With each iteration of Zombies, Call of Duty introduces new innovations to freshen up the gameplay of the fan-favorite mode. In 2015's Black Ops 3, they introduced the option to "re-Pack" weapons with one of five special traits. These upgrade modules, as they're sometimes known as, massively increase the player's killing potential. Setting zombies on fire, blasting them away, and turning them on each other became easier than ever before.
These upgrades are brought back in the game's sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, as Alternate Ammo Types, and in Black Ops: Cold War as Ammo Mods. However, Black Ops 3's successors never surpassed them in power, having combined with Gobblegum to make Black Ops 3 one of Zombies' easiest installments. But while balance changes have tipped the scales here and there, some upgrades will always be better than others. Only the best will do for the discerning zombie slayer, and Pack-a-Punch upgrades are no exception.
5 Thunder Wall
While the concept sounds fun, Thunder Wall is easily the worst upgrade of Black Ops 3's Zombies. Just in general. Shooting a massive group of zombies with Thunder Wall will only kill a few of them, leaving the rest of the group unaffected. It has its upside in that it gives weapon XP, but it's an advantage shared by more powerful options.
Veteran players' dreams of blasting hordes away with the Thundergun's little sibling are dashed by Thunder Wall's weakness. Casual players should have no issue with this, but it's disappointing to think of what Thunder Wall could've been instead of a disappointed groan and another 2500 points in the Pack-a-Punch machine. At least it's fun to watch zombies fly.
4 Fire Works
While it's not the best option, Fire Works is certainly creative. Shooting a zombie and watching bullets blast out of them like a Chestburster with a machine gun isn't something one would normally expect. It's a respectable damage option, able to clear out a group of zombies in line of sight, and it's the quickest of the upgrades in doing so. However, players only receive credit for the first kill, so every zombie Fire Works shoots takes points and XP from the player.
For players who are used to Call of Duty's less-than-ideal choices, Fire Works is a great option. Although, if the player has enough points not to care about them, they could re-Pack their weapon for a better upgrade.
3 Turned
Turned is a weird one. On one hand, like most of the upgrades, it kills zombies in one shot, so getting a couple "turned" zombies can clear out groups very quickly. The downside is that while it can be predicted, the turning can't be controlled, leaving players to use melee or another weapon to cull the stragglers. More adept players who stall out rounds to complete Easter Egg steps or travel across the map may find issue with Turned, as the zombies attack indiscriminately and will end rounds as soon as possible.
For casual players, campers, or anyone who doesn't care about stalling, Turned is a great choice. They should still expect the occasional round where they're sprinting to the Gobblegum machine. Also, yes, "turned" zombies steal points and XP like Fire Works. At least they're efficient.
2 Blast Furnace
First, the downsides: Blast Furnace gives no crowd control. That's it. As for the upsides, it's as effective as one might expect from setting a group of walking corpses on fire – very. Unlike it's big brother Dead Wire, Blast Furnace has no limit to how many zombies it can kill per trigger, meaning that if the zombies are packed tight enough, it can wipe out an entire round in one trigger pull. It also gives full points and XP for each kill, as the cherry on top.
Its lack of crowd control can make Blast Furnace dangerous if the player is camping or simply caught out. However, for proficient trainers or those who simply prefer the risk, Blast Furnace is a favorite for Black Ops 3 fans everywhere.
1 Dead Wire
What a redemption arc Dead Wire had. Terrible on release, then buffed to be the monster it is today. For fans of the Wunderwaffe DG-2, Dead Wire is just about the same, stunning massive groups of zombies though only killing nine at a time. For comparison, the Wunderwaffe kills ten. Considering players can put Dead Wire on a Pack-a-Punched Dingo and have 120 bullets in the mag, 1,080 kills per magazine isn't so bad.
There's not much else to say. It has incredible crowd control, gives points and XP for every kill, and only needs one bullet to trigger. Other upgrades have their uses, and everyone has their favorites, but when the chips are down and numbers are crunched, Dead Wire is king.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.