Mace in Call of Duty: The Complete Weapon Guide for 2026

The Mace in Call of Duty has carved out a unique niche as one of the most satisfying melee weapons in the franchise. Whether you’re grinding multiplayer, tackling campaign missions, or surviving endless waves in Zombies, understanding how to use this brutal tool effectively can give you a significant edge. Unlike traditional melee options, the Mace brings heavy-hitting damage with a distinctive playstyle that rewards positioning and timing. If you’ve been curious about whether this weapon deserves a spot in your arsenal, or you’re already committed to mastering it, this guide covers everything from raw stats to attachment optimization and competitive viability. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to unlock, level, and dominate with the Mace across all Call of Duty game modes.

What Is the Mace in Call of Duty?

The Mace is a melee weapon in Call of Duty that represents a heavier, slower alternative to standard knife options. Instead of quick slashes, the Mace delivers powerful, deliberate strikes with increased damage per hit. It’s categorized as a special melee weapon, meaning it occupies the same slot as lethal equipment in some game modes, though loadout customization varies by title.

In recent Call of Duty iterations, the Mace stands out for its two-handed swing animation and extended reach compared to compact melee weapons. The weapon appeals to aggressive, in-your-face players who prioritize finishing opponents quickly over sustained engagement. Unlike guns that require ammunition management, the Mace recharges instantly after each swing, making it a reliable close-quarters option when you’re out of bullets or tactically retreating from gunfights.

Historically, melee weapons in Call of Duty have fallen in and out of the meta depending on map design and game balance patches. The Mace’s niche fluctuates based on whether the developer is promoting aggressive rushing strategies or rewarding defensive playstyles. As of 2026, the Mace remains a viable pick in the right hands, especially in objective-based modes like Search and Destroy or on tight multiplayer maps. But, it’s not a weapon that carries you on raw stats alone, execution and game sense matter significantly.

Mace Stats and Weapon Characteristics

Damage Output and Range

The Mace delivers 140 damage per hit in multiplayer, which translates to a guaranteed one-shot kill against full-health opponents. This puts it on par with or slightly above other high-tier melee weapons in the current meta. The weapon’s effective range is approximately 2.5 meters, which is notably larger than knife-based alternatives but still requires close quarters to maximize its potential.

Range scaling is worth understanding: within the effective zone, you’ll consistently achieve one-shot kills. Beyond that range, your swings won’t register cleanly, and you’ll miss crucial opportunities. This makes positioning near corners, doorways, and tight corridors absolutely critical. The Mace’s heavy swing means you can’t flail wildly, each attack commits you to an animation, leaving you vulnerable if you whiff.

Compared to the standard knife, which has slightly better range but lower damage output, the Mace trades versatility for pure stopping power. In Zombies mode, the Mace scales differently, dealing significantly more damage to undead enemies and benefiting from pack-a-punch upgrades far more effectively than multiplayer iterations.

Fire Rate and Handling

The Mace swings at approximately 100 attacks per minute (roughly one swing every 0.6 seconds), which is considerably slower than knife alternatives. But, because each swing eliminates most opponents in one hit, the slower attack speed is offset by the guarantee of immediate elimination. You won’t chain kills as quickly as a knife user in crowded situations, but you also won’t whiff attacks that leave enemies barely alive.

Handling speed, how quickly you can pull the weapon out and begin attacking, sits at a moderate level. Equipping the Mace from your secondary slot takes about 0.8 seconds, which is slightly slower than knives but faster than switching to a full primary weapon. This matters in panic situations where you’re caught off-guard. You have a narrow window to successfully pull and execute a swing before an opponent guns you down.

The two-handed animation creates more visual feedback than smaller melee weapons, which some players find more rewarding. Watching the Mace connect with a satisfying thud sound design provides immediate confirmation that your swing landed, compared to the subtle audio cues of a knife. For audio-focused players, this is valuable information without needing to check the killcam.

Mobility and Accessibility

Mobility with the Mace equipped is solid, your sprint speed and overall movement aren’t significantly hampered compared to running with a primary weapon. This allows aggressive rushdown tactics where you sprint toward enemies and rely on surprise positioning to land kills. The weapon doesn’t bog you down like heavy launcher weapons would, so you maintain flexibility in rotations between map areas.

Accessibility is straightforward: the Mace is typically available early in progression, though the exact unlock level varies by game title and season updates. In most recent Call of Duty titles, you can unlock the Mace by completing specific weapon challenges (e.g., earn a certain number of melee kills with knives, or complete campaign missions). This makes it accessible to new players relatively quickly, though mastering its playstyle takes longer.

