Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 handles Prestige differently from most entries in the series, and those differences matter more than you'd think. The Prestige Unlock Token system alone can lock you out of a Custom Class slot permanently if you're not paying attention. There are 10 Prestiges plus a Prestige Master rank that pushes the level cap all the way to 1,000, and each step of the way comes with specific rewards worth planning around before you hit that button.
What resets when you Prestige in Black Ops 2?
Hitting Level 55 unlocks the option to Prestige. When you do, your rank drops back to Level 1 and you lose access to all weapons, equipment, and perks until you re-unlock them through normal progression. That's the standard reset you'd expect from any shooter games entry in this era.
What does NOT reset is worth knowing just as much. Your camos, weapon XP, and challenges all carry over untouched. So if you've already ground out Diamond camo on your SMGs, that work stays on your account regardless of how many times you Prestige.
All Black Ops 2 Prestige levels and rewards
Every single Prestige in Black Ops 2 costs exactly 1,249,100 XP, which means the total grind from Level 1 to Prestige Master runs to a consistent, predictable climb. The first five Prestiges each add a new Custom Class slot, building you up from the default toward the maximum of 10. Prestiges 6 through 10 drop the class slot reward but still deliver the Unlock Token.
Black Ops 2 Prestige Guide: All Levels & Rewards
How does the Prestige Unlock Token work?
Every Prestige awards one Prestige Unlock Token, which permanently unlocks a single item of your choice. Permanently means exactly that: even after your next Prestige resets your gear, that item stays available without needing to re-unlock it through leveling. This is the most strategically significant mechanic in the system.
The smart play is to use your first few tokens on weapons you rely on heavily, particularly anything that sits at a high unlock level and would take significant time to re-earn each Prestige cycle. Locking in a core AR or SMG early means you're never stuck running suboptimal loadouts in the early levels of each new Prestige.
What is the Prestige Award?
Separate from the Unlock Token, each Prestige also gives you a Prestige Award with three options:
- Extra Custom Class (available up to 5 times, building toward the maximum of 10 slots)
- Unlock Tokens Refund (reclaims all previously spent Unlock Tokens so you can reassign them)
- Fresh Start (resets your account entirely back to non-Prestige Level 1)
The Extra Custom Class award becomes unavailable once you've redeemed it 5 times, which aligns with Prestige 5 already granting your 10th slot. The Fresh Start option disappears entirely once you hit Prestige Master.
What is Prestige Master in Black Ops 2?
Reaching Level 55 at Prestige 10 unlocks Prestige Master, which removes the standard level cap and replaces it with a new ceiling of Level 1,000. At this point, the Fresh Start Prestige Award is no longer available, so the choice to wipe your progress is gone for good.
Prestige Master is the definitive endgame for Black Ops 2 multiplayer. The road from Prestige Master Level 1 to Level 1,000 is a pure XP grind with no further resets, just continued progression and the flex of a Prestige Master emblem in the lobby.
Should you Prestige in Black Ops 2?
The honest answer is yes, but with planning. The Custom Class slots alone make the first five Prestiges worth doing, since 10 classes give you far more flexibility than the default loadout count. The permanent Unlock Token system also means you're not truly starting from zero each time, you're building a permanent foundation of always-available gear underneath the reset.
The main cost is the early-level grind after each reset, where your weapon pool is limited until you re-unlock your kit. That window shrinks as your permanently unlocked items accumulate, so later Prestiges feel noticeably smoother than the first couple.
For everything else you need to get the most out of your time in Black Ops 2 multiplayer, the full strategy guides collection covers weapons, class setups, camos, and more.