Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and the jetpack era that it was a part of divided opinion among fans when it was released. But in the years since, it has become one of the most fondly remembered games in the franchise. The game design and movement hold up surprisingly well to this day, while offering many players a window back into their childhood or early gaming days.
With plutonium arriving for the game in 2023, and many fans still craving the movement style and gameplay of the jetpack era, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is seeing a resurgence. Coming prepared with the best loadout will be essential to getting the best out of the game. Here are some of the best classes to take into multiplayer, which can fit a multitude of play styles.
5 M8A7 - Best Burst Assault Rifle Loadout
- Primary Weapon: M8A7
- Primary Optic: ELO
- Primary Attachments: High Caliber, Grip
- Secondary: RK5
- Secondary Optics: N/A
- Secondary Attachments: N/A
- Lethal: Combat Axe
- Tactical: Flashbang
- Perk 1: Overclock
- Perk 2: Hard Wired
- Perk 3: Tac Mask
- Wildcards: N/A
- Specialist: Prophet/Tempest
The M8 and its variants have been consistently powerful across several Call of Duty titles, but Black Ops 3 is one of its best showings. The XR-2 is another great burst fire option, but the M8A7's potential to one-burst enemies, particularly with the High Caliber attachment, marks it as one of the game's best weapons.
Pair it with a combat axe and an RK5 to get out of a sticky close-quarters situation, and this class covers all bases surprisingly well. Prophet's Tempest is also a great pairing, as staying in cover and picking targets off from a distance is where this class excels. For perks, Overclock is key for getting Tempest up as soon as possible, along with Hard Wired and Tac Mask to counter any enemies who decide to rush a position.
4 VMP - Best SMG Loadout
- Primary Weapon: VMP
- Primary Optic: N/A
- Primary Attachments: Quickdraw, Grip, Long Barrel
- Secondary: N/A
- Secondary Optics: N/A
- Secondary Attachments: N/A
- Lethal: Frag
- Tactical: Concussion
- Perk 1: Afterburner
- Perk 2: Scavenger
- Perk 3: Gung Ho
- Wildcards: N/A
- Specialist: Spectre/Ripper
The VMP was the SMG choice of the pros for very good reason, as it's a perfect balance of damage, fire rate, and maneuverability. It also benefits from great iron sights. This can be crucial as it frees up a class space, which are fairly scarce in Black Ops 3, for another attachment, perk, or piece of equipment.
Spectre's Ripper weapon works great with this class, as it's perfectly set up for a run-and-gun style and getting in the face of enemies before they can react. Taking a concussion grenade will increase the power of this style even more, with an additional frag to soften up enemies on objectives.
For perks, Afterburner is a must with this class, as spending as much time in the air as possible makes the style so much more difficult to counter. Scavenger and Gung Ho also synergize perfectly, making sure that ammo won't be an issue and that this powerful SMG is always ready to go.
3 205 Brecci - Best Shotgun Class
- Primary Weapon: 205 Brecci
- Primary Optic: N/A
- Primary Attachments: Laser Sight, Fast Mags, Rapid Fire
- Secondary: N/A
- Secondary Optics: N/A
- Secondary Attachments: N/A
- Lethal: Frag
- Tactical: Concussion
- Perk 1: Afterburner
- Perk 2: Fast Hands
- Perk 3: Gung Ho
- Wildcards: Primary Gunfighter
- Specialist: Ruin/Gravity Spikes
A fan-favorite weapon in Multiplayer and Zombies modes alike, the Brecci is one of the most powerful shotguns released in the Black Ops series. The fast-firing semi-auto nature of the weapon makes it a serious threat up close and is best utilized when on the move constantly, either in deathmatches or holding down objectives.
Ruin's Gravity Spikes work fantastically with this build and are a vastly underrated specialist weapon overall especially in objective game modes like Hardpoint. Frag grenades with any stun grenade or double concussion will synergize perfectly, allowing players to get up in the faces of their enemies with little counterplay.
Primary Gunfighter allows the Brecci to be as powerful as possible, as a secondary weapon with this class is largely unnecessary. Fast Hands as a perk 2 will help this style a great deal, along with Afterburner and Gung Ho to stay on the move as much as possible.
2 Locus - Best Sniper Loadout
- Primary Weapon: Locus
- Primary Optic: N/A
- Primary Attachments: Fast Mags, Rapid Fire
- Secondary: L-Car 9
- Secondary Optics: N/A
- Secondary Attachments: Long Barrel
- Lethal: N/A
- Tactical: Concussion x 2
- Perk 1: Ghost
- Perk 2: Fast Hands
- Perk 3: Tactical Mask
- Wildcards: N/A
- Specialist: Prophet/Tempest
The Locus is the best sniper in Black Ops 3, and while this class is more tailored towards a mobile quickscoping style, for more reserved sniping from a distance the only tweak required will be in the attachments. As it stands, fast mags and rapid fire will make the weapon as quick as possible with great handling, so players can deal with multiple opponents.
The Tempest Specialist works perfectly with this setup, as it can be used in the same style as the Locus. With the full-auto pistol L-Car 9 and double concussion grenades, playing aggressively with this sniper or specialist weapon becomes easy even for players less familiar with the style of play. Finish off the class with Ghost to remain undetected, Fast Hands to reduce the downtime needed to reload, and Tac Mask to stay protected, and the class functions perfectly in the back line providing cover, or sprinting straight toward the enemy.
1 Man O' War - Best All Round Class
- Primary Weapon: Man O War
- Primary Optic: ELO
- Primary Attachments: Fast Mags, Rapid Fire
- Secondary: RK5
- Secondary Optics: N/A
- Secondary Attachments:
- Lethal: Frag
- Tactical: Concussion
- Perk 1: Afterburner
- Perk 2: Scavenger
- Perk 3: Tactical Mask
- Wildcards: N/A
- Specialist: Any
The Man O' War slowly rose in popularity as Black Ops 3 progressed, and by the time a new Call of Duty, arrived it was one of the most popular weapons in the game. With a few attachments it became a fast-firing damage powerhouse, which could compete easily at range and in close quarters.
The Scythe is arguably the best specialist weapon to take with this class, but it can be easily modified to fit almost any play style. An RK5 secondary will compensate for a reload time of the Man O' War in a tight spot, with a concussion and frag to soften up an objective. Perks can once again be changed to fit playstyle, but for a great all-round set take Afterburner for mobility, Scavenger, and Tac Mask. These should keep any player in the action as long as possible, with very little downside.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.