One important note: the Mace is not available in all game modes simultaneously. Depending on seasonal updates and balance patches, Activision may temporarily disable it in Warzone or specific multiplayer playlists to test balance changes. Always verify current availability before planning your loadout for competitive play.

Best Loadout and Attachments for the Mace

Recommended Attachments for Multiplayer

The Mace doesn’t have traditional weapon attachments like barrels or magazines, but Call of Duty’s melee customization system allows you to modify its handling and appearance through special options.

Essential Attachments:

• Lightweight Handle – Increases draw speed by 15%, critical for recovering from missed swings and repositioning quickly

• Sleek Grip – Reduces aim-down-sights time (though melee doesn’t traditionally ADS, this stat improves overall responsiveness)

• Swift Blade Strop – Boosts swing speed slightly, bringing your attack rate closer to knife parity while maintaining one-shot capability

Playstyle-Specific Builds:

Aggressive Rusher Build: Pair the Mace with a lightweight primary like the XM4 Assault Rifle or Jackal PDW Submachine Gun for backup. Use the Lightweight Perk to maintain mobility, and equip Tactical Equipment (flash bangs, stuns) to blind enemies before closing in for the Mace finish. This setup sacrifices defense for pure aggression, you’re committing to closing distance and eliminating targets before they react.

Balanced Approach: Combine the Mace with a mid-range secondary like the MW23 Handgun and choose a medium-armor perk. This gives you options if you fail to close distance quickly. You can soften up enemies at range before rushing them down, or play more methodically around cover. It’s less flashy than pure rushing but offers better survival rates against coordinated opposition.

Avoid pairing the Mace with heavy, slow primary weapons, you lose the agility advantage that makes melee combat viable. The whole point is rapid repositioning and surprise attacks: weapons that anchor you down contradict that strategy.

Loadout for Campaign and Zombies

In Campaign, the Mace serves primarily as a panic weapon or stealth finishing tool. You’ll rarely find yourself relying on it as your primary damage source against ranked enemies, but it’s invaluable for silent takedowns when playing on harder difficulties where noise discipline matters.

Campaign Loadout:

• Primary: Assault Rifle or Sniper (depending on mission objectives)

• Secondary: Mace (for silent eliminations or armored enemy finishing)

• Equipment: Grenades and tactical items for crowd control

The campaign’s AI respects melee damage, so backstabs or surprise Mace swings eliminate enemies instantly without triggering alarms in stealth-focused sections.

Zombies is where the Mace truly shines. The weapon benefits enormously from Pack-a-Punch upgrades, transforming it into a devastating horde-clear tool in mid-to-late rounds. At base level, you’ll want to pair the Mace with a reliable gun for early-round ammo efficiency, but once you upgrade it, the Mace becomes viable for extended periods.

Zombies Loadout (Mid-to-Late Game):

• Primary: Pack-a-Punch Mace (after round 15+)

• Secondary: Ray Gun or Shotgun (emergency backup)

• Perks: Juggernog (extra health), Speed Cola (weapon swap speed), Quick Revive (team utility)

• Scorestreaks: Napalm or Chopper Gunner (to reset hordes when overwhelmed)

Once you’ve upgraded the Mace, swing in coordinated circles with teammates to manage horde flow. The one-shot potential extends to higher rounds if you land precision hits on zombie weak points, making it a legitimate late-game option in Zombies.

How to Unlock and Level the Mace

Fastest Methods to Unlock

The Mace unlock method depends on your Call of Duty title, but across recent iterations, the most common path is through challenge completion or progression milestones.

Method 1: Melee Challenge Route (Fastest for Most Players)

Earn 30 melee kills using knives in multiplayer. This typically takes 2–4 hours of focused grinding on small maps like Nuketown or Shipment. Drop into Team Deathmatch, grab a knife from the spawn, rush high-traffic areas, and execute eliminations. The knife’s speed advantage makes this faster than using other weapons.

Method 2: Campaign Completion (40–60 minutes)

Complete the campaign on any difficulty. This guarantees weapon unlocks without requiring multiplayer grind time. If you dislike multiplayer, this is your path. Story completion typically takes 6–8 hours, but you unlock multiple weapons in the process, not just the Mace.

Method 3: Battle Pass Progression (Seasonal)

Occasionally, the Mace or its blueprint variants appear at specific tiers in seasonal battle passes. If you’re actively playing and tier up naturally, you’ll unlock access automatically. This requires no special effort beyond normal gameplay.

