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The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops. The subject of this article appeared in Zombies mode The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty Online The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Warzone The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War The subject of this article appears in Call of Duty: Mobile
For other weapons, see Spring Knife and Knife.
For similarly named sniper rifles, see Ballista and Ballista EM3.

The Ballistic Knife is a Special secondary weapon that appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified, Call of Duty OnlineCall of Duty: Black Ops IIICall of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Mobile. It also appears in several Finishing Moves in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Call of Duty: Black Ops[]

Campaign[]

In the mission "Numbers", there is an unusable Ballistic Knife in the room where Clarke keeps his weapons.

Multiplayer[]

The Ballistic Knife is a secondary weapon.

The Ballistic Knife can either be used as a more effective melee attack, or used to shoot a projectile. The melee attack of the Ballistic Knife functions like the regular melee attack, except that the attack interval of the Ballistic Knife's melee attack is faster, making the user more adept at using their melee attack.

The fired projectile, if it hits a target, deals a flat 250 damage, regardless of range to the target, killing the target instantly. The fired projectile has no body multipliers, leaving no reason to aim for the head other than for challenge or humiliating enemies.

The fired projectile is not a hitscan weapon, instead following a slow, parabolic arc. This means that the user must not only adjust their aim to where they think the enemy will go when the projectile is in flight, instead of just where the enemy is at the current moment, but also adjust their aim to compensate for the projectile gradually falling as it is in flight, lest it hit the ground before it hits an enemy.

The Ballistic Knife fired projectile rate of fire is slow. It is a single shot weapon, so it must be reloaded after it is fired. The Ballistic Knife is capable of firing at 27 RPM. This rate of fire can be increased if using Sleight of Hand due to Sleight of Hand speeding up the reload of the Ballistic Knife.

The Ballistic Knife has superb handling qualities. Apart from the first switch to the Ballistic Knife, the Ballistic Knife uses quick drop and quick raise, much like the Handguns do, and the Ballistic Knife allows users to move at 100% of the base speed when deployed. There is no iron sights to speak of, nor need to aim down the sight. The Ballistic Knife reloads extremely quickly, with a 1.5 second reload animation, with the Reload Cancel being a swift 0.4 seconds. A reload cancel that fast allows users to fire the ballistic knife much more quickly than intended, especially if using Sleight of Hand, although the reload cancel is so fast that one who masters the reload cancel might not have the need for Sleight of Hand in the first place.

The Ballistic Knife come with two knifes, one already loaded and one in reserve. Scavenger Pro gives an extra knife in reserve.

Like the Tomahawk or Throwing Knife, fired knifes from the Ballistic Knife can be picked up and re-used.

It must be noted that, while the sound of the Ballistic Knife firing is very quiet, it will cause the user to appear as a red dot on radar, which can be very detrimental if using the Ballistic Knife aggressively and often.

Due to the Ballistic Knife having two different ways with which it can kill enemies, it is a versatile and common weapon to use on melee-only playstyles, in conjunction with the Tomahawk, to maximize melee prowess as well as give players an extended reach when necessary. It isn't common to see the Ballistic Knife used purely as a secondary weapon to another class.

The Ballistic Knife also appears in the Wager Match modes Gun Game, Sharpshooter, and Sticks and Stones. In Gun Game, it is used as tier 20 and the final weapon to be used. In order to win, the final kill must be made by firing the knife, not by stabbing with it. In Sticks and Stones, the Ballistic Knife is used as the secondary weapon and cannot be replaced.

Zombies[]

The Ballistic Knife is available through the Mystery Box for 950 points. The player is able to pick up knives after being stuck into zombies plus it allows for faster knifing and movement speed, as well as more damage per stab (one stab up to about round five without the Sickle or Bowie Knife). Although the Ballistic Knife has a much higher stabbing strength in Zombies, most players think this weapon is not useful due to its low ammo count, rate of fire, and damage. However, if there are multiple players in the game, the Ballistic Knife is a good secondary weapon, as when Pack-a-Punched via the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it can be very effective even at later rounds, in case the player's teammates are often down (more details on the Pack-a-Punched version below). If the Bowie Knife or Sickle is purchased, it will replace the regular melee knife when wielding the Ballistic Knife. This combination will be a one-hit kill to regular zombies up until round 10, a one-hit kill to Crawler Zombies up until round 13, and a one-hit kill to a Hellhounds until the third hellhound round. Even after, it is no longer able to instantly kill in one hit, it remains two hits up to almost round 20, and can still be just as lethal if in the right hands. The Ballistic Knife is very effective at making lots of points, due to its faster and more lethal knife attack. Therefore, (for the average player not skilled at running/knifing) if the player obtains the weapon at rounds four to ten, it is advised to use it with the combination of the Bowie Knife or a Sickle to make thousands of points. Once it loses its ability to kill with one knife attack, it should be upgraded and used until round 14. Even after round 14, it can kill the Crawler Zombies until round 16 with one stab. The user will also pull out the Ballistic Knife while downed instead of the usual pistol.

