The EX1 is quite possibly the most unique weapon to debut in the Call of Duty series. Released in Vanguard and Warzone’s Season Five update, this “assault rifle” is actually an energy blaster that can be customized to be a sniper, marksman rifle, and really anything else. However, that doesn’t mean you should expect it to flourish right away. Its base weapon holds a lengthy, almost unbearable charge-up time and severely low damage stats. But, with the right attachments, the EX1 can act like a ruthless killstreak. Here are the best EX1 loadouts for both Vanguard and Warzone.

Best EX1 loadout in Call of Duty: Vanguard

For the Multiplayer component, the EX1 works best when making it akin to an SMG. The loadout should be centered around increasing its energy rounds and erasing its charge-up mechanism, all while providing you with a whole lot of speed. Once that’s done, the weapon should thrive against most opponents in close to medium range combat. You can find every attachment you’ll need for this class below.

  • Muzzle: Coil AmpUnderbarrel: Carver ForegripBarrel: Dim Uproot ShortMagazine: Royal-PV Cell Reserve Battery CellOptic: MK 3 Mod. 2 SunfilterRear grip: Granular GripStock: AC-Titanium AnchorProficiency: Sleight of HandKit: SurplusClass Perks: Serpentine, Intuition, and Double Time

By far, the best attachments for the EX1 and this loadout are the Dim Uproot Short barrel and Royal-PV battery magazine. The Dim Uproot Short practically wipes away the weapon’s initial charge-up mechanic, allowing you to shoot without any wait. It also amplifies your ADS and sprint-to-fire speeds a great deal. Meanwhile, the Royal-PV lends you 21 additional rounds. It may not sound like a lot, but the attachment makes it possible to eliminate an entire enemy team before having to recharge.

You can then increase all of its damage stats with the Coil Amp, most notably giving the EX1 a 7.1% increase in overall damage. Another major flaw of the blaster is its roller coaster of a weapon kick. This issue can be a thing of the past with recoil control attachments, such as the Carver Foregrip underbarrel, Granular Grip rear grip, and the AC-Titanium Anchor stock.

Although Proficiencies typically don’t have a major impact, Sleight of Hand is a must-have attachment for the EX1 at all times. As it is known for supplying faster reload times for standard weapons, it allows the EX1 to be recharged within just two seconds, compared its usual five seconds without it. Your class perks should then be Serpentine, Intuition, and Double Time. You’ll find Double Time and Serpentine especially useful, as the pair gives you longer sprint times and reduced incoming damage when sprinting.

Best EX1 loadout in Warzone

The EX1 succeeds at the highest rate in the battle royale with a low fire rate and exceptional damage. Thus, it will function almost like a marksman rifle with a limitless supply of ammo. This loadout will also ensure that its damage range is high enough to land distant shots on any map. Here is a breakdown of the EX1’s most useful attachments in Warzone.

  • Muzzle: Magnified RelayUnderbarrel: Carver ForegripBarrel: PWN Beam CondenserMagazine: Royal-PV Cell Reserve Battery CellOptic: SF4 3.5x Rifle ScopeRear grip: Pine Tar GripStock: AC-Titanium AnchorPerk: Sleight of HandPerk 2: Deep BreathClass Perks: Serpentine, Overkill, and Amped

You can transform the EX1 into a marksman rifle by applying the PWN Beam Condenser barrel. The attachment provides the weapon a DMR conversion, ultimately slowing the fire rate while raising its damage and ranged capabilities. This even comes with bonus headshot damage, though you will want to lower its recoil to see this most often. The EX1’s best possible aiming stability can be seen once you’ve attached the Carver Foregrip, AC-Titanium Anchor stock, and Pine Tar Grip rear grip.

The PWN Beam Condenser doesn’t improve its recharge time, so we find it best to counteract this with the Magnified Relay muzzle and Royal-PV Reserve Battery Cell. These two attachments bolster each magazine to have 94 total rounds — an amount that can certainly last an entire game. Though, if you do need to recharge, expect the Sleight of Hand perk to speed this process up by about three seconds. Additionally, its optic is entirely up to you, but the ZF4 3.5x Rifle Scope should be perfect for both medium and long range gunfights.

Although your class perks should depend on your play style, Overkill in the Perk 2 slot is a clear choice for everyone. You’ll definitely need a close-range gun in the later minutes of matches, and this EX1 isn’t capable of holding up with most SMGs in the battle royale. It is recommended you have your second primary weapon be either the Kilo 141 or Uzi. Yes, these are some of the oldest weapons in Warzone, though recent patches have made both top-tier damage dealers.