Pro Tip: Combine approaches, complete campaign during slow matchmaking times, then grind melee challenges during peak hours when lobbies fill faster. You’ll have the Mace unlocked within your first play session if you prioritize it.

Once unlocked, the weapon appears in your melee loadout selection and multiplayer create-a-class menu immediately.

Leveling Strategies for Weapon Progression

After unlocking the Mace, leveling it to maximum weapon level (typically 70–100 depending on the title) grants cosmetic rewards, new blueprints, and occasionally gameplay advantages through attachment unlocks.

Experience Gains:

You earn weapon XP by eliminating opponents with the Mace or securing objectives while it’s equipped. Headshots grant bonus XP. In multiplayer, you’ll gain approximately 150–250 XP per confirmed kill, scaling with performance bonuses (killstreaks, multikills, objective captures).

Fastest Leveling Environments:

Shipment 1944 (Multiplayer):

This tiny, chaotic map is ground zero for weapon leveling. Spawns are tight, combat is constant, and you’ll encounter enemies every few seconds. Team Deathmatch on Shipment allows you to level the Mace to 50+ within a single extended session (3–4 hours). The downside: it’s chaotic and competitive, so you’ll need decent aim to secure kills.

Nuketown Island (Multiplayer):

Slightly less hectic than Shipment but still tight enough for melee viability. Objective modes like Domination or Hardpoint concentrate players around flags, giving you predictable engagement points.

Zombies (Campaign XP):

Zombies grants exceptional weapon XP, especially early rounds. Playing rounds 1–10 efficiently (eliminating zombies without wasting ammo) can level weapons faster than multiplayer if you’re skilled at horde management. But, it requires understanding spawn patterns and crowd control, so it’s not beginner-friendly.

Leveling Boosters:

Activate double XP tokens during peak playtime (weekends, evening hours) to double weapon progression. Pair this with Shipment multiplayer for maximum efficiency. A four-hour session with active double XP will easily push the Mace to level 30–40.

Realistic Timeline:

Full weapon leveling (0–70) takes approximately 12–16 hours of active grinding on optimal maps. Casual players who level weapons naturally through regular gameplay will complete it over 3–4 weeks of consistent play.

Mace Gameplay Tips and Techniques

Effective Playstyles and Strategies

The Mace thrives in aggressive, close-quarters strategies. Successful Mace players share a common approach: control the engagement distance.

Core Principle: Distance Management

Always position yourself within 2–3 meters of expected enemy spawns. This means hugging walls, holding tight corners, and using cover to mask your approach. Before pushing around a corner, listen for footsteps. Pre-aiming a Mace swing around corners forces opponents into reactive mode, they see the swing and panic, often whiffing shots or making hasty decisions.

Effective Tactics:

Corner Holding: Plant yourself at common chokepoints (doorways, narrow corridors) and wait for enemies to rotate through. The Mace’s one-shot potential punishes aggressive peeks. Opponents rushing blindly into your corner die instantly.

Spawn Rushing: On maps with predictable spawns, rush toward enemy spawn locations immediately at round start. This catches enemies disoriented and unprepared for melee combat. It’s high-risk, high-reward, you’ll get multi-kills or get picked off by alert teammates.

Objective Anchoring: In modes like Domination, Camp near flags with the Mace. Enemies capping flags are focused on the objective, not watching for melee threats. Flash bang into the flag, swing, and eliminate. Teammates cleaning up with guns makes this devastating.

Sneaky Rotations: Use stealth and knowledge of map rotations to catch enemies mid-sprint between engagements. Most players are tunnel-visioned on current threats, a silent approach from behind guarantees a free kill.

Weapon-Switching Aggression: Start fights at range with your primary weapon, soften opponents, then finish with the Mace if they close distance. This leverages your gun’s strengths while guaranteeing a close-range finisher.

The broader gaming community has detailed strategies across Ultimate 10 Call of Duty Strategies that expand on advanced tactics beyond melee mechanics. Many pro players incorporate melee weapons as finishers in hybrid loadouts, not primary damage tools.

Map-Specific Application:

Narrow maps (Nuketown, Shipment, Slums) favor Mace rushdown because cover is tight and escape routes are limited. Open maps (Warzone, Outbreak) make Mace viability nearly impossible due to excessive exposure during approach. Know your map before committing to a Mace-heavy strategy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with strong fundamentals, Mace players frequently make preventable errors that lead to frustration and poor performance.

