Call of Duty has introduced some of the most unique killstreaks, from the Mothership to the K9 Units. There are enough Killstreaks to compile a list of some of the most interesting ones spanning across 12 games. Here’s a list of the Top 10 Call Of Duty Killstreaks based on originality and creativity.
Top 10 Call Of Duty Killstreaks Of All Time
The following list does not necessarily consist of the best killstreaks to equip based on damage or effectiveness. This list is about the best Call of Duty Killstreaks that are creative, original, fun and incredibly annoying for opponents. Furthermore, the term “Killstreaks” was changed to “Scorestreaks” for the first time with the release of Black Ops 2. Since then, all games now use scorestreaks as the official name. To keep this article OG, killstreaks will be the term used for all items no matter what game it originated from.
Here’s the list of Top 10 Call of Duty Killstreaks of All Time.
10 – Warthog – Black Ops 2
Although never the most popular choice because of the high point streak required (1400 pts), the Warthog undoubtedly made its presence felt in Black Op 2. The screeching sound of its Gatling gun did more damage than the killstreak itself. The incoming sound of the Warthog’s strafing run is something no COD fan will ever forget. The Warthog made its return as the Thresher with the release of Black Ops 4. Treyarch did a nice job thinking of a new aircraft to introduce into its strafing run killstreak collection.
The A-10 Warthog has long been one of the best ground support aircraft used by the military for heavy combat conditions. The Warthog from Black Ops 2 makes it at #10 on the Top 10 Call of Duty Killstreaks.
9 – Fighter Pilot – World War II
Killstreaks were introduced into the COD series in 2007 with the release of COD4. Finally, on its 11th release in 2017, WW2 included a strafing run where a player could manually control and attack its targets. Every COD release, since COD4, includes a strafe run streak in one form or another. You can pick the location where the strafing run would attack or set it to automatic. However, the WW2 Fighter Pilot is the first straf run where a player can manually control and fire its weapon while strafing over the selected location.
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For this reason, the Fighter Pilot is in the top 10. It took ten years, but someone was creative enough to figure out how to make a strafing killstreak more interesting. The Fighter Pilot killstreak from WWII is #9 on the Top 10 Call of Duty Killstreaks.
8 – Paladin – Advanced Warfare
The Call Of Duty franchise went through a major makeover with the release of Advanced Warfare. New mobility options, while set in futuristic settings took center stage. The Paladin is the highest killstreak included with Call of Duty Advanced Warfare. Unlike other high streak gunships, the Paladin was something different. It’s like controlling an AC-130 at three times the regular speed. One word best describes the Paladin, “fun”. Its laser targeting missiles have an incredibly fast fire rate while hitting its targets in a fraction of a second.
A slower, but effective, 105MM Canon shows amazing visual splash damage when hitting targets. Everything about the Paladin is fast and fun. The Paladin is a perfect fit for Advanced Warfare’s futuristic style of gameplay. The Paladin killstreak from Advanced Warfare is #8 on the Top 10 Call of Duty killstreaks.
7 – Reaper – Modern Warfare 3
The Predator missile; a killstreak in MW2, was the first AGM (Air-To-Ground Missile) that a player could manually control from launch to impact. The popular killstreak made its return in MW3, however, it was its counterpart the Reaper who stole the show.
For the first time ever, COD fans were introduced with a moving aircraft capable of manually guiding missiles from launch to impact. The Reaper is equipped with 14 missiles that can be zoomed in and guided as soon as they are launched. This was a smart move by Infinity Ward because of how spawn protection played such a huge role in the game. Being able to guide missiles under or inside structures where enemies hid made the Reaper a well thought out killstreak. There have been many new laser-guided weapons added to the COD franchise since MW3, but the Reaper was the first. The Reaper killstreak from MW3 is #7 on the Top 10 Call of Duty killstreaks.
6 – R.A.P.S – Black Ops 3
The R.A.P.S from Black Ops 3 is arguably the most creative killstreak ever seen in Call of Duty. From its deployment drop (from a VTOL airship) right down to its detailed markings, the R.A.P.S streak has it all. It’s also the only streak where players have two objectives to end the killstreak. Shooting down the VTOL early enough will halt the deployment of new R.A.P.S.
