There are 16 mastery camos to unlock in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, starting from the basic DEVGRU pattern all the way up to the coveted Diamond. On top of those, 28 DLC camos round out the full collection. The challenge requirements shift depending on which weapon class you're grinding, so what works for your MSMC won't apply to your DSR 50. This guide breaks down every requirement by class so you can plan your grind efficiently.
How does the camo progression system work in Black Ops 2?
Every weapon in Black Ops 2 has 15 unlockable mastery camos, from DEVGRU through Skulls, capped with Gold. The first nine camos (DEVGRU through Kryptex: Typhoon) all scale the same core challenge type for each weapon class, whether that's headshots, one-hit kills, or aircraft destroyed. The final five before Gold (Carbon Fiber, Cherry Blossom, Art of War, Ronin, and Skulls) introduce unique objectives that vary not just by class but sometimes by individual weapon within the Specials category.
Diamond sits above Gold and requires you to earn Gold on every weapon in a given class. There is no hidden shortcut or secret challenge to skip that requirement.
Black Ops 2 Guide: All Weapon Camos & Challenges
All assault rifle camo challenges
All submachine gun camo challenges
SMGs swap the AR's Longshot requirement for 30 Revenge Medals on Carbon Fiber, which fits the close-range playstyle these weapons naturally encourage.
All shotgun camo challenges
Shotguns replace headshots with One Hit Kills and reduce the bare-weapon kill counts significantly. Cherry Blossom and Art of War both drop to 50 kills instead of 150, and Ronin only asks for 5 Double Kills rather than 20.
All sniper rifle camo challenges
Snipers use One Shot/One Kill medals instead of headshots, and the scaling goes much higher. Kryptex: Typhoon demands 250 medals, compared to just 100 headshots for the same camo on ARs.
All LMG camo challenges
Light machine guns mirror the AR headshot structure but swap Carbon Fiber to 30 Revenge Medals instead of Longshot kills.
All pistol camo challenges
Pistols share the headshot-based structure but also use Revenge Medals for Carbon Fiber. Diamond requires Gold on five pistols: the Five-Seven, Tac-45, B23R, Executioner, and KAP-40.
All specials camo challenges
Special weapons have the most varied requirements in the game. Each of the four weapons (Assault Shield, Crossbow, Ballistic Knife, and Combat Knife) has different kill thresholds and unique challenge conditions for the later camos.
For the base kill-count camos, here's how the Kryptex: Typhoon requirement breaks down per weapon:
- Assault Shield: 100 kills
- Crossbow: 300 kills
- Ballistic Knife: 300 kills
- Combat Knife: 200 kills
The unique challenges get creative. Art of War on the Assault Shield requires 25 Shield Bash medals (killing whoever is shooting at your shield). The Crossbow needs just 1 kill from a car. The Combat Knife asks you to kill 5 enemies with their own weapons after first knifing them.
Diamond for Specials requires Gold on the Assault Shield, Ballistic Knife, Crossbow, and Combat Knife.
All launcher camo challenges
Launchers are the most unique class. The first nine camos all track aircraft destroyed rather than kills, and the Skulls camo has a very specific ask: destroy 1 Dragonfire.
How do you unlock Diamond Camo in Black Ops 2?
Diamond Camo is the top-tier unlock for any weapon class, and the path to it is straightforward: earn Gold Camo on every weapon within the same class. If you want Diamond on the MSMC, you need Gold on every other SMG first. The same rule applies to every category.
There is no secret challenge or bonus condition for earning Diamond across all weapon classes simultaneously. Completing one class at a time is the only method.
All DLC camos in Black Ops 2
There are 28 DLC camos available, all unlocked through purchases or specific promotions rather than in-game challenges.
Tips for grinding camos faster
After running through these challenges across multiple weapon classes, a few approaches consistently save time.
- Hardcore playlists are your best friend for headshot and one-hit kill challenges. Reduced health means fewer shots needed to secure a kill, and headshots become far more reliable when enemies go down faster.
- Stack Cherry Blossom and Art of War. Remove all perks and all attachments simultaneously. Both camos track kills under those conditions independently, so you're completing two challenges at once with no extra effort.
- Use the Overkill Wildcard with an Assault Shield as your secondary when grinding any camo that involves killstreaks or surviving long enough to hit Blood Thirsty Medals. The shield covers your back and keeps your streak alive.
- Shock Charge tactical equipment is particularly useful for sniper and shotgun challenges. Enemies caught in a Shock Charge can't move freely, giving you time to line up precise shots for One Shot/One Kill or One Hit Kill medals.
Black Ops 2 sits among the most replayable entries in the shooter games genre precisely because challenges like these reward sustained, focused play rather than just time spent. For more strategy content on this game, the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 guides collection covers everything from class setups to Zombies easter eggs.