WARDOGS Season 1 Weapon Prices and Unlock Levels
Complete Season 1 weapon economy guide. How class XP gates unlocks, one-time unlock fees vs per-match buy prices, and the optimal purchase order from free rifles to Galil to M4.
Goal: Stop wasting your $10k start money and class XP on the wrong guns. In WARDOGS Season 1 you do not earn weapons by leveling. You hit a class level so the tile appears, pay a one-time unlock fee, then still pay the vendor price every time you take it into a match. Players who miss that two-step gate stay on free rifles while others already have Galils.
1How Unlocks Actually Work
- 1Play a class to gain that class's XP.
Assault XP only moves Assault weapons. Medic XP only moves SMGs and med gear. Your six class levels add up into one WARDOG (career) level, which gates shared stuff like armor, backpacks, ammo types, and some pistols.
- 2Hitting the level only unlocks the purchase. It does not give you the gun.
- 3Pay the one-time unlock cash.
After that the gun stays in the vendor forever (until a season wipe).
- 4Pay the list price every match you want it.
Below career level 9 the vendor is 50% off everything in the shop. Use that window.
2Optimal Purchase Order (First 20 Hours)
- 1Take a free AR (Bushmaster M17S, A-91, or KH-2002).
They cost $0 and still farm Assault XP.
- 2Do not fill your bag with bandages. Loot them. Keep cash for unlocks.
- 3Play with a squad, rez, bandage, hack FOBs, fight where the infantry is.
That is how people report $100k to $200k days. Solo sniping and heli taxi are called poor money.
- 4First paid rifle: AK74 (Assault 3, unlock $10,000, buy ~$1,600).
That is the first full-auto that is worth the ticket.
- 1Galil (Assault 10, unlock $35,000, buy ~$2,200).
Community consensus: best price-to-performance. Beats people still on AK or T-21. Save the $35k gate instead of dressing an AK in expensive optics.
- 2Use the level-9-and-under 50% shop while it lasts.
The Galil and its mags sting less at half price.
- 1M4 (Assault 20, unlock $100,000, buy ~$2,800).
Better kill gun, eats ammo, wants extended mags. People who buy it too early go broke.
- 2FAL (Assault 35, unlock $200,000, buy ~$6,500).
Late, expensive, .308. Ignore until Galil and M4 are paid for.
- 1Medic: AMP-9 early (~$900 buy). PP-19 Vityaz at Medic 4, unlock $25,000. MP5 at Medic 15, unlock $75,000. Super-45 at Medic 35, unlock $150,000.
- 2Recon: Early money is Mosin-style cheap long guns. Mid-range rifles land days later as Assault players unlock AK, Galil, M4. Do not dump a full sniper kit on day one.
- 3Support: RPG and M500 path is the anti-vehicle track. Large Hammer unlock jumped to Support 8 at $75k in Season 1. Builders felt that immediately.
Season 1 Weapon Reference Tables
| Weapon | Buy Price | Class Level | Unlock Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bushmaster M17S | Free | - | - |
| A-91 | Free | - | - |
| KH-2002 | Free | - | - |
| T-21 | ~$600 | No heavy gate | - |
| AK74 | ~$1,600 | Assault 3 | $10,000 |
| Galil | ~$2,200 | Assault 10 | $35,000 |
| M4 | ~$2,800 | Assault 20 | $100,000 |
| FAL | ~$6,500 | Assault 35 | $200,000 |
| Weapon | Buy Price | Class Level | Unlock Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMP-9 | ~$900 | - | - |
| PP-19 Vityaz | ~$1,200 | Medic 4 | $25,000 |
| MP5 | ~$1,500 | Medic 15 | $75,000 |
| Super-45 | ~$2,600 | Medic 35 | $150,000 |
Key Decision Points
- Career vs class leveling. Armor, HP ammo types, backpacks, and Judge/M1911 sit on WARDOG (career) level. If you only play one class you still raise career level, but slower. Split a few matches if you need Level 1 helmet/armor (career 3) before you keep dying to the first scoped rifle.
- Spend vs save. Unlock fee is once. List price is every death. Players who buy a full kit on a $6k FAL after one bad drop bleed the bank. Unlock Galil, then run a cheap Galil and loot the rest.
- Which class to main first. Assault for mid-range infantry (AK74 then Galil). Medic for close fights and rez money (PP-19 then MP5). Recon for long sightlines but do not max a kit until you have armor. Driver plus Support for vehicles and FOB work.
Common Mistakes
- Treating level-up as "I own it." You still owe the unlock cash before the gun appears in the vendor.
- Blowing the $10k seed on a dressed T-21, bow, or sidearm instead of the $10k AK74 unlock.
- Buying the M4 the second it appears. Unlock is $100k. Ammo and mags are the real tax.
- Ignoring the sub-9 half-price vendor. After career level 9 everything is full list price.
- Solo sniper on day one. Early zone is short and long only. Mid ARs come online after people hit Assault 3-10. You will get rushed and your $2k Mosin kit becomes a $12k kit once you add armor, pistol, and AP.
- Building first without checking Season 1 prices. FOB is $7,500 (was $2,500). Large Hammer buy is $2,400 with unlock $75k at Support 8.