Summary

  • The Longbow and BAS-B's JAK Outlaw-277 conversion kit have been nerfed in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone to address player complaints.
  • Changes include modified aim assist, increased flinch, and altered stats for the BAS-B kit to balance gameplay.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone have received an update that nerfs the Longbow and significantly changes the BAS-B's new JAK Outlaw-277 conversion kit. Recently, criticism of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Longbow sniper rifle has reached an all-time high.

The weapon has caused complaints since its introduction back in November, but Modern Warfare 3 fans have become increasingly fed up with the Longbow. Users pointed out that it benefits from standard aim assist like an assault rifle or SMG, instead of the usual toned-down aim assist seen in other snipers. This attribute, combined with its quick handling, made it an extremely powerful tool in the hands of a skilled controller player. As forum posts and YouTube videos drew more attention to the weapon in recent weeks, Call of Duty's development teams have finally decided to respond.

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Call of Duty's March 22 update modified the Longbow's aim assist to match other sniper rifles and also increased its incoming flinch as well as its target flinch. A developer note explained that the incoming flinch change should help players with automatic weapons counter the Longbow at close range, as long as they land the first shot in a gunfight. The new update also changed the BAS-B's JAK Outlaw-277 kit. In Modern Warfare 3, its upper torso damage was decreased while its fire rate was increased. Another developer note explained that these changes aim to make the kit less lethal but still usable among run-and-gun marksman rifle fans, thanks to its buffed fire rate that allows for 2-shot kills in a reasonable amount of time. In Warzone, the BAS-B kit saw a fire rate buff but no damage nerf.

The update also increased incoming flinch when using the BAS-B's Sawed Off mod by 157% in both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. Other additions in the update included bug fixes for Modern Warfare 3's Winner's Perks challenge and Warzone's Irradiated perk. Of course, the main feature of this update is the long-awaited Longbow nerf, but it still remains to be seen where it'll end up in the rankings of Modern Warfare 3's best sniper rifles.

Additionally, Call of Duty just launched its Operation Day Zero event for Warzone Mobile. Participating users can earn a free Ghost operator skin and more, which are usable in Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone as well.

Call of Duty fans subscribed to Amazon Prime might also want to check out the service's newest Call of Duty bundle that became available on March 21. Prime members can claim it to unlock two weapon blueprints and more, which should also be usable across all three current Call of Duty games.

Patch Notes for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's March 22 Update

MULTIPLAYER

PROGRESSION

  • Resolved an issue preventing the Winner’s Perks Challenge from tracking progress.

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

» Battle Rifles «

  • BAS-B
    • JAK Outlaw-277 Kit
      • Decreased upper torso damage multiplier from 2x to 1.4x (-30%).
      • Increased lower torso damage multiplier from 1x to 1.1x (+10%).
      • Decreased arm and hand damage multipliers from 1.6x to 1.1x (-31%).
      • Increased rate of fire from 193rpm to 241rpm (+25%).
      • Decreased aim down sight rate of fire penalty from 300% to 150%.
      • Decreased rechamber time from 330ms to 264ms (-20%).
      • Removed 50% bullet velocity benefit.
      • Increased target flinch from 0.9N to 1N (+11%).
      • Increased incoming flinch from 0.17N to 0.23N (+35%).

    • Sawed Off Mod
      • Increased incoming flinch from 0.21N to 0.54N (+157%).

Our goal for this Conversion Kit is to be a competitive option for players who enjoy a run-and-gun marksman playstyle. Allowing 1-shot kills to the upper torso proved too powerful and overlapped with the identity of the Longbow and JAK Tyrant 762 Kit.

Today’s changes intend to carve a unique niche for this Aftermarket Part to thrive. Accurate players will have plenty of room for skill expression and 1-shot-kill lethality if they hit headshots, but with its increased rechamber speed, fire rate, and inflicted flinch effect, two-shot kills to the body should remain competitive, even against Weapons like the Longbow.

» Sniper Rifles «

  • Longbow
    • Modified controller aim assist properties to align with other Sniper Rifles.
    • Increased incoming flinch from 0.75N to 1N (+33%).
    • Increased target flinch from 0.8N to 1.7N (+113%).

Despite this Weapon being a quick-handling Sniper Rifle built upon what is more conventionally an Assault Rifle receiver, its lethality benefitted too much from the aim assist conventions typically reserved for full-auto Weapons in close-range engagements.

Additionally, we want to allow more counterplay against the Longbow by increasing the amount of incoming flinch to compensate for its unrivaled speed and 1-shot-kill zones. Automatic Weapons will have more of a fighting chance in close-range encounters while not hampering the lethal, aggressive playstyle core to its identity.

Patch Notes for Call of Duty: Warzone's March 22 Update

WEAPONS

» Battle Rifles «

  • BAS-B
    • JAK Outlaw-277 Kit
      • Increased rate of fire to 241rpm, up from 193rpm.
      • Decreased aim down sight rate of fire penalty to 150%, down from 300%.
      • Decreased rechamber time to 264ms, down from 330ms.
      • Removed 50% bullet velocity benefit.
      • Increased target flinch to 1 Newtons, up from 0.9N (+11%).
      • Increased incoming flinch to 0.23 Newtons, up from 0.17N (+35%).

    • Sawed Off Mod
      • Increased incoming flinch to 0.54 Newtons, up from 0.21N (+157%).

» Sniper Rifles «

  • Longbow
    • Modified controller aim assist properties to align with other Sniper Rifles.
    • Increased incoming flinch to 1 Newtons, up from 0.75N (+33%).
    • Increased target flinch to 1.7 Newtons, up from 0.8N (+113%).

BUG FIXES

  • Fixed an issue that allowed the Irradiated Perk to plate through any source of damage. It will now correctly only plate through gas damage.

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Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) Tag Page Cover Art
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III
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6 /10
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Released
November 10, 2023
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world.  In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet

Developer(s)
Sledgehammer Games
Publisher(s)
Activision
Genre(s)
First-Person Shooter