Every Black Ops 3 DLC Weapon Ranked Worst to Best, and the XMC Takes the Top Spot

Black Ops 3 was my favorite of the jetpack era Call of Duty games, and it was also the first Call of Duty game that really leaned into post launch weapons being added to multiplayer. So I am ranking every single one of its DLC guns from worst to best, and the XMC sits at the very top.

This started with a suggestion for a new series: rank all the DLC guns in one game, then work through the entire franchise. I think that is a great idea. DLC weapons have become a major part of Call of Duty over the last decade or so, and thankfully we are not still in the days of supply drop guns and 8% drop rates. Black Ops 3 is where I want to begin.

The Dragoon, MAX GL and Ballistic Knife sit at the bottom of Black Ops 3's DLC list

31. Dragoon

Many people call this the worst sniper in Black Ops history. I do not think it is quite that bad, since there are some in Black Ops 1 that are pretty bad. The Dragoon was supposed to be a throwback weapon, and it did succeed in feeling like a classic Call of Duty 4 or World at War sniper.

The problem is that Treyarch seemingly forgot Black Ops 3 was a much more advanced game, so a weapon this slow and clunky just did not fit. It was heavy, it swayed a lot, the fire rate was low, you had to reload every bullet individually, and you were not even guaranteed a one shot kill. "So what was the point"?

30. MAX GL

Yes, they added the China Lake to Black Ops 3. I actually forgot the MAX GL was one of the last weapons added to the game, and it was basically just as bad as the Black Ops 1 version. Why would you use a grenade launcher like this in a game where people can boost jump over your grenades? There was no point in giving it a slot in your class. It was bad.

29. Ballistic Knife

I am not really sure why Treyarch added the Ballistic Knife, because they had already added the NX ShadowClaw, which I cover further up this list. It was basically the same ballistic knife as before, and its slow rate of fire and slow travel time made it hard to use in a game with jetpacks. I know it is not a weapon you are supposed to take seriously, but I had to rank it somewhere, and at the end of the day it just was not very good for this game.

The L4 Siege, HG 40 and Rift E9 never found a real purpose

28. L4 Siege

Many of us thought the L4 Siege was going to be some kind of remake of the Grim Reaper from Black Ops 1, and at first it looked that way: a quad barrel rocket launcher that rapid fired at enemies or scorestreaks. But the damage per rocket was pathetic. You had to hit someone directly to kill them, or catch them with the splash damage of two to three rockets.

Against scorestreaks it needed two to three times as many rockets as the default launchers, including the XM53, so it was not any good as a defensive launcher either. The more I think about it, the more I wonder what exactly the point was. A quad barrel rapid fire rocket launcher that is not very good at killing people and not very good at shooting down scorestreaks: "who's it for"?

27. HG 40

I remember pulling this futuristic MP40 from a supply drop and being disappointed when it was added to the game. It was legitimately terrible. The fire rate, recoil and damage per shot were all unusable in a game like Black Ops 3. Treyarch did buff it once or twice, and it is certainly better than it was in the beginning, but even after the buffs it is not impressive. For an MP40 remake, this one did not hit the mark, so it stays in the lower chunk of this list.

26. Rift E9

I thought this pistol was kind of cool when it came out, but the community seems to absolutely hate it, and honestly I understand now. The Rift E9 energy pistol was great at destroying enemy scorestreaks but extremely hard to use against players. It was a two round burst with a pretty slow fire rate, and it shot energy projectiles instead of bullets, so you had to lead your shots if the enemy was more than a short distance away.

It was nice to keep in your back pocket as a replacement for a launcher, but as a killing machine it fell short. It had damage potential; it was just way too awkward to use effectively in combat.

The AK74u, KVK 99 and RSA Interdiction were disappointing remakes and returns

25. AK74u

I am shocked at how bad this gun was. It was supposed to be the super high powered SMG, basically a pocket version of the AK47, but in reality the Black Ops 3 version was an awkward peashooter that served no purpose. The fire rate was low, the recoil was high and the damage per shot was mediocre, so the time to kill was mediocre too.

