Black Ops 7: Should You Weapon Prestige? (Complete Guide)

Table of Contents

The Return of a Classic Grind

Weapon Prestige is back in Black Ops 7, giving dedicated players a new reason to keep grinding their favorite guns long after hitting max level. This system rewards weapon mastery with exclusive attachments, universal camos, and bragging rights—but it comes at a cost that many players won’t want to pay.

Before you commit to the Weapon Prestige grind, you need to understand exactly what you’re getting into. This isn’t a simple “click button, get rewards” system. It’s a significant time investment that resets your progress and forces you to re-unlock everything you’ve already earned. The question isn’t whether Weapon Prestige exists—it’s whether the rewards justify the grind for your playstyle.

Let’s break down everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

How Weapon Prestige Works in Black Ops 7

Step 1: Reach Max Weapon Level

Every weapon in Black Ops 7 has a unique max level requirement—they’re not all standardized. Some weapons cap at Level 30, others at Level 35 or higher. You can check your weapon’s max level in the top-right corner of the Loadout screen when you select it.

How to level weapons efficiently:

Play across all modes: Weapon XP progress is shared between Multiplayer, Zombies, and the Co-Op Campaign (including Endgame mode)
Use Double Weapon XP Tokens: These dramatically accelerate the grind
Zombies is fastest: Critical kills in Zombies with custom wall-buy weapons level guns faster than Multiplayer
Complete daily challenges: Challenge completions often include weapon XP bonuses

As you level your weapon, you’ll progressively unlock attachments through the Gunsmith system. Once you hit max level, you’ll gain the option to Weapon Prestige—but you’re not forced to do it.

Step 2: Enter Weapon Prestige (The Point of No Return)

Once your weapon reaches max level:

Open the Gunsmith for that weapon
Press and hold Triangle (PlayStation) / Y (Xbox) / designated key (PC)
Confirm your choice to Weapon Prestige

CRITICAL WARNING: What You Lose

Prestiging a weapon immediately:

Resets weapon level to 1
Removes all attachments (must re-unlock through leveling)
Deletes all custom weapon builds (Gunsmith configurations lost)
Forces you to grind back through levels to regain functionality

What You Keep:

Weapon blueprints
Unlocked camos (including campaign rewards)
Reticles, charms, decals, and stickers
Mastery progress toward higher-tier camos

This reset is why Weapon Prestige is controversial. You’re voluntarily gimping a fully-built weapon to restart the grind for additional rewards.

Step 3: Progress Through Prestige Ranks

Weapon Prestige has 3 main ranks plus a Mastery tier:

Prestige 1 (Reach Max Level Again)

1x Permanent Unlock Token (weapon-specific attachments only)
Prestige Attachment (unique to each weapon)
Prestige 1 Camo (universal – usable on any weapon)

Prestige 2 (Reach Max Level Again)

1x Permanent Unlock Token (weapon-specific attachments only)
Prestige Weapon Charm
Prestige 2 Camo (universal)

Prestige Mastery (The Long Grind)

After Prestige 2, you enter Prestige Mastery, which requires pushing to Level 250 through these milestones:

Level 100: Prestige Master Camo 1
Level 150: Prestige Master Camo 2
Level 200: Prestige Master Camo 3
Level 250: Prestige Max Camo + All Attachments Permanently Unlocked

All Prestige Master Camos are identical across weapons and are found in the Universal Camos tab.

Complete Weapon Prestige Rewards Breakdown

Universal Camos (The Main Draw)

The camos you unlock through Weapon Prestige can be equipped on any weapon in your arsenal, not just the one you grinded. This is huge for players who want consistent visual style across multiple loadouts.

Prestige 1 Camo: First universal camo, typically themed around the Prestige system Prestige 2 Camo: Second universal camo, usually more elaborate than Prestige 1 Prestige Master Camos 1-3: High-tier universal camos showing serious dedication Prestige Max Camo: The ultimate flex—proves you hit Level 250 on a weapon

Since these camos are universal, you can theoretically grind one weapon to Prestige Max and apply that camo to your entire loadout. However, completionists will want to Prestige multiple weapons for the full collection.

