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Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 22

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Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Hanzo

By Emily Barnes

UPDATED – 6/2/2020

Meta is a massive part of basically every Overwatch match, whether it’s in the Platinum rank on Xbox, Masters on PC, or even in the Overwatch League. Characters are considered to be off-meta or meta based on their abilities, how they mesh with other character’s abilities and just overall strategy that has proven to be repeatedly effective in Overwatch games. Meta is not completely consistent throughout every competitive season, especially with the implementation of Hero pools. An example of a well known Meta would be double shield meta or bunker meta where players typically ran a composition centered around the following characters: Orisa, Sigma, Bastion, Baptiste, and maybe even Mercy.

Players more often than not base their team compositions around the current Overwatch meta. However, players often specialize in non-meta characters and see decent success not abiding by the meta. All characters in Overwatch are unique and can be great niche picks or in certain scenarios. It’s up to the player to make the best decision for what character to pick, and this list is meant to help you understand the off-meta heroes and why they are off-meta in Season 22!

10. Genji

Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Genji
(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Genji is one of the highest picked DPS in the game and it is not unusual to have a Genji in most games in  a sitting. Genji is a very swift character who utilizes shurikens against his enemies. His abilities allow him to climb walls, double jump, slash through enemies with Swift Strike, and one of his most notable abilities is his Deflect. Deflect literally deflects your enemy’s abilities back into their face. Most of the people who pick Genji probably have his ultimate ability in mind, his Dragon Blade. Dragon Blade is pretty strong on its own, but it pairs extremely well with Zarya’s Graviton Surge and Ana’s Nano Boost. However, this powerful ult can be one of the only effective parts of Genji’s kit into shields and it can be controlled by your enemy support’s defensive ults. Playing a hero while completely depending on their ultimate to win every fight is not a good idea, but if you can consistently land kills with Genji’s shuriken and abilities, he is still a strong damage pick.

9. Pharah

Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Pharah
(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Pharah is a very fun character to play as she has a very unique set of abilities. Consequently, she is definitely a niche pick, and usually, players who play her have dedicated a large chunk of time into mastering her kit and using it effectively. Pharah’s weapon is a rocket launcher which can be very deadly if she manages to hit her enemies with it, and she also has an ability called Jump Jet which launches herself into the sky. On open maps, such as Route 66 and Eichenwalde, she can be very effective. Pharah’s ultimate ability Barrage shoots out many rockets at once but forces her to remain still for several seconds, making her extremely vulnerable. If you have a reliable Mercy pocket healing you and can consistently hit rockets on your enemies, then Pharah can be a solid pick for you. However due to the high amount of damage hit scan players, you might be shot out of the sky very quickly.

8. Brigitte

Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Brigitte
(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Brigitte somehow combines both Support elements and Off-Tank elements into one package with her Barrier Shield and various abilities. Brigitte automatically heals her teammates while hitting her enemies with her Rocket Flail melee weapon. This means that if your teammates aren’t playing grouped up or brawling, Brigitte will have to rely on her armor packs to heal her teammates. Her armor packs are very limited and healing with her can be extremely difficult. Her Shield Bash ability can stun enemies’ ultimate abilities and her Whip Shot can even knock enemies off of the map. Brigitte is a fun hero to play but is most likely only good in certain situations.

7. Hanzo

Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Hanzo
(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Hanzo falls under the damage category of heroes and is a long-range damage dealer as well. He has a bow and arrow for a weapon that can solar track his enemies, whilst firing arrows in fast succession. Very similar to his brother Genji, Hanzo has movement abilities that allow him to climb walls and double jump. Hanzo’s ultimate ability, Dragon Strike, is very powerful when paired with Zarya’s Graviton Surge. Unless your enemies have a strong defensive ultimate to counter, the combination of Graviton Dragon is almost guaranteed kills. However, Hanzo is much less reliable than his counterparts in the hit scan damage category. This means you may have to rely completely on his ultimate for any value at all.

6. Zenyatta

Top Ten Off-Meta Overwatch Heroes in Season 21 (April 2020) - Zenyatta
(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Zenyatta can be unbelievably strong in Overwatch. Unfortunately, Zenyatta has an extreme lack of mobility, and enemies can dive him quite easily. Zenyatta’s Discord orb lands on one enemy at a time and increases any damage they take by 25%. Zenyatta’s primary fire is called Orbs of Destruction. The Orbs of Destruction do 48 damage per orb, while firing rapidly. This allows an uncontested Zenyatta to absolutely destroy his enemies especially if his teammates are following up on his Discord orbs. However, when Zenyatta gets dove by enemies he is practically defenseless, and against a competent Winston or DVA, he really doesn’t stand much of a chance for most Zenyatta players.