That was especially true compared to the default SMGs in Black Ops 3. You had the VMP, the Kuda and the Vesper, and even the slower killing Razorback and Weevil. There truly was no reason to use the AK74u, and that stung, since it was supposed to be a remake of the legendary AK74u.

24. KVK 99

This remake of the classic AN94 is also one of the worst versions of that rifle in Call of Duty history. The whole appeal of the AN94 is that the first couple of shots fire faster than the rest, and if you land them your time to kill is insane. That was still the case with the KVK, but the base damage was cranked way down, so if you missed those first few shots your time to kill became very poor.

It was not like the Black Ops 2 version, which had a great time to kill with or without that speed boost. The KVK felt inconsistent and frustrating, because you would get hit marker after hit marker without ever dropping the target. Now that I think about it, there are a lot of disappointing remakes in this game.

23. RSA Interdiction

Treyarch deleted aim assist from snipers in Black Ops 3, so when they announced a DLC bolt action sniper with aim assist, the sniping community went nuts. It just was not that good. It was technically easier to hit shots with it, but the one shot kill range was so small that you would constantly get hit markers, letting your target run away or hose you down between shots. Compared to the launch snipers, the Locus and the SVG 100, why would you ever pick up the RSA?

Spool up and gimmicks held back the HLX 4, D13 Sector and R70 Ajax

22. HLX 4

This SMG has always been a little strange to me. On one hand, the time to kill and fire rate were good. On the other, it had to spool up when you pulled the trigger, like a turbo gun, so you could not instantly react to enemies in your face, which is the whole point of an SMG. I am torn. I get that some people liked it, and the time to kill was nuts, but a close range weapon that could not fire immediately really held back how aggressive you could be. I think 22 is a fair place.

21. D13 Sector

This is the now infamous pizza slicer weapon. The launcher fired a circular blade disc that bounced off walls and instantly killed anybody it touched. It sounded good, and it was certainly goofy. It was kind of useless on larger maps where it had nothing to bounce off, but on maps with tight interiors and corridors, especially in certain game modes, you could get some cheesy clips.

20. R70 Ajax

The ammo printing LMG was cool to look at, and people thought it was cool when it was first added, but that wore off once you started using it. Technically it had infinite ammo, but to refill you had to sit quietly in a corner and wait for it to print more, which got really problematic in a group fight. And the time to kill was not even amazing when it did have ammo. I did not care for it. It was a neat idea on paper, but the downtime was not worth it: you never got a pace, you never got a flow.

The LV8 Basilisk, MX Garand and DBSR 50 had real potential with real catches

19. LV8 Basilisk

Like the HLX, it had an insane fire rate and a great time to kill, but once again it had to spool up, so you could not react instantly to someone charging at you. However, where the HLX 4 was an SMG, the LV8 was an assault rifle used at mid range, so the brief spooling was not as intrusive since enemies were generally a bit further away. It had some noticeable issues and a bit of a learning curve, but I think it is at least better than its SMG brother.

18. MX Garand

This futuristic remake of the M1 Garand had a solid time to kill, pretty good handling speeds and a consistent two shot kill. A few things kept it from ranking higher. The recoil was on the high side without a foregrip, and you could not reload before the clip ran out and pinged.

That could get you in trouble. With three or four shots left, you either went into your next gunfight knowing you might die in your reload animation, or you wasted those shots into a wall to reload, which gave your location away and burned reserve ammo. It was a fun weapon, but ultimately not good enough for me to rank any higher than 18.

17. DBSR 50

A neat little gimmick sniper that did not have a big community. It was a bolt action that could fire twice before rechambering, so technically it had really good potential, but there were catches. It did not come with a sniper scope, so you had to grind weapon XP to stop using irons. Even then it lacked a full fledged sniper scope like the other snipers, which limited your range. And the handling was bizarre; aiming felt clunky compared to other sniper rifles.