Permanent Unlock Tokens (Practical Benefit)

Each of Prestige 1 and 2 grants a Permanent Unlock Token that works only on attachments for that specific weapon. These tokens let you unlock an attachment permanently, meaning it stays available even if you Prestige the weapon again.

Strategic use:

Unlock the most critical attachment first (usually optics or barrels)
Save tokens for attachments that unlock late in the weapon’s progression
Don’t waste tokens on early-unlock attachments you’ll regain quickly

These tokens significantly reduce the pain of future Prestige resets since you’ll have at least 1-2 key attachments always available.

Prestige Attachments (Variable Value)

Each weapon has a unique Prestige Attachment that unlocks at Prestige 1. The quality of these attachments varies wildly:

Some weapons get game-changers: High-impact barrels, optics, or stocks that meaningfully improve performance Others get… laser sights: Situational attachments you might never use

Before Prestiging, research what your weapon’s Prestige Attachment actually is. If it’s a laser sight and you never hipfire, that “reward” isn’t worth the grind. Check community resources or in-game previews to see the specific attachment before committing.

Prestige Weapon Charm (Cosmetic)

At Prestige 2, you unlock a weapon-specific charm. It’s purely cosmetic and doesn’t affect gameplay. Nice for collectors, irrelevant for performance-focused players.

Is Weapon Prestige Worth It? (Honest Assessment)

The answer depends entirely on your priorities and available time. Let’s break this down by player type.

You SHOULD Weapon Prestige If:

You’re a camo grinder

If you’re already planning to complete mastery camos, Weapon Prestige integrates perfectly into that grind. You’re already using these weapons extensively—might as well get universal camos from the process.

You main 1-2 weapons

Have a favorite AR, SMG, or sniper you use 90% of the time? Prestiging it makes sense since you’ll keep using it anyway. The temporary attachment loss hurts less when you can switch to your secondary weapon during the re-grind.

You want long-term progression

Weapon Prestige provides a progression goal beyond normal leveling. If you’ve already hit account Prestige and maxed your favorite guns, Weapon Prestige gives you something to chase.

You play Zombies extensively

Zombies mode is the most forgiving place to re-level weapons since you’re fighting AI, not sweaty players. If you primarily play Zombies and enjoy farming Essence with different guns, the Prestige reset is less punishing.

You value cosmetic rewards

Universal camos are genuinely cool, and being able to apply a hard-earned camo to every weapon you own is satisfying. If you care about appearance and want to flex your dedication, Weapon Prestige delivers.

You Should SKIP Weapon Prestige If:

You use multiple weapons regularly

Prestiging one weapon is manageable. Prestiging 5-10 weapons? That’s hundreds of hours of grinding. If you regularly rotate between different guns, you’ll constantly be playing with gimped, low-level weapons missing key attachments. This directly harms your performance.

You prioritize competitive performance

In ranked or competitive modes, having fully-kitted weapons matters more than cosmetics. Voluntarily resetting your best loadouts puts you at a disadvantage. Don’t Weapon Prestige guns you rely on for serious play.

You have limited playtime

Weapon Prestige to Level 250 takes dozens of hours per weapon. If you play casually (5-10 hours per week), this grind will consume months. Your time might be better spent enjoying the game with functional loadouts or working on account Prestige.

You don’t care about camos

If cosmetics don’t matter to you, Weapon Prestige offers almost nothing. The Prestige Attachment might be useful, but it’s often not worth losing all your other attachments to obtain. The Permanent Unlock Tokens help, but they don’t justify the full grind if you’re indifferent to camos.

The Prestige Attachment is weak

Before Prestiging, check what that weapon’s unique Prestige Attachment actually is. If it’s situational or useless for your playstyle (like a laser sight on a long-range AR build), skip the entire grind. The reward isn’t worth the cost.

Strategic Approach to Weapon Prestige

If you’ve decided to pursue Weapon Prestige, do it intelligently:

Prioritize the Right Weapons

Prestige in this order:

Your absolute main weapon – The one you use most in both Multiplayer and Zombies
Weapons with strong Prestige Attachments – Research which guns get the best exclusive attachments
Weapons you enjoy using – You’ll be spending 50+ hours with each, so pick ones you actually like

Skip these:

Weapons you rarely use (obvious)
Guns with weak Prestige Attachments (not worth the grind)
Meta weapons you rely on for competitive play (don’t gimp yourself)

Optimize the Grind

Zombies is your friend: Level weapons faster in Zombies using the Rampage Inducer strategy on Survival maps. Critical kills accelerate XP gains.