Mistake 1: Overcommitting to Rushes

Charging blindly into unknown territory hoping to find enemies is a fast way to get shot mid-animation. Always have intel before sprinting forward. Listen to footsteps, watch teammate pings, and confirm enemy positions before committing. Hesitation saves lives: recklessness loses matches.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Sight Lines

You’re vulnerable while approaching. Long corridors or open fields expose you to multiple enemies simultaneously. Hug walls, use cover, and avoid crossing open sight lines without checking. A skilled AR user will gun you down instantly if you’re predictable.

Mistake 3: Panic Switching

When shots start landing, don’t frantically switch weapons unless your primary is completely out of ammo. Weapon-switching animation locks you into vulnerability. If you’re already committed to melee range, swing. If you’re getting pressured from distance, take cover and reassess rather than awkwardly swapping.

Mistake 4: Poor Timing Against Killstreaks

If the enemy team has active killstreaks (UAV, Chopper Gunner), rushing into open becomes suicidal. Melee thrives on surprise: killstreaks negate that advantage. Hold tight positions and wait for killstreaks to expire before pushing.

Mistake 5: Neglecting Teammates

Melee is selfish in team-based modes if you’re not anchoring objectives. Use the Mace to protect flag zones or bomb sites for teammates, not to chase individual kills across the map. Context matters, a kill near the objective is more valuable than a solo elimination elsewhere.

Mistake 6: Not Adjusting to Opposition

If enemies are consistently out-ranging you with ARs or camping tight angles, your strategy failed. Rotate different areas, adjust engagement distance, or switch loadouts. Tunnel vision on the Mace even though repeated failures wastes time and frustrates your team.

Pro players on ProSettings often discuss loadout adaptability, the best competitors shift strategies based on opposition, not stubbornly committing to ineffective approaches.

Mace vs. Other Call of Duty Weapons

Comparison with Melee Alternatives

The Mace occupies a specific niche within Call of Duty’s melee arsenal. Let’s break down how it stacks against other close-quarters options:

Mace vs. Knife

Factor	Mace	Knife
Damage Per Hit	140 (one-shot)	110 (one-shot, slower)
Attack Speed	100 APM (slower)	150 APM (faster)
Effective Range	2.5m (longer)	1.8m (shorter)
Multi-Kill Potential	Moderate (slow attacks)	High (chain kills faster)
Learning Curve	Lower (guaranteed kills)	Higher (execution-dependent)

The Knife is objectively faster and better for chaining consecutive kills in crowded situations. But, the Mace’s superior range and guaranteed one-shot damage make it more forgiving for players still learning melee mechanics. If you value consistency over raw speed, the Mace wins.

Mace vs. Sledgehammer/Heavy Melee

Some Call of Duty titles feature heavier melee weapons like sledgehammers. These typically deal more damage but swing slower than the Mace. The Mace represents a middle ground, more powerful than knives, faster than extreme heavy weapons. Sledgehammers excel in Zombies where raw damage scaling matters: the Mace dominates multiplayer where responsiveness is critical.

Mace vs. Sword/Katana

Specialty bladed melee weapons sometimes appear in seasonal updates. These are gimmicky and generally underperform compared to the Mace due to inconsistent hitboxes and animation lock. Unless a specific blueprint provides clear advantages, stick with the Mace for reliability.

Mace vs. Fists (Unarmed)

Unarmed melee is a joke option in modern Call of Duty, it deals minimal damage and swings too slowly. The Mace completely outclasses unarmed combat. There’s no comparison here: equip the Mace.

The gaming community regularly evaluates melee options across major publications like GameSpot, where weapon tier lists and comparisons help players understand the meta landscape.

When to Choose the Mace Over Other Weapons

Not every situation calls for the Mace. Understanding when it’s viable vs. when you’re handicapping yourself is critical.

Choose the Mace When:

Map Design Favors Close Quarters: Tight corridors, multiple doorways, and clustered spawns (Nuketown, Shipment, Raid) create constant close-range engagements. The Mace thrives here.

Enemies Play Predictably: Opponents following static routes or anchoring positions are vulnerable to melee ambushes. If you notice enemies repeating patterns, set up around those paths.

Your Team Controls Sight Lines: In objective modes, if your team holds defensive positions and controls distance, you can leverage that advantage to catch rotators with the Mace.

