Say goodbye to your Maddox loadout for now, as the newest Call of Duty: Warzone update has shaken up the current meta with a mix of meaningful buffs and targeted nerfs across several weapons.
While some underused guns in Warzone, like the EGRT-17 and Swordfish A1, are getting some much-needed love, one of the game’s most dominant assault rifles, the Maddox RFB, has finally been brought back down to earth. Overall, the update feels aimed at improving weapon diversity, giving us more viable options across Battle Royale, Resurgence, and even Black Ops Royale.
Alongside weapon tuning, the latest Warzone patch also introduces several gameplay tweaks to Black Ops Royale, focusing on mobility and in-match activities.
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Weapon buffs and nerfs in the Warzone update today (March 24)
The EGRT-17 assault rifle is one of the biggest winners in this patch, particularly in Battle Royale and Resurgence modes. Its horizontal recoil has been reduced while recoil deviation has been tightened, making it more consistent in medium to long range gunfights. On top of that, two of its attachments received solid upgrades: the EAM Tatter Stock and Frigate Control Stock now provide better recoil control.
Another standout buff goes to the new marksman rifle, Swordfish A1, which sees improvements across multiple areas. Both its minimum and maximum damage ranges have been extended, allowing it to stay competitive at longer distances. Its aim-down-sight speed has also been sped up, while the burst fire interval delay is now shorter making it feel snappier in engagements.
The XM325 LMG is also getting a strong boost, with increased damage range across all modes and a slight bump in bullet velocity, while also getting a reduction in both horizontal recoil and recoil deviation in BR and Resurgence. For SMG mains, the Dravec 45 has been slightly reworked to better fit its intended role. Its damage has been increased, but this comes with a reduced fire rate to keep its time-to-kill balanced.
On the other hand, the Maddox RFB has been hit with a significant nerf. Its damage range has been reduced across all modes, addressing its dominance as a top-tier AR. According to the developers, the weapon’s ease of use and strong damage output made it a clear favorite, so these adjustments are meant to open up the AR category and encourage more variety.
The Peacekeeper Mk1 has also received a slight nerf through a popular attachment. In BR and Resurgence, the Monolithic Suppressor has been toned down, with its bullet velocity and damage range bonuses reduced. While not a direct weapon nerf, this change slightly limits its effectiveness at range.
Black Ops Royale changes
Today’s Warzone patch also introduces several quality-of-life and balance changes to Black Ops Royale. Wingsuit controls for keyboard and mouse players have been adjusted, particularly when jumping from ledges. Players will now need to use intermittent forward inputs to maintain altitude, with further refinements expected in Season 3.
Redeploy Towers have also been tweaked to make them more viable during the later stages of a match, potentially offering more comeback opportunities in tight circles. Loot has seen a minor improvement as well, with a slightly higher chance of finding Armor Satchels in supply boxes.
In terms of activities, Strongbox Crack events will now feature more strongboxes spawning at the start of matches, while Surprise Shipment has been expanded with more shipments and a higher drop rate for Safecracker USBs. Surveillance Drones are also more common early on, with their Safecracker USB drop rate boosted as well.
You can check out the the full March 24 Warzone patch notes.