5. Widowmaker

(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Widowmaker is most notable for her ability to “One shot, One kill,” her enemies. A skilled and competent Widowmaker allows her kit to make her an extremely deadly sniper who can wipe out entire enemy backlines in a couple of headshots. Widowmaker successfully puts significant pressure on enemy teams, and she can be intimidating to play against. However, Widowmakers have to continuously hit headshots to have any impact, and if she isn’t hitting these shots, she’s practically useless. Her ultimate ability, Infra-Sight, allows her and her teammates to see their enemies through walls. This ultimate is somewhat helpful, but it really never completely shifts team fights nor does it guarantee kills. Widowmaker is extremely dependent on the individual player’s skill, making her an off-meta hero.

4. Junkrat

(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Junkrat is a projectile damage dealer who has the potential to unload high amounts of damage with both his weaponry and abilities. Junkrat has an ability called Total Mayhem that drops several live grenades upon his death. He also has a Steel Trap that traps his enemies for multiple seconds, almost guaranteeing a kill if your teammates act on your traps. However, Junkrat is easily countered by the very popular tank Zarya. His high damage output is great at charging Zarya to a full charge, making Zarya a monster for the rest of your teammates to deal with. Junkrat’s most notable part of his kit is his ultimate Rip Tire that he can unleash and denote on enemies even a considerable distance away. However, the Rip Tire can be destroyed making it completely useless.

3. Wrecking Ball

(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Wrecking Ball is one of the most unique characters amongst the Overwatch roster in both design and gameplay. Wrecking Ball’s weapons are Quad Cannons and his ability Roll allows him to transform into a ball and literally roll around the map. His Grappling Claw allows him to latch onto surfaces and roll in circles making him almost impossible to kill on certain points. Wrecking Ball is very good at stalling points on certain maps and his ultimate ability Minefield deploys a Minefield that can kill his enemies when they touch them. Wrecking Ball can be very powerful but his playstyle is difficult to grasp for some and he can leave the other tank on his team more vulnerable.

2. Bastion

(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Bastion definitely deserves to be so high on this list as he is known for being a defensive pick that can shred his enemies quickly. Combined with Mercy’s damage boost, Bastion’s primary fire does insane amounts of damage. Bastion is often played with double shields that will protect him from most enemy damage. Bastion can be intimidating especially in lower ranks, but he is actually very easy to counter which makes him off-meta. Once you kill a Bastion, you will see that often his entire team was based around protecting him and without him, they will fall apart quickly.

1. Symmetra

(© Blizzard Entertainment)

Symmetra is one of the most controversial heroes in Overwatch across every rank. Starting off classified as a Support character, Blizzard moved Symmetra  over to the much more fitting Damage category. Symmetra’s primary fire is a laser that can charge on enemy barriers and she also can put down three sentry turrets at once that laser her enemies. Her ultimate ability, the Photon Barrier, can cut through the entire map and blocks enemy damage and healing. Symmetra also has a teleporter that allows for certain flanks on maps, but most players are used to these flanks, and Symmetra can be countered relatively easily. Symmetra is ineffective against teams that know how to counter her, and that is why she is considered off-meta across mostly every season.

Conclusion

In conclusion, playing an off-meta hero is not a guaranteed loss. You can very easily still carry and win games with these heroes on this list, especially if you have lots of experience with that certain hero. This list is just suggestions and explanations of why certain heroes are off-meta, and it is not to be considered to be defined limitations that every player should follow. All in all, if you communicate with your teammates and play as a team (which is one of the best tips to get out of platinum rank), you will be successful in your Overwatch career no matter who you play.

Abby Espiritu is a writer and self-proclaimed video game fanatic. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (double major) in American Studies and Modern Culture & Media at Brown University, she stumbled upon a Video Games Studies course where she got to read and write about video games for an entire semester. While she loved the class immensely, she wondered what the heck she would do with all the information she had learned. Luckily for her, she actually found something to do with it - make a living writing about video games! In addition to her articles on GamingTopTens, Abby also writes for fellow gaming site The Gamer. When she isn’t writing about, religiously playing, or obsessing over her favorite RPG’s (like Persona 5 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses) Abby can be found writing for a variety of sites and publications, such as Scribd and Flex Media Group. Beyond her writing endeavors, Abby is also an onscreen and voiceover actress as well as a casting production assistant based in New York City. When she isn’t working, you can probably find her in one of three places: watching a Broadway show in NYC, attending an anime convention in full-on cosplay, or sitting on her couch playing video games. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @missabbyespirit

Game Guides

The 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3

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Which are the best armor sets in The Witcher 3?

Armor has always been an essential part of RPG games, and it’s not all about the visual look and aesthetic.

When you’re placed into a world full of enemies and battles to be fought, your normal body isn’t going to be enough to protect yourself from potentially massive amounts of damage. All attacks in-game do a specific amount of damage whether it’s 100, 200, or 5,00 damage.

