Maelstrom is an entirely new, full-auto shotgun. Arriving in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as part of the Season One update, this powerful shotgun will dominate close-quarters combat in any mode. To receive this devastating shotgun and other awesome rewards, you can unlock it just by playing throughout the Merry Mayhem event, which earns you XP. The more time you spend playing, the quicker you will go through unlocking this and other cool rewards.
Maelstrom Shotgun in BO6
The Maelstrom is a powerful, fully-automatic shotgun that was introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. It’s a unique design with the ammunition magazine located behind the trigger, making it more compact. You could get your hands on it starting December 5th, 2024, when it arrived as part of a special update to Season One of the game.
The Maelstrom is a rapid-fire shotgun. It’s pretty accurate for a shotgun, but it kicks back a lot and isn’t very stable when you aim from the hip. This makes it perfect for close-quarters combat.
- In Black Ops 6 Multiplayer: It’ll be a beast on smaller maps where you’ll constantly be in close encounters.
- In Warzone: Expect to dominate close-range fights.
- In Zombies: Its high fire rate will let you mow down hordes of zombies with ease.
| Weapon Class | Shotgun |
| Fire mode | Fully automatic |
| Caliber | 12 Gauge |
| Magazine size | 10 |
| Maximum Ammunition | 10 |
| Damage | 18 |
| Rate of Fire | 300 |
| Reload Time | 3 seconds |
How to Unlock Maelstrom
To get the awesome Maelstrom Shotgun in Black Ops 6 and Warzone, you need to play during the Merry Mayhem event. This special event happens from December 5th to 19th. The Maelstrom Shotgun is the top reward, but you’ll have to complete a series of challenges to earn it.
To unlock the Maelstrom Shotgun in Black Ops 6 and Warzone, you don’t need to worry about any special challenges. Just play your favorite game mode – Multiplayer, Zombies, or Warzone. Every time you play, you’ll earn XP that contributes to the overall progress of the Merry Mayhem event. You can track your progress easily by checking the Events tab within the game.
The in-game store is currently featuring the “Bad Manners” bundle, which costs 1,800 COD Points. This bundle includes a special blueprint called “Party Etiquette” for the new Maelstrom shotgun, along with a blueprint for the Goblin and some cosmetic items.
Armory Challenges
To unlock the powerful Maelstrom weapon in Black Ops 6, you’ll need to grind through the Armory Challenges. Earn a total of 250,000 XP by completing various in-game tasks, and you’ll finally be able to add this beast to your arsenal.
Here’s how to get started:
- Find the Armory: Head to the Multiplayer section of Black Ops 6 and navigate to the Barracks. From there, locate the Challenges tab and find the Armory section.
- Add the Maelstrom: Once you’ve found the Armory, look for the Maelstrom challenge and add it to your active challenges.
- Grind for XP: Now it’s time to earn XP! Complete objectives, dominate matches, and generally excel in your gameplay to rack up those points.
The Armory Challenges are a great way to unlock missed gear and weapons, so keep grinding and you’ll eventually unlock the devastating Maelstrom!
Playing modes like Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint will earn you a lot of XP, making it easier to unlock the Maelstrom Shotgun faster. You can also use XP Tokens or take advantage of Double XP events to speed things up. And the good news is, once you’ve earned enough XP for the Maelstrom, any extra XP you earn can go towards unlocking other cool items from the event that you might have missed!
Best Maelstrom build
To make your Maelstrom Shotgun the most powerful in Black Ops 6, equip these attachments:
- Muzzle: Full Choke (increases range)
- Magazine: Extended Mag I (more ammo)
- Barrel: Long Barrel (boosts range and damage)
- Rear Grip: Commando Grip (better aim stability)
- Laser: Tactical Laser (faster aim down sights)
If you use the Gunfighter Wildcard, you can add even more:
- Stock: Balanced Stock (improves overall stability)
- Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip (better aim stability and recoil control)
- Fire Mods: Rapid Fire (increases fire rate)
The Full Choke and Long Barrel attachments are what really bring the Maelstrom into its own with accuracy and damage. The Tactical Laser makes you target faster, something that’s so important for a shotgun like the Maelstrom. The other attachments – like the Commando Grip, Balanced Stock, and Ranger Foregrip – make the gun easier to control and shoot faster, giving you a major advantage in close-quarters combat.
