Is the Grau 5.56 Still Worth Using in Call of Duty: Warzone?
Fans of Call of Duty: Warzone finally got their wish in the latest update. The Grau 5.56 assault rifle, and MP5 submachine gun, were nerfed fairly hard, which is music to players' ears. The Grau has been the most dominant weapon in Warzone for the past couple of months and it’s not difficult to see why. The gun has virtually no recoil, outstanding damage and range, and versatility unmatched by other ARs in the game. However, a couple of these attributes were nerfed in the update and many are questioning whether or not the Grau is still viable over weapons like the M4A1 and M13. Today, we’ll be answering that question.
Comparing the Grau to other assault rifles in Warzone
Before we look at the Grau in comparison to other weapons, let’s first see what Infinity Ward nerfed in last night’s update. Here are the official patch notes on the Grau’s nerf.
- Damage range reduction
- Slight increase to high-frequency recoil
- Reduced recoil compensation and decreased range on Tempus 26.4” Archangel and FSS 20.8” Nexus barrels
Clearly, Infinity Ward is targeting the rifle’s damage range and recoil. Those are arguably the Grau’s strongest attributes so this makes sense. However, was it enough to move the Grau down the Warzone weapon tier list? Many are initially saying no.
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Immediately after the update went live, players hopped into Warzone matches and tested out the 5.56 rifle for themselves. A majority found no significant dropoff in terms of performance, which is surprising since the developers so clearly tried to nerf the weapon. According to a large portion of the community, however, the Grau is still as viable as ever.
Is this true, though? Our own tests show that the Grau’s damage is still its strongest characteristic with it being largely unaffected by the nerf. Although, there is a somewhat noticeable difference in the weapon’s recoil when firing continuously. After the patch, the iron sights seem to move slightly more when holding down the trigger than prior to the update.
Click to enlargeAt close range, it’s obvious you still want to have a Grau in your hands. The recoil change at this range is hardly noticeable and your damage output is still unmatched. With the right attachments, you can melt an entire team at close range with just one magazine.
However, where the Grau might be overtaken is at longer ranges. Both the M4 and M13 now seem to be more on par with the 5.56 rifle following the update. Due to the increase in the Grau’s high-frequency recoil, it’s a little more difficult to hit enemies if you’re continuously firing. This can play a major role if you’re fighting an enemy who’s more than 20-30 meters away. Adding onto this, it will also take one extra bullet to kill an enemy with a Grau at longer ranges than it did prior to the patch.
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The M4 and M13, on the other hand, now have arguably less recoil than the Grau when non-stop firing. Both rifles also have solid damage output that can put enemies down in a matter of seconds. While the Grau is certainly no slouch at these ranges, you might be better off with an M4 in your hands if you plan on fighting enemies at a distance.
All in all, the Grau still seems like the top dog in Warzone. Infinity Ward simply didn’t nerf the rifle enough to warrant using an M4 or M13 in most situations. You’re still going to deal a crazy amount of damage and have decent recoil while using the Grau. However, something like the M4A1 does have a place in Warzone. If you plan on fighting from longer distances, perhaps an M4 is worth it over the Grau thanks to the recoil changes. Though, it’s hard to recommend a loadout that doesn’t feature the Grau at this point in time.
Images via Activision