- For the map with the same name from Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, see Range (map).
Range is a Weapon Proficiency which appears in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Overview[]
- "Increase effective weapon range."
- — Create-a-Class description.
Range proficiency is only available on submachine guns and shotguns. It increases the effectiveness of the range of a player's weapon by 25% (it increases damage drop distance by 25% for the weapon; for shotguns it also increases maximum range by 25%).
For example, the PM-9's damage begins to drop at 400 inches and reaches its minimum damage at 600 inches. With the Range proficiency its damage begins to drop at 500 inches reaches its minimum damage at 750 inches, giving it the same range as the MP7.
For both weapon classes, Range is very valuable and among the best proficiencies.
For SMGs, it is the only proficiency available that adjusts the damage profile in any beneficial way. Due to the sharp damage drop-off most SMGs have, the proficiency is instrumental in ensuring more gunfights take place at optimal ranges for the SMG user. In particular, the PP90M1 greatly appreciates the Range proficiency, since not only is the PP90M1 the only SMG that can take up to six shots to kill, but the damage drop-off from needing three shots to kill compared to needing six shots to kill takes place over just a few meters, so avoiding that crucial area where the damage drops rapidly is of high concern to PP90M1 users. The UMP45 and MP5 also make great use of Range, since the three shot kill ranges of both SMGs are crucial strengths of both weapons. The PM-9 and the MP7 have the lowest need for Range, as both SMGs have flat damage profiles and short range, especially in the case of the PM-9. Lacking range also doesn't stop the MP7 from being effective at longer ranges due to its incredible accuracy.
For shotguns, while Range is incredibly valuable as it increases a finite resource and somewhat counteracts the effect of damage drop-off, the proficiency has extremely steep competition in Damage, which essentially acts as Stopping Power for the shotgun. The Damage Proficiency is highly preferred for those using pump-action/lever-action shotguns, and on shotguns that are fully automatic or semi-automatic, Range stands on more even ground compared to Damage, especially when used on the AA-12, which has pitiful range even in comparison to other shotguns. However, for those running the Specialist Strike Package on their shotgun class, Damage is always the preferred choice since Range can be earned from the Specialist Bonus, whereas Damage cannot be earned from the Specialist Bonus.
Despite Range being worse than Damage for shotguns in most cases, it is unlocked at an earlier weapon level than Damage, so it is a proficiency that shotgun users will end up using at some point regardless of whether or not they actually like Range more than Damage.
Gallery[]
