Best Black Ops 6 items to permanently unlock with Prestige Tokens

With traditional prestige making a return in Black Ops 6, so have Prestige Tokens, which let you permanently unlock gear for your loadouts without having to level up.

This has been a longstanding feature in Call of Duty that featured in several older titles, allowing players to take their favorite weapons, perks, and gear through each prestige without having to unlock them again. This is especially useful for high-level unlocks that you would otherwise hardly have the chance to use.

With this year’s game having so many unlocks to choose from, it can be hard to know what to pick, especially in those early prestiges where your choice matters most. To help you out, here are the best Black Ops 6 items to permanently unlock using Prestige Tokens.

1. Perk Greed

Dexerto

• Description: Wildcard that allows you to equip an extra Perk.
• Unlock Level: Level 54

Perk Greed is by far the most important item you can permanently unlock in Black Ops 6. This wildcard allows you to equip a fourth perk while retaining your Combat Specialty, giving you a lot more freedom to use the perks you want to without having to make sacrifices. It’s also unlocked at the game’s penultimate level, so you won’t get to use it too much if you don’t take it through with you.

The main use of this is that you can benefit from both Ghost and Ninja at the same time. This combination of perks makes you very stealthy and isn’t possible without this wildcard. It’s a must-unlock for everyone, but especially for players who enjoy flanking and going unnoticed in the enemy backline.

2. Forward Intel

Dexerto

• Description: Recon Perk that increases minimap area and shows direction indicators for revealed enemies.
• Unlock Level: Level 47

Forward Intel is unlocked at Level 47 and is one of the best Perks in the game. When equipped, it allows you to see significantly more of the minimap and reveals the direction that enemies are facing whenever they shoot or are detected by a UAV. This extra intel is very powerful, especially on larger maps where it can be difficult to tell where everyone is in a given moment.

More than anything, the main reason to unlock Forward Intel is that it is by far the best Recon Perk available in slot 2, and Recon is the best overall Combat Specialty you can use. Even after the nerf, being able to see through walls for 1.5 seconds after spawning is incredibly valuable, so having access to the strongest perks within this specialty is a must.

3. Cold-Blooded

Dexerto

• Description: Recon Perk that makes you undetectable by AI targeting and thermal optics, granting immunity to most Scorestreaks.
• Unlock Level: Level 41

Sometimes a lobby won’t go your way and the other team will call in Watchdog Helos and Chopper Gunners one after another. Ordinarily, this would spell the beginning of the end, with these powerful Scorestreaks being nearly impossible to counter without team coordination – unless you have unlocked Cold-Blooded.

This Recon Perk provides immunity to all AI-controlled Scorestreaks and makes it much harder for human-controlled streaks to spot you. Essentially, this is the best perk to use when your team is on the backfoot. Furthermore, it is the best Recon Perk in slot 3, so choosing it provides similar benefits to Forward Intel, with it immediately granting you the best option to use the Recon specialty in this slot.

4. HARP

Dexerto

• Description: Scorestreak that reveals enemy position and direction on the minimap in real time.
• Unlock Level: Level 42

For the most part, Scorestreaks aren’t worth using Prestige Tokens on, but the HARP is an exception. Unlocked at Level 42, this powerful support streak is BO6’s version of the Advanced UAV, granting a real-time radar that reveals exactly where enemies are. Even better, it bypasses Cold-Blooded and Ghost entirely, so there’s no way for enemies to hide after you use one.

This has always been a strong option in Call of Duty, but the addition of Dispatcher makes it even better this time around. Dispatcher reduces the score needed to earn a HARP from 1450 to 1250, which can be further reduced to 1050 if you also use Bankroll. This makes earning HARPS surprisingly easy, allowing you to dominate lobbies in a way that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

5. Tac Mask

Dexerto

• Description: Strategist Perk that provides resistance to enemy Flashbang and Concussion grenades.
• Unlock Level: Level 44

Tac Mask has become somewhat of a classic in Call of Duty, first appearing back in the original Black Ops. 14 years later, it still remains a powerful option, providing resistance to any Flashbang or Concussion grenades thrown in your direction. With both of these being so prevalent in BO6, there will be times when this Perk is needed to make a lobby bearable.