When Pack-a-Punched it becomes "The Krauss Refibrillator" and will revive a player instantly if hit by the blade, which will give the trophy/achievement "See Me, Stab Me, Heal Me". Note the fact that if the player is downed, their knives will not revive other players, it will down them instead.

As with all knife strategies, Juggernog is highly recommended, as in extremely close-quarters with a group of zombies, it is likely that the zombies will hit the player multiple times, making Juggernog necessary. However, even with Juggernog, it is still wise to back off after each knife to avoid getting hit too many times.

For runners, it is recommended that when attempting to knife multiple zombies, to melee while looking near but not at the zombie as this has the Ballistic Knife be slashed instead of stabbed, which is faster.

Ballistic Knife vs. The Krauss Refibrillator[]

Ballistic Knife The Krauss Refibrillator
Ballistic Knife 1st Person BO The Krauss Refibrillator
Damage 500 melee or shot (1000 melee with Bowie Knife/Sickle)[1] 1000 melee or shot (1500 for melee with Bowie Knife/Sickle)
Multiplier Head: x2
Chest: x1
Abdomen: x1
Head: x2
Chest: x1
Abdomen: x1
Fire mode Single-shot Single-shot
Rate of fire N/A N/A
Magazine size 1 1
Max ammo 4+1 9+1
Reload 1.5 0.75
Mobility High High
Extras More damage, increased melee damage, more ammo, quicker reload, when a downed player is shot, they are revived instantly


Achievement/Trophy[]

See Me, Stab Me, Heal Me (15 Gamerscore/ Bronze Trophy Bronze Trophy PS3 icon) - Fire a Pack-a-Punched Ballistic Knife at a downed ally to revive them from a distance.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Black Ops II[]

"Spring-action knife launcher. Increases melee speed and can fire the blade as a projectile."
Create-a-Class description.

Campaign[]

The Ballistic Knife can be unlocked in the customized classes by completing 5 challenges in the mission "Fallen Angel". The Call of Duty: Black Ops model is also available as the Spring Knife, which is unlocked in the exact same manner.

Multiplayer[]

The Ballistic Knife reappears in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. When fired, it is much quieter than its counterpart from Call of Duty: Black Ops. However, the Ballistic Knife will still make the player appear on the mini-map when shooting the blade, which can put the user at a huge disadvantage. Usage of EMP Grenades, EMP Systems, refraining to fire the blade when needing stealth, or playing in Hardcore game types can help mitigate the stealth deficiency.

The fired knives can now be picked up by walking over them, much like the Combat Axe. This method is much quicker than in Black Ops. The weapon again appears in the modes Gun Game, Sharpshooter and Sticks and Stones. In the latter two game modes, it is very common for players to simply use the melee attack and not fire the blade at all.

Equipping the Ballistic Knife will grant the user a 2% increase in movement speed. This makes Lightweight a good perk choice to use with the Ballistic Knife, making the player move at a total of 109% normal movement speed. Switching to a Combat Knife, if available, may be more useful in certain scenarios for moving fast as the Combat Knife has a fifty percent longer sprint duration time than the Ballistic Knife.

The camouflages for the Ballistic knife can be unlocked by doing the following actions:

The following are unlocked after completing all above camouflages:

Zombies[]

"The pen is mightier than the sword! This appears to be a combination of the two..."
Marlton Johnson, when obtaining the Ballistic Knife in Die Rise.

The Ballistic Knife can be obtained from the Mystery Box for 950 points and reuses its model from Call of Duty: Black Ops. It is available in all maps excluding Mob of the Dead and Origins. Melee is a one hit kill until round 4, round 9 with the Bowie Knife, and headshots are a one hit kill until round 7. Due to its melee-enhancing ability, it is a good early-game choice for earning points, making the player less vulnerable when attacking zombies while also being more productive. The Ballistic Knife is less reliant on a Max Ammo than other weapons as ammunition can be retrieved after being shot, and the Ballistic Knife will always have its melee performance-increasing advantage regardless of ammo. Double Tap Root Beer will not increase the amount of damage a fired knife has.

