You Just Spawned In With a Pistol, Not the RK5
You load into Shadows of Evil, The Giant, or any Black Ops 3 Zombies map, ready to dominate the early rounds. You check your starting weapon, expecting the familiar three-round burst of the RK5 pistol, but instead, you’re holding the standard MR6. This immediate disconnect can throw off your entire strategy. The RK5 isn’t just another pistol; it’s a powerful tool that can define your early game, offering better damage, ammo efficiency, and a faster path to your first wall buy or Mystery Box pull.
For many players, starting with the RK5 is the default, expected experience. So when you don’t have it, the game feels different, almost incomplete. This guide cuts through the confusion. We’ll explain exactly what controls your starting weapon and provide the clear, step-by-step methods to ensure you begin every match with the RK5 in your hands, ready for action.
Understanding Starting Weapons in Black Ops 3 Zombies
Your beginning loadout in Zombies isn’t random. It’s governed by a progression system tied to your overall rank and specific in-game accomplishments. The game features a weapon unlock hierarchy for your starting pistol, and the RK5 sits at the top of that chain.
The standard progression path is straightforward:
– You start with the MR6 (Default).
– Unlock the Bloodhound (Reach Rank 10).
– Finally, unlock the RK5 (Reach Prestige Master, Rank 55).
This system was designed to give players a long-term goal and a tangible reward for leveling up. The RK5, with its burst-fire capability, deals significantly more damage per trigger pull than the MR6, allowing you to dispatch zombies faster in the critical first few rounds and conserve points more effectively for doors and better weapons.
The Role of Weapon Kits and Permanent Unlock Tokens
Weapon Kits are your customization hub. Here, you can attach optics, camos, and attachments to weapons you’ve unlocked. More importantly, once you prestige, you earn Permanent Unlock Tokens. These are precious. They allow you to lock in one weapon, perk, or equipment so it remains available at all times, even after you reset your rank by prestiging.
This is the key to starting with the RK5 before hitting the max level on every playthrough. By using a Permanent Unlock Token on the RK5, you grant your account permanent access to it as a starting weapon option, regardless of your current rank.
The Primary Method: Unlocking the RK5 Through Progression
This is the intended, grind-based path. It requires time and dedication but guarantees the unlock.
Reach Prestige Master (Rank 55)
Your first objective is to climb the ranks. Play zombies matches, survive as long as possible, and complete rounds. You gain experience for everything: killing zombies, repairing barriers, reviving teammates, and spending points. Reaching Rank 55, also known as Prestige Master level 1, is the milestone that unlocks the RK5 in the Weapon Kits menu.
Once you hit Rank 55, immediately visit the Weapon Kits section between matches. Navigate to the Pistols category. You will see the RK5 available for selection. Highlight it and choose “Set as Starting Weapon.” From that moment on, for that specific game session and rank, you will spawn with the RK5.
Secure It Permanently With a Token
If you plan to prestige again—resetting your rank back to 1 for a new icon and challenge—you must protect your RK5. After you prestige (going from Prestige Master 1 to Prestige 1, or any prestige level), you will lose access to the RK5 as a starting weapon because your rank is no longer 55.
Here’s the crucial step: Before you choose to prestige, go to the “Permanent Unlocks” menu in your Barracks. Find the RK5 in the list and spend one of your earned Permanent Unlock Tokens on it. This action makes the RK5 a permanent fixture in your starting weapon options, forever, across all future prestiges.
The Alternative Method: Using Local Play and Custom Games
What if you’re playing with friends on a local system or want to practice with the RK5 without the level grind? There is a common workaround, though it has limitations.
Accessing All Weapons in Local Play
Black Ops 3’s Local Play mode (not online private matches) often has relaxed restrictions. In some versions of the game, especially on consoles, entering Local Play from the main menu allows you to access the Weapon Kits menu with all weapons, attachments, and starting weapon options unlocked, regardless of your online rank.
To try this:
– From the main menu, select “Local.”
– Choose “Zombies” and then your desired map.
– Before launching the game, look for an option to edit “Game Rules” or “Options.”
– Within these settings, you may find a “Starting Weapon” selector that includes the RK5.
