So now that we're a little over a month into Black Ops and have had a decent amount of time to explore the guns, maps, perks, and most other nuances of the game, what are your guys' favorite perks? I just got Hardline Pro last night while raping face with PeruvianSoup and I must say, none of the other slot 1 perks hold a candle to it. My first match with it, I turned a SAM turrent and care package with an RC-XD into Valkyrie rockets and a gunship, respectively. The next match, same exact thing. Second to that, I'd have to go with boring ol' Lightweight Pro, but that's because it suits my run-and-gun style and helps me towards capping flags in Domination/CTF. I've tinkered around with most of the other blue perks, but none of them have done it for me so far. I tend to shoot down spy planes, so I don't have much reason for Ghost. But then again, Ghost Pro can save me from killstreak rewards. Decisions, decisions... For slot 2, it's Sleight of Hand Pro all the way. I always used SOH Pro for slot 1 in MW2 (that phrase is chock full of nerd, by the way), and I plan on doing the same here. Faster ADS + faster reload is, again, something that works wonders for my playing style. Equipping dual mags on the AK-74u with SOH Pro makes reloading damn near instantaneous. It's essentially like having a 60-round clip (30-round clip x 2), while extended mags gives you "only" 45 rounds. Just some food for thought, especially if you're like me and pump out rounds like it's going out of style. Thank Maltob for suggesting that. I hadn't considered doing it before, and it makes a huge difference in firefights. For slot 3, as I've said before, Marathon Pro is a staple to any Dom/CTF player's repertoire. I like that they toned down Marathon from MW2, since Marathon Pro in that game was pretty much useless, and it puts more separation between the players with the Pro version and those without it. I also get great use out of Hacker, which is so much more effective than SitRep was, for the simple fact that it actually shows enemy equipment like it's fucking supposed to. It goes a long way towards avoiding unnecessary deaths by you and your teammates by way of claymores, sentry guns, etc. Finally, if/when they patch the sound of footsteps, I might start using Ninja as often as I did in MW2. I'm a half-dozen bomb plants away from getting Ninja Pro, which could be better than it was in MW2 since it makes enemies' footsteps louder (like SitRep Pro in MW2), in addition to making your own completely silent. I might go back to my soundwhoring ways, but then again I've gotten so used to the faster pace of Black Ops that I may not. I think this could make for a great discussion. What are your guys' thoughts on the perks so far? I got a suggestion last night that Flak Jacket works great in CTF, since that game type is rife with claymores. I hadn't considered doing that, and I'm sure you guys have other, similar tips worth sharing with your nerdy brethren.
Alright then: Slot1: Hardline Pro or Lightweight Pro. Hardline for the care packages and LW for just running around and raping face. The lack of fall damage is very handy too, for example on Crisis where you can just jump out of towers/balconies and get people. Hardline Pro + Hacker Pro = Awesome. You can change it up if the enemy got ammo or some other worthless KS, then booby trap it. Satisfying. Slot 2: Hardened or SoH. The rest doesn't even compare. Not flinching when shot is very useful but only when people can't aim for shit. That's why I'm slowly moving towards an all-SoH setup. Using this with dual mags is the way to go, indeed. Slot 3: Ninja or Marathon. I'm not even bothering with the Pro versions because I'm prestiging too fast to get any use out of them. Another gun I recommend is the M60. Slap a grip on it and go with Ghost, Hardened and Ninja. Some decoys and a claymore and you're ready to go, it's what got me a 33 killstreak. It seriously kills in 3 bullets at any distance.