When upgraded, it will become the The Krauss Refibrillator. The Krauss Refibrillator's instant revival ability conflicts with the abilities of Tombstone Soda and Who's Who, making it a questionable weapon to use in combination with those two perks. Melee is a one hit kill until round 9, round 13 with the Bowie Knife, and headshots are effective until round 28. Compared to the Galvaknuckles, the Krauss Refribrillator with Bowie Knife costs more in addition to the time and luck required of the Mystery Box but has faster melee from being an equipped weapon.

On Die Rise, the Ballistic knife is required for the Maxis side of the High Maintenance Easter Egg. During one of the steps, players have to Pack-a-Punch the weapon, and shoot its projectile in the Buddha room, after zombies were killed in the room. Maxis hints towards the weapon saying "Reincarnation is key", pointing towards the Krauss Refibrillator's ability to revive players. Maxis will react to the players Pack-a-Punching the Ballistic knife, as well as when the step is completed, saying the energy of the broken souls was released.

On Buried, there is an Easter Egg that requires the Ballistic Knife. In the saloon, if a player with a Ballistic Knife hits the bullseye on the dartboard from behind the white chalk line on the floor, the piano will start playing by itself. If the player gets to the piano in the Mansion within ninety seconds, the player can see a Ghost playing the piano. The player can tip the Ghost ten points and the player will receive a free perk, regardless of the usual four perk limit.

Ballistic Knife vs Krauss Refibrillator[]

Ballistic Knife Krauss Refibrillator
Ballistic Knife Stuhlinger BOII The Krauss Refibrillator BOII
Damage 500 melee or shot (1000 for melee with Bowie Knife) 1000 melee or shot (1500 for melee with Bowie Knife)
Fire mode Single-Shot Single-Shot
Magazine size 1 1
Max ammo 4+1 9+1
Mobility High High
Extras Instantly revives a fallen teammate when shot at. Melee attacks with a normal knife and the Bowie Knife (but not the Galvaknuckles) receive both a 10% damage increase as well as a 50% increase in animation speed when equipped along with the Krauss Refibrillator.


Gallery[]

For Camouflage images, see Ballistic Knife/Camouflage.

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified[]

The Ballistic Knife appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified.

Campaign[]

It can be found in the mission Rocket's Red Glare.

Multiplayer[]

It can be unlocked and used in multiplayer. It is a secondary weapon like previous games.

Call of Duty Online[]

The Ballistic Knife returns in Call of Duty Online.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Black Ops III[]

"A knife that can fire its blade as a projectile."
— In-game description

The Ballistic Knife was added to Call of Duty: Black Ops III on March 16, 2017, only available through the Black Market.[2] Players could also play with the Ballistic Knife within the Sticks and Stones playlist.

The Ballistic Knife sports a very similar look and feel to its Call of Duty: Black Ops II iteration. The biggest changes made were is how the weapon is held (with it being pointed downward), melee animation, and the fire rate of the knife being increased. It is possible that the fire rate increase was made so that it could have a better chance with competing with people who are constantly thrust jumping or using similar weapons like the NX ShadowClaw.

When fired, it is louder than its counterpart from Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Like always, the Ballistic Knife will still make the player appear on the mini-map when shooting the blade, which can put the user at a huge disadvantage, as weapons such as the ShadowClaw possess the ability to remain hidden.

The fired knives can be picked up by walking over them, much like the Combat Axe or the ShadowClaw.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4[]

"Spring-action knife launcher. Can be used in melee or as a projectile weapon."
— Description

The Ballistic Knife was added to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 as part of the Days of Summer continuation of the Operation Spectre Rising event.

Specifications[]

Attachments[]

Zombies[]

The Ballistic Knife is available in the zombies mode from the Mystery Box for 950 points. It is able to melee kill zombies with a single strike until wave 5. When Pack-a-Punched it becomes the The Krauss Refibulator++, gaining increased reserve ammo and stronger melee damage. While Pack-a-Punched, It is able to melee zombies in one hit until wave 12.

Gallery[]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare[]

The Ballistic Knife appears exclusively as a weapon used during Finishing Moves. Some are available only to specific Spetsnaz operators, while the "Payback" Finishing Move is available to all operators.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War[]

"Spring-action knife launcher. Developed in the late '70's by Soviet forces. Can be used to silently fire retrievable blades or as a melee weapon."
— In-game description

The Ballistic Knife returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. It was added as part of the Season Three update.

Overview[]

Zombies[]

The Ballistic Knife can be brought into any map via Create-A-Class, at Loadout rarity. When upgraded via the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it becomes the Sharp Shooter gaining increased reserve ammo, increased melee damage and increased damage. It was added to the Mystery Box and Trials rewards pool as part of the Season Three: Reloaded update. Like its previous iterations in past Zombies modes, the Sharp Shooter is capable of reviving other players in co-op.