– Set it, start the game, and you should spawn with the RK5.
Important: This method typically only works for that local session. Your online rank and progression are unaffected. It’s a great tool for practice or casual local multiplayer but won’t help your online profile.
Leveraging Modded or Unranked Servers (PC Specific)
On PC, the landscape is different. Players can create custom, unranked servers using mods or console commands. In such environments, server administrators can often force specific starting weapons for all players. If you join a custom server where the host has configured the RK5 as the starter, you will have it regardless of your level.
Be aware that playing on heavily modded or unranked servers usually does not grant you experience or progress toward your online rank. Treat this as a separate, experimental way to enjoy the game.
Optimizing Your Early Game With the RK5
Starting with the RK5 changes your early-round strategy. Here’s how to maximize its potential.
Point Conservation and Damage Output
The MR6 requires four shots to the body to kill a zombie on Round 1. The RK5’s three-round burst often achieves the same kill in one burst, or at most two. This means you spend less ammunition (and thus, fewer points on ammo refills) to clear your starting room. Your points go further toward opening the first critical doors on the map.
Practice aiming for the head. While a body burst works, a well-placed burst to the head is devastatingly efficient, stretching your starting ammo even further and accelerating your point accumulation.
Transitioning to Your First Wall Buy
Your goal with any starting pistol is to gather enough points to buy a primary weapon off the wall or from the Mystery Box. The RK5 accelerates this timeline. Because you kill zombies faster and more ammo-efficiently, you can safely open doors and reach a powerful wall weapon like the Kuda on The Giant or the Vesper on Shadows of Evil sooner than with the MR6.
Don’t be afraid to use almost all your RK5 ammo before trading it out. Its purpose is to be a point-generating tool, not a long-term keeper in most strategies.
Troubleshooting Common RK5 Issues
Even when you think you’ve unlocked it, problems can arise.
I Unlocked It, But I’m Still Getting the MR6
First, double-check your Weapon Kit configuration. Unlocking the RK5 and setting it as your starting weapon are two distinct steps. You must manually select it in the Pistols menu of Weapon Kits. If it’s set, try restarting your game application. A simple restart often refreshes your loadout data and applies the change.
If you recently used a Permanent Unlock Token, ensure you completed the process. Sometimes backing out of the menu too quickly can interrupt the save. Re-enter the Permanent Unlocks menu to confirm the RK5 has a checkmark or “PERMANENT” label next to it.
The RK5 Option is Grayed Out or Missing
If the RK5 is not selectable in your online Weapon Kits, you have not met the unlock requirement. Confirm your current rank in the Barracks. You must be at least Rank 55 (Prestige Master level 1) to see and select it for online play. If you are below that rank, the methods available to you are the Local Play workaround or the commitment to level up further.
Starting Weapon Resets After a Prestige
This is the most common pitfall. You achieved Rank 55, set the RK5, and enjoyed it. Then you decided to enter the next prestige level. Prestiging resets your rank to 1 and locks all weapons and perks unlocked after certain levels—including the RK5. The only way to keep it after prestiging is to have spent a Permanent Unlock Token on it before you initiated the prestige reset. If you forgot, you’ll need to grind back to Rank 55 or use a token on it the next time you earn one.
Mastering Your Starting Loadout
Getting the RK5 is just the beginning. True mastery comes from integrating it into a complete strategy. Pair it with a thoughtful choice of starting GobbleGum. A gum like “Extra Credit” gives you 500 extra points off the bat, letting you open the first door immediately. “In Plain Sight” can save you from a tight corner while you’re building points with your RK5.
Consider your long-term map strategy. Knowing you have the stronger RK5 might allow you to take a riskier, more point-efficient route at the start of a map like Zetsubou No Shima or Gorod Krovi, where the early rounds are more challenging.
The journey from the MR6 to the RK5 is a rite of passage in Black Ops 3 Zombies. It represents growth, game knowledge, and commitment. Whether you earn it through the prestige grind or use temporary methods to practice, starting with that powerful burst-fire pistol fundamentally enhances your control over the early game chaos. Configure your Weapon Kit, secure it with a Permanent Unlock Token, and step into the fray with the confidence that your first shot will be your strongest yet.