You guys catch Hutch's conclusion of his Progression series with Black Ops? It's just as eloquent as the previous video, which of course explored the good and bad of Modern Warfare 2. As per Hutch, his thoughts are very much on-point. Enjoy: In a video on his own channel, he clarifies that the AK-74u isn't overpowered; the other subs need to be improved. It's possible because of how much work he put into his Progression video, he made those comments before those on the linked Demolition video (the former was posted 3 days after the latter). At any rate, I agree that the other subs need to adjust to the 74u, not the other way around. Also: red dot vs. reflex? Woodysgamertag has the answer (because so far I've yet to find anyone else who does):
As far as Tier 1 perks are concerned, I'm a little pissed that Scavenger has to compete with Ghost and Hardline. I'm a little worried that the next update may have players lean toward Ghost exclusively (because Hardline Pro will no longer affects SAM turrets or Sentry Guns). That having been said, I run Ghost on most of my classes. Its pro effects are too good not to use, especially when someone re-rolls a drop into something huge. If I could believe I had a team competent enough to hide from a Chopper Gunner, perhaps I'd change my mind. Let's be honest though, CoD does not cater to intellectuals. Hardline is a distant second if only for its gambling effect in game types I'm not used to, like Ground War. That having been said, Flak Jacket/Marathon Pro is a must for the flag runner. Laughing at claymores while running at SMG speed is crucial to turning games around or just flat out crushing your opponents. Concerning Tier 2 perks, SoH Pro is my go-to. I mitigate the flinch by aiming at the crotch with my assault rifles. Any flinch that comes as a result of being shot lets me shoot the guy's other head, giving me the quick win. As far as Tier 3 go, Hacker is perhaps the best right now. Marathon and Ninja come in tied at number 2 and Tactical Mask is useful in objective games. Claymores and motion sensors give a real edge to those who use them, especially if you're trying to flush out a camper and have a run and gun style. It's also great to know where the campers are. Marathon Pro is amazing but it has one glaring weakness: Too many people abuse its unlimited sprint by running around corners. That just gets you (the user) killed thanks to your own reaction time and the weapon draw time. Ninja is kind of useful on larger maps for flanking maneuvers but almost requires a headset to be useful. Tactical Mask Pro has its niche in objective games like Demolition especially if you run Nova Gas or want to trick your opponent into making a mistake but thinking he's got you stunned/flashed. Otherwise, bag it.
I heard that Tac Mask Pro also shows an arrow that indicates the direction your enemy is in when you flash/stun him. Is this true? If so, I imagine that can be highly valuable. It kind of bothers me that they're patching that. What difference should it make whether it's a care package or one specifically for a sentry/SAM? It's still a box being dropped from a chopper. And I suppose that rolling a sentry gun in a generic care package is okay, but rolling one in its own package isn't, even though the latter requires 1 more kill to call in than the former? It doesn't make sense. It should be the same across the board, on general principle. On the other hand, while I haven't read the COD forums to find out Treyarch's reason for the update, I imagine it would be to prevent players (because I'm certainly one of them) from using the SAM-CP-Sentry setup and rerolling everything they called in. Imagine turning those three into a mortar team-CG-dogs or something. Shit could get overpowered fast. We don't need a repeat of MW2 where there's multiple KS rewards going on at any given time. Thus far, they've done a really good job listening to the community and addressing balance issues. Tweaking the SMGs to bring them up to par with the 74u, fixing all the knife problems, and improving the sound of footsteps are the biggest in-game issues right now, as far as I can tell. Compared to MW2, those are very mild problems. From what I understand, they're even keeping up on the snipers and possibly looking into dialing back how much they've nerfed them. Listen to it here.
I am glad I am not the only one with the FAL jamming on them. For me it's not even that it jams, per say, it's that the buttons stop responding ENTIRELY so you can't knife or switch to a secondary. If I am mashing the trigger button like a motherfucker with the FAL, it is usually because I came across an enemy in close quarters that I wasn't expecting and I am hip firing like crazy trying to save my ass. Which means when the gun jams and you can't even stab someone...your ass is grass. I really hope Treyarch fixes this glitch, because I really liked playing with the FAL on certain boards. Slap a red dot on it and you can pretty much drop anyone in 2-3 shots from anywhere on the map if they are within sight. Plus it sounds pretty cool, as petty as that sounds.
For my perks, my top 2 for each section: 1. Hardline Pro 2. Scaveneger 1. Sleight of Hand Pro 2. Steady Aim Pro 1. Second Chance Pro (I get at least 3 extra lives every match because of this) 2. Marathon Can someone tell me the perks/costs of Prestiging? Do you just lose everything just to build everything back up? Why do people do it, and what would I benefit from it?
Can I just say that I love Hardline Pro? I'm running the Sam/Care Package/Sentry killstreaks (at least until the patch), and it's absolute domination once you get on a roll. Rerolled those into a B-52, gunship, and chopper gunner in one game tonight. Went 22-6, and didn't even get to use either chopper. This is absolutely why they are nerfing it. Its been a while since I took stats, but if you take a look at the numbers that Rob posted, it's obvious that it's overpowered. By rerolling, you can basically get 4 care packages with only 5 kills, and you're almost guaranteed to get something much better than you should have. I'm loving it, but it has to go because of balancing issues.