There are also multiple types of damage including piercing damage, environmental damage, monster damage, and many more.

 

The Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3

This is where armor can really save the day and enable you to succeed in your play.

Armor takes away some of the damage that attacks do, and each armor differs in just how much damage and what specific kind it will be most resistant to.

The different visual appeal makes them fun to collect and discover, so keep reading for the list of the top ten sets in The Witcher 3.

 

10. Kaer Morhen Armor

Top 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3 - Kaer Morhen Armor

We are starting with one of the easiest armor sets to discover: the Kaer Morhen, your starting armor.

This armor can eventually be crafted into a much stronger version, the Warrior’s leather jacket. You will simply combine the Kaer Morhen, one cured leather, two pieces of wire, and two leather scraps.

The Warrior’s leather jacket is a medium type of armor and has some hefty stats.

This armor provides a 9% increase in resistance to piercing damage and bludgeoning damage.

On top of that, your resistance to slashing damage will increase by 18%, your resistance to damage from monsters by 12%, and finally, your resistance to elemental damage will increase by 15%.

This armor may be found at the beginning of the game, but its upgraded version is not to be overlooked.

 

9. Assassin’s Armor Set

Top 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3 - Assassin's Armor Set

The Assassin’s Armor Set is a moderately resistant set that makes up for what it lacks in being available early on.

This set is a great option towards the beginning of your playthrough but can be replaced with something better later on.

However, a pair of Assassin’s Gauntlets provide a significant critical hit boost, an increase of 10% to be exact. Your resistance to piercing damage and bludgeoning damage will both increase by 2%, slashing damage resistance will increase by 5%, and your chances of finding herbs will go up by 5%.

While this armor may not be especially defensive, the increase in critical hit chance will be very effective in battle.

 

8. Viper School Armor Set

Top 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3 - Viper School Armor Set

This set becomes available with the Hearts of Stone expansion.

You will complete the “Open Sesame!” Quest and buy the armor diagram from Countless Mignole.

The items required to craft the Viper School Armor set include linen, leather straps, hardened leather, wire, and cured draconid leather. This set requires the player to be level 39, and this armor has very high defensive stats.

The player’s resistance to piercing and slashing damage will increase by 30%, resistance to monster and elemental damage will increase by 40%, and your resistance to poisoning will increase by a whopping 50%. With this armor on you are going to be a tough enemy to defeat!

 

7. Griffin School Armor Set

Top 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3 - Griffin School Armor Set

The Griffin School Gear includes a full armor set and weapons.

Each of these is upgradeable, and the Griffin armor can be used to craft the Enhanced Griffin Armor.

You will need one shirt, two hardened leather, a meteorite silver plate, five leather straps, and two monster eyes. When wearing this armor your sign intensity, resistance to piercing damage, and resistance to bludgeoning damage will all increase by 5%.

Your resistance to slashing damage will increase by 10%, and your resistance to monster damage will increase by 15%. This armor is best for players who will prioritize swift movements and attacks over defense.

 

6. Toussaint Knight’s Tourney Armor (Crafted)

Top 10 Best Armor Sets in The Witcher 3 - Toussaint Knight's Tourney Armor (Crafted)

The Toussaint Knight’s Tourney Armor is a heavy armor that is available in three versions: crafted, magic, and master.

For this list, I chose the crafted Toussaint Knight’s Tourney armor. When completing the Night of Long Fangs quest you must pick Syanna’s route.

Then the relic form on this armor can be found at the Land of Thousand Fables. First of all, this armor increases Geralt’s Vitality by 500.

On top of that, your resistance to piercing damage, bludgeoning damage, and slashing damage will all increase by 43%. This piece of armor provides a unique increase of chance to deflect projectiles with the Quen magical sign by 25%.

 

5. Hen Gaidth Armor Set

The Hen Gaidth Armor Set becomes available with the Blood and Wine expansion.

The set can be found while completing the “What Lies Unseen” quest while inside the Unseen Elder’s lair.

This set has a red and black visual look that resembles something Dracula would have worn, and it’s definitely a resistant heavy armor.

Your resistance to slashing and monster damage will both increase by 35%. Your resistance to piercing damage will go up by 40%, resistance to bludgeoning damage will increase by 30%, and finally, your resistance to bleeding will increase by 50%!

 

4. Manticore School Armor Set

Some sets of armor will include a bonus when wearing multiple pieces from the same set, and the fourth set on our list is a perfect example.

The Manticore School Armor Set is introduced with the Blood and Wine expansion. You can craft this powerful armor set with the following ingredients: two cured Draconid leather, two Dimeritium plates, two monster eyes, and two monster ears.

This armor provides the player with 240 points to their Vitality.  Your resistance to toxicity increases by 10, your resistance to piercing damage increases by 19%, and your resistance to slashing damage by 24%. Furthermore, your resistance to damage from monsters increases by 31%. This armor has great defensive stats and a boost to critical hit damage as well at an increase of 25%.