The sound of falling R.A.P.S adds to the horror of this cool streak, and it’s a killstreak that many gamers dreaded going up against. The R.A.P.S (Rolling/Robotic Anti-Personnel Sentry) killstreak from Black Ops 3 is #6 on the Top 10 Call of Duty killstreaks.
5 – Chopper Gunner – Black Ops
It’s extremely rare for an original killstreak to see major improvements. However, the Chopper Gunner from Black Ops was a huge upgrade from its original release in Modern Warfare 2. Treyarch improved the Black Ops version chopper gunner to perfection. Rush, is what best describes flying into the battle zone, swinging open the side door and taking control of a never-ending minigun spray for 60 whole seconds. It’s not only the addition of the door gunner that makes the black ops version better but more importantly, it’s the flow of the chopper.
In MW2, your chopper would hover a zone before moving locations. The Black Ops version has the chopper flying the edges of the map, continuously moving locations. There is no doubt that the Chopper Gunner is one of the best killstreaks ever created for the CoD franchise. It’s #5 on the Top 10 Call of Duty killstreaks.
4 – Attack Dogs – World at War
Dogs have played vital roles with many of the Call of Duty campaign modes. However, it wasn’t until the Attack Dogs in World at War that the famous killstreak was born. There have been many different occurrences of Attack dogs since WAW, but the original killstreak has something different. The WAW killstreak gave the player a chance to counter the attack. It required two bites from the dog to kill someone. This gave the player somewhat of a chance to kill the dog or escape the attack.
This made for an epic experience for both the host and receiving side of the killstreak. Although the AI was not perfect, dogs were a major hit and continue to make appearances with the newer Call of Duty titles. The Attack Dogs is #4 on the list.
3 – Swarm – Black Ops 2
The Swarm is arguably the most creative killstreak from any of the twelve Call of Duty titles. You can never get tired of watching the swarm move into a map, then completely annihilating anything in its path. It was not just the idea of having dozens of killer drones circulate the map, but how Treyarch designed them to look like bees.
The SWARM was a brilliant idea and an extremely creative killstreak. The Swarm was responsible for many players quitting a match. As soon as the Swarm would be announced, it was a common sight to see players on the opposing team leave the game. The Black Ops 2 Swarm is #3 on the list.
2 – AC-130 – Modern Warfare 2
The AC-130 in MW2 is the most realistic and accurate killstreak ever added to CoD. There were hardly any flaws with the MW2 version. The hud was spectacular, the zoom points amazing and perfect triple cannons. All these great features, while a soldier is calling out your kills. Every Ac-130 killstreak is a guaranteed adrenaline rush. Even it’s flares had realistic sounds. The ground view of an attack was also very impressive, as spectators can admire the details of its firepower. There is no doubt, that the scariest three words in Call of Duty history have to be: “Enemy AC-130 Above“. The AC-130 in MW2 is #2 on the list.
1 – Tactical Nuke – Modern Warfare 2
Since 2007, there have been a total of six nukes added into various CoD games. Although the De-At of IW was visually impressive, it does not compare to the king of all Cod killstreaks: MW2 Tactical Nuke. One word that best describes the MW2 version is, total control. The feeling of power knowing you can end a game, at any time, with a swipe of the D-pad was exhilarating. As Infinity Ward took its first major gamble, moving away from tradition warfare, MW2’s Tactical Nuke was the icing on the cake. The introduction of the Tactical Nuke was the beginning of a new era for Call Of Duty.
Everything about the Tactical Nuke is well thought of. It had the best countdown sound, scariest Nuke logo and without a doubt, the best ending. There is no other way to fill up a killfeed with every player in a game unless it’s with the MW2 Nuke. There have been five other nukes that have imitated, but not one can ever duplicate the original Nuke of MW2.
Appreciation
As stated at the beginning of this article, these killstreaks were not chosen based on effectiveness. They were selected on how they have helped change the evolution of the CoD franchise. From The Tactical Nuke in MW2 to the R.A.P.S in BO3, and even the Swarm, Call of Duty players have been spoiled with these unique and fun killstreaks. What will future Call of Duty games bring? We can only wait to find out.
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