Maybe I missed something, but I did not think it was very good at all. At the same time, I did see people get some insane gameplays with it. I think it was an acquired taste.

The Banshii, Olympia and Sten land in the middle of the pack

16. Banshii

Insane damage and a one shot kill no matter what, but "there's always a catch". Instead of buckshot like the other shotguns in Black Ops 3, it fired a single slug of energy, and instead of being hitscan like almost every other gun in the game, that slug was a very slow moving projectile. You had to get really good at leading your target beyond close range. It was super difficult to use with insane potential. I saw some people put the time in and get good, but it was not me. I did not have the patience for it.

15. Olympia

I thought Treyarch was trolling when they announced the Black Ops 1 Olympia was coming to Black Ops 3, because that was one of the worst shotguns in Call of Duty history. But the Black Ops 3 version was all right. Not amazing, not one of the best shotguns in the game, but all right. The attachments went a long way toward making it viable when it was totally useless in Black Ops 1, and I saw people get some nutty gameplays with it. Not higher than 15, but decent.

14. Sten

The Sten shows up often in Call of Duty because of its prominence in the Second World War. The Black Ops 3 version had a weird firing sound and slightly awkward iron sights, but it had a solid place in the sandbox as a classic SMG with moderate fire rate and moderate damage per shot. Good accuracy made it solid for mid range combat, and having World War II weapons in a game like Black Ops 3 was kind of cool at the time. I like this version.

The PPSh, M14 and Peacekeeper MK2 did their originals justice

13. PPSh

I really like this version, and everybody loves the PPSh. It was not quite as fast as some other versions in Call of Duty history, but it was fun, with a nutty time to kill if you could control the recoil. For close range rushing it was amazing. It lost a lot of power once you backed up a few feet, but it complemented a certain play style very well. It is probably one of the better versions of the PPSh we have ever had.

12. M14

At launch, the only semi auto assault rifle in Black Ops 3 was the Sheiva, which had a super low fire rate cap but one shot headshot potential with High Caliber. The M14 was one of the last DLC weapons added, and it was a pretty faithful recreation of the version from the original Black Ops. Solid fire rate, consistent two shot kill, and nice attachments that helped you keep up with the competition boost jumping around the map. I think it was a good addition overall.

11. Peacekeeper MK2

This remake of the Black Ops 2 Peacekeeper had a solid time to kill, really good handling speeds and good recoil control; it was just a versatile rifle. The Peacekeeper has always been a hybrid of assault rifle and SMG, with the damage of an AR and the handling of an SMG, and the MK2 did a fantastic job bringing that to life. I still think the Black Ops 2 version was better, but this did the original justice, which is honestly all you can ask, because some guns further down this list did not do theirs justice at all.

The DIY 11 Renovator, NX ShadowClaw and XPR 50 open the top 10

10. DIY 11 Renovator

I believe this was the first nail gun in Call of Duty multiplayer history. It had goofy traits but it was unique. Its projectiles traveled slowly and the fire rate was pretty low, but the damage per shot was insane. You could also pick up the nails after firing them, so you did not need Scavenger for infinite ammo. A lot of people really liked it. I think it was relatively high tier compared to the other DLC guns: not quite top tier, but definitely high tier.

9. NX ShadowClaw

This was one of the first DLC weapons added to Black Ops 3, and a lot of people thought it was overpowered at first because of how easy it was to get one shot kills. Looking back, it probably was. It was the Black Ops 3 equivalent of the crossbow, but it could rapid fire six shots without reloading or rechambering, and every arrow could instantly kill regardless of where it hit or how far away you were. It did have a learning curve, though, so I am not putting it quite at the top.

