Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Black Ops 2 Ballistic Knife

SpecialsUnlocked at Level 49Takes camo
SpecialsBallistic Knife — Call of Duty: Black Ops II weapon render

How do you unlock the Ballistic Knife?

The Ballistic Knife unlocks at Level 49 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. It combines a spring-fired blade with a quick melee attack. Its Gold path counts both general kills and specialized retrieved-blade, melee and streak objectives. Reaching a weapon's level makes it available, but purchasing it in Create-a-Class costs one Unlock Token. A token is earned at each level-up. Its camo track finishes at Skulls (Combat Knife: 5 knife-only Bloodthirsty medals · Ballistic Knife: 2 Bloodthirsty medals · Crossbow: kill an enemy with each of all three bolts in one magazine · Assault Shield: 25 shield kills with no other weapons or lethal equipment). Complete every camo challenge on it and Gold unlocks. Earn Gold on the whole class for Diamond.

UnlockLevel 49 · 1 Unlock Token
Takes camoYes
Gold camoComplete every camo challenge on this weapon
Diamond camoEarn Gold on every weapon in the class
Spring-fired blade, faster melee.

Reviewed July 27, 2026. Game identity, Pick 10, weapon leveling and the Peacekeeper's post-launch status were checked against Activision material. Current PlayStation availability and the 25-pack bundle were checked against PlayStation Store listings. Class and weapon-specific camouflage requirements were cross-checked against recorded in-game challenge wording. Base multiplayer capacities and weapon identifications were checked against a dedicated BO2 stat reference and IMFDB, with fictional or uncertain designs labeled as such. Crossbow mechanics and legacy camo access were separately checked against historical references and the current Steam Digital Deluxe listing. Setup advice and weapon comparisons are editorial and avoid unsupported damage or time-to-kill claims.

Sources: Activision — Call of Duty 20th anniversary franchise recap · PlayStation Store — Call of Duty: Black Ops II · PlayStation Store — Ultimate Customization Bundle · Activision — archived Black Ops II Personalization Pack release notice · Steam — Call of Duty: Black Ops II · GameFAQs — launch-era Black Ops II multiplayer camo matrix · Call of Duty Wiki — Black Ops II weapon camouflage catalog · Steam — Black Ops II Digital Deluxe content announcement · Black Ops II multiplayer weapon stats reference · IMFDB — Black Ops II weapon identification reference · Call of Duty Wiki — Crossbow mechanics

How does the Ballistic Knife play in Black Ops 2?

Also written asBallistic Knife, BO2 ballistic blade
RoleProjectile blade and melee fallback
Real-world basisFictionalized spring-launched ballistic-knife concept; no verified exact named model
StrengthsThe fired blade gives the melee-focused class a ranged option; A fast close melee remains available when lining up a projectile is unsafe
TradeoffsProjectile shots require prediction and can be difficult to recover; The 300-kill ladder is long for a weapon with limited ranged ammunition
Setup notesThe Ballistic Knife has no conventional optic or gun attachment path; class perks and ammunition recovery are more important; Use routes with safe access to missed or embedded blades when working the retrieved-blade stage
Challenge noteFinish the Ballistic Knife kill ladder through 300 kills, then earn 5 Revenge medals, get 25 melee kills, get 25 kills with retrieved blades, earn 1 Double Kill medal and earn 2 Ballistic Knife Bloodthirsty medals. Complete all challenges for Gold.
Progression tipSeparate projectile and melee goals mentally, especially during the retrieved-blade stage where an ordinary fresh blade does not satisfy the wording.
Camo tipLead the projectile at short range and use the melee attack whenever recovering from a miss would expose the class.
Compared withThe Combat Knife is simpler and faster to set up; the Ballistic Knife adds reach at the cost of ammunition and recovery management.

Every camo, exact unlocks — see the full Black Ops 2 camo directory.

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Ballistic Knife — common questions

What level does the Ballistic Knife unlock at in Black Ops 2?

The Ballistic Knife unlocks at Level 49 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II multiplayer. Reaching a weapon's level makes it available, but purchasing it in Create-a-Class costs one Unlock Token. A token is earned at each level-up. The level cap is 55, and prestige is up to 10, followed by Prestige Master at Level 55.

How do you unlock camos on the Ballistic Knife?

Camo progress is per-weapon. Black Ops II camo progress is tracked separately on every weapon. The first nine finishes run from DEVGRU through Kryptek: Typhon, followed by Carbon Fiber, Cherry Blossom, Art of War, Ronin and Skulls before per-weapon Gold and class-based Diamond. Assault rifles, SMGs, LMGs and pistols begin with headshots. Snipers use One Shot, One Kill medals; shotguns use one-hit kills; launchers and Specials have weapon-specific ladders. Every camo page lists the exceptions. On the Ballistic Knife the final tier is Skulls — Combat Knife: 5 knife-only Bloodthirsty medals · Ballistic Knife: 2 Bloodthirsty medals · Crossbow: kill an enemy with each of all three bolts in one magazine · Assault Shield: 25 shield kills with no other weapons or lethal equipment. After that, Gold needs every camo challenge on the weapon done, and Diamond needs Gold on the full class.

Can you unlock the Ballistic Knife for me?

Yes — our Black Ops 2 Unlock All service covers any prestige up to Prestige Master, max Level 55, weapons, camos and Create-a-Class unlocks handled on supported legacy console accounts, from $19.99. See the service.

More Specials

All Call of Duty: Black Ops II weapons →
Combat KnifeDefault · SpecialsCrossbow — Call of Duty: Black Ops IICrossbowLevel 25 · SpecialsAssault Shield — Call of Duty: Black Ops IIAssault ShieldLevel 34 · Specials

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Our Black Ops 2 Unlock All service includes any prestige up to Prestige Master, max Level 55, weapons, camos and Create-a-Class unlocks handled on supported legacy console accounts, from $19.99.

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