Black Ops 4 Permanent Unlock Tokens are earned when a player reaches Prestige. They’re an invaluable asset that was introduced to the franchise back when Modern Warfare 3 came out. A Permanent Unlock Token can be spent in order to unlock one Perk, Gun, or Scorestreak permanently, meaning that the player will have access to that particular unlockable at all times, regardless of their current level.
However, the only way to earn these Tokens is by reaching Prestige, so there’s an art to knowing what to spend them on. After the player has reached Prestige three or four times, they’ll essentially have access to a Custom Class of their choice from Level 5 onward. This guide will outline the best permanent unlocks to spend your tokens on so that you can get the most bang for your buck in Call of Duty Black Ops 4.
Black Ops 4 – What to Use Permanent Unlock Tokens On
First of all, before this guide lists the best Weapons, Scorestreaks, and Perks in Black Ops 4, it needs to be said that if you’re particularly dependent on a single unlockable, you should use your Token on that. The only reason for not doing this would be if your unlockable of choice comes at a low level. Players should never use their Token on something that can be unlocked quickly after reaching Prestige, as they will not be getting the full time-saving value of the Token if they do this.
The main advantage of a Token is that if you unlock something like the Gunship, which is unlocked at level 54, you’ll be saving all of the time it would have taken you to have grinded all the way up from level 1. By the same logic, the fan-favorite ICR-7 is available from level 5, meaning that unlocking this at level 1 would be a complete waste of a Token. Basically, unlock your best Weapons, Perks, and Scorestreaks if they’re tied to higher levels. If not, hold on to your Token, as there’s no point wasting one for the sake of it. It’s always valuable to have a spare anyway—your sniping could drastically improve, or a patch could nerf your favorite Weapon. Playstyles inevitably change, and having a Token to compensate for that will negate your transition from one style to another.
A good rule of thumb for this is to spend your Token on things that are unlocked after level 41, which is the mid-point to Prestige in terms of experience. If your best Weapon is unlocked in the high 30s, you can feel free to go for that. This rule is more so indicative than necessary. With all of that established, here are the best things to spend your Permanent Unlock Token on in Black Ops 4.
Black Ops 4 – Best Permanent Unlocks: Perks
Unless there is a Perk that you feel is essential to your playstyle, you’re better off spending your Tokens on Weapons and Scorestreaks. Scavenger is the best Perk in the game in that it increases survivability more than any of the others and it’s available early on, meaning that there is no need to use a Token on it. With that being said, feel free to unlock a Perk if you feel it will really benefit you. Otherwise, use your Token on one of the Weapons and Scorestreaks featured below.
Black Ops 4 – Best Permanent Unlocks: Weapons
Maddox RFB
Being unlocked at level 49, this is the last Assault Rifle you’ll unlock on the road to Prestige. The Maddox RFB has a fantastic fire-rate—the best of all the ARs—and has plenty of ammo to boot. If you’re a person who has favored Assault Rifles in previous iterations of Call of Duty, this could very well be the gun for you.
The downside to the Maddox in relation to something like the Rampart 17 is that the Maddox has some pretty heavy recoil. However, when its recoil is tamed, the Maddox wins out. Also, it’s unlocked just six levels before Prestige. If you opt to spend your token on something else, it will be quite some time before you get to use the Maddox again.
VKM 750
Unlocked at level 46, making it a very high-level Weapon. This was featured on our list of the best Weapons in Black Ops 4, and for good reason. This heavy-hitting LMG may feel sluggish to SMG users, but for those who grew up on the RPD and the AUG HBAR, this weapon is a godsend.
Although this weapon slows you down, both in terms of reload time and actual mobility, it’s by far the best LMG for those who sport a playstyle that suits it. If you’re the kind of person to lock down and control a single area, the VKM 750 is well worth a Permanent Unlock Token.
Saug 9mm
The Saug 9mm is unlocked at level 52, just three levels before Prestige. It’s incredible fire rate makes it devastating at close range, meaning that it’s one for the SMG experts. It isn’t particularly forgiving toward those who aren’t used to running an SMG playstyle, so if you’re not the kind of player who knows how to force enemies to always engage you at close range, the Saug won’t be for you. However, if you know how to never lose the close-range advantage, you’ll be unstoppable with your level 52 Saug all the way from level 5 to the next Prestige.
Black Ops 4 – Best Permanent Unlocks: Scorestreaks
Attack Chopper
Although the Attack Chopper isn’t always the most reliable Scorestreak, it doesn’t require any input from the player. Due to the fact that it operates on its own accord, players can focus on the ground-game while racking up kills from their Chopper in the sky.
Also, the Attack Chopper can be used in order to force the enemy team to stay indoors. In this way, it can be used in order to herd enemies, which you can then farm for subsequent Scorestreaks. Even if the Chopper doesn’t get any kills, you can use it to your advantage by predicting how the other team will react. This gives you a competitive edge, which can be manipulated to great effect.
Drone Squad
In the same way as the Attack Chopper works, the Drone Squad only requires the player to deploy it. AI will take care of the rest, allowing you to continue as you were. This is a powerful Scorestreak, but it does require quite a lot of points. If you’re not confident that you can regularly pull of 1,000 point streaks, you’d be better off spending your Token on something else. However, if you can take advantage of Drone Squads from level 5 onward, you’ll rack up impressive scores every game, which will drastically accelerate your progress to the next Prestige and the next Permanent Unlock Token.
Gunship
If you’re confident that you can regularly pull off even higher Scorestreaks, the Gunship is perhaps the most essential permanent unlock in the game. If you’re not, then it isn’t worth spending a Token on.
The Gunship unlocks at level 54, meaning that it becomes available just one level before reaching Prestige. Some players may never even equip the Gunship; others will regularly get 1,600 point Scorestreaks. If you fall into the latter bracket, the Gunship is probably the best value you can get for a Permanent Unlock Token. Really, though—this is only good if you know you’re going to get to use it often. Otherwise, spend your Token on one of the other suggestions mentioned above.
