Warzone 2: The best Season 3 meta assault rifle loadout

Season 3 of Warzone 2 commenced on April 12, 2023, and introduced massive buffs to the STB 556 Assault Rifle as part of the seasonal weapon balancing. With an increase in its headshot damage, lower torso damage, and leg damage, as well as mid-range damage distance, the STB 556 has become a strong competitor in the ongoing weapon meta.

The third season also introduced a bunch of new in-game content to Warzone 2 including the Trophy Hunt limited-time event, two new unlockable weapons available in the luxurious Season 3 Battle Pass, the Massive Resurgence game mode featuring Al Mazrah, and plenty more.

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The STB 556 dominates assault rifle meta in Warzone 2 with release of Season 3

Part of the Bruen Bullup weapon platform, the STB 556 is an exceptional close-bolt rifle ideal for medium to long-range engagements thanks to its extensive customizability and weapon accuracy. The moderate rate of fire, controllable recoil, damage per magazine, and player mobility of the STB 556 make it an ideal assault rifle in Season 3 of Warzone 2.

With nerfs to the meta assault rifles such as the ISO Hemlock and TAQ-56 in Season 3, the STB 556 is rising in popularity among players as they earn effortless eliminations thanks to major buffs to its overall damage profile.

Whether it comes to long-range gunfights in Al Mazrah or quick engagements in Ashika Island, the STB 556 is a versatile assault rifle that tops its meta in terms of consistency. Without further ado, the following is the best assault rifle loadout in Season 3 of Warzone 2:

The Polyatomic mastery camo for the STB 556 in Warzone 2 (Image via Activision)

Recommended attachments

• Barrel: Bruen Turaco 686mm
• Optic: Aim OP-V4
• Underbarrel: FTAC Ripper 56
• Ammunition: 5.56 High Velocity
• Magazine: 42 Round Mag

Starting off with the barrel modification, the Bruen Turaco 686mm is a heavy 686mm barrel with an integrated silencer, enabling sound suppression, enhanced damage range, bullet velocity, and recoil control without the need for a separate muzzle attachment.

Due to its heavy nature, the barrel results in slower player mobility and aim-down sight speed. The Bruen Turaco 686mm can be unlocked by leveling up the HCR 56 to level 17.

The STB 556 is an ideal weapon choice across all ranges, and hence the Aim OP-V4 is the perfect weapon optic for this build. The Aim OP-V4 is a red dot sight that is widely used among pros and veterans alike due to its clear and precise sight picture, providing little to no obstruction. The Aim OP-V4 can be unlocked by leveling up the BAS-P SMG to level 5.

The Gold mastery camo on STB 556 in Warzone 2 (Image via Activision)

Moving onto the underbarrel attachment, the FTAC Ripper 56 is a snappy foregrip that provides improved recoil stabilization, aiming idle stability, and hip fire accuracy thanks to its extra texture. However, the underbarrel attachment results in a slower walking speed and ADS speed. The FTAC Ripper 56 can be unlocked by leveling up the Lachmann-762 to level 6.

To increase the medium to long-range effectiveness of the STB 556, the 5.56 High Velocity rounds are the ones to go for. As the name suggests, this ammunition attachment replaces the original 5.56 rounds with lighter ones for increased bullet velocity, making this build almost "hitscan." The 5.56 High Velocity rounds is unlocked by leveling up the STB 556 to level 7.

Finally, the 42 Round Mag is the largest magazine attachment available for this weapon. Due to the increased ammo capacity, the magazine results in slower ADS speed, movement speed, sprint-to-fire speed, and reload quickness. The 42 Round Mag is unlocked by leveling up the STB 556 assault rifle to level 9.

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Call of Duty Warzone 2 Season 3 is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC (via Battle.net and Steam).