We’re used to perks being a multiplayer-only feature in Call of Duty titles, so it may come as a surprise when you realize that you have access to a smorgasbord of them in the Black Ops 6 campaign. Early in the game, you’ll post up in a safehouse and discover that you can purchase three upgrade stations within, each offering you a variety of perks to buy with the money you gather during missions.
While it may seem like these perks are just supplementary at first, it soon becomes clear that the campaign is balanced around them—you’ll absolutely want to be finding all the cash you can while you’re out shooting bad guys (pro tip: keep an eye out for safes). Each time you return to the safehouse, you can head to one of the upgrade stations and spend your hard-earned money on some new perks.
There are a lot of perks to choose from, and they’re all useful in their own ways. However, there are some that are extremely important to snag as early as you can, to improve your ability so survive. Here are the perks we think you should buy first.
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Upgrade Station: Training Area
Vitality Surge increases your health by 15 percent at Rank 1 and 25 percent at Rank 2.
This is probably the overall best perk you can purchase in the Black Ops 6 campaign, because core survivability is such an important part of the experience. And if you’re playing on one of the higher difficulties, this becomes downright invaluable—you die so quickly in battle that any little boost helps.
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Upgrade Station: Training Area
Survivor increases how quickly you begin to regenerate health after taking damage.
This perk is immensely helpful at keeping you in the fight, rather than ducked behind cover. It begins replenishing your health after only a few moments, rather than the relatively long wait it takes otherwise.
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Upgrade Station: Training Area
Last Stand gives you a boost to health and speed when you’re on the verge of death.
This is a perk you’ll want to have for those concerning moments when you’ve been shot up and find yourself nearly dead. The extra speed can help you avoid incoming fire, and get to cover where you can regenerate health safely (hopefully with the help of the Survivor perk mentioned above).
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Upgrade Station: Gear Station
Heavy Duty increases total armor slots to two at Rank 1 and three at Rank 2. It also increases your armor reserve capacity to a max of four at Rank 1 and to six at Rank 2.
You will want to snag this perk as soon as you can. Armor plates are scattered throughout the Black Ops 6 campaign, and they’re extremely helpful at absorbing damage that would otherwise be dealt to your health bar. Keep as many of them on you at a time as possible, and don’t forget to equip new ones when they’ve been depleted.
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Upgrade Station: Gear Station
Tempered allows you to fully refill all three of your armor slots using only two armor plates.
You should pick up this perk after purchasing the second rank of Heavy Duty. With this perk unlocked, you’ll definitely improve your overall survivability, since you’ll reach max protection faster and with fewer armor plates used. You’ll also have a nice stock of them for when you really need them.
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Upgrade Station: Gear Station
Magnetic allows you to pick up nearby armor plates automatically.
It can be tough to pick up items while evading an onslaught of bullets from every angle, so having this perk can be a godsend. If you get close enough to an armor plate, it’ll be automatically added to your reserves and be available for you to use when you’re ready.
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Upgrade Station: Weapons Bench
Extra Mags grants you one additional magazine at rank 1 and two additional magazines at rank 2.
More ammo means more bang-bang, so it’s pretty obvious why you’d want to have this perk unlocked. Get it early and keep blasting.
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Upgrade Station: Weapons Bench
Quick Hands improves your reload time by 15 percent at Rank 1 and 25 percent at Rank 2.
Some of Black Ops 6‘s weapons have some fairly lengthy reload times. You’ll be very happy to have this perk when you’re surrounded by foes and realize you’ve emptied your magazine. Get back in the action, soldier!
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Upgrade Station: Weapons Bench
Armor Shredder increases the damage you do to armored enemies by 15 percent at Rank 1 and 25 percent at Rank 2.
You’ll mow through a seemingly endless supply of basic foes in Black Ops 6, but you’ll also face off against some armored enemies who will take quite a few more bullets to take down. By having this perk in your arsenal, you’ll make quicker work of them, and save your precious ammo.
For more on Black Ops 6, check out how to use loot keys in its action-packed Zombies mode.
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