 

3. Wolf School Armor Set

Scavenger Hunt: Wolf School Gear was added on as a DLC to the original Witcher 3 game, and the point of the mission is to obtain the diagrams for the Wolf School Gear.

South of the Kaer Morhen signpost is an old signal tower that contains the diagrams. The armor can be crafted with one shirt, two pieces of hardened leather, five leather straps, two monster eyes, and one meteorite silver plate. The Wolf School Armor Set gives the player a 105-point increase in Vitality.

Your adrenaline, resistance to piercing damage, and resistance to bludgeoning damage will all increase by 5%. Then your resistance to slashing damage will increase by 10%, and your resistance to monster damage will increase by 15%.

 

2. Ursine School Armor Set

The second set on this list is undoubtedly one of the most powerful pieces of armor available in The Witcher 3, rightfully earning its high placement.

The Ursine School Armor is found in Skellige at the peak of Yngvar’s Fang.

The player only has to be level 20 to find this armor and can craft the armor with these ingredients: one shirt, one dark steel plate, four pieces of linen, one monster bone, and two pieces of hardened leather. Geralt’s Vitality will increase by 135 points.

Your adrenaline grain, resistance to piercing damage, and resistance to bludgeoning damage will all increase by 5%. Slashing damage will decrease by 15% and your resistance to monster damage will go up by 20%.

 

1. Feline School Gear Set

The number one most valuable and resistant armor on this list is none other than the Feline School Gear Set.

The Feline set is from the Cat School, and this specific set can be crafted.

Follow a road around the western cliffside near Novigrad’s temple. You will end up walking behind the houses until you discover a path that goes behind the tower. You will need Keira Metz’s amulet in order to make it through this part of the quest.

Once you’ve equipped this armor Geralt’s Vitality will increase by 135 points and his attack power will increase by 10%. Your piercing damage will increase by 6%, your resistance to slashing damage and damage from monsters will increase by 8%, and finally, your resistance to elemental damage will increase by 30%.

 

Summary

There is a long list of available armor pieces in the Witcher 3, complicated even more by upgradeable options and customizations.

Even though the base game is plenty filled with discoverable and craftable items, the multiple expansions after the release have added even more options to the game. This can seem intimidating to anyone who has just begun their Witcher 3 journey.

However, exploring a world filled with valuable treasures is rewarding and exciting! You will fight your way through dark caves riddled with monsters, cross great distances, and fight many battles to find these armor sets.

Whether you are trying to find the best lightweight armor or simply collect them all, I hope this list made it easier to decide which specific set to look for. If you are interested in more descriptive guides on the best items in The Witcher 3, take a look at our Top Ten Silver Swords list! and our Top Ten Steel Swords List!

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best armor sets in The Witcher 3:

  1. Feline School Gear Set
  2. Ursine School Armor Set
  3. Wolf School Armor Set
  4. Manticore School Armor Set
  5. Hen Gaidth Armor Set
  6. Toussaint Knight’s Tourney Armor (Crafted)
  7. Griffin School Armor Set
  8. Viper School Armor Set
  9. Assassin’s Armor Set
  10. Kaer Morhen Armor

What’s your favorite armor set in The Witcher 3? Leave a comment below.

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Game Guides

Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic

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By Samuel Riedeman

World of Warcraft (WoW) is one of the most famous video games ever. The time between WoW’s release in 2004 and its peak in 2010 is commonly known as “Vanilla”, or Classic, WoW. This time period is the source of many players’ nostalgia: the era the game became the most popular MMORPG in the world. Unfortunately, the hunter class became an infamous joke to some players. The meme continues today where hunters’ pets are blamed for bad pulls, or a hunter rolled need on something they couldn’t use, as the story goes. But don’t allow the negativity to keep you from playing a class you enjoy. So go out there, roll a hunter, and dream about the awesome weapons you will collect. In this list, we are looking at the top 10 best bows in WoW Classic.

10. Hoodoo Hunting Bow


Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic - Hoodoo Hunting Bow
Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

When players entered the Zul’gurub raid, they had a chance to summon Wushoolay through a random event called Edge of Madness. Players would find the subregion of Zul’gurub just past Zanza’s Rise. Tablets in the area would allow alchemists to learn the formula for Gurubashi Mojo Madness, which required Blood of Heroes, Massive Mojo, Black Lotus, and 6 Powerful Mojo. This would be used to extinguish the brazier in the area and begin the event, randomly summoning either Gri’lek, Renataki, Hazza’rah, or Wushoolay.

