Rick Flair
Zombies mode is a unique gameplay mode first introduced in CoD World at War. It’s a round-based arena mode, where you fight off the hordes of undead in order to survive. The new part of the Call of Duty franchise brings the 13th iteration of this mode. In this BO7 Zombies beginner’s guide, we will cover Augments, Perks, Maps, and Field Upgrades.
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New Black Ops 7 Zombies Features
The developers keep experimenting with the formula. This year’s Zombie mode brings significant changes. It improves upon the BO6 version of the mode and builds on it. Here’s a list of all the new Black Ops 7 Zombies features.
Gameplay and Mechanics
This version of Zombies sees some minor changes from the previous version of the game. It’s more of a development of previous ideas.
- Wonder Vehicle: A new truck, “Ol’ Tessie”, which allows traversal on the Ashes of the Damned map.
- New Wonder Weapon: The Necrofluid Gauntlet. Used both as a melee and a ranged weapon, it heals you for damaging enemies. You can also pull items from a distance.
- New Enemies: Ravagers, who are agile enemies that look like dogs, and Zursa, a new boss. Also, a big rework of Armored Zombies. They don’t spawn as often as in BO6, but they deal much more serious damage.
- Gameplay Enhancements: Eight new Augments, six new GobbleGums, a new Field Upgrade, and an Ammo Mod. All of this brings much more depth to the mode.
- Progression from BO6: All previously unlocked Field Upgrades and Augments are transferred to this part. This way, if you have played in Black Ops 6 Zombie Mode, you can jumpstart your progression.
While some may see the changes as minuscule, they actually alter the game's feel quite a bit. It’s still a classic, enjoyable gameplay, but with QoL improvements.
Game Modes
Apart from the Standard mode, which continues the story of BO6, there are 3 more modes. Not all of them are available at launch, and some of the modes should be unlocked by the in-game progression:
- Directed: This is like a Story Mode for Zombies. It continues the story of Dark Aether adventures, offering a more streamlined approach. It’s good for new players or players seeking a linear co-op experience. It is expected to launch in Season 1 of Black Ops 7.
- Survival: Somewhat of a classic mode, similar to BO2 Zombies. You don’t have any quests, and you survive on parts from the Ashes of the Damned map. A legacy mode that players have been asking for a long time.
- Cursed: This mode will be unlocked once a new map’s Easter Egg is completed. The developers said you can expect it in a new update. It’s basically a harder version of the Standard mode with roguelike mechanics. It aims to increase the game’s replayability.
The developers haven’t mentioned any other modes coming into the game. It is unclear yet if they are planning to add more.
Black Ops 7 Zombies Maps
The new map, Ashes of the Damned, aims to be the biggest one yet in a round-based mode. It’s not an open-world map like MW3’s, but a large area with many small arenas scattered throughout. You traverse between arenas on a Wonder Vehicle on narrow paths, filled with walkers. We’ll see if it is a good idea, since many players consider TranZit to be the worst in the series. It’s the previous biggest map. Here are the new Black Ops 7 Zombies maps:
- Ashes of the Damned: Biggest map for round-based zombies yet. It’s very detailed, with many interesting mechanics and a large Easter Egg to perform. It contains new challenges, performing which grants you rewards. Some of the rewards may even include Wonder Weapons. Check out our Ashes of the Damned Main Quest guide, too!
- Vandorn Farm: A smaller area of the Ashes of the Damned map. In this map, you just survive the hordes of zombies in classic style. It’s a good arena to learn the ropes of the game and get ready for a tougher challenge. It’s quite simple to get the hang of. If you are just starting out and don’t have augments unlocked yet, this is your best bet.
- Astra Malorum: So far, not much is known about the upcoming Season 1 map. What’s known is that the Wonder Vehicle will also be on this map. Also, one of the developers has described it as “one of the coolest maps made”. Visually, it represents a steampunk observatory atop the huge skull in space.
That covers all the maps released and upcoming in Black Ops 7. Ashes of the Damned is the main experience, so we suggest playing it even at a low level. The T.O.D.D. Challenges provide nice XP and speed up your progression.
