Best Lethal Equipment In COD: Black Ops 6

Key Takeaways

• Success in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 hinges on instinctive reactions and the right loadout, not just weapons.
• Lethal equipment like the C4 and Thermo Grenade offer unique advantages in specific game modes.
• Frag Grenade remains a reliable and versatile choice for flushing out enemies in various scenarios.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has some of the most intense gunplay the series has seen in recent years. With quick movement and time-to-kill, every bullet counts, and the deciding factor between life and death is how instinctively you react. That said, success hinges on more than just your weapon—your entire loadout matters, especially lethal equipment.

These combat explosives provide a secondary source of damage and can be devastating with the right setup. Covering wide areas and capable of wiping out multiple opponents at once, lethals are the perfect tool for crowd control. And, with ten options currently available, knowing which one’s best can help you garner tons of kills with minimal effort.

Every explosive lethal equipment can cause self-damage, so you’ll need to stay at a safe distance before they detonate!

9

Drill Charge

Unlock Requirement: Level 50

With Recon perks or other intel-providing gear, the Drill Charge can certainly lead to some impressive plays. Having a device that explodes through walls and floors is extremely powerful; thus, in crowded modes like Domination and Hardpoint, this lethal equipment can be devastating.

Unfortunately, the maps that can even remotely utilize the Drill Charge’s unique ability are simply too few. Aside from Nuketown and Strike Maps like Stakeout, there’s barely any other environment that makes this device viable. Besides that, knowing the enemy’s exact position is a major prerequisite, so players prefer using easier alternatives like the Frag and Semtex, leaving the Drill Charge niche and obsolete.

8

Impact Grenade

Unlock Requirement: Level 26

On paper, the Impact Grenade seems promising—an item that explodes on contact without warning should be powerful. Unfortunately, the sacrifices made to get that surprise factor sour the whole deal. For starters, the Impact Grenade has arguably the worst blast radius in Black Ops 6, making it practically unusable on larger maps like Red Card.

Additionally, its damage output is so low that you can only guarantee a one-shot kill if you hit the enemy directly. While the throwing animation matches the speed of the standard frag grenade, its inconsistent effectiveness often means you’ll need to rely on your gun to finish the job.

7

C4

Unlock Requirement: Level 14

The C4 is plausibly the most complex lethal equipment in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 since, unlike ordinary lethal equipment, it has two steps: planting and detonating. Because of its nature, this explosive isn’t as plug-and-play as its other lethal companions, but there’s enough incentive and uniqueness that you can give it a shot.

With its extremely high detonating range and blast radius, the C4 is designed to be used in loadouts for Zombies and Search and Destroy. You can remotely protect an objective either as a defender or as an attacker upon planting the bomb. However, in other game modes, this equipment is significantly tougher to justify because it’s just not as flexible.

To make the C4 a formidable threat in Search and Destroy, equip the Danger Close wildcard to carry two charges. Keep in mind that you must plant both C4s before detonation, and, once triggered, they’ll explode at the same time.

6

Combat Axe

Unlock Requirement: Level 53

Bringing a knife to a gunfight may be foolish, but the Combat Axe disproves that notion. Similar to prior Call of Duty titles, you essentially get a heavier throwing knife that can kill enemies in one hit, making it highly favorable for players who can aim their lethals precisely.

Of course, using the Combat Axe requires a lot of skill and instinctive movement, and its throwing range feels tamer than previous throwable melee gear in the series. Still, it’s one of its kind, and being reusable means you can round up dozens of kills if you’re accurate and quick.

5

Blast Trap

Unlock Requirement: Level 41

The Blast Trap replaces the fan-favorite Proximity Mine in this Call of Duty, and, in most cases, it feels much more responsive. The detonation time is slightly faster, and considering that its danger zone is roughly the same as its predecessor, you’re more likely to eliminate the targets before they escape.

However, compared to the Claymore, which detonated instantly with a larger blast, the Blast Trap is a considerable downgrade. The only advantage it has is the fact that it remains active for a very short period after you die, so if you’re defending an objective, you might catch the opponent off-guard and get an unsuspecting kill.

4

Thermo Grenade

Unlock Requirement: Level 21

Combining the longevity of a Molotov, the bounce of a Frag Grenade, and the impact of a Semtex, the Thermo Grenade is a lethal powerhouse and a top-tier pick for Team Deathmatch and Hardpoint. Its initial smoke can deceive opponents, mistaking it for a simple smoke grenade—only to be caught off-guard by a sudden, devastating explosion.

Its only drawback is the audio and visual cues, which can alert enemies beforehand. Fortunately, though, the follow-up blast is usually quick and massive enough to catch fleeing targets. With all its abilities, the Thermo Grenade is a beast when it comes to recapturing vital positions on the map.

3

Molotov

Unlock Requirement: Level 32

When you need to watch two sides at once, the Molotov is your best bet. By lighting a pit of fire beneath your enemy’s feet, this lethal equipment can block off a blindspot that opponents would otherwise use to flank you.

The Molotov can be absolutely brutal in game modes like Domination and Hardpoint, where you know the points of interest and, therefore, where most enemies will be. You can easily cut off an entrance and buy yourself time to gather enough points for your team.

2

Frag

Unlock Requirement: None

Despite being the series’ oldest, the Frag Grenade remains one of the most reliable and versatile lethals in the game. The damage output and AoE make it a powerhouse in almost any game mode and map. Additionally, it can sniff out nearby hostiles since the grenade’s HUD indicator is an instant alert to run.

The Frag’s compact size makes it incredibly bouncy, perfect for creative, angled throws to flush out opponents hiding in adjacent rooms. This strategic advantage cements its status as an essential tool for any player’s arsenal, and since it’s the first lethal equipment you unlock, you can develop effective strategies and learn a few lineups.

1

Semtex

Unlock Requirement: Level 9

In some cases, you’d want a device that sticks to a surface instead of bouncing off until it hits the ground. For those engagements, the Semtex has no competition, allowing it to be the ideal throwable in narrow alleys and rooms.

Compared to the Frag Grenade, the Semtex detonates much quicker with relatively the same damage output. However, the rather loud audio cue lets opponents pinpoint where it is, allowing them to escape and reach a safe distance. Therefore, you need to be more precise and predict where the enemy will go.