Perks are a defining feature of Call of Duty's multiplayer formula, granting various, often subtle, abilities that make gunfights more interesting.

Black Ops 6 adds another layer to consider with combat specialties. If you have three perks of the same color, you get that category's specialty, which works like an additional perk.

Enforcer, the red combat specialty, heals you and grants a movement speed buff for a short time after each kill. Recon, the blue combat specialty, displays a HUD icon when enemies look at you, and allows you to see enemies through walls for a short time when you first spawn.

Strategist, the green combat specialty, gives bonus score for objectives and destroying enemy scorestreaks and equipment, allows you to see enemy equipment through walls at a short distance, and allows you to deploy equipment and field upgrades faster.

Like any other game in the series, all perks have their uses, but some will be useful more frequently than others.

10 Vigilance

Knowledge Is Power

Ability	Displays an icon when you're revealed on enemy minimaps, as well as makes you immune to CUAV, Scrambler, and Sleeper Agent.
Level Unlocked	6
Perk Slot	3
Specialization	Recon

Knowing when you're on the enemies' minimap is useful information for baiting out enemy players,

More importantly, being immune to CUAV and Scrambler spam will ensure that you always have your minimap available.

This perk synergizes well with Forward Intel, allowing you to keep your enhanced minimap working at all times.

9 Dispatcher

Spam Those SAMs

Ability	Reduces the cost of nonlethal scorestreaks.
Level Unlocked	11
Perk Slot	2
Specialization	Strategist

This perk seems very underwhelming at first glance. Not only does it affect a small percentage of scorestreaks, but the cost it reduces from the scorestreaks is also rather minuscule.

However, what makes it great is synergy. It works great as a Perk Greed pick with Enforcer perks like Bankroll and Assassin that give extra score, especially if you're aiming for the HARP scorestreak.

Perhaps even stronger is how it works with the Strategist Combat Specialty and SAM and Interceptors scorestreaks.

Both of these scorestreaks have reduced costs with Dispatcher, and they earn you score toward other scorestreaks with Strategist as they destroy enemy scorestreaks.

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8 Assassin

It's Your Scorestreak Now

Ability	Gives enemies on a kill streak a unique icon when revealed on the minimap, and they drop packs giving more score when picked up.
Level Unlocked	5
Perk Slot	2
Specialization	Enforcer

While knowing which enemies are on a kill streak can help you shut down the stronger enemy scorestreaks before they even get called in, the main appeal of this perk is the score packs.

The packs offer a varying score depending on the length of the kill streak of the person you kill.

They can easily give an extra 300-400 points when on a Merciless kill streak, allowing you to get those higher score streaks at a significant discount.

You can stack this with other perks that give extra score, like Bankroll, or even use Perk Greed to add it onto a Strategist build.

7 Guardian

Stay Winning

Ability	Increases healing speed when on an objective, and decreases the time to revive teammates.
Level Unlocked	32
Perk Slot	3
Specialization	Strategist

This perk is invaluable for objective-focused players who need to defend themselves from an onslaught of enemies in the small area that is any capture point, whether it's in Domination, Hardpoint, Headquarters, or Control.

The increased revive speed can be helpful to keep your HVT alive in Kill Order.

Unfortunately, as strong as this perk can be, it's pretty useless outside those game modes, and would ideally be swapped out for Quartermaster or Gearhead to keep the Strategist Combat Specialty.

It synergizes fantastically with the Strategist combat specialty, as the perk makes it easier to play the objective, and the specialty gives you extra score for playing the objective.

6 Forward Intel

Or Whichever Way They're Facing

Ability	Increases the coverage of the minimap, and shows the direction enemies are facing on the minimap.
Level Unlocked	47
Perk Slot	2
Specialization	Recon

Knowing where enemies are is key to performing well, and this perk greatly helps. The minimap in Black Ops 6 is significantly zoomed in compared to previous games, giving you much less information.

Not only does this perk restore the minimap to its former glory, but it also allows you to see the direction enemies are facing, which can be very useful for taking out someone camping or a sniper holding a line of sight.

It is part of the Recon specialty, but you may want to use it with Perk Greed to get the most out of it since Recon will give you more than enough information.

