Steady Aim

Steady Aim is a tier three perk in Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and a tier two perk in Call of Duty: Black Ops. This perk increases the accuracy of a weapon when fired from the hip by reducing the size of the cross-hairs by 35%. In Modern Warfare 2, its Pro version replaces Iron Lungs. Other than that, this perk has no effect on a weapon's accuracy when the player is aiming down the sights, except for in third person gametypes in Modern Warfare 2. Steady Aim increases the accuracy of shotguns by reducing their spread, making the shotgun less effective for spraying an area but increases the damage done to a single target, which can increase the one shot kill range of a shotgun.

The Perk is also seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops as a tier 2 perk.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Steady Aim is a useful perk for players who find that they fire from the hip often. One of its biggest advantages is that it allows for more accurate fire without sacrificing mobility, although pistols and submachine guns already have full mobility while aiming down the sights. While it is not as common, some players also use this perk with sniper rifles, which allows more accurate un-scoped use at close range when a switch to a secondary weapon is not an option. It is also often used with the M40A3, an ACOG Scope, and Stopping Power. This is for the sake of "no-scoping" or firing from the hip with a sniper rifle. This is effective because the M40A3 with an ACOG and Stopping Power is always a one hit kill unless the target is hit through cover or is using Juggernaut.

Call of Duty: World at War
This Perk remains completely unchanged from Call of Duty 4 and is fairly popular, especially on the MP-40.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Steady Aim is completely unchanged from the other games except for the addition of the Pro Perk. The Pro version allows the player to hold their breath longer while using a Sniper Scope or Thermal Scope, replacing Iron Lungs. Steady Aim is especially recommended for the Masterkey and weapons using the Akimbo attachment, which prevents aiming down the sight, making it both useful and easier to get the Pro version.

When playing in third person gametypes, this perk will also make the cross-hair smaller while ADS. Steady Aim is one of the only perks for which the standard and Pro abilities seem diametrically opposed; holding one's breath only applies to sniper scopes and thermal scopes and is used for long range accuracy, while firing from the hip is a close quarters tactic and is very inaccurate with sniper rifles, even when using Steady Aim.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
Steady Aim is set to return in Black Ops as a Tier 2 perk and will increase hip-fire accuracy.

Trivia

 * Many inexperienced players equip Steady Aim mistakenly believing it will help reduce recoil or increase ADS accuracy. If these same players never hip-fire then they will see no benefit from it whatsoever, and will have wasted a 3rd perk slot.
 * Steady Aim is one of only 2 perks that have been in every Call of Duty game that features perks, the other perk being Sleight of Hand.
 * In Modern Warfare 2, it is possible to upgrade Steady Aim with a mounted minigun without zooming in.
 * In Black Ops, the emblem is in the form of a Commando.

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