BO 7 Zombies Augments Explained
Continuing from Black Ops 6, this part returns Augments. They’re still split into Minor and Major and give a serious advantage. They are used to upgrade your Perks, Ammo Mods, and Field Upgrades. You can apply them to your arsenal before the start of the match. Let’s have BO7 Zombies Augments explained:
- Major Augment: Usually brings new functions to the part where you apply it. For example, if you apply one of them to Death Perception, it can trigger body shots counting as headshots.
- Minor Augment: Gives a buff to the equipment. Applying Bird’s Eye View augment to Death Perception grants better minimap enemy detection.
If you have already unlocked Augments in BO6, the progression transfers here. You can start a new map all buffed up. If you are a new player, don’t worry. Unlocking Augments is super simple. Just navigate to the Augments tab in the main menu and from there select Research Augments. Select the equipment you’d like to start researching Augments for, and just play the game. The Augments unlock with XP received, and you don’t have to complete a tree to benefit from them.
Black Ops 7 Zombies Perks
This part returns all fan-favorite Perk-a-Colas. This time, they’re even better, thanks to major improvements. Let’s start off by describing the Black Ops 7 Zombies perks in a handy table:
| Name | Effect |
| Stamin-Up | Raises the movement speed. |
| Quick Revive | Your HP starts the regen faster. You also raise your teammates 50% faster. |
| Jugger-Nog | Increases your health by 100. |
| Melee Macchiato | Replaces your standard attack with a powerful punch. Very fun perk. |
| Speed Cola | Makes you reload and replate faster. |
| Vulture Aid | Best perk for essence and loot farm. Loot dropped from enemies becomes more varied. All extra loot turns into essence and ammo. |
| Death Perception | Basically a wallhack. You see enemies through walls. |
| PhD Flopper | Removes all self-damage. Diving prone while running releases an explosion upon landing. The higher you dropped from, the bigger the explosion. |
| Deadshot Daiquiri | Increases crit damage. While ADSing, your aim follows the enemies' crit zones. |
| Double Tap | Fire rate grows significantly. |
| Elemental Pop | Small chance to apply the Ammo Mod effect on a hit. |
| Wisp Tea | A new Perk-a-Cola. Killing a Zombie summons a wisp. |
Some of these effects may seem really strong, while others are much weaker. But don’t forget about Augments. Death Perception’s bonus may not seem that good, but check out the Augments it has. The ability to land headshot crits while aiming at the body is huge. Combined with Deadshot Daiquiri, it turns into a deadly combo.
Another fun part is Permanent Perks. They’re really hard to get, as you’ll need to get all 12 Perk-a-Colas first, which is very costly. After that, wait for T.O.D.D.’s Challenge to appear. It is this game’s version of Samantha’s Challenges from Black Ops 6. If you finish it fast and with a maximum rating, you’re almost guaranteed to receive a mystery perk. When you pick it up, it’ll become a Permanent Perk. That means that if you die and are then revived, you will not lose that Perk. Pretty neat, huh? BLOG20
Black Ops 7 Zombies Field Upgrades and GobbleGums
BO7 brings major changes to how Field Upgrades and GobbleGums are handled. This time, you can create sets of GobbleGums and change them right in the match! That means you can pop one set at the beginning of the match and then switch to another. Same thing with Field Upgrades. Simply select Class from the pause menu and then choose the one with a different Field Upgrade. Now you can create even more class setups for different situations. Bear in mind that you’ll have to recharge Field Upgrades again when changing class. All BO6 Field Upgrades return, with a new one called Toxic Growth. Let’s discuss Black Ops 7 Zombies Field Upgrades:
- Toxic Growth: Summons thorns in front of you. Enemies take toxic damage and are slowed by it.
- Dark Flare: Energy beam that deals Shadow damage. It pierces through Zombies.
- Healing Aura: Allows you to instantly revive and heal your allies.
- Frenzied Guard: It triggers enemies to attack you, while replating you to the full. While it’s active, armor takes all the damage and kills repair it.
- Energy Mine: A mine that explodes three times.
- Aether Shroud: Makes you temporarily hidden from zombies.
And that’s it for Field Upgrades. It is unknown if there will be more added. With the amount of Augments you can use to change Upgrades’ effects, we should be fine.
