Every weapon buff & nerf in MW3 & Warzone Season 2 Reloaded

❘ Published: 2024-03-06T15:15:20

MW3 and Warzone character holding weapon

Activision

Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded comes with a massive lineup of buffs and nerfs that are sure to alter the meta. So, here are all the weapon balancing changes in the Warzone and MW3 Season 2 midseason update.

As you’d expect, the Warzone and Modern Warfare 3 Season 2 Reloaded update comes with plenty of fresh content in both games. Battle royale players have the new Bunker Buster Killstreak to contend with, while multiplayer fans can hop into the reimagined version of Das Haus.

The midseason update also looks to shake up the meta by throwing the new SOA Subverter Battle Rifle into the mix, alongside a huge slate of weapon balancing changes. Some big names have been handed a nerf, while more obscure picks have been improved to make them more competitive.

So, here are all of the weapon buffs and nerfs in MW3 and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded.

All buffs & nerfs in Warzone & MW3 Season 2 Reloaded

The Season 2 Reloaded update is another major content drop for both games.

Check out every weapon buff and nerf in Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone Season 2 Reloaded below, as revealed by the devs in the official patch notes:

MW3

» Assault Rifles «

BP50
- Increased minimum hipfire spread from 2.2deg/s to 2.4deg/s (+9%).
- Increased maximum hipfire spread from 6.3deg/s to 6.7deg/s (+6%).
- Increased tactical stance spread from 2.8deg/s to 2.9deg/s (+4%).
- Increased aim down sight time from 220ms to 230ms (+5%).
- Decreased aim down sight movement speed from 3.4m/s to 3m/s (-12%).
- Increased horizontal recoil from 10.6deg/s to 15.6deg/s (+48%).
- Decreased vertical recoil from 44.4deg/s to 42deg/s (-5%).
- Forbearer Heavy Stock
  - Increased recoil gun kick benefit from 11% to 16%.
- Moat-40 Stock
  - Decreased aim down sight time benefit from 7% to 2%.

These changes ensure the BP50 remains a strong competitive option while aligning it better with its counterparts within the Assault Rifle class.

SVA 545
- Decreased sprint to fire time from 210ms to 189ms (-10%).
- Decreased aim down sight time from 250ms to 230ms (-8%).

» Battle Rifles «

BAS-B
- Decreased maximum damage from 39 to 38 (-3%).
- Decreased near-medium damage from 33 to 32 (-3%).
- Decreased maximum damage range from 35.6m to 30.5m (-14%).
- Decreased near-medium damage range from 43.2m to 40.6m (-6%).

Within the near-medium damage range, the BAS-B is now a 4-shot kill to the torso and above.

Sidewinder
- Decreased recoil intensity during sustained fire slightly.
- A90 Venom Stock
  - Decreased recoil gun kick penalty from 16% to 5%.
- RB Rapidstrike Grip
  - Increased aim down sight time benefit from 9% to 11%.
  - Decreased recoil control penalty from 10% to 4%.
MTZ-762
- JAK Heretic Carbine Kit
  - Decreased horizontal recoil from 11.9deg/s to 9.4deg/s (-21%).
  - Increased vertical recoil from 47.1deg/s to 47.9deg/s (+2%).
  - Incompatible Underbarrel Attachments can no longer be equipped.

» Submachine Guns «

RAM-9
- Speedway v5 Short Barrel
  - Decreased aim down sight speed penalty from 15% to 10%.
  - Increased recoil gun kick benefit from 4% to 9%.
  - Increased recoil control benefit from 8% to 12%.
- FSS Imperator Light Barrel
  - Increased damage range benefit from 12% to 20%.
  - Increased bullet velocity benefit from 15% to 20%.
- Boreal-6C Suppressed Barrel
  - Decreased bullet velocity penalty from 20% to 12%.
  - Decreased damage range penalty from 20% to 12%.
AMR9
- JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
  - Bullets are now fired in a vertical column rather than a randomized spread.
WSP-9
- Decreased minimum standing hipfire spread from 2deg/s to 1.8deg/s (-10%).
- Decreased maximum standing hipfire spread from 6.2deg/s to 5.6deg/s (-10%).
- Decreased tactical stance spread from 3.4deg/s to 3.1deg/s (-9%).
Rival-9
- JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
  - Increased near-medium damage range from 30m to 45.7m (+38%).
PDSW 528 (MWII)
- Improved alignment of the default iron sight optic.
Lachmann Sub (MWII)
- Increased maximum damage range from 8.9m to 15.2m (+71%).
- Increased near-medium damage range from 16.5m to 20.6m (+25%).
- Increased medium damage range from 23.1m to 31m (+30%).
- Increased far-medium damage range from 36.1m to 40.6m (+13%).