Wushoolay is a troll ghost and elemental shaman who will use strong lightning attacks against your party. Upon defeat, the boss has a chance of dropping the Hoodoo Hunting Bow. This bow has a large tiki face on it and does decent damage. The bow does 35 damage per second (DPS) and adds +10 Agility and +4 Stamina. With the effort required to acquire this bow, the Hoodoo is a great badge of honor for your hunter in WoW Classic.

9. Mandokir’s Sting


Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic - Mandokir’s Sting
Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

Players can return to Zul’gurub for the chance of receiving Mandokir’s Sting, a bow in the shape of a cobra. This weapon drops from an early boss in the raid, Bloodlord Mandokir. Considered an optional boss, the Bloodlord is a difficult fight but with great rewards. Mandokir begins the fight on his raptor mount, Ohgan. Once he dismounts, both Ohgan and Mandokir will engage the raid. This encounter is tricky and features unique mechanics where Mandokir will even resurrect fallen raid members.

Upon defeat, the Bloodlord has the chance of dropping a bow, Mandokir’s Sting. While this weapon doesn’t have any unique effects, the damage is decent at 37.5 DPS while also adding +11 Agility and +8 Stamina. Even if the stats don’t impress, the appearance is awesome and shows you are a skilled raider as well.

8. Bow of Taut Sinew


Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic - Bow of Taut Sinew
Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

Located in southern Silithus, players can obtain the Bow of Taut Sinew within the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj raid. This 20-person outdoor raid takes players to the home of the Qiraji, a bug-like race that were sealed within their ruins behind the scarab wall following the “War of the Shifting Sands”. After some Qiraji escaped their prison, Anachronos, the bronze dragon, helped the adventurers of Azeroth open the Scarab Wall to prevent further invasion. Within this raid, players would encounter Ayamiss the Hunter, the second to last boss. Ayamiss is a wasp beast who attacks from above and utilizes wasp minions as well as her poisonous stinger.

The Bow of Taut Sinew appears bug-like as if it was crafted from a limb of the Qiraji. The appearance is unique and the bow has good stats. The bow has 38.64 DPS and gives the user a bonus +22 Attack Power as well as +8 Nature Resistance.

7. Striker’s Mark


Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic - Striker’s Mark
Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

One of the most well-known raids of Vanilla WoW is Molten Core, full of many iconic bosses. Within Blackrock Mountain, the Molten Core raid is home to Ragnaros the Firelord. The favorite among Ragnaros’s pets, Magmadar is a two-headed core hound and the second boss of the raid. Among the loot drop from the core hound is the bow, Striker’s Mark. The epic weapon appears to be made from bone and features a skull above the purple grip. Striker’s mark has 39.6 DPS as well as +22 Attack Power and improves your chance to hit by 1%.

6. Rhok’delar, Longbow of the Ancient Keepers


Top 10 Best Bows in WoW Classic - Rhok'delar, Longbow of the Ancient Keepers
Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

To begin the quest to obtain this legendary bow, players must receive an Ancient Petrified Leaf by defeating Majordomo in the Molten Core raid. Players learn that this leaf belonged to Vartrus the Ancient in Felwood. Vartrus offers the two quests required to craft this bow. “A Proper String” tasks players to collect a Mature Black Dragon Sinew from Onyxia. Found in the Onyxia’s Lair raid, Onyxia is the daughter of Deathwing and sister of Nefarian, as well as the broodmother of the Black Dragonflight in Azeroth. “Stave of the Ancients” requires hunters to defeat four demonic corrupters in Felwood and forced players to complete this quest alone. Once a hunter collected the heads of the four demons, Vartrus would reward them with an Ancient Rune Etched Stave. Together, these items were used to create Rhok’delar, Longbow of the Ancient Keepers as well as Lok’delar, Stave of the Ancient Keepers.

Rok’delar would improve your chance to get a critical strike by 1% and +17 ranged Attack Power while Lok’delar improved your chance to get a critical strike by 2% and added +45 Attack Power when fighting Demons. Not only would hunters receive a fantastic weapon upon completing this quest, but also great bragging rights. This weapon remains one of the most iconic weapons in WoW Classic because of how challenging it is to obtain!

5. Heartstriker


Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

Another iconic raid from the early days of World of Warcraft was Blackwing Layer. This was the home of Nefarian, the black dragon also known as Deathwing. This was an important point in the Cataclysm story where the player could confront the infamous Nefarian and attempt to defeat him themselves. The third boss in this raid was Broodlord Lashlayer, who guards the Halls of Strife, blocking the way into Nefarian’s inner sanctum. The Broodlord is a Drakonid and players must traverse two “suppression rooms” full of traps and minions before they can reach him. Once he is defeated, players have a chance to receive the Heartstriker, a bow ornated with two black and red dragons. The Heartstriker has 44 DPS and adds +24 Attack Power when equipped.

