saug 9mm
    • Reduced re-center speed.
    • Increased sprint-out time.
    • Reduced move speed (now the same as other SMGs).
  • Daemon 3XB
    • Increased idle sway.
    • Reduced 2-burst kill range.
  • Cordite
    • Reduced hip spread.
  • GKS
    • Reduced idle sway.
  • MX9
    • Reduced ADS in time.
• Tactical Rifles
  • Auger DMR
    • Increased re-center speed.
    • Reduced 1st shot recoil.
    • Slightly increased ADS move speed.
  • ABR 223
    • Increased time between bursts.
    • Reduced re-center speed.
    • Slightly Increased ADS move speed.
  • Swordfish
    • Reduced recoil of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th shots.
    • Slightly Increased ADS move speed.
  • Essex
    • Increased rate of fire.
    • Increased re-center speed.
• Sniper Rifles
  • Koshka
    • Reduced idle sway.
  • SDM
    • Increased re-center speed.
    • Reduced re-center radius.
  • Outlaw
    • Increased idle sway.
    • Reduced ADS in and out times.
• Light Machine Guns
  • General
    • All LMGs now deal increased damage against vehicles and Equipment.
  • Titan
    • Increased re-center speed.
    • Reduced re-center radius.
    • Increased flinch when being hit.
  • Hades
    • Reduced idle sway.
    • Reduced hip spread.
    • Increased re-center speed.
    • Reduced re-center radius.
  • VKM 750
    • Reduced re-center radius.
  • Zweihander
    • Reduced hip spread.
    • Reduced re-center radius.

---

Keep in mind that these changes have only been made on the PlayStation 4, as per Sony’s exclusivity agreement with Activision, and will be implemented on the Xbox One and PC when the v1.13 update goes live on February 26.