Simply put, there’s no fun in being blinded every few seconds and having your screen turn bright white. Sure, using the best graphics settings can make this less jarring, but the only real solution is to equip Tac Mask. By permanently unlocking this perk, you give yourself the option to switch to it when needed, saving yourself a lot of frustration in the process.

6. Stim Shot

Dexerto

• Description: Tactical equipment that immediately heals you and refreshes Tactical Sprint.
• Unlock Level: Level 30

Given how fast-paced Black Ops 6 is, the healing regen speed this year is surprisingly slow. When everyone is jumping and sliding around, that can be a real problem. Thankfully, you can use Stim Shots to mitigate this, with them providing an immediate heal when needed. They refresh your Tactical Sprint too, which is useful for getting around the map as fast as possible.

Consider this a warning, once you start using Stim Shots, you’ll never go back. They become a legitimate crutch, especially for players who want to play fast and aggressive. Then again, that’s only because they are so impactful, which is exactly why you should consider using your next Prestige Token to permamnetly unlock them.

7. Gunfighter

Dexerto

• Description: Wildcard that grants 3 extra attachment points for your Primary weapon.
• Unlock Level: Level 33

When it first appeared in Black Ops Cold War, Gunfighter was strong, but its return in BO6 has made it even better. Most attachments in this year’s Call of Duty have no downsides, so all eight attachments you choose will be making your gun stronger. This results in some of the most stacked weapons in franchise history, which obviously grants you a big advantage.

However, you should consider that a lot of guns don’t necessarily need eight attachments to be competitive. Equally, it doesn’t take that long to reach Level 33. As a result, while this is a good item to permanently unlock, it should be one of your later unlocks, and definitely after Perk Greed at the very earliest.

8. Ninja

Dexerto

• Description: Recon Perk that lets you move more quietly by dampening footstep audio.
• Unlock Level: Level 35

Much like Stim Shots, Ninja is a crutch that many players rely on. In fact, it might be the ultimate crutch, since it is absolutely necessary if you want to flank without being noticed. To be honest, footsteps in Black Ops 6 are incredibly loud, so you won’t get far without this perk when trying to flank.

This alone is a great reason to use a Prestige Token to permanently unlock the Recon Perk, but it’s not the only reason. It also has great synergy with Ghost, Perk Greed, and a Suppressor, with this specific combination giving you unrivaled stealth to flank to your heart’s desire. In the right lobby, you will dominate with this setup and constantly catch the other team off guard.

9. AS VAL

Dexerto

• Description: Full-auto assault rifle with an integral suppressor that deals high damage but has a small magazine.
• Unlock Level: Level 55

Before the update on Nov. 4, we would have had the AS VAL as one of the top recommendations on this list. After all, it is the highest level unlock at Level 55, and it was as a powerful weapon with one of the best TTKs in the game. However, a hefty nerf has halved its effective range, making it a far less competitive option.

Even so, those trying to complete the mastery camo grind in either multiplayer or Zombies will still want to consider unlocking it. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck at Level 55 grinding out headshots and challenges, losing out on potential levels. It will likely get buffed again in the future anyway, so it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a top gun yet again.

10. Combat Axe

Dexerto

• Description: Retrievable lethal equipment that can thrown to one shot any enemy it connects with.
• Unlock Level: Level 53

Let’s not kid ourselves, you don’t need a Combat Axe to be competitive. Of all the items on this list, this is the least important and is a relatively low priority to permanently unlock. Even so, this rendition of the tomahawk isn’t unlocked until Level 53 and is a ton of fun to use. You can once again attempt some iconic cross-map throws, which will have the entire squad hyped if you land one.

Even outside of crazy plays, the Combat Axe is a legitimately strong option up close, with it killing in one shot anywhere to the body. This makes it a useful lethal to pair with an LMG, sniper or marksman rifle, all weapons that aren’t overly competitive at close range. It’s certainly quicker to throw an axe than it is to switch to another gun, making this a good option when you’re in a pinch.

Those are the ten Black Ops 6 items you’ll want to permanently unlock using Prestige Tokens. For more ideas on how to improve your loadouts, check out the best perks, as well as our complete tier list that breaks down every gun in the game.