4. High Warlord’s Recurve


Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

This is the first of two PvP bows on this list, both of which are incredibly difficult to obtain. In World of Warcraft Classic, the Honor System is used to track PvP progress. Honor is collected through Honorable Kills (HKs) when a player kills another player of the opposite faction in the open world or battlegrounds. Not all HKs are counted equally, however, so a player’s Honor rating is tracked with Honor Contribution Points (CPs). This is so objectives in battlegrounds like capturing flags or bases will also reward Honor. CPs calculate your rating and reward you with a rank. In the Horde, these range from a Rank 1 Scout to Rank 6 Stone Guard, etc.

As a player collects Rank Points and ranks up, a PvP vendor will have items for sale depending on the rank. The Horde vendor is Sergeant Thunderhorn, located in the Hall of Legends of Orgrimmar. Each new rank unlocks armor, mounts, and a weapon at the highest rank. Horde players must collect 60000 Rating Points to reach Rank 14, High Warlord, and unlock epic-quality weapons. Only then would a Horde hunter be able to obtain the High Warlord’s Recurve bow. This weapon has 46.1 DPS and +36 ranged Attack Power when equipped.

3. Grand Marshal’s Bullseye


Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

In the same fashion as the Highwarlord’s Recurve, the Grand Marshal’s Bullseye is unlocked through PvP ranks. In the Alliance, ranks range from a Rank 1 Private to Rank 6 Knight, and so on. As a player collects Rank Points and ranks up, a PvP vendor will have items for sale depending on the rank. The Alliance vendor is Captain O’Neal, located in the Champions’ Hall in Stormwind. Each new rank unlocks armor, mounts, and a weapon at the highest rank. Alliance players must collect 60000 Rating Points to reach Rank 14, Grand Marshal, and unlock epic-quality weapons. Only then would an Alliance hunter be able to obtain the Grand Marshal’s Bullseye bow. This weapon has 46.1 DPS and +36 ranged Attack Power when equipped.

2. Huhuran’s Stinger


Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

Very similar to the Bow of Taut Sinew, this weapon drops from a Qiraji wasp in an Ahn’Qiraj raid. This time players must enter the Temple of Ahn’Qiraj raid, different from the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj. Players learn that the disturbance in the Ruins and Temple of Ahn’Qiraaj were caused by the old god, C’thun. Now heroes must enter Temple of Ahn’Qiraj, challenge C’thun’s most wicked servants, and slay the god. The fourth boss of the raid, Princess Huhuran is a large wasp who also uses poison against the raiding party. Upon her defeat, hunters have a chance to receive Huhuran’s Stinger, seemingly crafted from the Princess’s corpse. The bow has 46.3 DPS and adds +18 Agility to the player.

1. Soulstring


Image Credit: classic.wowhead.com

The Naxxramas raid has introduced some of the most iconic bosses and the strongest weapons in the game at the time. This included the Epic bow, Soulstring. In order to obtain this weapon, players must defeat the Four Horsemen and loot it from their chest. The four members were all former Paladins who were turned into undead. Located in the Military Quarter of Naxxramas, the Four Horsemen were powerful Death Knights who guarded Kel’Thuzad, the final boss of Naxxramas. This encounter was known to be very difficult as raid groups must face all four bosses at once. Upon defeat, their chest could contain many rare items, including the Soulstring. This bow had 50 DPS, the highest at the time. Additionally, the weapon would improve your chance to get a critical strike by 1% and add +16 Attack Power.

Conclusion

While these bows may be forgotten on the live servers, every weapon on this list is a great option if you’re playing Classic as a hunter. Nostalgic players of the Vanilla era have rejoiced as World of Warcraft Classic has come to give these players a taste of the past. Whether you’re returning or it’s your first time in the world, maybe you, too, can enter an era of Azeroth before the time of Cataclysm. If the warrior class is more your thing, Check out our guide best weapons for the warrior class!

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Game Guides

Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry

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Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry - MP5 (Cold War Version)

By Erika Lentz

In order to annihilate your enemies, you need to obtain the best weapons and in-game accessories. For instance, certain Black Ops Cold War guns are perfect for Warzone. You should also check out the blueprint weapons released in Season 5 of Warzone. Not only can you get a slick appearance for your weapon, but there are a ton of operator skins available as well. With the right setup, you can slaughter enemies and look great doing it. There are a ton of ways to blaze through Warzone like it’s nothing but remember that we’re here to talk about some killer weapons. So, check out our list of the top 10 Call of Duty Warzone weapons that fry.


10. Grau 5.56

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The Grau 5.56 is an assault rifle and one of the most popular weapons of any type in Call of Duty: Warzone. It can be unlocked as part of the Season 2 Battle Pass (Tier 15). In order to obtain the Grau 5.56, you will need to get 5 kills in one minute with an assault rifle (any specific assault rifle) 25 times. This seems daunting but it is simple to achieve when you play in multiple different game modes. There are currently 22 different blueprints that you can unlock for the Grau. These don’t change weapon stats or gameplay but they do look pretty awesome.

