Best perks to use in Warzone Season 5: Perk package meta explained

Based on the current perk meta in Warzone Season 5 Reloaded, we’ve determined the best perk package possible and ranked all 27 options.

Raven Software made no Perk changes in Season 5 or the most recent Reloaded update. As a result, the battle royale’s best possible Perk combinations did not change, and the most popular options held onto their top spots.

Below, you’ll find our overall rankings for the Perks you want to use in Season 5. Remember that any Perk can be worth using in the right situation, as even ‘lower-tier’ perks can be great if you know how to use them correctly.

Just know that the right loadout is also essential to get the most out of Warzone’s the best weapons. Here are the best perks in Warzone to give you an idea of what you should put in your loadout.

Warzone Perks tier list

Best Perk Package in Warzone Season 5

• Perk Slot 1: Double Time
• Perk Slot 2: Irradiated
• Perk Slot 3 Resupply
• Perk Slot 4: Birdseye

This Perk Package provides a little bit of everything that gives players an edge over the rest of the competition. Double Time’s increased Tac Sprint duration and reduced refresh rate will be useful when running away from an enemy or to the next circle.

Meanwhile, Irradiated works perfectly in tandem with the PDS Field Upgrade, which provides a temporary air bubble for players to survive in the zone. This perk grants 20% less gas damage and a 10% movement speed while in the gas, making plays while out of the circle easier.

Every Warzone loadout needs Smoke Grenades to provide cover while rotating, and Resupply refreshes lethal and tactical equipment items over 50 seconds.

Lastly, Birdseye buffs UAVs to make them last longer and cover more ground, revealing an enemy’s location even if Ghost is equipped. In the final circle and early in a match, this Perk will give you a better idea of your surroundings.

Our tiers explained

Here is a short-hand for how each tier breaks down:

• S: The best
• A: Very good
• B: There might be situations where these can perform well
• C: Best to avoid unless you find yourself drawn to them

Even if a Perk gets ranked in the C-tier, it can still be helpful in the right hands. Players will have preferences based on different play styles. In saying that, all S-tier and A-tier Perks should be in every Warzone loadout and provide the most beneficial boosts.

Perk meta analysis

Even though Warzone has 27 Perks, only about half are viable. Because even though some of the lower-ranked options offer unique skills, they are one-dimensional and far too situational to recommend using over better choices.

Mountaineer emerged as a new favorite in Season 5 since it doubles the height requirement before fall damage becomes lethal. Previously, it changed the lethal height from 13 to 26 meters, but after the seasonal update, that went from 26 to 34.

The increased height gave players more freedom to make large jumps and catch enemies off guard. However, a nerf reverted the Perk to its original values. We still think it an excellent option, but there are better Perk 1 and Perk 2 slot options now.

Most of the best Perks provide a health or movement boost, reveal an enemy’s location, or conceal your presence. With that in mind, let’s jump into our rankings.

S-Tier Perks in Warzone

Double Time

Perk description: Increase Tac Sprint and reduce refresh time 

Dexerto

Double Time comes in at the top of our list because of how important every second counts. Whether you are running away from an enemy or rotating, a bonus to movement goes a long way.

Sleight of Hand

Perk description: Reload faster

Sleight of Hand is an S-tier perk but depends on your weapon because the slower the base reload time, the bigger the bonus. For example, the faster reload time will be much more noticeable for a slow and bulky LMG rather than an SMG with a fast reload time.

Ghost

Perk description: Blocks detection by enemy radar sources, such as UAVs, Portable Radars, and Heartbeat Sensors while moving

UAV spam in Warzone is a common problem, as players spend all their money purchasing the Killstreak to reveal an enemy team’s location. If all three teammates coordinate and have Ghost equipped, it will reduce the amount of times you get caught off guard.

High Alert

Perk description: Vision pulses when spotted by an enemy outside of view

Since Warzone’s time-to-kill speed is so fast, firing first in a gunfight is a massive advantage. With High Alert equipped, you can locate enemies more efficiently and engage in a gunfight quickly.

Birdseye

Perk description: Your UAV Killstreak, Portable Radar, or UAV Tower shows the heading of the enemy of your squad and detects Ghosted players, and UAVs scan longer and further

Birdseye acts as a direct counter to Ghost, as you can locate players on your UAV even if they have the Perk equipped. In addition, the Perk grants a longer and further scan for UAVs.

A-Tier Perks in Warzone

Quick Fix

Perk description: Killing players or inserting a plate immediately starts health regeneration

Dexerto

Aggressive players will want to have Quick Fix equipped, as the Perk’s health regeneration bonus makes it possible to engage multiple enemies at once without regrouping and recovering your health. In addition, the Perk also saves players another second while putting on an armor plate.

Resupply

Perk description: Recharge lethals and tacticals every 50 seconds

Every Warzone squad needs at least one player with Smoke Grenades equipped. Without the tactical equipment item, rotating across large open areas makes you an easy target for enemies. However, loadouts only get a limited amount of Smoke Grenades, so Resupply ensures that you never run out.

