Does Weapon Prestige cost 200,000 DMZ Cash?

That is the first Operator Prestige cash requirement. The Weapon Prestige announcement does not specify a cash or resource payment; do not transfer the Operator cost to a weapon reset.

Does Weapon Prestige remove my camos?

No. Camos and other listed cosmetics are retained. Most attachments relock on the reset weapon, with Apex and Blueprint Attachments excepted.

Do attachments relock on every weapon?

The Weapon Prestige reset applies to that weapon. Shared attachments remain available on other weapons.

Can I keep equipment in my backpack during Operator Prestige?

Move anything you want to retain into the Stash first. Items left in the backpack or loadout are sacrificed; failed-extraction Secure Slot protection is not a Prestige safeguard.

MW4 DMZ Weapon vs Operator Prestige: what resets?

If the screen asks for 200,000 DMZ Cash and equipped gear, you are looking at your first Operator Prestige. If it offers to return a max-level gun to Level 1, that is Weapon Prestige. The names overlap; the consequences do not.

Use this comparison before confirming either reset. The full Operator Prestige requirements remain the place to check every gear tier.

Four progression tracks to keep separate

System	Applies to	Main purpose
Weapon levels and Prestige	One weapon	Attachments, weapon progression and Prestige cosmetics
Operator Dog Tags and Prestige	One DMZ Operator	Trait Points and permanent Prestige traits
DMZ Player Level 1–70	Your DMZ progression	Stations, recipes, capacity and level rewards
Standard player progression	Your account’s Military Rank and Prestige systems	Account progression, separate from an individual DMZ Operator

The standard Military Rank track runs from 1 to 55. That cap is not the DMZ cap and is not the maximum level of every weapon. The level rewards guide explains the DMZ-specific track.

Weapon Prestige: the reset and what stays

At a weapon’s maximum level, you can optionally enter Weapon Prestige 1. That weapon returns to Level 1.

Part of the weapon	After entering Weapon Prestige 1
Weapon level	Resets to 1
Most attachments on that gun	Relock
Apex Attachments	Remain available
Weapon Blueprint Attachments	Remain available
Shared attachments on other guns	Remain available there
Blueprints, camos, reticles, accessories, decals and stickers	Retained

This means a cosmetic goal does not require throwing away earned camos. It can still interrupt a preferred attachment setup. Before resetting the gun you rely on for difficult deployments, check which parts of that build are covered by the exceptions.

When the weapon reaches maximum level again in Prestige 1, it enters Weapon Prestige Master automatically, without a second reset. Attachments remain unlocked at that transition.

Weapon Prestige reference screen from the progression reveal — Weapon Prestige has its own milestones and cosmetics; Operator cash and gear requirements do not apply to this table.

Camo reward	Weapon milestone
Pyroclast	Prestige 1, Level 1
Pyroclast Terminus	Prestige 1, maximum weapon level
Pyroclast Scatter	Prestige Master, Level 150
Pyroclast Cascade	Prestige Master, Level 250

The Weapon Prestige reference includes the reveal images. These rewards are separate from DMZ camo mastery, which leads through Chiral, Ripple Tide and Helio.

Operator Prestige: a trait rebuild with a payment

An Operator needs 18 earned Trait Points and must be on Active Duty, ready to deploy rather than MIA. You equip the required gear, pay the cash, and reset that Operator’s selected traits, skill-tree progress and unspent points.

Operator Prestige	Cash requirement	Main gear rarity
First	200,000	Rare
Second	300,000	Epic
Third and later	500,000	Legendary

This is only the overview. The full requirements table specifies the two weapons and attachment-slot requirements, plate carrier, backpack and four ingredients.

In return, the Operator receives a random permanent Prestige trait. Up to three can be held. From the fourth Prestige onward, the offered trait differs from your existing three; you can replace one of them or keep the current set.

Ordinary Trait Points must be earned again after the reset. Permanent Prestige traits remain tied to that Operator through dismissal, moving to another Active Duty slot or changing skins. Recruiting a different Operator does not transfer them. The complete permanent reward pool is not confirmed.

What to move before confirming

Move retained items into the Stash, not into the Operator’s backpack. The Operator Prestige instructions explicitly include backpack and loadout contents in the sacrifice. Secure Slots protect against a failed extraction; do not treat that as permission to leave valuables equipped during Prestige.

Check the cash payment, the required gear and any unrelated items still carried. Keep a replacement deployment kit in the Stash so the reset does not leave you with an empty loadout and no practical next run.

Should you Prestige now?

For a weapon: reset when you want its Prestige rewards and can work around the temporary attachment restrictions. Keep another usable build available if that gun is your main tool for a difficult objective.
For an Operator: proceed when you can afford the sacrifice and want to rebuild traits around the permanent reward. Waiting is reasonable if the cost would consume your deployment reserve.
For a station unlock: neither reset is the shortcut. Work toward the relevant DMZ Player Level instead.

Before the Operator rebuild, use the trait planner to consider your next choices. Before a weapon reset, inspect the weapon and its attachments so you know which part of your current setup will change.