This fully automatic assault rifle has an overall rating of right around 70. Its highest stats are accuracy (70), damage (72), fire rate (72), and control (70). More specifically, it has damage stats of 42 for the head and 28 for the chest, stomach, and limbs.

You also want to think about the best attachments for each of the weapons that you use. For the Grau 5.56, we recommend the Monolithic Suppressor, Tempus 26.4” Archangel, Commando Foregrip, Tac Laser, and 60 Round Mags. The Monolithic Suppressor increases your range and suppresses noise, helping you stay concealed from enemies. The Tempus 26.4” Archangel also increases your range as well as bullet velocity. The Commando Foregrip improves recoil stabilization and aiming stability. The Tac Laser improves your aim down sights accuracy. Finally, the 60 Round Mag attachment increases your magazine to 60 rather than 30.

9. Bruen MK9

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The Bruen MK9 is a type of fully automatic light machine gun (LMG) that can add some serious firepower to your arsenal. It was released as part of Season 3. In order to get a Bruen MK9, you will need to get 3 kills with an LMG (any type) on enemies near smoke in 15 different matches. Currently, there are 9 blueprints available for the Bruen MK9.

The Bruen MK9 is rated slightly higher overall than the Grau 5.56 but is still just under 70. Its best stats are accuracy (78), damage (73), range (74), and fire rate (73). Its specific damage output is 46 for the head and 31 for the chest, stomach, and limbs.

This LMG can also benefit from a good attachment selection. We recommend the Monolithic Suppressor, XRK Summit 26.8”, Commando Foregrip, Tac Laser, and VLK 3.0x Optic. The XRK Summit 26.8” improves damage range, bullet velocity, and recoil control. The VLK 3.0x Optic increases the level of zoom.

8. M4A1

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The M4A1 is a fully automatic assault rifle that is described as a great all-purpose battle rifle. It is good for both close- and long-range combat. You can unlock it at Rank 1. It has more available blueprints than many other weapons, with 37 currently being available.

The M4A1’s is rated just between our previous two entries, about 70 overall. Its highest stats are accuracy (71), damage (72), fire rate (75), and control (71). Regarding specific damage output, it has a damage of 42 for the head and 28 for the chest, stomach, and limbs.

The best attachments you can get for the M4A1 are the Monolithic Suppressor, Corvus Custom Marksman, Commando Foregrip, 60 Round Mags, and VLK 3.0x Optic. The Corvus Custom Marksman increases your long-range damage and improves recoil control, making you quite deadly even at a distance.

7. Stoner 63

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The Stoner 63 is a fully automatic LMG released with the Cold War integration, and is unlocked at level 4. Right now, there are two blueprints available for the Stoner 63 (Blue Lightning and Queen’s Guard).

The Stoner 63 has an exceptionally large magazine size (75) compared to many other weapons throughout the game. It has decent stats overall, but it really shines when it comes to damage output. It has a damage of 51 for the head, 37 for the chest, and 34 for the stomach and limbs.

For the Stoner 63, the best attachments are the Agency Suppressor, 17.8” Calvary Lancer, Field Agent Grip, 120 Rnd Speed Mag, and Axial Arms 3x. The Agency Suppressor gives you better vertical recoil control and fully conceals the muzzle flash. The 17.8” Calvary Lancer provides a significant damage boost to this already powerful weapon. The Field Agent Grip improves recoil control. The 120 Rnd Speed Mag increases ammo capacity to 120. The Axial Arms 3x improves optic sight.

6. MP5 (Cold War Version)

Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry - MP5 (Cold War Version)
Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The Cold War MP5 is a fully automatic sub-machine gun (SMG), released with the Cold War integration and it unlocks at level 4. There are currently 6 blueprints available for the Cold War MP5.

This gun provides a fast rate of fire as well as good control and visibility. This gives you the ability to use it at various combat distances, though close to mid-range is ideal. The MP5 Cold War has a damage output of 47 to the head, 33 to the chest and stomach, and 28 to the limbs.

For the Cold War MP5, the best attachments available are the Agency Suppressor, 9.5” Task Force, Field Agent Grip, Salvo 50 Rnd Fast Mag, and Raider Stock. The 9.5” Task Force drastically improves the effective damage range and bullet velocity and slightly improves damage output. So, this lets you use this gun effectively at even further distances. The Salvo 50 Rnd Fast Mag increases magazine capacity to 50. The Raider Stock improves sprint recovery and aiming movement speed.


5. FFAR 1

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The FFAR 1 is a type of bullpup, fully automatic assault rifle released with the Cold War integration. You can unlock this gun at level 40. Currently, there are 9 blueprints available for the FFAR 1.

