Season 2 was launched yesterday, and we got a significant weapon balancing. Even if the nerfs to the RPK and the Fennec are not huge, I believe the top meta is now more balanced and packed than it was for season 1. So let’s jump right into the topic for you. We will first review the significant nerfs and buffs for the long-range meta, but if you want full details, you can also watch my previous video about it. Then we will analyze how the meta evolves from season 1 to season 2.
With season 2, the RPK, the TAQ V, and the Kastov 762 were nerfed. We don’t know the extent of the nerf yet as Infinity Ward did not provide specific values, but we can expect that they will be a little bit more balanced without being destroyed.
On the other hand, the M4, The M13b, the Lachmann 556, and the EBR-14 were buffed. There are other buffs, but I believe these are the ones that are relevant for the long-range meta that we will discuss just after.
So this is what the Long range meta looked like at the end of season 1. We will divide the meta into three categories like we are doing on the website and the app: Absolute meta for the undisputed weapons, Meta for the extremely strong weapons, and Contenders for the guns that could eventually be considered meta depending on the way you look at them.
The RPK was the absolute meta in Season 1, as you know. Almost no recoil, great accuracy, good ADS time for an LMG, and a good time to kill. Then within the meta category, we had the TAQ V, the Kastov 762, and the Sakin MG38. All three were strong and could compete with the RPK in certain areas. Finally, in the contenders, we had the Raal MG with an insane TTK but a little bit too slow, in my opinion, the Rapp-H, very underrated; the M4, the EBR-14, often mentioned as the new DMR, and the TAQ 56.
Season 2 long range meta
So how did this meta evolve in Season 2? First, I believe the RPK is still part of the absolute meta. From my testing since yesterday and feedback from warzone pros, the RPK was not nerfed enough to be downgraded to the meta or contenders category. But thanks to this small nerf of the RPK, I believe that the Sakin MG38 is now as strong as the RPK, if not even better; that’s why I’m placing it in the Absolute meta category.
Now let’s look at the rest of the ranking. The Kastov 762 and the TAQ V were nerfed enough to be downgraded in the Contenders. They are still more than viable and strong, but I believe there are now weapons between them and the absolute meta. The big winners of the update are, in my opinion, the TAQ 56 and the Rapp H, which will be excellent options in Al Mazrah but even more in Ashika Island, thanks to their mid-range capabilities! Then there are two guns that I haven’t decided if they should be in the Meta category or the Contenders, and I am talking about the M4 and the M13B. I will need to test that in the coming days to see how their buff was truly effective.
Finally, the EBR-14 is probably still within the contender category despite the slight buff, and we’ll need to look at the other Marksman Rifles that were also buffed. Maybe we will find a gem there. The Raal MG is still there and strong. The Lachmann 556 is now part of the contenders and is entering the long-range meta. And the final weapon is the Iso hemlock, the new AR introduced in season 2. From everything I’ve seen, the Iso seems strong, and I can’t wait to dive deep into this gun and get all the details!