Use Double XP wisely: Save Double Weapon XP Tokens for pushing through Prestige Mastery levels (100-250). These levels take significantly longer than the base weapon levels.

Set custom builds: Use Zombies Builds to ensure your Prestige weapon has attachments when you buy it from wall-buys or the Mystery Box.

Coordinate with challenges: Complete weapon-specific challenges while leveling. Get headshots, longshots, and point-blank kills simultaneously.

Play with friends: Co-op modes and Zombies are more tolerable when grinding with a squad. The grind feels less tedious with company.

Use Permanent Unlock Tokens Wisely

When you earn Permanent Unlock Tokens at Prestige 1 and 2:

Unlock optics first: Most weapons are nearly unusable without a decent sight. Red dots or holographic sights should be your first unlock.

Barrel attachments second: Damage/range barrels significantly impact performance. These should be your second priority.

Skip early unlocks: Don’t waste tokens on attachments that unlock at Level 5-10. You’ll regain those quickly through normal play.

This strategy ensures that even when you Prestige again, your weapon has baseline functionality rather than being completely naked.

Weapon Prestige vs. Account Prestige

These are separate systems with different considerations:

Account Prestige (full guide here):

Resets your account level and most unlocks
Provides Prestige-exclusive rewards and cosmetics
Gives access to Permanent Unlock Tokens for any unlock
Affects your entire progression system

Weapon Prestige:

Resets only a single weapon
Provides weapon-specific rewards and universal camos
Gives Permanent Unlock Tokens for attachments only
Affects only one gun at a time

You can pursue both simultaneously, but manage your expectations. Prestiging your account AND multiple weapons creates a massive grind that might burn you out.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Prestiging your only reliable weapon: Always have a backup loadout with a fully-leveled weapon. Don’t Prestige your primary until you have an alternative ready.

Ignoring the Prestige Attachment value: Research before committing. A weak Prestige Attachment dramatically reduces the value proposition.

Prestiging everything at once: Pace yourself. Prestige one weapon at a time so you’re not constantly playing with Level 1 guns.

Wasting Permanent Unlock Tokens: Don’t unlock early-level attachments. Save tokens for high-level, high-impact attachments.

Forgetting about camo progress: If you’re mid-way through mastery camos, finish those challenges before Prestiging. You don’t want to reset the weapon and lose progress on specific kill-type requirements.

Alternative: Just Use Blueprints

If you want visual variety without the grind, weapon blueprints (some available through campaign rewards or Twitch Drops) provide custom appearances without forcing you to Prestige. Blueprints don’t require any level resets and can be applied immediately.

For players who want cosmetic variety but value performance, blueprints are the smart compromise.

Final Verdict: Should You Weapon Prestige?

Weapon Prestige is worth it for:

Dedicated camo grinders
Players who main 1-2 weapons exclusively
Anyone who primarily plays Zombies
Completionists chasing all content
Players with significant free time

Weapon Prestige is NOT worth it for:

Competitive/ranked players who need optimal loadouts
Casual players with limited playtime
Anyone who uses 5+ weapons regularly
Players who don’t care about cosmetics
Those burned out on grinding

The middle ground: Prestige 1-2 weapons you truly love, unlock the universal camos, and call it a day. You don’t need to Prestige every weapon to enjoy the system’s benefits. Pick your favorites, commit to those, and ignore the rest.

Weapon Prestige is designed for players who genuinely enjoy the grind and want long-term progression goals. If that’s you, go for it—the universal camos are legitimately cool. If you’re on the fence, skip it. There’s no penalty for ignoring Weapon Prestige, and you can always revisit the decision later.

Complete Your Black Ops 7 Experience

Core progression guides:

Loadout optimization:

Weapon guides:

Multiplayer guides:

Zombies resources:

External Resources:

Weapon Prestige is a commitment, not a requirement. Choose wisely, and happy grinding!

Black Ops 7: Should You Weapon Prestige? (Complete Guide)

The Return of a Classic Grind