Here are two quick tips that have saved me countless times: Reloading. Do it when you still have a bullet or 2 in the magazine. This shortens the reload time, don't ask me why. Worked in MW2, still works in Black Ops; If you're reloading and someone pops up.. You're done, right? Not necessarily. Double tap triangle (or Y I think on Xbox360) to change to your secondary and back. This effectively cancels the reloading animation. Then just hipfire away into the guy. You're welcome.
In the same vein as Pato's reloading tip, I present to you: The DickTits Switch. The second video shows what this move can do for you at game speed.
It's because you have to rack the first round, which depending on the gun can take anywhere from a split second to over a second. Either way, time wasted.
I've been going for Marathon Pro lately and have been playing nothing but Capture the Flag. I haven't been put on a single competent team in about 15 matches. Every single person either runs directly to the flag with no regard for their own lives, or they all sit back and watch our own flag, only to shoot whichever guy comes to try and take it two or three times, and then not move an inch after that guy is out of their immediate view. It's infuriating.
As good as CTF can be, unfortunately it has a tendency to breed this kind of idiotic gameplay on both sides. Your teammates will camp your flag, and you can bet there will be at least one guy on the other team doing the same thing. You know how when these COD games first come out, and nobody knows the maps, 95% of players are ultra conservative and do nothing but camp? CTF is like that ALL THE TIME. It fucking sucks, because it's my second-favorite playlist behind Domination. Much like S&D, CTF is a game where you're better off getting in with a party whenever possible.
New patch (1.04) out for PS3 and Xbox360 today apparently. Changes... Source: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.codblackopsblog.com/black-ops-patch-1-04-now-live-on-xbox-360-ps3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.codblackopsblog.com/black-op ... x-360-ps3/</a>
It does indeed. Basically, a small yellow arc will appear on your screen indicating the direction your opponent is from you. Also, I still disagree with the Hardline Pro update. The re-roll actually averaged things toward the middle, toward killstreaks worth 4-5 than anything else. So, it's just the rare event that people bitch about. Also, I have 0 sympathy for players bitching about Chopper Gunner/Gunship/Attack Chopper. They have 5 classes to tool around with. They can donate at least one of those classes to the Strela or the fucking LAW of all things. Now, I'll be fair and say Ghost Pro is significantly harder to achieve thanks to having to destroy a Sentry Gun, but even then, a team working together can take down a chopper quickly. I guess I'm still worried about Ghost being de rigeur and therefore making Spy Plane useless.
From what I've seen around other forums, Scavenger Pro is still very popular, particularly among rushing players such as xSocrates, who is a fucking sick player (definitely check out his channel). Hardline Pro isn't without its merits either, even if the reroll has been dialed back. 1 less kill still goes a long way for some people. I think it's a bit premature to say everyone will jump to Ghost, though I definitely see your point. Thank the fuck Christ for the stuff in bold. Ninja Pro, the spawn system, and the knife lunge were 1-2-3 on my wishlist. Major props to Treyarch for taking care of all this stuff before Christmas. I doubt Infinity Ward would have been as prompt on such high-priority issues. I haven't been on today, but I'm definitely gonna check online tomorrow to see how well these things have improved. Also, FPSKyle has his thoughts on the patch:
HOLY SHIT THE NEW PATCH SUCKS. Wow. Apparently there are some serious issues with the PS3 and this patch. I fired up my machine an hour and a half ago and I have only been able to get on ONE full game. It went... -Load game, freeze entirely on countdown. Require full restart. -Load game, freeze entirely on countdown. Require full restart. -Load game, get to matchmaking screen, sits for 5+ minutes. Back to main menu. -Load game, get past matchmaking, get in an amazing lobby in Mercinery TDM. Play with a fully cooperative group and kick ass. -Stay in lobby. Get to game loading screen, connection interrupted. Back to main menu. -Get in matchmaking, game is counting down, connection interrupted. Back to main menu. -Get in game. Decent lobby, connection interrupted. Back to main menu. -Get to matchmaking, game starts. Play 4-5 minutes and the game freezes entirely. One game out of eight. My NAT was Open and I was getting 3-4 bars every game. The offical COD site/forum is on fire right now with a shitload of angy, pissed-off PS3 owners, and I can see why. One guy went 18-for-20 in games where the connection was interrupted. I sincerely hope Treyarch fixes this promptly.
Jesus. That really sucks. Is this only happening to PS3 users? Seems like PS3 and PC guys have had more problems than the 360 since this game's been out.