Black Ops 2 Multiplayer Weapon Meta: S-Tier Tier List and Best Guns
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is packed with weapon options across every class, but figuring out what’s actually worth running can be a headache—especially for newer players on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Below is a weapon meta tier breakdown that ranks arms from “absolutely worth it” picks like the AN-94 to options you’ll usually regret bringing into serious matches.
S-Tier
Absolute God Tier Weapons in Black Ops 2
An Assault Rifle known for high damage alongside a faster-than-average firing rhythm. It’s often considered the top full-auto Assault Rifle in the game.
An excellent full-auto SMG with one of the strongest damage-distance profiles in its category. Expect comparatively low recoil, and it stays effective across nearly all engagement ranges.
A hard-hitting Assault Rifle that’s also among the easiest to operate. It delivers extremely low recoil and works as a dependable all-purpose choice, plus it has the best iron sights in the game.
A four-round burst Assault Rifle built around heavy damage. It’s extremely accurate and can land impressive long-range results, with a dependable two-burst kill potential in most situations as long as your burst connects.
A full-auto compact SMG that shines with smooth handling and low recoil, paired with solid damage. It’s a well-rounded choice that performs especially well at close range and holds up at medium distances too.
An outstanding bolt-action Sniper Rifle that sacrifices a bit of damage compared to the DSR.50, but still delivers a consistent one-shot kill from the chest upward. In exchange, it offers much quicker handling and better overall accuracy.
A-Tier
Great Meta Weapons in Black Ops 2
A strong all-around Assault Rifle that excels in medium-range fights and benefits from a fast fire rate that improves time-to-kill.
A high-rate SMG with comparatively low recoil. It’s a great close-quarters option, though its reach is not as impressive as it could be.
An iconic SMG with a high firing rate. It can delete targets quickly, but you’ll need to manage its recoil.
A famously powerful LMG with strong range, excellent damage, and impressive accuracy. It pairs particularly well when you prefiring with the Target Finder Optic.
A semi-automatic Sniper Rifle that can reliably one-shot opponents to the chest. Its damage is comparable to the Ballista, though its accuracy leaves something to be desired.
Arguably the second-best Sniper Rifle in the game. It has the highest damage profile within the Sniper class and offers consistent one-shot kills from the waist upward. The tradeoff is slightly worse accuracy and slower handling compared to the Ballista.
A high-damage burst pistol. It brings good damage, a solid firing rate, and acts as a strong secondary swap—just be prepared to land shots consistently.
A full-auto Machine Pistol that functions like a pocket SMG, making it a sensible pick for Sniper users. It delivers strong DPS, but it comes with a smaller magazine to balance it out.
By far the best Shotgun in the game. It has the second-best damage rating in its category and can reliably secure one-to-two shot kills. Its firing speed is slower than many alternatives, but the stopping power more than makes up for it.
A high-damage, fast-firing semi-auto Assault Rifle with light recoil. It’s especially effective for players with quick trigger discipline, though it still demands accuracy to maximize results.
B-Tier
Good Weapons in Black Ops 2
An SMG/Assault Rifle hybrid that delivers strong range and quick handling. It fits nicely into medium-range battles and is a solid “run it and it works” option.
A capable SMG with excellent range and the largest magazine among SMGs. It’s a strong all-rounder, but it’s usually outclassed by other choices within the same category.
Extremely low recoil and easy to pick up. While its time-to-kill is only average, it remains a reliable all-purpose weapon that most players can use effectively right away.
A full-auto Assault Rifle with an unusually high firing rate. It achieves a fast time-to-kill, but the recoil is higher than average. Best suited for close and medium-range engagements.
Arguably the best semi-auto pistol option. It balances moderate damage with a decent rate of fire and also carries a larger magazine than most other secondary choices.
Often used alongside the Five Seven. It hits harder, but trades that for a lower fire rate—still a competitive contender among semi-auto options.
The layout of the Mob of the Dead map can be confusing on first visit. Luckily, this Black Ops 2 guide includes the wall weapon locations.
C-Tier
Viable Weapons in Black Ops 2
On the slower side for average fire rate within its weapon class. It’s still useful for suppressing targets and can be a viable option when you need that style of pressure.
An interesting LMG alternative. It offers solid damage and features a gimmick where its fire rate decreases over time. That improvement helps accuracy, but it doesn’t raise overall time-to-kill.
A manageable LMG that plays more like a heavy Assault Rifle. It has a smaller-than-usual magazine for its class, but it remains viable—just not a standout meta pick.
A semi-automatic Assault Rifle with the highest damage per shot in the class. It can work well for highly accurate players, but other options generally outperform it.
A three-round burst SMG with a high rate of fire that remains fully viable. That said, other SMGs tend to be far better.
A semi-automatic shotgun that can be difficult to find in close-range fights. It’s usable as a “spray and pray” option, but it doesn’t quite reach competitive standards.
A 27 gauge Revolver that behaves more like a pocket shotgun. It has strong stopping power at close range, but its range is poor.
D-Tier
Low Ranking Weapons in Black Ops 2
A three-round burst rifle that deals decent damage, but it’s not worth choosing over other Assault Rifle options.
A fully automatic shotgun that reloads/rechambers after four shots. It can be usable, but the rechambering delay can interfere at inconvenient times.
A truly low D-tier pick. The KSG fires a slug round, which means it becomes the best shotgun at range. However, it demands noticeably better aim to make it work, and even then it’s still beaten by other choices overall.
A semi-automatic Sniper Rifle with light recoil and a high fire rate, though it averages lower damage. You can get results with it, but other Snipers simply perform better.
A carryable shield that can be deployed as cover. It can be viable if you back it up with your placement to protect yourself from behind, but it can be a cost-inefficient choice for the Pick 10 system if you’re running Overkill alongside an extra Primary.
A guided, shoulder-mounted Rocket Launcher. It’s the clearest best option for destroying Scorestreaks, but beyond that, it doesn’t offer much value.
A free-fire launcher that can also lock onto Scorestreaks. It’s more versatile than the alternatives, but aside from taking down UAVs and other aerial targets, it’s largely ineffective.
F-Tier
Weapons in Black Ops 2 You Should Avoid
The only melee weapon in the game besides the default knife. It can fire a retrievable knife, but overall it’s more gimmick than meta tool.
An explosive crossbow. It deals high damage, but it’s similar to the Ballistic Knife in that it’s mostly gimmicky. It can be fun, but it isn’t a strong meta choice.
A free-fire Launcher. It’s the weakest launcher option for dealing with aerial Scorestreaks, and while it can be used against enemy players and ground Scorestreaks, it still isn’t a meta weapon.
