Black Ops 3 Multiplayer Modes Tips and Strategy Guide

In addition to a couple of new game modes in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, there are a number of multiple game modes returning.

For more help on Black Ops 3, read our Best Loadouts Guide, How to Level Up Fast and PC Tweaks Guide.

Black Ops 3 Multiplayer Modes Tips and Strategy

Whether you like being a lone wolf in FFA or prefer being an objective player in Domination or SnD, each multiplayer mode offers something different for everyone.

Furthermore, with the introduction of Specialist, you can tailor your experience in a number of ways. This guide details an overview of each game mode along with some tips and strategies for each one of the game modes:

CTF – Capture the Flag
CTF is a popular eSports game mode that has been in the series for quite a long time. In this game mode, both teams must protect their flags stationed at their base from the other team from stealing it and bringing it back to its base.

In order to successfully score, one of the two flags must be at the base. If both flags have been taken, neither team will be able to score unless one of the flag carriers is eliminated.

In CTF, it’s crucial to have excellent team coordination and communication. Scorestreaks such as UAV and Counter-UAV are ideal and help a ton. You must station a couple of soldiers guarding the flag with one player joining the flag carrier.

Speed and stealth is all you need in CTF.

Uplink
Uplink was introduced in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and gained instant popularity. The game mode sits well with the whole boost jumping and wallrunning mechanics of the game.

In Uplink, one player from either team needs to acquire a drone from the center of the map and carry it all the way to enemy team’s Uplink Station in order to score.

There is no need to be super accurate and can simply throw the drone towards the station, but you can boost jump and then score for some points.

The player running with the drone loses access to Primary and Secondary Weapon, but acquires additional melee damage –- one-hit melee as well as extra armor.

In certain tactical situations, you can also throw the drone towards an enemy player, disarm him or her, get a quick kill, grab the drone again, and continue ahead.

Safeguard
Safeguard is a new game mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops III in which each team must take turns in carrying a friendly robot to enemy team’s base in order to score.

There are some things to note in order to play Safeguard effectively: firstly, do note that the robot can be shoot at and temporarily be disabled, however, it will repair itself and march on forward.

Secondly, there is a fixed time in which the robot must reach the enemy team’s base, and lastly, the robot always uses the same pathway to reach enemy base which makes it easy to intercept it and prepare defenses in advance.

The team on the offense, on the other hand, can get ahead of the robot and clear out all defensive measure before the robot steps in. However, always be on the watch as you’ll likely find enemies lurking nearby.

SnD
Search and Destroy or SnD is another popular eSports mode which has been in the franchise for quite a long time. Since there is no idea of respawning in a single round, it’s extremely important to play each round carefully.

In the game mode, one player must carry the bomb and plant it in one of two bases. Once the bomb has been planted, the other team must defuse the bomb in order to score a win.

Usually players do not go for a win and try to eliminate the entire enemy team as early as possible. However, you can also try to bait enemy team into thinking that you’re planting a bomb and sweeping them all out.

Holding your positions and carefully treading is the key to win a SnD match.

Demolition
Demolition is another returning game mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 in which a team must destroy two bomb sites. However, unlike SnD, every player in the offense side is equipped with a bomb so anyone can plant.

Each team in the game mode take turns and in case you get a tie round, each team gets a single bomb site to destroy and whoever does so, wins the round.

Hardpoint
Hardpoint was originally introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and has become one of the most popular Call of Duty game modes to this date.

In this game mode, a team [or a single player] needs to capture cycling hardpoints across the map. The hardpoint changes after a fixed duration. One thing to note here is that a hardpoint must be captured when there are no enemy soldiers present within it.

If there are any enemy soldiers inside, the hardpoint is contested instead of captured and neither team receives any point unless the threat is eliminated.

Players gain points as long as they are standing within a hardpoint. Since the hardpoints keep on rotating, it’s crucial that you learn their locations and know where the next hardpoint is going to be to gain an advantage.

For this game mode, it’s important that you have a mix of offense and defense to capture and clear the hardpoints across the map.

FFA — Free for All
FFA or Free for All is another returning mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops III. The motto of FFA is each man for himself. You need to secure as much kills as possible without dying to win the game mode.

For FFA, it’s ideal that you hold a specific position and move about the area picking off enemies you come across. Alternatively, you can also move around the outer edges of the map and picking off enemies in the center.

Never, in a FFA game, should you roam in the very middle of the map. Do so and you’ll eventually get shot from behind or sides, thanks to weird spawn system of the game.

For FFA, you should stick to smaller scorestreaks and the ones which do not require your continuous attention.

TDM — Team Deathmatch
In Team Death or TDM, you need to stay alive as much as possible and avoid giving enemy team with free kills. In TDM, you need to engage enemies in the hot zones, but only if you’re positive of securing some kills.

Since this is a team-based game mode, you should always go for small scoresteraks which enhance your team’s map awareness and render it useless for the enemy team.

Due to the fast-paced nature of the game, you’ll notice spawns shifting throughout the game which is why you should always be on your toes and helping your team out. Remember that in TDM; not dying is more important than securing kills.

Kill Confirmed
Kill Confirmed is similar to TDM in many aspects with a couple of differences. In KC, players [enemies and friendlies] drop a dogtag after each death.

In order to increase your chances of winning and scoring higher, you need to pick up enemy dogtags and confirm the kill and getting additional points. Picking up friendlies’ death dogtags will deny the kill for your enemies and decreasing their points.

Since you get points for killing enemies, denying their kills, and securing enemy kills, you rack up points really fast which is why you should aim for high scorestreaks and use this mode to level up fast.

Some other things to note here is that SMG players and rushers really outshine those players who like to stay back and eliminate enemies from afar. Other than this, all strategies which apply to TDM also apply to KC.

Domination
Domination is probably the one of the most played game modes in Call of Duty franchise. In Domination, you have three capture points scattered across three fixed locations on the map –- one near your spawn, one near enemy spawn, and one in the middle.

Controlling one or all of these capture points grant you with points which rack up in addition to kills and assists and lead to a win. While it’s easy to capture your own capture point, the one in the middle is the hardest one and this is where most of the engagements take place.

It’s a good idea to rely on defensive scorestreaks, Flak Jacket, tons of explosives and other things to secure easily.

Similar to TDM, due to the fast-paced nature of the game mode, you will continuously see spawns flipping. Therefore, you need to be on your toes at all times and try to secure at least 2 of 3 capture points in order to win.

Lastly, make sure to share your own tips and strategies with us in the comments section below!