Black Ops 7 Weapon Tier List
Definitive best weapons list for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies, with S/A/B/C tiers, attachments, and role-based loadouts.
Every Black Ops 7 Zombies lobby eventually asks the same question: “What’s the best weapon for this run?” This 2,000+ word best weapons black ops 7 zombies tier list answers that with data-driven rankings, attachment recommendations, and sample loadouts for Liberty Falls, Ashes of the Damned, and Terminus. We grade each gun on raw DPS, ammo sustain, perk synergy, mobility penalties, and objective utility so you can build a lineup that survives high rounds, contracts, and Easter eggs.
Screenshot Placeholder: Wall display of multiple weapons arranged by tier (S, A, B, C).
How We Rank Weapons
- Damage Uptime: How well the gun scales past Round 40 once Pack-a-Punched to Tier II/III and paired with the optimal ammo mod.
- Economy Impact: Essence/salvage cost to keep it fed. High-cost LMGs drop if they constantly require ammo crates.
- Mobility: Sprint-to-fire and ADS penalties influence contract speed and survival.
- Utility & Crowd Control: Ability to stun elites, clear objectives, or synergize with Tesla turrets/field upgrades.
- Availability: Mystery Box exclusives rank slightly lower if their drop rate is inconsistent compared to reliable wall buys.
Screenshot Placeholder: Bar chart comparing DPS and mobility metrics per tier.
Tier Overview
- S Tier: Meta-defining weapons with minimal weaknesses; invest salvage here first.
- A Tier: Reliable workhorses that excel with minor setup.
- B Tier: Situational picks, great as bridge weapons or niche roles.
- C Tier & Below: Use only for challenges or if RNG hates you.
S Tier — Meta Staples
| Weapon | Why It Dominates | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|
| Lancer AR | Zero recoil, perfect ammo efficiency, melts elites with Shatter Blast | Long Barrel, Agency Suppressor, 60-Round Drum, Field Tape Stock |
| Chrono-Lens | Wonder weapon that freezes hordes, trivializes escort contracts, and erases boss adds | Complete Temporal Overdrive upgrade, pair with Speed Cola |
| Dragon Cannon | Ashes-exclusive beam with infinite piercing that deletes Mega Abominations | Cooling Module attachment, Energy Mine field upgrade |
Lancer AR Breakdown
The Lancer is the gold standard for a reason: stable recoil, generous mag, rapid reload, and consistent wall-buy availability. Pack-a-Punch Tier II plus Shatter Blast turns it into an elite blender. Keep Juggernog/Stamina Up active and ride this gun to Round 60.
Screenshot Placeholder: PaP’d Lancer AR stats screen.
Chrono-Lens Breakdown
Post-upgrade, the Chrono-Lens cycles between freeze beam and Quantum Burst. Use the beam to slow elites, swap to Haymaker or Lancer for the finishing blow. Its cooldown is manageable if you feather the trigger instead of holding it.
Dragon Cannon Breakdown
While limited to Ashes of the Damned, the Dragon Cannon’s sustained beam plus explosive alt-fire makes bunker defenses laughable. Equip cooling mods and pop Energy Mine when overheating to keep the beam running.
A Tier — Reliable Workhorses
| Weapon | Strengths | Optimal Role |
|---|---|---|
| Haymaker 97 | Highest burst shotgun DPS, instant elite deletion | Boss killer / holdout defender |
| Keres SMG | Superb mobility, perfect for contract runners | Escort escorter / floater |
| Holger 26 | LMG with balanced recoil and giant mags | Crowd clear / objective anchor |
| Krig 6 | Versatile AR with flexible attachments | All-purpose main for cautious players |
| SG-12 | Fast-firing shotgun for close quarters | Contract defense, door holds |
| Tyr Revolver | Hits like a truck after PaP, quick to pull out | Sidearm elite finisher |
| Chrono-Lens Carrier Secondary | (e.g., Lacerda SMG) for wonder weapon users | Backup for ammo downtime |
Haymaker 97 Loadout
- Attachments: Full Choke, Long Barrel, 12-Round Drum, Laser Sight, Tactical Stock
- Ammo Mod: Shatter Blast
- Perks: Juggernog Tier II, Speed Cola Tier II, Elemental Pop Tier I
- Use Case: Drop it on Mega Abominations or Outlast objectives.