The Ballistic Knife also utilize both the Special and Melee "Weapon Class" skills.

Blueprints[]

Blueprint Image Rarity How to Obtain
Black Inknife Black Inknife Card BOCW Legendary Disappearing Ink Bundle
Garden Cricket Garden Cricket Card BOCW Epic Mother Russia Bundle
Keg Tap Keg Tap Card BOCW Legendary Tracer Pack: Oktoberfest Bundle

Gallery[]

For weapon with camouflages, see Ballistic Knife/Camouflage#Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

Call of Duty: Mobile[]

"Spring-action knife that can fire the blade as a projectile and switch to melee attack when running out of blades."
— In-game description

The Ballistic Knife returns in Call of Duty: Mobile, as the variant seen in Black Ops: Cold War. It was added in December 2023 as part of the Season 11: Siren Song update.

Multiplayer[]

The Ballistic Knife is very similar to the Knife, possessing a multi-swing combo that it can execute at any time, albeit at a slower pace. Unlike the Knife however, it has the unique ability to launch a projectile, which instantly kills whatever it hits (bar scorestreaks such as the XS1 Goliath). However, this projectile possesses massive bullet drop, as beyond approximately 20 meters, if one shoots a blade at center mass, it will eventually land at the enemy's feet. This requires leading shots, even when at point-blank against enemies that may be strafing.

After firing, the knife must be reloaded, and cannot be interrupted in any way, leaving the user effectively defenseless until the reload is finished. When the user runs out of knives, they can only use the swing of the left knife, which is much slower than the full combo with both knives.

Unlike previous iterations, missed knives cannot be picked up, which is compensated for with a larger max capacity of 6 spare knives.

Battle Royale[]

As it it categorized as a Melee rather than a Special weapon, it can be selected as a starting weapon. While it could provide a massive theoretical advantage by giving the user a ranged weapon at the beginning of a match, the blade is incredible slow and has horrible velocity, and can only be used once.

Blueprints[]

Epic[]

  • Frog Prince
  • Floating Lotus

Trivia[]

General[]

  • In Zombies, only one player at a time can have a ballistic knife.
  • There is a slight knock-back when firing. This is more noticeable when standing still.

Call of Duty: Black Ops[]

  • The Ballistic Knife had a different Create-a-Class picture in game trailers; it had a bigger handle and a different blade shape.
  • Tally marks can be seen on the left hand knife that is used to melee with via Theater Mode.
  • In game-winning killcams, a fired Ballistic Knife will frequently appear to miss the target due to moderate lag commonly associated with killcams.
  • Its melee attack does not count as a knife kill if the player stabs someone in multiplayer. Instead it counts as a kill for the Ballistic Knife.
  • It has the symbol of the USSR on the left side of it.
  • If the player shoots the Ballistic Knife at the oil tanks in the multiplayer map Array, the fired knife will just either roll slowly in the air and then fall down, or just stay in mid air.
  • When the Sickle is bought, the Ballistic Knife's ammo is replenished.
  • On the Ziplines in Call of the Dead, the Ballistic Knives float in mid air, due to the hands disappearing.
  • If one shoots a mannequin in the multiplayer map Nuketown in the back, the knife will end up on the floor instead of sticking into them.
  • The killfeed icon on the Wii is different and looks like the knife icon facing the other way.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II[]

  • The Zombies variant has no crawling animation. Instead, it simply disappears off-screen when crawling, like in previous games. The same happens with the campaign's Manual Crossbow.
  • In Zombies, prior to an update, the pick-up button had to be pressed in order to retrieve the fired knives like in Black Ops. This has now been patched.
  • When using the Ballistic Knife in combination with the Galvaknuckles or Combatant Suppression Knuckles, the Ballistic Knife will not be used to melee. Instead, it will use the standard animation of either of the Galvaknuckles or the Combatant Suppression Knuckles.
  • When Diamond Camouflage is applied, the Combat Knife that is held with the Ballistic Knife will be gold and the string around where it is held will be diamond, which is the opposite of what it is on the normal combat knife.
    • This combat knife can't be customized by applying camouflages on the default knife, unlike other knives such as the normal combat knife and the Tactical Knife.
  • Blades fired can be destroyed by a Trophy System.
  • The Ballistic Knife cannot be placed in the Weapon Locker.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4[]

  • "The Aviary", along with a stylised bird logo, is visible on the side of the blade.

References[]

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