XclusiveAce reveals Vaznev-9K nerf in MW2 was “meaningless” as it still dominates

Call of Duty MW2 and Warzone 2 expert XclusiveAce claims the Vaznev-9k received a “meaningless” nerf in the Season 2 update.

XclusiveAce is one of the most prolific sources of information when it comes to the Call of Duty franchise. His expert analysis videos take an in-depth look at the changes made in both Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 to convert the words from the patch notes into quantifiable results.

In his video reviewing the weapon balancing changes made for MW2 Season 2, the YouTuber found the nerf to the Vaznev-9K to be inconsequential to the gun’s effectiveness overall.

XclusiveAce breaks down “meaningless” Vaznev-9K nerf in MW2

As explained in his video, the MW2 patch notes revealed that the Vaznev received a nerf at “mid-to-long range damage.” The change, as Ace has it figured, came out to be a slight damage reduction over distance to both the base damage and upper torso damage of the weapon.

“This was a completely meaningless change,” he explained. “This changes absolutely nothing for this gun, and therefore for all intents and purposes, the Vaznev went untouched in this update.”

This is a major discovery with the launch of Ranked Play, as many casual and Call of Duty League pro players alike believe the gun is overpowered in its current state. OpTic Texas newcomer Ghosty even admitted as much in his first appearance on now-retired CoD legend Scump’s stream.

While the Kastov 74U (which is technically an Assault Rifle in MW2) is slightly stronger, it is banned under the CDL ruleset that governs the competitive playlist’s meta.

The Fennec 45, which is Warzone 2’s dominant SMG is also banned. This leaves the Lachmann Sub (MP5) as the only strong alternative for both pros and casual players taking on the Ranked ladder.