Screenshot Placeholder: Haymaker build screen with attachments highlighted.
Keres SMG Notes
- Pair with Brain Rot to spawn friendly zombies during escort.
- Mobility allows you to zipline/gondola without feeling sluggish.
- Keep Elemental Pop low to avoid accidental zombie kills when you want to leave crawlers.
Holger 26 Notes
- Slap on SALVO Barrel, 125-Round Belt, and Field Agent Grip.
- Use Plate Box to offset chip damage while anchored.
- Field upgrade: Ring of Fire synergizes with its sustained fire.
B Tier — Situational Specialists
| Weapon | Pros | Cons | Best Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuda SMG | Cheap spawn buy, rapid reload | Falls off after Round 20 | Liberty Falls |
| Commando Pistol | Burst melts armor plates | Tiny mag, reload constantly | All maps (backup) |
| Striker Shotgun | Incredible crowd clear radius | Burns ammo, weak vs armor | Ashes (tight lanes) |
| Lockwood 680 | Precision slug headshots | Slow pump, requires accuracy | Terminus catwalks |
| LM-S Marksman | High crit multiplier | Punishing when flanked | Observation Deck |
| Bruen LMG | Good sustained fire | Heavy ADS penalty | Terminus holdouts |
| QBZ / Maddox | Fun hip-fire builds | Mid damage ceiling | Liberty training |
| MP5 | Accurate, low recoil | Needs Deadshot and Elemental Pop to shine | Early rounds |
When to Use B Tier Weapons
- Mid-game bridging: Use Kuda/MP5 until Lancer drops.
- Challenges/Contracts: Striker is great for Outlast due to pellet spread.
- Specific roles: Lockwood 680 with slug conversion is perfect for killing Disciples on Observation Deck without burning ammo.
Screenshot Placeholder: Collage of B-tier weapons on a bench.
C Tier — Niche & Challenge Picks
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
| Basic Sidearm Pistols | Melee combo points only; ditch after Round 5 |
| Launchers | Fun for instakill rounds; otherwise dangerous splash |
| Double Barrel Shotgun | Massive burst, zero sustain |
| Pelington/ZRG Snipers | Cool for clips, terrible for objectives |
| Ballistic Knife | Only for memes or special weekly tasks |
| Crossbow (unmodded) | Full reload animations = death sentence |
If you’re forced into one of these, treat it as temporary. Grab a contract reward crate or mystery box pull ASAP.
Wonder Weapon & Special Considerations
- Chrono-Lens & Dragon Cannon sit in S-tier because they pair with every ammo mod and cover crowd control.
- Necrofluid Gauntlet (future update) will likely slot between A/S once its questline drops; watch patch notes.
- Support Tools such as Tesla turret and Plate Box aren’t ranked but complement all tiers—keep them ready no matter your loadout.
Category Deep Dive
Assault Rifles
- Lancer (S) — Perfect recoil, huge magazine, low cost.
- Krig (A) — Balanced; best for players who respect ADS firing.
- Maddox/QBZ (B) — Great hip-fire builds but require attachments to compensate damage.
- FARA & FAL (B/C) — Fun burst/semi options yet impractical beyond Round 30.
Submachine Guns
- Keres (A) remains the SMG king. Think of it as the contract sprinter.
- MP5 (B) works if you pair it with Deadshot + Elemental Pop.
- Kuda (B) is the quintessential early-game weapon; retire after PaP Tier I on better guns.
- Odin/Vector (C) show up in loot pools but can’t compete with ARs.
Light Machine Guns
- Holger (A): Balanced recoil, easy salvage usage.
- Bruen/MG82 (B): Laser accuracy but heavy movement penalty.
- Stoner (C): Feels sluggish even with attachments—only use for nostalgia.
Shotguns
- Haymaker (A) and SG-12 (A) handle nearly all close-quarter tasks.
- Striker (B) excels on Liberty Falls River Walk due to lane width.
- Lockwood (B) becomes pseudo-sniper with slug conversion.
- Double Barrel (C) is only for “two-shot challenges.”
