Best Loadouts in Black Ops 7

Choosing the best loadouts in Black Ops 7 will help provide you with the best chances at success as you take on other players online in Multiplayer.

With a wide variety of weapons, equipment, and perks to choose from in Black Ops 7, you’ll be able to formulate your own playstyles in almost any way you want.

To get you started, we’ll run through the best Black Ops 7 loadouts for different playstyles, with details on the best equipment and weapons to set you on your way.

On this page:

• Black Ops 7 best loadouts overview
• Best all-round starter loadout
• Best Assault Rifle loadout
• Best SMG loadout
• Best Marksman Rifle loadout
• Best Sniper Rifle loadout
• Best LMG loadout

Black Ops 7 best loadouts overview

Through the rest of this guide, we’ll detail various loadouts suited for different kinds of playstyles, with any perks and equipment we feel are vital to complete those loadouts.

With that said though, you’re totally free to mix and match various weapons, attachments, and more to make it feel more tailored to how you’d like to approach the build and overall playstyle.

Each player no doubt is going to have their own tweaks and additions to make to it as they become more familiar - particularly as new weapons are added in post-launch seasons and more.

Keep reading for a few loadouts we’re recommending, which can each act as either a great starting point, or a solid loadout for your main playstyle.

Best all-round starter loadout in Black Ops 7

If you’re just settling into Black Ops 7 Multiplayer, you might want something that’s approachable and easy to get used to that can be effective in most engagements. If that’s what you’re looking for, then this loadout is for you:

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for a balanced playstyle

• Primary: M15 Mod 0, Dravec 45, or M8A1
• Secondary: Jager 45
• Lethal: Semtex
• Tactical: Stun or Flash Grenade
• Field Upgrade: Assault Pack
• Perk 1: Lightweight
• Perk 2: Scavenger
• Perk 3: Dexterity or Bankroll
• Combat Specialty: Enforcer
• Wildcard: Player preference

Since we’re going for an all-round build, there are a few solid weapons worth trying.

As the first Assault Rifle you unlock, the M15 Mod 0, even if it’s not the best overall, is still a solid gun to have as your primary.

Alternatively though, as you begin to climb the ranks, you could try the M8A1 Marksman Rifle that essentially doubles as an AR, or even the Dravec 45, a reliable and powerful SMG sure to help you dominate matches. We have loadouts designed around both of these specifically further down though, so be sure to check those out if you’d like something more curated.

As for this core loadout though, I’ve found Lightweight, Scavenger, and Dexterity to be great perks, boosting movement speeds, giving consistent ammo pickups from defeated enemies, and the removal of some fall damage alongside reduced weapon motion in various movement modes.

Since these three perks are also part of the red Enforcer Combat Specialty, you’ll also gain the benefits of a buffed movement speed and health regeneration speed after getting a kill.

Most of the equipment is up to you and what you prefer to take, but a reliable backup is the Jager 45 pistol which has saved me several times already in the opening hours of launch.

As always, feel free to make any tweaks as you begin to get into the swing of things in Black Ops 7 Multiplayer.

Best Assault Rifle loadout in Black Ops 7

Whilst the previous loadout is focused on an all-round build that you can pick either an AR or SMG - or our recommended M8A1 - for, this one is somewhat of an extension of that leaning into the Assault Rifle angle.

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for an AR-focused playstyle

• Primary: AK-27, DS20 Mirage, or Peacekeeper MK1
• Secondary: Jager 45
• Lethal: Player preference
• Tactical: Player preference
• Field Upgrade: Assault Pack
• Perk 1: Lightweight or Flak Jacket
• Perk 2: Scavenger
• Perk 3: Dexterity or Bankroll
• Combat Specialty: Enforcer (or Tactician if choosing Flak Jacket)
• Wildcard: Player preference

This loadout generally builds from the starter loadout we discussed previously, but with a couple of extra suggestions to make it more Assault-focused.

Namely, the gun choice we’re expanding to some of our picks for best guns in this category. The M15 Mod 0 is your first unlocked weapon, but the DS20 Mirage and Peacekeeper MK1 are better alternatives once you unlock them.

