The New Close Shave Perk in Black Ops 6

The Close Shave perk is the latest addition to Black Ops 6’s enforcer combat specialty, introduced in the recent Tribute Event. By automatically deploying your equipped melee weapon when you perform a weapon butt attack, Close Shave offers unique advantages—but also comes with key limitations. In this article, we’ll explore how the perk functions, analyze its core statistics, weigh its pros and cons, and recommend the optimal melee weapons to maximize its effectiveness. Whether you’re grinding camos or seeking an edge in core modes, this guide has you covered.

What Is the Close Shave Perk?

Close Shave is a tier one red perk that requires 180,000 XP to unlock during the Tribute Event. Its in-game description reads:

“Automatically use your dedicated melee attack when you perform a weapon butt attack.”

In practical terms, activating Close Shave means that pulling off the classic gun butt strike will instead deploy your chosen melee weapon’s standard attack.

How Close Shave Works: Key Statistics

1. Damage Output

• Inherited Melee Damage: When you butt-attack with Close Shave, the perk applies the damage values of the equipped melee weapon’s standard strike (not the charged attack).
• Core Recommendation: For core modes, always pair Close Shave with a one-hit kill melee (knife, katanas, SIGH) to ensure lethal swings. Using a two-hit kill weapon yields no benefit over a normal gun butt.

2. Effective Range

• Fixed at 2.2 Meters: Close Shave retains the 2.2 m range of a gun butt rather than the melee weapon’s default lunge distance.
• Range Buff for Most Melees: Except for the Bow Staff (2.3 m default), every melee weapon gains improved reach when used via Close Shave. Example: SIGH’s 1.6 m range jumps to 2.2 m.

3. Attack Speed

• Pre-Hit Delay: Matches the equipped weapon’s standard melee speed—roughly 250 ms for one-hit kill weapons, faster than the butt’s built-in delay.
• Two-Hit Speed: Also mirrors the melee’s two-swing cadence. Weapons with quick follow-ups, like Kali Sticks (330 ms), perform significantly better than the 625 ms gun butt.

4. Recovery Time

Downtime After Strike: Deploying Close Shave renders your firearm unusable for 950 ms, slightly longer than the 825 ms downtime when using a regular butt strike. This marginal slowdown can cost crucial milliseconds in tight engagements.

Pros & Cons of Close Shave

Pros

• Instant Lethal Melee: One-hit kill capability without swapping weapons.
• Extended Range: Gains the standard butt lunge across most melee types.
• Faster Strikes: Inherits quicker pre-hit delays and follow-up speeds.
• Utility for Camo Grinding: Ideal for leveling melee weapons with extended range and speed benefits.

Cons

• Slot Value: As a tier one red perk, Close Shave competes with Ghost, Ninja, and Flat Jacket, rarely outclassing their consistent defensive value.
• Recovery Penalty: Increased post-attack downtime leaves you vulnerable.
• Niche Application: Outside of camo challenges, limited situational use in core modes.

Best Melee Weapons to Pair with Close Shave

To extract peak performance, select a melee that offers a one-hit kill, minimal delay, and decent default stats:

1. Combat Knife – Classic one-hit kill with reliable speed.
2. Katanas – Excellent pre-hit delay and two-swing cadence.
3. SIGH – Gains +0.6 m range and fast strike speed.

Honorable Mention: Kali Sticks showcase rapid two-hit attacks, but remain two-swing weapons—better suited for non-core or objective modes.

Final Thoughts

Close Shave brings an intriguing melee twist to Black Ops 6, combining instant lethality, improved reach, and faster attack animations. However, its niche utility and stiff perk-slot competition limit its viability in competitive core play. If you want to get this equipment faster, then you can purchase bot lobbies bo6 in u4gm, which will save you a lot of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I unlock the Close Shave perk?

A: Earn 180,000 XP during the Tribute Event to unlock this tier one red perk.

Q: Can I perform a charged melee attack with Close Shave?

A: No. Close Shave only triggers the standard melee strike, not the charged attack.

Q: Is Close Shave worth using in Warzone?

A: In high-stakes modes like Warzone, defensive perks (Ghost, Ninja) are typically more valuable. Close Shave shines most during camo challenges.

Q: Which melee has the best range boost?

A: All non-Bow Staff weapons gain a range boost to 2.2 m. The SIGH benefits most against its default 1.6 m.