Black Ops 7 features Combat Specialties, which is yet another addition to your Loadout that will help you mix-and-match elements of your build to play it your way. Combat Specialties unlock unique abilities that can reinforce your playstyle. Whether you're someone who likes to run into combat, play a tad sneaky, rely on scorestreaks, or a mixture of all 3, Combat Specialties are a unique and varied way to create Loadouts. Below, you'll find everything you need to know about the best Combat Specialty in Black Ops 7, and what each of them actually does.
All Operators & Factions in Black Ops 7
Black Ops 7 debuts with 24 Operators across all modes, and here's how to get them all, and what Faction they belong to.
What Are Combat Specialities & How to Equip Them in Black Ops 7
There are 6 Combat Specialties in Black Ops 7, and these act as bonus rewards for combining specific Perk categories. There are three Perk categories: Enforcer (red), Recon (blue), and Strategist (green). Each of them focuses on a unique playstyle that you can tailor to your loadouts, and upon equipping a full set one of color, you will receive a passive and permanent bonus to that loadout. This also applies if you have 2 Perks in one category, and 1 Perk in another:
- To activate one of the Core Combat Specialties, equip Perks from the same category.
- To activate one of the Hybrid Combat Specialties, equip Perks from 2 different categories.
Below, we'll showcase all Combat Specialties in Black Ops 7 and determine which one is best for you to run.
Enforcer Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: After each kill, gain a buff to movement speed and health regen speed for a short time.
Enforcer is the Red Combat Specialist that unlocks once you equip 3 Red Perks across all Perk slots. With Enforcer, you will gain a buff to movement speed and health regen speed for a short time. This is great for players who have an aggressive playstyle where they're constantly on the move to find their next target. The Enforcer Combat Specialty will benefit fast-moving players the most, so those who run around with SMGs, Shotguns, and Assault Rifles to go for high kills will benefit the most. Not only will Enforcer allow players to have the most boots-on-the-ground Perks active, but it will also buff you with greater speeds and health regen with each kill, meaning you can get to the next target faster.
Recon Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: On respawn, see the direction of the closest enemy on the minimap. Edge of HUD pulses for enemies outside your view. Leave no death skulls.
The Recon Combat Specialty requires you to equip 3 Blue Perks across all 3 Slots. The Recon Combat Specialty focuses on stealth and players who do not like to be detected by enemies. With the Recon Combat Specialty, you will be able to see the direction of the closest enemy on the minimap when you respawn, and the edge of your HUD will pulse when an enemy is near but just out of view. The best part of the Recon Combat Specialty is how you leave no death skulls, meaning that you can kill another player, and their team will be none the wiser as to where they died, as it will not appear on their HUD. Recon is best used for players who want to remain behind enemy lines and stay out of the spotlight, but still want to amass high Scorestreaks by staying alive. Recon is versatile enough to be used by all types of players, regardless on whether you're running around the map or taking it slow, but we prefer to run Recon with a run-and-gun attitude as we get to see where the closest enemy is upon respawn, you're warned if someone's near you, and you can kill without a trace.
Strategist Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: Increased score for objectives and sabotage. Deploy equipment faster. See enemy content through walls at a short distance.
The Strategist Combat Specialty is granted to players who have 3 active Green perks, and it's tailored to those who like to earn Score more than anything else. Strategist is for the players who focus on equipment, Scorestreaks, and Field Upgrades, ensuring you know where enemy equipment is located, and that you have all the cards in your favor by deploying Scorestreaks. The Strategist Combat Specialty is great for players who just want to earn Score and Scorestreaks, so it's best used by players who want to smother the team with their abilities through objective-based modes like Hardpoint and Domination.
Tactician Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: Support and Offense hybrid. Assisting your team earns you bonus score from bullet kills for 10 seconds.
Tactician can be acquired by mixing 2 Enforcer (Red) Perks, with 1 Strategist (Green) Perk, or the other way around. Tactician rewards players who just want to earn more Score without having to sacrifice the way that they play, as all it does is allow you to earn bonus Score from bullet kills for 10 seconds, if said kills are assisted through teammates. It's best used in objective modes where you intend to stick with your allies; otherwise, it's a tad pointless, and not the best mixture.
Scout Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: Offense and Stealth hybrid. When you get a bullet kill, stay completely hidden from enemy minimaps for 5 seconds. Additional kills during this period reset the timer.
Scout is obtained when players combine either Enforcer (Red) Perks or Recon (Blue) Perks across the 3 Slots. So long as players have 1 of one type, and 2 in the other, they will get the Scout Combat Specialty. This is pretty good for aggressive players, as it allows them to be completely hidden from the minimap for 5 seconds when they get a kill, and the timer rests if you get another kill. This basically means you can run around and kill enemies without worrying about a UAV spotting you, but Perks will deal with that for you.
Operative Combat Specialty, Explained
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- Description: Stealth and Support hybrid. Earn Field Upgrade charge from stealthy kills. Suppressed weapons, melee kills, kills while out of line of sight, and other cases count as stealth kills.
Operative can be achieved by combining the Strategist (Green) and Recon (Blue) Perks. Operative is all about charging your Field Upgrade, which can be useful if that's a big part of your playstyle, but a Field Upgrade isn't going to make or break your victory or your Scorestreak progress. With Operative, you will earn a Field Upgrade charge from stealth kills, which is a mixture of using suppressors, getting melee kills, and killing enemies that aren't looking at you. While charging your Field Upgrade faster is a nice passive buff, the Field Upgrades aren't as good as Scorestreaks, which you will get through stealthy plays.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 66 /100 Critics Rec: 34%
- Released
- November 14, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