The FFAR 1 has slightly lower ammo capacity and moderate damage output, but it makes up for it with a fast fire rate and reload speed. Regarding damage output, this weapon provides 45 damage points to the head, 33 to the chest, and 30 to the stomach and limbs.

The best attachments to add to the FFAR 1 are the Agency Suppressor, 19.5” Task Force, Field Agent Grip, Salvo 50 Rnd Mag, and Raider Stock. The 19.5” Task Force is almost identical to the 9.5” Task Force. It is simply designed for a different weapon.

4. DMR-14

Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry - DMR-14
Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

The DMR 14 is a semi-automatic tactical rifle that was released with the Cold War integration. It can take a while to obtain, but it is definitely worth the wait. You can unlock this weapon at level 49. There are only 2 blueprints (Solid Core and Totemic) available, but they both provide a super slick appearance.

Though it is not a sniper rifle, the DMR 14 has the longest range for a tactical rifle in Warzone. It has an overall damage rating of 58. You’ll also see that it has a good fire rate and minimal amount of recoil, making it a great weapon for long range combat.

For the DMR 14, we recommend the Agency Silencer, 16.3” Titanium, Field Agent Foregrip, 30 Rnd Mags, and Axial Arms 3x. The Agency Silencer fully conceals muzzle flash and also provides decent vertical recoil control improvement. The 16.3” Titanium increase your fire rate. The Field Agent Foregrip improves both the horizontal and the vertical recoil control.

3. M16

Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

Another Cold War integration release, the M16 is a classic in the Call of Duty series. It has been a popular choice since the original Call of Duty: Black Ops. The M16 is a 3-round burst tactical rifle that you can unlock at level 10. There are currently 11 blueprints available for this weapon.

The M16 has great control and accuracy and well as a decently quick rate of fire. It is one of the best options for close range combat. It has an overall damage output of 50. For the best improvement, we recommend the Agency Silencer, 16.3” Titanium, Field Agent Foregrip, Salvo 60 Rnd Fast Mag, and Axial Arms 3x.

2. MAC-10

Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry - MAC-10
Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

Our final SMG on this list, the MAC-10, is fully automatic. It was released in Season 1 and you can unlock it by getting to Tier 15 of the Season 1 Battle Pass. It has 2 blueprints available (Blood Dozer and Gallantry) that make it look absolutely brutal.

The MAC-10 has a fairly low damage output compared to other weapons on this list. That said, it has a seriously fast rate of fire which completely makes up for it. It has a damage output of 30 to the head, 25 to the chest and stomach, and 22 to the limbs.

To get the most out of the MAC-10, we recommend using the Agency Suppressor, 5.9” Task Force, Field Agent Grip, STANAG 53 Rnd Drum, and SAS Combat Stock. The 5.9” Task Force will slightly increase damage and significantly increase the effective damage range and bullet velocity. The STANAG 53 Rnd Drum increases magazine size to 53. The SAS Combat Stock provides a small increase to your shooting movement speed and aim walking movement speed.

1. CR-56 AMAX

Top 10 Call of Duty Warzone Weapons That Fry - CR56 AMAX
Call of Duty: Warzone (©Activision and Infinity Ward)

Our final selection, the CR-56 AMAX, is another fully automatic assault rifle that came as part of Season 4. In order to unlock it, you must reach Tier 31 of Season 4 Battle Pass. Currently, there are 8 blueprints for you to choose from.

The CR-56 AMAX has an overall rating of about 68. Though this is a bit lower than some of the other weapons on this list, it is still your best choice because of its versatility. It is great for mid-range combat, but it can also be configured for a variety of situations. Damage is its highest stat (76). More specifically, it does 56 damage points to the head, 42 to the chest, and 35 to the stomach and limbs.

The best attachments for the CR-56 AMAX are the Monolithic Suppressor, XRK Zodiac S440, Commando Foregrip, 45 Rnd Mag, and VLK 3.0x Optic. The XRK Zodiac S440 makes this weapon even more deadly than it already is by improving damage range, bullet velocity, and recoil control.


Conclusion

As you can see, no matter what style of combat you prefer, there is a weapon and attachment setup for you. The list we have here are your best choices but be sure to check out all of the available weapons and attachments for yourself.

And don’t forget that you need access to the best equipment just as much as your in-game persona does. For starters, you need a good system to support your gameplay. PC gamers can look to either desktop or laptop computers for this. Then, you’ll need to think about the gameplay, itself. There’s nothing worse than a low-quality keyboard that can’t handle your skills. So, make sure you invest in a good gaming keyboard.

Those of you who are impressed by visuals will benefit from a good gaming TV or gaming monitor to display the battle in vibrant color and detail. Audiophiles need a high quality gaming headset to get the full experience of surround sound, base, and all other audio elements that the game has to offer. These are just some of the core components of a good gaming setup, though. There are so many other accessories out there for you to choose from. Try them out and see what works best for you.

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