All weapon buffs and nerfs in MW3 & Warzone Season 1 update

Modern Warfare 3’s first real round of weapon balancing is here alongside the Season 1 update. So, here’s what changes are in store for multiplayer and Warzone. 

When Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 was first announced, plenty of fans were annoyed that the game would launch without any Warzone integration. That has had to wait until Season 1. 

In that time, however, they have been able to level up guns through multiplayer. Many suggested that the MTZ 556, MCW, and Bas-B would be the go-to’s – while some experts started hyping up snipers due to the promised one-shot capability they’d have when Urzkistan launches. The only sniper that can one-shot, however, is the KATT AMR.

Well, the time has now come for the first big update as Season 1 is here, and that means weapon changes. So, let’s get into them. 

All Warzone & Modern Warfare 3 weapon changes in Season 1

If you’ve put any sort of serious time into MW3’s multiplayer, you’ve probably had your life ruined by the Striker and Sidewinder at some point.

So, you’ll probably be glad to know that they’re being nerfed ever so slightly. The Striker will have it’s sprint to fire and ADS times reduced, while the Sidewinder get it’s ADS speed knocked down. It’s a similar story for the SMGs as a whole, as they’ve gone under the knife just a little bit. 

The Riot Shield will also now suffer a movement speed penalty when it’s on your back. That was rumored before the update and clocks in at 10%.

On the flip side of things, the MTZ-556 and BAS B have been buffed and should prove to be more than solid options in Urzkistan.

As we’ve had in other Warzone updates, some are these changes are specific to the battle royale itself and these weapons will be affected differently in multiplayer. So, it’s something to be aware of going forward.

The full list of buff and nerfs in the Season 1 weapon changes can be found below.

Warzone & MW3 weapon changes patch notes for Season 1

• Decreased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing/moving for all Submachine Guns.

Assault Rifles

• MTZ-556
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while standing by 10%.
  • Increased maximum hipfire spread while crouched by 6%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while firing by 10%.
  • Increased hipfire spread penalty incurred while moving by 4%.
  • MTZ Natter Heavy Short (Barrel)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 5%.
  • Bruen Thunder V9 (Stock)
    • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 6%.

Battle Rifles

• BAS-B
  • Increased damage multipliers in semi-auto fire type to intended values.
    • Lower-Torso: 1x to 1.2x
    • Arm & Hand: 1x to 1.35x
• Sidewinder
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 280ms to 265ms (-5%).
  • Tempus Predator Precision (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.
  • Huntsman Series-R Integrated Suppressor (Barrel)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 7%.
  • RB Borealis Grip (Rear Grip)
    • Increased gun kick control benefit by 5%.

Submachine Guns

• Striker
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 230ms to 215ms (-7%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.
• WSP Swarm
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 88ms (-20%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 190ms to 175ms (-8%).
• Striker 9
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 110ms to 100ms (-9%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 225ms to 205ms (-9%).
  • Striker Stubby (Barrel)
    • Added 9% aim down sights time benefit.

Shotguns

• Lockwood 680
  • Tac-Stance will no longer reduce damage pellet count.

Marksman Rifles

• MCW 6.8
  • Equipping the Full-Auto Conversion Kit and 60rnd Drum Magazine will no longer result in a broken aim down sights animation.

Melee

• Riot Shield
  • Increased melee damage from 50 to 75 (+50%).
  • Added a 10% movement speed penalty while stowed.

Attachments

• S-37C DL Breacher Device (Muzzle)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 14%.
  • Resolved an issue that prevented one-hit melee kills in round-based Modes.
• Bruen Tactical Vertical Grip (Underbarrel)
  • Decreased hipfire spread benefit by 8%.
• Hollowpoint (Ammunition)
  • Decreased inflicted sprint penalty time from 800ms to 200ms (-75%).

Modern Warfare II (Carry-Forward)

• Increased reserve ammunition for all Weapons to MWIII standards.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of Underbarrel vertical grips by 5-12%.
• Decreased hipfire spread benefit of applicable Lasers by 2-5%.

Assault Rifles

• M4
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 35 (+25%).
  • Decreased head and neck damage multipliers from 1.37x 1.1x (-20%).

Battle Rifles

• TAQ-V
  • Increased lower-torso, leg, and foot damage multipliers from 0.8x to 1.1x (+38%).

Submachine Guns

• Vaznev-9K
  • Increased near-medium damage from 29 to 30 (+3%).
• ISO 45
  • Increased maximum damage from 30 to 33 (+10%).

Shotguns

• KV Broadside
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 9m to 10m (+8%).
  • Decreased aim down sights spread slightly.

Light Machine Guns

• RAAL MG
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 470ms to 390ms (-17%).
  • Decreased sprint to fire time from 375ms to 320ms (-15%).
  • Decreased tactical sprint to fire time from 496ms to 416ms (-16%).
• 556 Icarus
  • Increased maximum damage from 28 to 34 (+21%).
  • Decreased head damage multiplier from 1.4x to 1.1x (-21%).

Marksman Rifles

• SP-R 208
  • Increased maximum damage range from 15m to 20m (+28%).
  • Decreased aim down sights time from 370ms to 340ms (-8%).

Handguns

• Basilisk
  • Increased maximum damage range from 5m to 7m (+35%).
  • Increased near-medium damage range from 6m to 15m (+140%).
  • Increased far-medium damage range from 17m to 23m (+32%).

• Launcher Damage
  • All launchers have been adjusted in regards to their damage and interaction with vehicles. This includes:
    • Most launchers will destroy lighter vehicles in one shot.
    • The RPG-7, PILA, and STRELA-P will destroy most medium sized vehicles in two shots.
    • The JOKR will destroy almost all vehicles in one shot.
    • The RGL-80 and the STRELA-P will not cause most vehicles to immediately explode.
    • The PILA will not cause most medium and larger vehicles to immediately explode.
    • The RPG-7 and the JOKR will cause most vehicles to explode immediately.

• Sniper Damage
  • KATT AMR will one shot to the head at any distance.