Call of Duty is back, and this year its multiplayer mode is bringing some huge changes. You can read our full review of the game here, but in short, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 features some of the best multiplayer in the series to date, thanks to a number of fresh systems that breathe new life into the franchise.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, success on the multiplayer battlefield means understanding the game's new Specialist class system, mastering your new navigation methods and picking the right tools for the job. It can all be a little intimidating at first, as new things often are.
Thankfully, we're here to help so that you can hit the ground running the moment you dive into your first match. With these simple tips, you'll find your footing in no-time and be on your way to the top of the leaderboard.
Pick A Specialist That Fits Your Playstyle
The new Specialist system in Black Ops 3 grants players even more ways to cause chaos. In short, there are nine Specialists to choose from, each with two abilities to choose from. These characters are each unique personalities that have wildly different combat abilities. You'll have to unlock each ability separately, and you can only bring one with you into a match. This ability is then paired with your custom weapon and killstreak loadout to create your multiplayer arsenal.
It can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out which Specialists to unlock first, but generally you'll want to pick a Specialist (and their ability) that best suits your overall play style.
Like to take the stealthy approach, staying off enemy radar and taking out unsuspecting players? Give Spectre's "Active Camo" ability a try. Prefer to go loud and blow up every living thing in the room? Battery's "War Machine" grenade launcher is an explosive good time. If you don't know what your preferred method of war is, catch-all abilities like Seraph's scorestreak boosting "Combat Focus" and Outrider's "Vision Pulse" work well with any play style.
Know When (And When Not) To Wall-Run And Boost Jump
Joining sprint and slide this time around is the ability to boost-jump and run along walls. Both of these new methods for navigating are important for getting around in Black Ops 3, but you'll want to be careful when using them. While you can aim-down-sights while wall-running, generally it's more difficult to take somebody out while you're glued to a wall. You are also a sitting duck, as when you're wall-running you're likely out in the open away from cover.
Same goes for the boost jump. While it's useful in reaching high-up platforms, escaping dangerous areas or taking enemies unaware, boosting willy nilly is something you'll want to avoid. Not only does boosting make you appear on radar, but, just as with wall-running, when you're high-up in the sky there is no cover to be found. Boost accordingly.
If You Don't Use It, Lose It
This tip is pretty straight forward. The Pick 10 loadout customization system seen in previous Call of Duty titles returns here, and the rules are the same. Grenades, perks, weapons and accessories each use one of your 10 loadout points. If you find that you rarely use grenades, you may want to remove them from your loadout entirely and snag an additional perk.
Not finding much use for your secondary weapon? Get rid of it and add another attachment to your primary. Doing this allows you to fine tune your loadout to your playstyle, so be sure to take a critical look at each part of your loadout and ask if you could live without it.
Dominate Objectives With Specialist Abilities
Picking a Specialist that suits your play style is important, but if you find yourself preferring one game mode or another, you might want to snag a Specialist ability well-suited for the objective at hand. In Domination, for example, you'll be standing in capture points attempting to score points. Normally you would toss a grenade inside a room or rush in with a shotgun to clear out the enemies from a given point, but Specialist abilities give you yet another weapon in your arsenal.
Ruin's "Gravity Spike" ability is especially well-suited for clearing out objective points with its wide AOE effect, as are both of Firebreak's abilities and Prophet's "Tempest". Wanting to booby trap your flag in CTF? Try out Nomad's "H.I.V.E." ability. Try out different Specialist abilities to see which ones work best in various modes, and combine them with complementary loadouts to dominate each objective.
Keep these tips in mind and you should be able to dive right into the fast-paced world of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 multiplayer.
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