Marksman / Snipers
- LM-S (B): Rewards patience; combo with Elemental Pop to chain kills.
- Pelington/ZRG (C): Overkill unless you’re doing trickshots.
- DMR 14 (B): Acceptable if you love semi-auto precision.
Sidearms & Misc
- Tyr Revolver (A): Keep it Pack-a-Punched for emergency elite kills.
- Commando (B): Good backup for players who love burst pistols.
- Ballistic Knife/Crossbow (C/D): Pure challenge picks—avoid in serious runs.
Screenshot Placeholder: Grid of weapon categories with tier labels.
Patch Watch & Meta Forecast
Patch Watch
Treyarch is testing a Chrono-Lens damage normalization and Haymaker reload timing change. If they land, Chrono-Lens might drop to Tier A while Haymaker users will need Speed Cola Tier III to maintain cycle time.
- SMG Buffs: If recoil reductions arrive, expect MP5/Kuda to rise.
- Armor Cost Changes: Any hike to armor prices will favor precision rifles over shotguns.
- Forge Discount Adjustments: If discounts become rarer, LMG ammo costs could drop them a tier.
- New Wonder Weapons: Necrofluid Gauntlet or future DLC items could redefine S-tier; revisit this guide after each season.
Using the Tier List In-Game
- Mystery Box Decisions: Got a Striker? Keep it for Outlast, but keep spinning for Lancer or Haymaker so you’re ready for boss waves.
- Contract Rewards: Choose the weapon that ranks highest on this list—even if a lower-tier gun spawns with purple rarity, S-tier white guns still outperform.
- Team Composition: Build squads with role diversity:
- Trainer (Lancer)
- Objective Defender (Holger/Haymaker)
- Floater/Runner (Keres/SG-12)
- Wonder Weapon Specialist (Chrono-Lens/Dragon Cannon)
Screenshot Placeholder: Team loadout screen showing mixed tiers.
Sample Loadouts
Balanced Duo
- Player 1: Lancer AR (Shatter Blast), Tesla turret, Ring of Fire
- Player 2: SG-12 (Brain Rot), Plate Box, Energy Mine
- Perk Core: Juggernog, Stamina Up, Speed Cola, Elemental Pop
- Use Case: Contract farming + high-round stability
Objective Squad (4-Player)
- Chrono Carrier: Chrono-Lens + Tyr sidearm; Healing Aura
- Boss Killer: Haymaker + Lancer secondary; Ring of Fire
- Runner: Keres + decoy grenades; Energy Mine
- Anchor: Holger + Plate Box; Frenzied Guard
Each role covers a tier: Chrono (S), Haymaker (A), Keres (A), Holger (A). Swap freely depending on RNG.
Solo High-Round Kit
- Primary: Lancer (Shatter Blast)
- Secondary: Haymaker (Brain Rot)
- Field Upgrade: Ring of Fire
- Support: Tesla turret + Plate Box
- Plan: Run catwalk loops, refresh forge discounts every five rounds, rotate to Helipad for extraction.
FAQ
How often should I change weapons?
Upgrade basics (Lancer/Haymaker) once per run unless you pull a wonder weapon. Swap out B-tier guns as soon as an A/S-tier option appears.
Is the Kuda useless after Round 20?
Not useless, but inefficient. Keep it PaP’d only if RNG refuses to drop better guns. Otherwise salvage it.
Do ammo mods change tier rankings?
They refine roles rather than tiers. Shatter Blast is mandatory for elite killers; Brain Rot/Napalm convert crowd-control guns into objective defenders.
What about attachments from schematics?
High-tier schematics can push certain guns up a tier (e.g., Holger with recoil reduction). Without them, rely on base attachments listed above.
Why isn’t Necrofluid Gauntlet ranked?
It hasn’t launched yet. Check our upcoming guide once the wonder weapon is live.
Armed with this tier list, you’re ready to evaluate every Mystery Box roll, contract crate, and loadout decision in Black Ops 7 Zombies. Capture your own screenshots for each tier, plug them into the placeholders above, and keep revisiting this page whenever balance patches drop—you’ll always know which weapons deserve your essence and which belong back on the bench.