Treyarch shipped Black Ops III in November 2015 with three games in one box: a four player co-op campaign, a Specialist driven multiplayer suite, and the Zombies arc that opens in Shadows of Evil. Movement is the through line, because thrust jumps, wall runs and power slides all stay available while you fire and reload. A decade later the PC version still fills lobbies, mostly for Zombies and the Workshop custom maps that came with the mod tools.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruin | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Outrider | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Prophet | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Battery | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Seraph | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Call of Duty: Black Ops III tier list.
A-Tier: Ruin
Ruin is a top-performing option in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | KN-44 | The first assault rifle you get, and still one of the best. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Chain based movement | Thrust jumps, wall runs and power slides all draw from one thrust meter, and you keep full weapon control through every one of them. |
How to Play Ruin
Ruin focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: KN-44 does the damage and Chain based movement keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Outrider
Outrider is a strong option in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Man-O-War | A heavy hitting assault rifle with a slow fire rate and hard kick. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Specialist weapons and abilities | Each of the nine Specialists carries one weapon and one ability, and you choose which of the two charges during a match. |
How to Play Outrider
Outrider focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Pair Man-O-War with Specialist weapons and abilities and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Prophet
Prophet is a strong option in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | VMP | The all round SMG with a big magazine and mild recoil. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Pick 10 Create-A-Class | A loadout has ten slots covering primary, secondary, attachments, perks, grenades and Wildcards. |
How to Play Prophet
Prophet focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Pick 10 Create-A-Class covers the gap VMP leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Battery
Battery is a specialized option in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Vesper | The fastest firing SMG on the roster with a tight hipfire spread and damage that drops off hard past close range. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Gunsmith attachment slots | Gunsmith handles attachments, optics, camo and paintjobs on one screen, and Primary Gunfighter Wildcards raise the attachment count up to five on a single gun. |
How to Play Battery
Battery focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: This one leans on Gunsmith attachment slots rather than raw numbers, and Vesper is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Seraph
Seraph is a specialized option in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Drakon | Semi automatic sniper rifle with a one shot kill on upper chest and head hits. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Zombies GobbleGums | GobbleGums are consumable buffs bought from a machine mid round, built into packs of five before you load in. |
How to Play Seraph
Seraph focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Drakon and Zombies GobbleGums pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Outrider: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Ruin once you understand core mechanics and have access to KN-44
- Keep a Prophet setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Seraph for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary weapon first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Thrust jumping paints a red dot on the enemy minimap unless you run Blast Suppressor. On Search and Destroy either take the perk or stay grounded when you approach a bomb site, because a single jump tells the whole enemy team where you are.
- Pick 10 counts a Wildcard as one slot, which means Perk 1 Greed costs the same as a lethal grenade you rarely throw. Flak Jacket plus Ante Up out of one Greed slot is a stronger use of that slot than a secondary you never switch to.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Call of Duty: Black Ops III Guides
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Call of Duty: Black Ops III Overview
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Tier List
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Walkthrough
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Beginner's Guide
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Tips & Tricks
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Weapons Guide
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Combat Guide
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Boss Guide
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Maps & Locations
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Crafting Guide
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III Classes & Characters
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