Tempered

Perk description: Refill armor plates to full with two plates instead of three

Armor plates are not easy to find, and you run out quickly when constantly engaged in heated gunfights. With that in mind, Tempered eliminates the need to continually re-equip armor, and players won’t need to find as many.

Mountaineer

Perk description: Fall from higher heights without taking fatal damage

As mentioned, this Perk recently saw a nerf that decreased the lethal fall height. In saying that, being able to fall from up to 26 meters instead of 13 is still a massive boost and noteworthy benefit.

Irradiated

Perk description: Allows equipping of armor plates, increases movement speed and reduce gas damage taken while under the effects of the circle (20% less gas damage and 10% movement speed increase)

When Raven Software brought the PDS Field Upgrade back for Season 2 in March, it made Irradiated a viable perk. Players can now pull off the miraculous gas plays as they used to in previous Warzone titles, as the decreased gas damage and movement speed increase allow them to stay alive outside the circle longer.

B-Tier Perks in Warzone

Cold Blooded

Perk description: Undetectable by thermal optics, Tactical Cameras, and Recon Drones. Does not trigger High Alert and Combat Scout

Dexerto

Stealth is crucial in Warzone, and Cold-Blooded makes you undetectable by several different equipment items. However, most equipment items that this Perk protects you from are only used sometimes besides High Alert and Combat Scout.

Combat Scout

Perk description: Bullets you fire briefly mark an enemy for you and your squad. Hitting the enemy from farther away increases the mark time (Only one enemy can be marked at a time)

Marking enemies makes it easy to shoot them through Smoke Grenades or know where they are moving while behind cover.

Scavenger

Perk description: Collect ammo, an armor plate, and cash from dead players

The benefits of Scavenger are helpful, but this Perk isn’t worth it for players who only get into a handful of gunfights every match and would rarely reap the rewards.

Focus

Perk description: Reduced Flinch when aiming down sights and extended hold breath duration

All sniper players should use this perk, but the one-dimensional nature of Focus makes it hard to rank any higher than a B-tier option.

C-Tier Perks in Warzone

Battle Hardened

Perk description: Reduce the effect of enemy Flash, Stun, EMP, Gas Grenades, and Frangible effects. Immune to Snapshot Grenades, Guardian Killstreaks, and Shock Sticks

Strong Arm

Dexerto

Perk description: Throw equipment farther and see a preview of the trajectory

Strong Arm is not an awful Perk, but other first and second-slot options are much more versatile and universally beneficial.

Shrapnel

Perk description: Explosive damage delays enemy health regeneration, slows enemy movement, and briefly disables tactical sprint

While powerful, Shrapnel will rarely be active, as hitting enemies with a grenade or other explosive device only happens sometimes.

Spotter

Perk description: Spot enemy equipment and Killstreaks throw walls. Aiming down sights highlights them for the team. Hack enemy Claymores, Proximity Mines, C4, and Trophy Systems

Hacking enemy Claymores and other equipment is valuable, but it’s also just as easy to shoot and destroy them.

Mechanic

Dexerto

Perk description: Reduced vehicle repair time, increased fueling speed, and reduced fuel consumption while driving non-aircraft vehicles

Vehicles are often used during the final few circles and at the start of a match to rotate and get into advantageous positions. However, it is not worth wasting a Perk slot on something that only helps vehicles.

Payout

Perk description: Contracts pay out more in cash and the cost of UAV Towers are discounted

Payout could be in a higher tier, but stiff competition in the third Perk slot makes that problematic. Tracker, Tempered, and Resupply all also better benefits.

Survivor

Perk description: Faster revive speed, reduced health regeneration delay by 20%, reduced cash lost on death, and enemies that down you are automatically pinged

Faster revive speed and reduced health regeneration rate are excellent, but once again, we would much instead use other options for the third Perk slot.

Stalker

Dexerto

Perk description: Stalker: Increased strafe and aim down sight movement speeds

Increased strafe and aim down sight movement speeds sound great on paper. However, the bonuses aren’t enough to justify using this Perk.

Primed

Perk description: Accuracy and time to aim down sight is improved while jumping

Players will rarely jump while shooting because there is a movement penalty, so this Perk will rarely offer a benefit.

Escapist

Perk description: Increased downed, prone, and crouch speed. 20% buff to movement speed

For players who enjoy using the snake mechanic to bob up and down behind the cover, Escapist may sound appealing. However, most users won’t find much use for this Perk.

Flex

Perk description: Delay triggered explosives while sprinting, warns of nearby enemy equipment, and reduces combat noise

Reduced combat noise is an underrated benefit that most players overlook regarding Flex. However, the fourth Perk slot has some of the best options in the game, rendering this Perk useless.

Resolute

Perk description: When taking damage from gunfire, grants a short 5% bonus to movement speed

Similarly, Resolute would undoubtedly be used more in a different slot, but High Alert, Ghost, and Birdseye are all better options than this Perk.

For more on Warzone, check out our guide on Ranked Play.