You just hit Prestige. Your heart is racing, your level is back to one, and suddenly, most of your favorite gear is locked behind a level wall that feels miles away. It’s a gut-punch every Call of Duty veteran knows well. But then you see it: that golden ticket sitting in your inventory. Learning how to use unlock token bo6 effectively is basically the difference between a smooth grind back to level 55 and a miserable weekend of using base-level pea shooters.
Honestly, the system in Black Ops 6 is a bit of a throwback. Treyarch went back to the roots of the franchise, meaning when you enter the Prestige hub, you lose almost everything. You're back to the XM4 and the C9. It's nostalgic, sure, but also kinda frustrating when you just spent forty hours perfecting a sniper build.
Where to Actually Find the Token Menu
Don't panic if you can't see the option immediately. It’s not just sitting on the main screen like a giant "Press Here" button. To see how to use unlock token bo6, you need to head into the Barracks tab first. From there, you go into the Progression menu and look for your Prestige rewards.
When you click on a locked item—let’s say the AS VAL or a high-tier Perk like Ghost—the game will prompt you. It asks if you want to use a Permanent Unlock Token. You get exactly one of these every time you Prestige. One. That’s it. It’s a high-stakes choice that makes your brain itch because if you pick the wrong gun, you’re stuck with that choice for the next 55 levels.
Some players think these tokens work for Blueprints or Skins. They don't. These are strictly for "base" items that are level-gated. If an item says "Unlocked at Level 48," that is your prime candidate. You’re essentially telling the game, "I want this item to ignore the rules of time and space forever." Once you use it, that item stays green and ready for use from Level 1 in every subsequent Prestige.
The Absolute Best Items to Target First
Everyone has a different playstyle, but there is a mathematical reality to the grind. Using a token on an item you unlock at Level 10 is, frankly, a waste of resources. You can get to Level 10 in three good matches of Hardpoint. You want to aim for the late-game stuff.
Take the Perk 3 slot or specific high-level Wildcards. In the current BO6 meta, items like the Gunfighter Wildcard or the Ghost Perk are tucked away deep in the leveling process. If you’re a stealth player, playing without Ghost until Level 30-plus feels like running around with a neon sign over your head. That is a top-tier use of a token.
Why the Weapon Meta Changes Your Choice
Weapons are a bit more subjective. A lot of people rush to unlock the AMES 85 because it’s a laser beam, but you have to look at the level requirement. If a gun unlocks at Level 45 or 50, it is a prime candidate. Why? Because the "dead zone" between Level 40 and 55 is the longest part of the Prestige journey. The XP requirements spike. Having a Tier-1 weapon during those final fifteen levels makes the process feel 50% faster.
Think about the Kompass or the Tanto .22. If these are your "comfort" guns, the ones you go back to when you're getting sweaty in Ranked or high-SBMM lobbies, unlock them. Don't let a "pro player list" dictate your fun. If you love a weird SMG that everyone else hates, but you drop 40 kills with it, use your token there.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
There’s this weird rumor floating around Reddit and Discord that tokens expire or that you should "save them" for later seasons. Let’s clear that up: they don't expire. However, saving them is usually a bad strategy. The whole point of the Permanent Unlock is to make the current grind easier.
Another thing people mess up? Forgetting about Tacticals and Lethals.
Most players only think about guns. But imagine being a dedicated objective player who relies on the Trophy System. If the Trophy System is locked until a high level, and you’re playing Domination without it, you’re just grenade fodder. Sometimes, a piece of equipment is actually more valuable than a primary weapon because you can pick up a dead guy's gun, but you can't "pick up" a Perk or a Field Upgrade.
The Prestige Master Factor
Once you hit Prestige Master, the game changes again. But until then, you are in a cycle of loss and recovery. Every time you use an unlock token, you are slowly building a "permanent" loadout. By the time you are Prestige 5 or 6, you should have a full, competitive class available to you the very second you reset your rank. That’s the goal.
Nuance in the "Meta" Picks
Look at the Overkill wildcard. If you’re a sniper who needs a backup SMG, you’re basically useless without this. If BO6 follows the trend of previous titles, certain Wildcards stay locked until the very end of the progression tree. If you find yourself constantly saying, "I can't wait until I unlock [Item X] so I can finally play properly," that is the universe telling you exactly what to use your token on.
I’ve seen people use their first token on the XM4 just because they liked the camo they had for it. Don’t do that. The XM4 is a starter gun. You get it for free. Using a token on a Level 1 gun is like using a "Get Out of Jail Free" card when you're already standing outside the prison. It does literally nothing.
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Step-by-Step Tactical Advice
If you are staring at the screen right now, paralyzed by choice, follow this logic:
- Check the Level: If the item unlocks before Level 25, ignore it. You'll be back there in two hours of double XP.
- Evaluate Dependency: Does your entire playstyle fall apart without this item? (e.g., Flankers needing Ninja/Ghost).
- Check the "Sweat" Factor: Is this the gun you use when you're losing and need to try-hard? If yes, unlock it.
- The Equipment Gap: Look at your Field Upgrades. If you hate the starter ones, a permanent Trophy System or Scrambler can save your K/D.
Actually using the token is permanent. There is no "refund" button. There is no "oops, I clicked the wrong thing." Once you confirm that prompt in the Barracks, that item is yours forever.
What to do after Unlocking
Once you’ve used the token, go straight to your Loadouts. You'll see the item is no longer grayed out. Equip it immediately. The best part? Any weapon levels or attachments you earned in your previous Prestige are still there. You don't have to re-grind the levels for the gun itself, just the right to carry it into battle.
The strategy for the next few months as the seasons roll out will likely involve new weapons added to the pass. Usually, these are unlocked via challenges or the Battle Pass, so they don't require these specific tokens. Stick to the core, high-level base game items for your permanent slots. This ensures that no matter what the "New Season Meta" is, you always have your reliable, high-level foundation ready to go from the moment you hit that Prestige button.
To maximize your efficiency, always keep an eye on the Daily Challenges right after you Prestige. Often, these challenges ask you to use equipment you haven't unlocked yet. If you used your token on a high-level piece of equipment, you can finish those challenges immediately for a massive XP boost, propelling you through the early levels even faster. It’s a feedback loop of efficiency.
Next Steps for Your Grind
Check your current level and identify the one item you "miss" the most every time you restart. If you're nearing your next Prestige, go into the Barracks and look at the unlock level of that specific item. If it's above level 35, make a mental note to use your next token there. If you're struggling with weapon levels, focus on playing small-map playlists like Nuketown to max out a gun's attachments before you Prestige again, so it's fully kitted out the moment you use your token on it.