Most people load into Black Ops 7 Zombies and reach for the loudest rifle they can grab, and yeah, it feels right for about two rounds. Then you're scrounging for ammo and burning points on refills. If you're messing around in a CoD BO7 Bot Lobby or pushing real squads, you'll notice the same thing fast: your fists never jam, and close-range kills can carry you way further than folks expect.

Build Basics That Actually Work

A melee setup isn't "run in and hope." It's a loadout choice. The Necrofluid Gauntlet is the big swing here, because it stays lethal deep into rounds where normal weapons start feeling like pea shooters. Pair it with Melee Makiato and suddenly you're not trading hits—you're dictating pace. With augments like Espresso and Strength Training, the rhythm changes: quicker swings, cleaner recoveries, less time stuck in an animation while a crawler bites your ankles.

Why Melee Feels Safer Than It Sounds

People hear "melee" and picture getting trapped in a corner. What actually keeps you alive is movement. Short strafes. A step back after the hit. A quick reset. You're not trying to farm a pile-up like it's 2012; you're picking off edges of the train and keeping lanes open. When you do it right, you're spending fewer resources, not more.

Chompy Bins: Don't Shoot Them

Those nasty little Chompy Bins are basically a melee check. You can waste bullets all day and still look silly. One solid smack pops them open, then you can feed them spare weapons and pray for the good roll—Salvage, better gear, sometimes the kind of pull that flips your whole run. It's risky, sure, but it rewards players who aren't scared to get close.

Vandorm Farm's Grimy Little Step

If you're chasing the "Human Bones" item, you can't brute-force it with gunfire. Head to the barn, spot the hanging corpse, and use a Tomahawk to take the foot. It's gross, but it's the step. After that, hit it with a Molotov to finish the interaction. That's the kind of quest design BO7 loves—mechanical, specific, and way easier if you're already comfortable playing up close.

Points, Armor, and Not Getting Clowned by Round 8

Melee headshots stack Essence quickly, and that matters more than people admit. You want armor upgrades online before the game starts throwing real problems at you, especially with Uber Klaus showing up around Round 8 and turning bad economies into panic. If you're not dumping points into ammo every minute, you stay ahead of the curve. When you want a smooth practice loop or faster unlock progress, it also makes sense to buy BO7 Bot Lobby time and keep your reps consistent without the chaos of sweaty lobbies.