Is the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 worth using?

Call of Duty recently added the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 as a reward in the Black Ops Tribute event. When equipped, anytime a player uses their weapon for a b*tt attack, the game automatically switches to the dedicated Melee weapon and performs a melee attack.

This is how melee attacks used to work in the earlier Call of Duty games. In Black Ops 6, this feature was removed, and instead, a new dedicated melee weapon slot was added, allowing them to equip a third weapon.

But this Perk allows the user to play the game as they used to in the earlier iterations. So, now that we have discussed what Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 does, let's discuss whether it is worth using in the game.

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Should you use the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6?

Simply put, no, the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 is not worth using for the majority of scenarios. Sure, you can occasionally use it for fun or variety on a class setup, but in reality, it has no practical value. Now you might be wondering why it is the case. Well, simply put, the cost of equipping it is just too much.

You see, the Close Shave Perk belongs to the Enforcer category (Red) and goes into Perk Slot 1, and to equip it, you are letting go of many crucial Perks that could assist you in-game. Currently, those that belong in Slot 1 are possibly the most important Perks in the game. This includes Perks like Gung-Ho, Dexterity, Scavenger, Ghost, Ninja, Flak Jacket, and Tac Mask.

Exploring the viability of Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Activision)

All of these are important, and no other Perk in other slots can provide you with the benefits they bring. For instance, the Flak Jacket reduces incoming lethal damage and saves you from dying from enemy explosives. Furthermore, Perks like Ghost can make you immune to UAVs. Likewise, the Tac Mask reduces the effects of any enemy Tactical Equipment.

It goes without saying that the importance of these Perks in an actual game cannot be denied. On the other hand, the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 only enables you to switch to the dedicated melee weapon in COD when you go for that b*tt attack. All you need to do now is ask yourself - how often do I go for melee attacks?

If the answer is none, then no, the Perk isn't worth using at all. Sure, you might get one-shot melee kills in those rare situations. But realistically, there will be barely a match or two where you focus more on meleeing than firing.

So, understanding the value that the Perk Slot 1 brings and how the Close Shave Perk behaves, it is simply not worth using. If it had belonged to any other Perk Slots, we could have considered it. But the cost of opportunity here is too great, as Perk Slot 1 holds immense value in the game.

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That covers everything that you need to know about whether the Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6 is worth using.

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