8. XPR 50

Here is a Black Ops 2 remake I was not expecting. The XPR was Black Ops 2's equivalent of the Barrett .50 cal. It was never as popular as the Ballista or DSR, but it had a good following. The Black Ops 3 version was faithful, with the same semi auto rate of fire and a generous one shot kill range that let you take down multiple enemies in a single magazine, assuming you could stay on target. Awesome weapon, awesome remake, and it sounded good. I think it is one of the better DLC guns overall.

The Galil and RPK were strong returns for Black Ops 1 favorites

7. Galil

This one is dear to my heart. The Black Ops 1 Galil is one of my favorite guns in Call of Duty history, and I was excited when it was announced for Black Ops 3. The firing sound was not nearly as good as the original and the time to kill was not quite as good, but it was a solid all around assault rifle, which was the whole appeal of the Galil. I loved it. I thought it did the Black Ops 1 version justice, even if that version was still way better.

6. RPK

The Black Ops 3 RPK was insane if you were able to get it. It was a middle ground between an LMG and an assault rifle, essentially "an AK-47 on steroids". It consistently killed in three shots to the body while firing about 600 rounds per minute, with a quick reload animation. Load up on mobility perks and treat it like a heavy assault rifle, and you could do some damage. The default magazine was only 40 rounds, but it was still a very good weapon and a solid recreation of the Black Ops 1 version.

The FFAR and M16 kick off the top five

5. FFAR

The FFAR has become a recurring weapon in the last couple of Black Ops games, but the original Black Ops 3 version was a little divisive. It was our first remake of the classic Black Ops 1 FAMAS, and naturally it did not stand up to it, which was probably a good thing since the original was completely game breaking. Some thought Treyarch went too far with the nerf. The fire rate was toned down and the base damage reduced, so it sometimes felt underpowered.

On paper, though, it was a really solid gun. Compared to the gun it remade it is underwhelming, but compared to other rifles in Black Ops 3 it was equal or better, with a blazing time to kill if you could stay on target and manage the recoil.

4. M16

One of the best burst rifles in Call of Duty history. It had an absurd one burst kill range, super low recoil and a solid fire rate, and its theoretical time to kill was one of the fastest in the entire game. With the Long Barrel attachment, the one burst kill range could extend across the entire map, so you can guess how dominant it was if someone in the lobby unlocked it and knew how to use it. Completely busted, certainly one of the best DLC guns, and one of the best guns in the game, period.

The Marshal 16 and 1911 were completely busted pistols

3. Marshal 16

This pistol caused a lot of angry posts and rants from the Call of Duty community, and as far as I know Treyarch never nerfed it. It was a shotgun pistol with pretty insane range and one shot kill potential through the roof, and you could run two at once, which is absurd. If you got lucky enough to get them, you instantly had an advantage in basically any close range scenario. Since they were locked behind supply drops, not everybody got a chance, which made it sting even more when you were getting dropped in a lobby by them.

2. 1911

"What's the deal with Cod developers making the 1911 totally overpowered"? The Black Ops 3 1911 was the best pistol in the game by a large margin. Visually it was a standard 1911 with the same little firing sound, but its base damage meant you could drop someone with two bullets. The fire rate cap was high, the recoil was low and the reload was super quick.

It was the standard 1911 with the damage profile of a Desert Eagle. "I have no idea why Treyarch did this or if it was a mistake", and I do not know whose idea it was or why it was locked behind supply drops. To this day, I do not understand.

The XMC is the best Black Ops 3 DLC weapon

In my mind, the best Black Ops 3 DLC weapon is the XMC. I think it is easily the most overpowered DLC SMG in Call of Duty history, and even after Treyarch nerfed it, it remained a top tier weapon. It was a remake of the classic MSMC from Black Ops 2, but buffed in every possible way: better fire rate, better damage per shot, better time to kill, lower recoil and slightly better mobility speeds.

Naturally, the XMC completely broke the game, and after Treyarch nerfed it, it settled in at the top of the SMG tier list. I do not think there will be much disagreement on this one, but I could be completely wrong.

Does the XMC deserve the top spot, or would you put a different Black Ops 3 DLC gun first?