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5 Tac Mask

Something Smells Around Here

Ability	Gives resistance to enemy flash grenades, concussion grenades, and neuro gas.
Level Unlocked	44
Perk Slot	1
Specialization	Strategist

You can have three flash or concussion grenades with the Tactical Expert wildcard, and get even more with the Quartermaster perk and Assault Pack field upgrades, meaning there's a lot of them being thrown around.

With both Engineer and Strategist allowing people to see and take out Trophy Systems with ease, the extra defense against these pesky tactical grenades will be extremely useful at any time but becomes a lifesaver when playing objectives.

This perk works well with the Strategist specialty since it's geared toward objective gameplay, but it can be a useful addition to any specialty with the Perk Greed wildcard.

4 Ninja

For When You're Feeling Sneaky

Ability	Decreases the noise you make when moving.
Level Unlocked	35
Perk Slot	1
Specialization	Recon

This perk's effectiveness can depend on how much the enemy relies on sound, as well as the amount of noise on the map and game mode.

You won't get as much use out of it in something as hectic as the Face Off Moshpit playlist, but it's a must for Search and Destroy and great for Control and Headquarters, especially on larger maps.

This perk synergizes with Ghost, further concealing your location. However, you need Perk Greed to use both perks since they take up the same slot.

It also works well Tracker for hunting down players, and Bruiser if going for a melee build.

3 Gung-Ho

Don't Be A Sitting Duck

Ability	Reduces movement penalty for reloading and using equipment.
Level Unlocked	Always unlocked
Perk Slot	1
Specialization	Enforcer

With Omnimovement, movement is more important than ever in Black Ops 6. Gung-Ho allows you to play aggressively with less risk, as you can sprint away when reloading.

That may seem like a subtle change, but the time spent reloading adds up, and it's not like you can shoot back in during that time, so running is your best option.

This perk works fantastically with the Enforcer specialty as the temporary movement speed buff after getting a kill will stack with Gung-Ho, allowing you to outmaneuver enemies shooting at you while you reload to get the next kill or two.

2 Flak Jacket

Built Like A Tank

Ability	Reduces explosive and fire damage.
Level Unlocked	8
Perk Slot	1
Specialization	Strategist

This perk is a must for playing objectives. There's nothing worse than a perfectly timed frag grenade from across the map taking you out at a Hardpoint.

Unfortunately, Flak Jacket is in the same tier as Tac Mask, meaning you must use Perk Greed if you want both. However, it's well worth it.

Given how crucial this perk is when focusing on objectives, it synergizes well with Strategist and the other green perks. However, it's also a useful perk to add to any build, as explosives are everywhere. Don't let a Spring Mine or Blast Trap ruin your flank again.

1 Ghost

Haunt Your Enemies

Ability	Makes you immune to Prox Alarm, Scout Pulse, and UAV when moving, planting or defusing bombs in Search and Destroy, or controlling scorestreaks.
Level Unlocked	17
Perk Slot	1
Specialization	Recon

UAVs have always been one of the most powerful and frequently used scorestreaks, which has meant Ghost has always been one of the prevailing perks in Call of Duty. It's no different in Black Ops 6.

While the zoomed-in minimaps may mean UAVs on their own aren't as powerful as they once were, they're even stronger with Forward Intel and Vigilance, so being immune to them is as useful as ever.

Ghost is effective in any build, but it synergizes well with perks that obfuscate your location, such as Ninja and Cold Blooded. Vigilance can also be helpful as it lets you know if you have done something to break your cover.

FPS

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 91%

Released: October 25, 2024
ESRB: Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Developer(s): Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher(s): Activision
Engine: IW 9.0
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play: Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION

DIGITAL

PHYSICAL

Cross Save: Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Prequel(s): Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: World at War
Franchise: Call of Duty
Number of Players: 1-4
Split Screen Orientation: Vertical or Horizontal
Steam Deck Compatibility: Unknown
PC Release Date: October 25, 2024
Xbox Series X|S Release Date: October 25, 2024
PS5 Release Date: October 25, 2024
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Genre(s): FPS
X|S Optimized: Yes
PS Plus Availability: N/A
Local Co-Op Support: 1-2 Players
OpenCritic Rating: Strong