Now onto the GobbleGum. There’s a ton of different GobbleGums available in the game, and they all differ in rarity. We will not cover each of them, as this is a topic for a separate article. We will explain their rarity types and recommend some builds. There are 5 rarity levels available. Let’s talk about Black Ops 7 GobbleGums rarities first:
- Rare
- Epic
- Legendary
- Ultra
- Whimsical
Don’t write off the Rare GobbleGums. Even the lowest rarity has cool effects, like leaving all your perks with you after you die, or granting you an Insta-Kill power-up. The Ultra-rarity GobbleGums give the craziest bonuses, like upgrading your weapon to the Legendary level or giving you all the Perks. Whimsical GobbleGums, though, add goofy and fun effects. For instance, making Zombies, ahem, release gases loudly or making them all wear pumpkin heads.
A couple of recommendations we can give you on the sets of GobbleGums we recommend:
- Starter Pack: A round-starter set that you pop first and then switch to another one
- Mobility Pack: A pack that will give you speed boosts. Really valuable in smaller arenas.
- Boss Damage Pack: Trust me, you’ll need this. Use your most powerful GobbleGums here.
- Defensive Pack: A pack that will help you play it safe.
Try experimenting with different GobbleGums to uncover unexpected compatibilities. It’s a fun mechanic, further increasing the depth of an already deep mode.
BO 7 Zombie Mode Tips
In this part of the guide, we will share nice tips. They will help both newcomers and veterans of the mode. Let’s start! Here are our BO7 Zombie mode tips:
- Don’t Ignore T.E.D.D. Challenges: They help you level up faster as well as stay in the game longer. They grant insane bonuses if you manage to do them fast.
- Don’t use Firearms: In the beginning, that is. Always melee kill zombies in the first three rounds. This will help you build up essence faster.
- Farm Salvage: Salvage drops from the zombies have been significantly decreased. The best way to get Salvage now is by doing mini tasks around the map. For example, protecting a sprouting flower from the walkers. It will give you much more salvage than just killing zekes.
- Learn the Jump Pad Placement: Once you unlock them, it’ll become much easier to travel around the Ashes of the Damned. They are a form of quick travel. Note that they can only move you to the bordering location. You can’t jump from the bottom left corner to the upper right.
- Use Fire Against Zursa: The boss is extremely weak to napalm burst-fire. If you have a bullet weapon with Napalm Ammo Mod applied to it, you’ll melt Zursa.
Overall, Zombie mode is better to conquer and figure out on your own. Unless we’re talking about Easter Eggs, which are meant to be solved as a community. Find a party of friends, get in, and try to figure out what’s what. It’s a deep and challenging co-op mode that is a full game on its own.
Conclusion
Well, that’s it for our Black Ops 7 Zombie mode guide. This mode is so expansive that talking about its mechanics could take hours. We’ve covered the most significant parts of this article, but expect more to come! We’ve recently posted a Black Ops 7 Zombies Best Weapons Tier List, so be sure to check it out.
F.A.Q
How do augments work in Black Ops 7 Zombies?
They’re very important, as they buff all your equipment, including Perks, Field Upgrades and Ammo Mods.
What are the best augments to use in BO7 Zombies?
It highly depends on the Perk you’re using. For instance, one major upgrade for Jugger-Nog raises your health to 300, while Death Perception’s major upgrade lets you land critical shots even to the body.
How do you repair the Wonder Vehicle in BO7 Zombies?
Stand in front of it and press the Interact button. Note that you don’t have to repair it yourself, as when you arrive at the safe zone, T.E.D.D. will start repairing it slowly. You can also hit the green growths on the road while traveling between arenas. They will repair your Wonder Vehicle.
Are ray guns good in Black Ops 7 Zombies?
Yes. It’s still one of the best weapons, and if you can Pack-a-Punch it, it becomes OP.
How do permanent perks work in BO7 Zombies?
Once you collect all 12 Perk-a-Colas, the next time you get a mystery perk from the drop, it’ll become permanent. That means that if you die and get revived, you won’t lose that perk.
What is the fastest way to level weapons in BO7 Zombies?
Survive for as long as possible and always try to exfil. Exfil gives the most XP, which is extremely important in the beginning.