In terms of Perks, we’re leaning into the Enforcer combat specialty outlined in our starter loadout with the extra suggestion of taking Flak Jacket instead of Lightweight - this will replace some of your movement speed bonuses with extra resistance from enemy explosives.

Should you choose Flak Jacket, you’ll then rework the Combat Specialty from Enforcer to Tactician which gives you bonus score from bullet kills for 10 seconds when assisting your teammates with any kills.

Be sure to lean into whatever works for you.

Best SMG loadout in Black Ops 7

If you’re looking to get into close quarters engagements with an SMG, you’ll want something that’s mobile and quick to respond to oncoming enemies - with some of the perks and specialties available in Black Ops 7, you’ll be able to enhance it even more:

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for an SMG-focused playstyle

• Primary: Dravec 45, Carbon 57, or MPC-25
• Secondary: Jager 45
• Lethal: Player preference
• Tactical: Stim Shot
• Field Upgrade: Player preference
• Perk 1: Lightweight, Tac Sprinter, or Flak Jacket
• Perk 2: Scavenger
• Perk 3: Bankroll or Looper
• Combat Specialty: Enforcer (or Tactician if choosing Flak Jacket)
• Wildcard: Tac Expert

Similar to our AR class, we’re recommending three different SMGs that are all worth checking out.

The Dravec 45 is one of the strongest in the game alongside the Peacekeeper MK1, but the former functions more like an AR compared to the latter which has a high fire rate and can be quite the laser.

As a personal pick, I’m leaning towards the Carbon 57 for its 50-round mag size that’ll give you an edge with less need to reload - though of course, the others can be boosted to higher numbers as well, just with the caveat of longer reload times.

Our perk selection had a couple of extra choices here - you can lean into the Enforcer combat specialty we’ve discussed for the past couple of classes, or into Tactician via Flak Jacket. These will all keep you in the fight and competitive against other players.

You could opt for Looper over Bankroll which lets you earn Scorestreaks again in the same life, compared to the bonus starting points you get towards streaks with Bankroll. Looper is also a red perk too though, so you won’t lose the Enforcer or Tactician benefits if you do decide to swap to this.

Equipment and Field Upgrades are mostly up to you, but we would recommend picking Stim Shot so you’re able to heal yourself when low on health. Along with the Tac Expert Wildcard, you’ll get two of these every time you spawn - and an extra each time you refill from an Assault Pack too.

Best Marksman Rifle loadout in Black Ops 7

Much like the above loadout suggestions, we’re building off from that initial starter loadout, using one of the headlining weapons of Black Ops 7 as the key focus, with an alternative included alongside it.

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for a Marksman-focused playstyle

• Primary: M8A1 or Warden 308
• Secondary: Velox 5.7 or Coda 9
• Lethal: Semtex
• Tactical: Stun Grenade or Stim Shot
• Field Upgrade: Player preference
• Perk 1: Lightweight or Ghost
• Perk 2: Scavenger or Engineer
• Perk 3: Any Red Perk or Charge Link
• Combat Specialty: Enforcer or Operative
• Wildcard: Player preference

The M8A1 is hard not to recommend in general with its high power and consistent performance, and this is ultimately the centrepiece of the build. However, feel free to opt for the Warden 308 instead which is a semi-automatic Marksman Rifle you’ll be able to hit numerous one-shot kills with.

When it comes to perks, it depends somewhat on the weapon you’re taking.

Perhaps you want to lean into the Enforcer role we’ve picked for some of the other classes above, ideal pairing with the M8A1. This will give you mobility, ammo, and more to make it more competitive in the heat of battle.

Alternatively, the Warden 308 lets you take more of a long range role, perhaps with some stealth options in there too - choices like Ghost, Engineer, and Charge Link. Depending on your picks, you’ll get to lean into combat specialties like Enforcer for health regeneration and movement speed buffs on kills, or Operative instead which nets you stealth-based bonuses like increased Field Upgrade charge from stealthy kills (pretty much anything with suppressed weapons, melee kills, kills out of line of sight etc).

