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Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 did not get off to a great start. Thankfully, the battle royale’s Season 2 update is finally here. With it comes some much-needed updates, a new map (Ashika Island), and a new series of guns and loadouts ready to dominate the meta.
We’re in the earliest days (hours, really) of the Warzone 2: Season 2 update, but a few weapons are already separating themselves from the rest of the arsenal. If you’re just trying to squeeze out a few wins on your way to figuring out the update’s changes and new features, here are some of the Season 2 guns and builds that will carry you to victory
Call of Duty Warzone 2 Season 2: Best Guns
Kastov 762
Many Warzone metas end up being dominated by one assault rifle or another. While the Kastov may not be the most overpowered AR we’ve ever seen, it has to be considered the most reliable overall AR in the game at the moment.
If you can get this gun’s recoil under control (especially in long-range fights), you’ll find that it deals a wonderfully consistent amount of damage to nearly every part of the body. While this is one of those ARs that sometimes function more like an SMG, the tighter nature of many key parts of the Ashika Island map only makes it that much more consistent.
Lachmann Sub
There will come a day when some variation of the MP5 doesn’t find itself somewhere near the top of the Warzone meta. Today is not that day.
I’ve heard that breakdowns of the top Warzone 2 SMGs reveal that the Lachmann Sub actually suffers from slightly slower time-to-kill potential. However, you probably won’t notice any TTK problems that the Lachmann Sub supposedly suffers from due to how reliable it is and how well it handles. You always feel like you’re in control of this gun, which means that its TTK often feels faster than it
Sakin MG38
Generally speaking, LMGs are much better in Warzone 2: Season 2 than they were at launch. So not only did the Sakin LMG get better by virtue of the other changes that benefited that weapon class, but it got better for the simple fact it wasn’t touched in the latest Warzone update.
The Sakin is a heavy-hitting LMG with a massive magazine that also happens to offer remarkably low recoil. Put it all together, and you’ve got a laser of an LMG that works at surprisingly long ranges. It’s a little heavier than AR and SMG fans might be comfortable with, but it’s worth learning to love this weapon.
TAQ-56 (SCAR-L)
The TAQ-56 (or SCAR-L) was once a pretty popular weapon choice in Warzone that just happened to fall out of favor due to various changes. However, the TAQ-56 is absolutely back in the meta at the start of Season 2.
This is that rare AR that remains reliable at surprisingly long ranges. While the Ashika Island map does tend to emphasize close-range encounters a bit more than previous Warzone maps, the fact that the TAQ-56 can be trusted in so many situations (and is pretty good even without attachments) means that it’s a weapon you’ll turn to often.
M4
While you’re probably going to get tired of hearing the word “reliable” when you’re looking for overpowered weapons, the fact of the matter is that some of the most powerful weapons in Warzone are the ones that have relatively few weaknesses. Well, the M4 once again finds itself in that category.
While the M4 will probably initially strike you as a close-range AR with recoil issues, it’s actually surprisingly easy to compensate for some of those range problems with the right attachments. What you end up with is a close-range powerhouse that will allow you to at least threaten an enemy at longer distances when you need to do so. Again, the close-range nature of certain parts of the new Warzone map makes this gun even better than it would normally be.
Lachmann-556
If you’re looking for the most overpowered long-range weapon in Warzone 2: Season 2 (that isn’t a sniper), then the Lachmann-556 is for you.
The fact that this gun is this powerful and accurate at such long ranges almost feels like a mistake. No, it’s not the best close-range weapon in the game, but it’s not like the gun noticeably suffers in that area either. Definitely give this one a shot if you find yourself fighting from a distance.
Fennec 45
Recent nerfs to the Fennec left many fans wondering if there would be any point in using this weapon over so many alternatives. While it’s hard to ignore the fact that this gun is obviously a little worse than before, it’s still a remarkably powerful SMG.
