Controversial Warzone weapon nerfed before it’s even returned in Season 3

One of Warzone’s most infamous weapons returns in the Season 3 update, but it was handed a major nerf before it was even reintroduced.

The Season 3 update is one of the biggest to ever hit Warzone, bringing the long-awaited return of the Verdansk map. It also brings back a number of iconic guns that dominated the map during its original run, including the Kilo 141 and HDR.

But one of the more divisive weapons making a comeback is the Kali Sticks, a deadly melee weapon that became infamous during the MW 2019 era due to its high damage and great mobility buffs.

Many had feared that adding them back after years away could recreate one of the most infamous Warzone metas of all time. But they’ve been handed a substantial nerf that should make them much easier to cope with.

Kali Sticks handed major nerf before Season 3 return

When the patch notes for Season 3 were first shared, they claimed that the Kali Sticks would be a two-hit kill in Warzone. This immediately brought flashbacks to the time they dominated the game, becoming the go-to secondary and causing plenty of frustration for players.

However, the notes were quickly updated to reveal that they’ll actually kill in four hits, rather than two. This effectively doubles their TTK and will no doubt make them much less dominant once the update goes live.

This is the exact same nerf that was actually given to the Kali Sticks during their first reign of terror. At launch, they could remove an enemy’s armor with the first hit and the second would be enough to knock them, which, when paired with the mobility buffs, made them a formidable secondary weapon.

In an effort to end their dominance, they were later nerfed to kill in four hits instead of the original two, alongside a reduction in their lunge distance. This ensured that players could use them to get around the map effectively, but they were no longer stronger than SMGs and Shotguns at close range.

So, if you were hoping to recreate this infamous period of Warzone history again in Season 3, you’re out of luck. On the bright side, the devs have confirmed they retain their “extremely fast attack speed,” so we still expect them to be strong in the right circumstances.

You can unlock the Kali Sticks as part of the Return to Verdansk event which runs until April 15, 2025.