Alongside all this, pick a solid secondary and reliable equipment for additional support to round off the class.

Best Sniper Rifle loadout in Black Ops 7

Whilst Marksman Rifles are great for some of those medium to long range encounters, sniper rifles are going to be the most reliable for consistent performance at longer distances, especially on the larger maps. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what Sniper and loadout we’re recommending you pick in Black Ops 7 right now:

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for a Sniper-focused playstyle

• Primary: SK Shadow
• Secondary: Any AR or SMG (with Overkill)
• Lethal: Semtex, Combat Axe or Point Turret
• Tactical: Hunter Bot or Smoke
• Field Upgrade: Scrambler
• Perk 1: Ghost
• Perk 2: Assassin
• Perk 3: Tracker
• Combat Specialty: Scout
• Wildcard: Overkill

Whilst bolt-action Snipers in Call of Duty’s past typically are favoured, Black Ops 7 features the high-powered, semi-automatic, SK Shadow. Thanks to its consistent rate of fire and high damage, it was difficult to not feature this high in our guns tier list, and it was a weapon I'm very much looking to use more of.

With this class in particular, we’re leaning into a somewhat stealth-based, long-range loadout, with perks like Ghost, Assassin, and Tracker. These will keep you hidden whilst also giving you the edge over your enemies, learning where they are and getting revenge on those who eliminate you.

Equipment-wise, a lot of it is player preference depending on how you play. For example, you might want more all-round picks such as a Frag or Combat Axe, and Stun Grenades. However, you could go for a more defensive approach with a Smoke Grenade alongside a Point Turret to watch your six as you snipe from a designated location.

The Wildcard we’re recommending similar depends on playstyle, but a solid pick is Overkill to allow you to throw on a second Primary weapon to help you in those situations that just don’t suit the sniper. Chuck on an SMG or a fast-firing Assault Rifle like the Peacekeeper, and you’ve got a great backup to help you in sticky situations!

Best LMG loadout in Black Ops 7

Light Machine Guns are quite a niche pick overall in Call of Duty Multiplayer, but I’ve personally been intrigued by their positioning in Black Ops 7 all thanks to one of its new attachments. Have a read through of our recommended loadout below where we’ll run through how that factors into what we’re suggesting you pick:

Best Black Ops 7 loadout for a LMG-focused playstyle

• Primary: MK. 78 or XM325 w/ Belt Fed attachment
• Secondary: Any launcher, or player preference
• Lethal: Semtex or C4
• Tactical: Stun Grenade or Stim Shot
• Field Upgrade: Assault Pack
• Perk 1: Lightweight or Gung Ho
• Perk 2: Scavenger
• Perk 3: Looper
• Combat Specialty: Enforcer
• Wildcard: Perk Greed w/ Flak Jacket OR Danger Close

There are only two LMGs in Black Ops 7 right now - the MK. 78 is a more stable, slower-firing firearm that ultimately ends up as more accurate, whereas the XM325 has a much higher fire rate, and might be better for more of a run-and-gun playstyle.

Both of these have access to a 'Belt Fed' magazine attachment unlocked when reaching Prestige 1 with both weapons that completely changes their dynamic, cutting out the need to reload and replacing it with an overheat mechanic instead. Whilst it takes some getting used to, part of what prevents LMGs from gaining traction is their usability and long reload times – completely eliminating that makes this a far more viable weapon. Personally, it’s something I’m super interested in trying out more and makes this weapon class much more appealing.

When it comes to the Perks, we’re leaning into the run-and-gun fantasy with Gung-Ho and Looper along with Scavenger to keep you stocked up on ammo. This unlocks the Enforcer Combat Specialty for additional bonuses.

To round it off, we’re including Flak Jacket as a bonus with the Perk Greed Wildcard for resistance from enemy explosives.

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For more on Black Ops 7, be sure to check out our guides running through the best guns of each weapon class, as well as our all guns listed page.