The Crossbow has never been a relevant weapon in multiplayer or Warzone, but Zombies fans have fallen in love with the underrated weapon in Modern Warfare 3.
MW3 features 114 weapons at launch, with 37 being new, while the rest were carried over from Modern Warfare 2. Players raced to level up and use exciting new weapons, while old guns fell to the wayside.
Warzone saw one MW2 weapon emerge into the meta as the Fennec 45 dominated, but Raven Software stepped in and nerfed the SMG before it had a chance to take over the battle royale.
Besides that, it’s been a challenge for other MW2 weapons to find their place in the new landscape. But the Crossbow has taken over MW3 Zombies.
Best Crossbow loadout in MWZ
As part of the Dec. 14 MW3 and Zombies update, the Crossbow’s Brightblaze 20″ Bolts saw a nerf that reduced its damage in each map region and on specials, elites, and bosses. Most notably, the ammunition type does 70 percent less damage to elite and boss enemies and is 80 percent weaker when going up against a special enemy.
CoD YouTuber JGOD discovered a way to test weapon statistics in MW3 Zombies and concluded that the Crossbow is still one of the strongest options, even after the nerf. The Marksman Rifle doesn’t fire fast but still shreds through enemies.
Best Crossbow attachments in MW3 Zombies
- Barrel: Carbon Elite V3
- Underbarrel: DR-6 Handstop
- Optic: Nydar Model 2023
- Bolt Blastcap 20″ Bolts
- Stock: Speedtrack Echo
There is no need to worry about recoil control or any accuracy attributes while making a Crossbow build for Zombies. All you really need is a loadout that makes it easier to maneuver around enemies or escape while you put a new arrow in.
As such, the Carbon Elite V3 and Speedtrack Echo improve movement and ADS speeds at the cost of accuracy. Meanwhile, the DR-6 Handstop also helps with mobility, aim walking speed, ADS, sprint to fire, and movement speed.
Blastcap 20″ Bolts may have received a nerf but the ammunition type still shines in Zombies. The explosive tips damage one zombie and then blow up other enemies as well. The ammunition type no longer deals the same amount of massive damage to elite enemies and bosses, but the weapon is still great for crowd clearing.
Finally, the Nydar Model 2023 provides a clean line of sight as the iron sights for a Crossbow are obstructive.
