The Maelstrom is a full-auto shotgun that dominates up close with the right loadout, cementing itself as one of the strongest weapons in Warzone.
Shotguns in Call of Duty’s battle royale have always been divisive, with some players seeing them as harmless fun and others as skillless weapons of mass destruction. Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, there’s no doubting that they can be incredibly effective, and the Maelstrom is certainly no exception.
Added in the Season 1 Reloaded update, the Maelstrom is by far the best shotgun in Warzone. Even better, if you use this recommended loadout, the full-auto shotgun becomes a top-tier weapon that even the best SMGs can’t beat up close.
Best Warzone Maelstrom loadout
- Muzzle: Modified Choke
- Magazine: Extended Mag I
- Rear Grip: CQB Grip
- Laser: Tactical Laser
- Fire Mods: 12 Gauge Dragon’s Breath
The key to making the Maelstrom so good in Warzone is the 12 Gauge Dragon’s Breath mod. This attachment converts its ammo into fire-spitting rounds that can consistently down enemies in just two to three shots. That results in a TTK of 400 ms, putting every other SMG and shotgun to shame.
This damage output is remarkable, but you still need to land those shots for it to matter. To help with this, use the Tactical Laser and aim with Tac Stance rather than using ADS. This makes it easier to track targets and avoids having to deal with the Maelstrom’s hefty recoil, which can be a real handful.
The Modified Choke is another high-priority attachment that narrows the spread of shots when aimed in. This also applies to Tac-Stance, making every shot more accurate. This is practically a must on all shotguns, but it’s especially important on this, as you won’t be hitting anything beyond point-blank range without it.
You’ll also want to equip the CQB Grip to improve various handling stats, including sprint to fire and slide to fire speed. These give you more options to engage other squads using Omnimovement, which can be very strong with a shotgun like the Maelstrom. Finally, the Extended Mag I boosts magazine capacity, allowing you to carry more rounds and reload less often.
Best Maelstrom class: Perks, Equipment, and Wildcard
- Perk 1: Survivor
- Perk 2: Bomb Squad
- Perk 3: Birdseye
- Wildcard: Overkill
- Lethal: Throwing Knife
- Tactical: Snapshot Grenade
When using the Maelstrom, the Overkill wildcard is a must to have access to a second primary weapon. After all, it is a shotgun that is only effective out to 7 meters, so you’ll definitely want to partner it with a long-range assault rifle or LMG like the XM4 or XMG.
For perks, Bomb Squad is very important if you intend to run around and push other teams. It detects lethal equipment before you run into it, saving yourself from an embarrassing death. We also recommend Birdseye, which enhances your UAVs and counters Ghost users. This is a top-tier option for those who want to play more aggressively, push other squads, and rack up lots of kills.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
The third perk slot is less important, but Survivor is a good option that you should consider. It makes you heal up faster, which can easily determine the outcome of a duel. As an added bonus, your teammates revive you faster when using this perk, giving enemies less time to push and capitalize on downing you.
Since you are going to be up close and personal, it makes sense to use a Throwing Knife to finish off downed targets without wasting extra shots. As for how you can engage safely in the first place, a Snapshot Grenade is a powerful scouting tool that reveals the location of enemies it hits, allowing you and your team to push with confidence.
Maelstrom pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Dominates at close range | Has little to no range |
| Can beat every other SMG & shotgun | Can be tricky to use at times |
| Dragon’s Breath obscures enemy vision | Mediocre mobility stats |
| Fast fire rate | Useless outside of Resurgence |
Where is the Maelstrom in Warzone’s meta?
The Maelstrom is among the best weapons in Warzone, especially in terms of how it performs in the close-range meta. Most shotguns are not viable these days, but the Maelstrom’s incredible damage and fast fire rate make it the most dominant gun you can use within 7 meters.
Of course, it isn’t versatile in the slightest, and beyond that range you are going to struggle. This means it is only a good pick in Resurgence and a poor option for Battle Royale modes. However, that’s not a problem if you only play Resurgence, which is the case for a lot of players these days.
Essentially, if you want to jump on top of enemies and win every time or sit in a corner looking to punish other squads being reckless, this is the best gun in the game. It will infuriate everyone you go up against and isn’t even fair at times, but we both know you don’t really care as long as you manage to rack up kills and wins.
How to unlock the Maelstrom in Warzone
You can unlock the Maelstrom by completing the Merry Mayhem event in Warzone, at which point it will be available to use on custom loadouts. It can also be unlocked by acquiring any Maelstrom blueprint, either as a reward, through the store, or via the Battle Pass.
Best Maelstrom alternatives
If you don’t want to use the Maelstrom, consider running the ASG-89 instead, another fast-firing shotgun that is strong up close. Alternatively, a meta SMG like the Jackal PDW or Kompakt 92 will be just as effective and give you a little more range to play with.
For more options, check out the best Warzone loadouts that have taken over the current meta. You’ll also want to make sure that you are using the best controller settings or MnK settings depending on what input you prefer.