Most noticeably, the 5-shot kill damage range has been increased to ~20m. Additionally, within the maximum damage range, 1 headshot now results in a 4-shot kill.

» Shotguns «

Lockwood 680
- Barrel Attachments
  - Damage pellet count now remains at 6, regardless of ammo capacity.

» Light Machine Guns «

Pulemyot 762
- Increased strength of aim down sight idle sway.
- JAK Annihilator Bullpup Kit
  - Decreased bullet velocity from 760m/s to 660m/s (-13%).
Bruen Mk9
- Decreased aim down sight time from 450ms to 410ms (-9%).
- Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1.05x to 1.1x (+5%).
- Increased movement speed from 3.9m/s to 4.4m/s (+13%).
- Increased crouch movement speed from 1.6m/s to 2.1m/s (+31%).
- Increased tactical sprint speed from 6.3m/s to 6.4m/s (+2%).
- Increased aim down sight movement speed from 1.9m/s to 2.4m/s (+26%).

» Sniper Rifles «

XRK Stalker
- Added new Optic Attachment: XRK Stalker Factory Iron Sight
  - Unlocked via Armory Unlocks.
- Decreased aim down sight time from 610ms to 580ms (-5%).
KATT-AMR
- Decreased aim down sight time from 760ms to 720ms (-5%).
SP-X 80 (MWII)
- Increased aim down sight time from 545ms to 570ms (+5%).

» Handguns «

COR-45
- XRK IP-V2 Conversion Kit
  - Increased bullet velocity from 525m/s to 600m/s (+14%).
Renetti
- JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit
  - Resolved an issue causing specific Attachment combinations to corrupt the Weapon’s appearance.
  - Detailed Stats in the Gunsmith will no longer display an improper Tactical Stance Spread value.
9mm Daemon (MWII)
- Daemon Hand Rear Grip
  - Added missing Pistol Fastdraw benefit.

» Launchers «

Stormender
- EMP effects will now properly apply to enemies in Free for All Modes.

» Attachments «

Hybrid Optics
- Incompatible Attachments can no longer be equipped on MWII Shotguns.
Underbarrel Launchers
- Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire unlimited projectiles.
JAK Limb Ripper
- Increased movement speed while revving by 25%.
- Increased damage range from 1.1m to 1.4m.
- Increased damage from 36 to 50 (+39%).
- Players will no longer damage themselves in Free for All Modes.
- Resolved a compatibility issue with the JAK Raven Kit.

Warzone

» Assault Rifles «

MCW (MWIII)

Near-Mid Damage increased to 26, up from 24.
Mid Damage increased to 23, up from 19.

Holger 556 (MWIII)
- Max Damage increased to 38, up from 35.
- Max Damage Range increased to 36.83 meters, up from 33.02.
- Near-Mid Damage set to 34. New Variable
- Near-Mid Damage Range set to 45.72 meters. New Variable
BP50 (MWIII)
- Max Damage decreased to 28, down from 30.
- Near-Mid Damage decreased to 26, down from 28.
- Increased minimum hipfire spread to 2.4deg/s, up from 2.2deg/s.
- Increased maximum hipfire spread to 6.7deg/s, up from 6.3deg/s.
- Increased tactical stance spread to 2.9deg/s, up from 2.8deg/s.
- Increased aim down sight time to 230ms, up from 220ms.
- Decreased aim down sight movement speed to 3m/s, down from 3.4m/s.
- Increased horizontal recoil to 15.6deg/s, up from 10.6deg/s.
- Decreased vertical recoil to 42deg/s, down from 44.4deg/s.
- Forbearer Heavy Stock
  - Increased recoil gun kick benefit to 16%, up from 11%.
- Moat-40 Stock
  - Decreased aim down sight time benefit to 2%, down from 7%.
SVA 545 (MWIII)
- Decreased sprint to fire time to 189ms, down from 210ms.
- Decreased aim down sight time to 230ms, down from 250ms.
Ram-7 (MWIII)
- Max Damage Range decreased to 26.67 meters, down from 33.02.