The reworked Fennec 45 still boasts some of the best TTK numbers in the game at close ranges. No, you can’t rely on it like you used to be able to at longer ranges, but just because this gun is no longer broken at all ranges doesn’t mean it’s not still incredibly powerful in certain situations. You don’t even have to bother aiming down sights with this one most of the time.
M13B
While the recently buffed M13B didn’t suddenly become a powerhouse, this gun has a lot more to offer than it sometimes gets credit for.
It’s rare to find an AR that is so mobile, so fast, and yet works so well at longer ranges. It feels like it should be a little more effective at close ranges than it actually is, but you’ll tend not to mind that relatively minor deficiency when the M13B is performing so well in an area where certain other guns tend to struggle.
Chimera
This gun and the next gun are kind of a combo pairing, though they certainly both work well independently of each other.
The Chimera is a fascinating sniper support weapon that may be classified as an assault rifle but is actually closer to an SMG in most respects. While it has pretty much nothing to offer at longer ranges, that tends not to matter when you’re using this to support snipers and LMGs in the first place. The power of this support weapon honestly makes a lot of other guns more viable than they would otherwise be.
Victus XMR
I actually like this sniper rifle quite a bit in general, though it’s obviously being recommended here due to the absurd power of that explosive rounds build that has been making the rounds (which you can find below).
With the right build, you can turn this gun into the kind of one-shot machine that simply shouldn’t exist in a game like Warzone. Yes, you’re still looking to land headshots whenever possible, but any shot from this weapon will cause your opponent to change their gameplan. It’s probably going to get nerfed, but it’s a hell of a ride while it lasts.
Call of Duty Warzone 2 Season 2: Best Builds and Loadouts
Best Kastov 762 Build
Muzzle: SA Leveler 55
Barrel: IG-K30 406mm
Optic: Schlager 3.4x
Ammunition: 7.62 High Velocity
Magazine: 40-Round Mag
Best Lachmann Sub Build
Muzzle: XTEN RR-40
Laser: VLK LZR 7MW
Stock: Meer Recoil-56 Factory S
Magazine: 50-Round Drum
Underbarrel: Agent Grip
Best Sakin MG38 Build
Muzzle: ZLR Talon 5
Underbarrel: Bruen Warrior LMG
Ammunition: 7.62 High Velocity
Rear Grip: Bruen q900 Grip Wrap
Optic: SZ Holotherm
Best TAQ-56 (SCAR-L) Build
Muzzle: FTAC Castle Comp
Barrel: 17.5″ Tundra Pro
Optic: SZ Vortex-90
Magazine: 60 Round Mags
Underbarrel: VX Pineapple
Best M4 Build
Barrel: 11.5” T-H4 Barrel
Laser: Schlager PEQ Box IV
Stock: Demo Fade Pro Stock
Magazine: 45-Round Mag
Rear Grip: Phantom Mag
Best Lachmann-556 Build
Muzzle: Harbinger D20
Optic: VLK 4.0
Barrel: 15.9″ Lachmann Rapp Barrel
Underbarrel: FTAC Ripper 56
Magazine: 40-Round Mag
Best Fennec 45 Build
Barrel: Forge Tac Ninja
Underbarrel: Merc Foregrip
Magazine: Fennec Mag 45
Laser: Point-G3P 04
Stock: FTAC Stock Cap
Best M13B Build
Muzzle: Echoless-80
Barrel: 14” Bruen Echelon
Underbarrel: FTAC Ripper 56
Optic: AIM Op-V4
Magazine: 60-Round Mag
Best Chimera Build
Muzzle: SA Leveler 55
Barrel: 10” SA Phoenix
Laser: BLK LZR 7MW
Optic: Cronen Mini Pro
Magazine: 45-Round Mag
Best Victus XMR Build
Barrel: Mack 8 33.5
Laser: VLK LZR 7MW
Optic: FTAC Locus SP
Stock: XRK Rise
Ammunition: .50 Cal Explosive