You’re Smurfing/Playing Casually: The Mace is genuinely fun and rewarding for casual sessions. If you’re not sweating ranked matches, embrace the chaos.

You Want to Master a Specific Niche: Becoming a genuinely skilled Mace player makes you unpredictable and dangerous. Specialists command respect.

Avoid the Mace When:

Maps Are Open/Long-Range: Warzone, Outbreak, and sprawling multiplayer maps punish melee players. You’ll spend 90% of matches sprinting toward distant enemies, getting sniped en route.

Enemies Are Coordinated/Ranked: Competitive players use communication and positioning to shut down melee. You’ll get isolated and crossfired. Save the Mace for casual playlists.

You’re Behind in the Match: Melee is a high-variance playstyle. If you’re losing, switching to reliable AR or SMG gameplay stabilizes your team’s performance. Don’t tilt-Mace.

Objective Doesn’t Concentrate Enemies: In modes like TDM on large maps, the Mace forces excessive rotation with minimal kills. An AR provides consistent pressure regardless of positioning.

The Gamemode Lacks Close Quarters: Search and Destroy maps vary wildly. Some rounds favor melee: others punish it. Flexibility matters more than weapon loyalty.

Eventually, the Mace is a read-the-game weapon. Strong players know when to pull it out and when to stick with traditional arms. That game sense develops through experience and studying how The Loadout and other guide sources break down map dynamics and loadout synergy.

Meta Performance and Competitive Viability

As of March 2026, the Mace’s competitive viability is limited but not nonexistent. Here’s the realistic assessment:

Current Meta Status:

The Mace is off-meta in ranked multiplayer. Assault rifles, SMGs, and tactical-equipment-focused setups dominate competitive playlists. Melee weapons in general have fallen out of favor compared to previous years, where rushdown strategies were more viable.

Why It’s Underutilized:

Modern map design has shifted toward larger play areas with more open sightlines. Also, developers have progressively nerfed melee lunge mechanics (where melee weapons would auto-connect from slightly outside their range). Without lunge assistance, the Mace requires pixel-perfect positioning, making it high-risk in competitive contexts.

Where It Works:

The Mace sees occasional use as a finisher weapon in hybrid loadouts. A skilled player soft-damages enemies with a primary weapon, then swaps to the Mace to secure the elimination. This playstyle is viable in casual-to-intermediate competitive play but doesn’t hold up against elite opposition.

Esports Perspective:

Professional Call of Duty esports teams rarely feature Mace usage in official tournaments. When melee weapons appear at all, they’re typically knives used opportunistically on specific maps. The Mace’s slower attack speed and commitment animations make it unreliable at the highest level of play.

Niche Competitive Scenarios:

The Mace has utility in Search and Destroy on extremely tight bomb sites where close-quarters engagement is mandatory. A well-executed Mace play can catch defenders off-guard during post-plant situations. But, this is situational rather than a consistent competitive strategy.

Future Balance Potential:

Activision has historically buffed melee weapons periodically to make them more viable. If future patches increase Mace damage or improve lunge mechanics, competitive viability could return. As of now, treat it as a fun off-meta pick rather than a path to competitive success.

Players interested in competitive builds should explore the Call of Duty Archives at Gamerawr for updated meta breakdowns and pro-level strategies as the competitive season evolves.

Solo Queue Viability:

For non-competitive multiplayer, the Mace is absolutely viable in public matches. Pub players rarely position optimally or communicate effectively, meaning melee players can exploit chaos and kill-chase opportunities that wouldn’t work against coordinated teams. If you’re grinding casual multiplayer, the Mace is entirely playable.

Conclusion

The Mace in Call of Duty is a weapon for players who value impact and decisiveness over consistency. It rewards positioning, game sense, and timing while punishing hesitation and poor decision-making. It’s not the raw meta pick, that role belongs to established AR and SMG meta, but it’s viable in the right hands and on the right maps.

For casual players and streamers looking to create entertaining content, the Mace delivers highlight-reel moments and satisfying eliminations. For competitive grinders, it’s best relegated to specific scenarios rather than a primary loadout. The broader Call of Duty Heroes franchise continues evolving, and melee mechanics may shift in future iterations, potentially opening new opportunities for the Mace.

If you’re genuinely interested in Mace mastery, invest time in learning optimal positioning, studying map layouts, and practicing swings in private matches. The skill ceiling is higher than raw stats suggest, execution separates good Mace players from exceptional ones. Pick it up, learn it, and have fun proving that sometimes the simplest, most brutal approach wins the match.