» Battle Rifles «

MTZ 762 (MWIII)
- Max Damage decreased to 40, down from 42.
- Min Damage decreased to 32, down from 34.
- Neck Damage Modifier decreased to 1.1x, down from 1.3x.
- Lower Torso Damage Modifier decreased to 1x, down from 1.1x.
- Head Damage Modifier decreased to 1.2x, down from 1.3x.
- Near-Mid Damage Range decreased to 40.64 meters, down from 44.7.
- JAK Heretic Carbine Kit
  - Decreased horizontal recoil to 9.4deg/s, down from 11.9deg/s.
  - Increased vertical recoil to 47.9deg/s, up from 47.1deg/s.
Bas-B (MWIII)
- JAK Outlaw-277 Kit
  - Increased gun pushback ADS scale to 3.2, up from 2.
  - Increased camera pushback scale to 5, up from 1.4
Sidewinder (MWIII)
- Decreased recoil intensity during sustained fire slightly.
- A90 Venom Stock
  - Decreased recoil gun kick penalty to 5%, down from 16% .
- RB Rapidstrike Grip
  - Increased aim down sight time benefit to 11%, up from 9%.
  - Decreased recoil control penalty to 4%, up from 10%.

» SMGs «

AMR9 (MWIII)
- JAK Ettin Double Barrel Kit
- Bullets are now fired in a vertical column rather than a randomized spread.
RAM-9 (MWIII)
- Speedway v5 Short Barrel
  - Decreased aim down sight speed penalty to 10%, down from 15%.
  - Increased recoil gun kick benefit to 9%, up from 4%.
  - Increased recoil control benefit to 12%, up from 8%.
- FSS Imperator Light Barrel
  - Increased bullet velocity benefit to 20%, up from 15%.
  - Increased damage range benefit to 20%, up from 12%.
- Boreal-6C Suppressed Barrel
  - Decreased damage range penalty to 12%, down from 20%.
  - Decreased bullet velocity penalty to 12%, down from 20%.
WSP-9 (MWIII)
- Decreased minimum standing hipfire spread to 1.8deg/s, down from 2deg/s.
- Decreased maximum standing hipfire spread to 5.6deg/s, down from 6.2deg/s.
- Decreased tactical stance spread to 3.1deg/s, down from 3.4deg/s.
Rival 9 (MWIII)
- JAK Headhunter Carbine Kit
  - Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 45.72 meters, up from 33.02.
PDSW 528 (MWII)
- Improved alignment of the default iron sight optic.

» Shotguns «

Lockwood 680 (MWIII)
- Barrel Attachments
  - Damage pellet count now remains at 6, regardless of ammo capacity.

» LMGs «

Bruen MK9 (MWIII)
- Lower Torso Damage Modifier increased to 1.1x, up from 1.05x.
- Decreased aim down sight time to 410ms, down from 450ms.
- Increased movement speed to 4.4m/s, up from 3.9m/s .
- Increased crouch movement speed to 2.1m/s, up from 1.6m/s.
- Increased tactical sprint speed to 6.4m/s, up from 6.3m/s.
- Increased aim down sight movement speed to 2.4m/s, up from 1.9m/s.
Pulemyot 762 (MWIII)
- Increased strength of aim down sight idle sway.
- Jak Annihilator Bullpup Kit
  - Decreased bullet velocity to 660m/s, down from 760m/s.

» Sniper Rifles «

XRK Stalker (MWIII)
- Decreased aim down sight time to 580ms, down from 610ms.
KATT AMR (MWIII)
- Decreased aim down sight time to 720ms, down from 760ms.
SPX -80 (MWII)
- Increased aim down sight time to 570ms, up from 545ms.

» Handguns «

Renetti (MWIII)
- JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit
  - Max Damage increased to 36, up from 33.
  - Min Damage increased to 28, up from 25.
COR-45 (MWIII)
- XRK IP-V2 Conversion Kit
  - Increased bullet velocity to 600m/s, up from 525m/s.
TYR (MWIII)
- Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 15.24 meters, up from 11.43.
9mm Daemon (MWII)
- Daemon Hand Rear Grip
  - Added missing Pistol Fastdraw benefit.

» Wonder Weapons «

Wunderwaffe DG-2
- Splash damage increased to 100, up from 75.
- Increased Projectile Explosion Radius to 64, up from 50.
- Increased Projectile Speed to 101.6m/s, up from 50.8m/s.
- Players directly impacted by the Wunderwaffe DG-2 are no longer forced to fire.
- Allowed Tick Damage effect to stack
- Adjusted ADS & Hipfire Sway.
- Fixed an issue with ADS FOV when exiting ADS.

» Attachments «

Underbarrel Launchers
- Addressed an exploit that allowed players to fire unlimited projectiles.
JAK Limb Ripper
- Increased movement speed while revving by 25%.
- Increased damage range to 1.4 meters, up from 1.1.

Those were all of the weapon balancing changes in the MW3 and Warzone Season 2 midseason update. For more on both games, check out some of our other guides: