Zombies Mode Overview

Welcome, Slayers! Black Ops II Zombies offers a relentless, cooperative survival experience unlike any other. This guide will equip you with the foundational knowledge and tactical insights needed to survive the undead hordes across its diverse maps. From understanding core mechanics to mastering advanced strategies, consider this your essential companion.

Core Mechanics & Survival Fundamentals

Before diving into specific maps, understanding the universal principles of Zombies is crucial for longevity.

Points & Economy

• Earning Points: Points are your currency. Earn them by:
  • Damaging Zombies: 10 points per hit.
  • Killing Zombies: 60 points for a body shot kill, 100 points for a headshot kill, 130 points for a melee kill.
  • Repairing Barricades: 10 points per plank (max 120 points per barricade).
• Spending Points: Points are used for:
  • Opening Doors/Debris: Essential for map progression.
  • Purchasing Weapons: From Wall Buys or the Mystery Box.
  • Buying Perks: Crucial for enhancing your abilities.
  • Activating Traps: For crowd control and point generation.
  • Upgrading Weapons (Pack-a-Punch): Transforms your weapons into devastating tools.

Rounds & Difficulty Scaling

Zombies mode progresses in rounds. With each new round:

• Zombies become faster.
• Zombies become more resilient (increased health).
• More zombies spawn per round.
• Special enemy types (e.g., Denizens in Tranzit, Brutus in Mob of the Dead) are introduced or increase in frequency.

Health & Downing

• Player Health: You start with 100 health. Taking damage reduces this.
• Last Stand: If your health drops to zero, you enter Last Stand (downed state). You can still fire your pistol but move slowly. Teammates can revive you.
• Bleed Out: If not revived in time, you bleed out and die.
• Reviving: Teammates can revive you by holding the interact button. The Quick Revive perk significantly speeds this up.

Essential Items & Power-Ups

Throughout each match, various items and power-ups will drop from slain zombies. Knowing their effects and when to use them is vital.

Power-Ups

• Max Ammo: Instantly refills all players' ammunition for all weapons. Strategy: Save this for when multiple players are low on ammo, or when you've just acquired a powerful weapon.
• Insta-Kill: All zombies die in one hit (any weapon, any location) for a short duration. Strategy: Use this to clear large hordes quickly, especially in higher rounds. Melee kills during Insta-Kill grant maximum points (130 per kill).
• Double Points: All points earned are doubled for a short duration. Strategy: Prioritize headshots and melee kills during Double Points to maximize your point gain.
• Nuke: Kills all zombies currently on the map. Strategy: A lifesaver when overwhelmed. Also grants 400 points to all players.
• Carpenter: Repairs all barricades on the map. Strategy: Useful for gaining points and slowing down zombie entry, especially in early rounds.
• Fire Sale: The Mystery Box moves to a random location and costs only 10 points per spin for a short duration. Strategy: Spam the Mystery Box during Fire Sale to try and get powerful weapons like the Ray Gun or Thundergun.

Perk-a-Cola Machines

Perks provide significant buffs and are crucial for high-round survival. Each map has a unique layout for these machines, but their effects are universal.

• Juggernog: Increases your health from 100 to 250. Location: Varies by map, but always a top priority.
• Speed Cola: Increases reload speed by 50% and barricade repair speed. Location: Varies.
• Quick Revive: (Solo) Allows you to revive yourself three times per game. (Co-op) Significantly speeds up reviving downed teammates. Location: Often near starting areas.
• Double Tap II Root Beer: Increases weapon fire rate and fires two bullets for the price of one (effectively doubling damage output). Location: Varies.
• Stamin-Up: Increases sprint duration and movement speed. Location: Varies, often useful for kiting.
• PhD Flopper: Grants immunity to explosive damage and creates an explosion when diving from a height. Note: Not available on all maps (e.g., Tranzit).
• Deadshot Daiquiri: Improves aim-down-sights accuracy, reduces weapon sway, and automatically snaps to a zombie's head when aiming. Location: Varies.
• Mule Kick: Allows you to carry a third weapon. Strategy: Essential for maximizing weapon versatility, but losing it means losing your third weapon.

Weapons & Upgrades

Wall Buys

These are fixed weapon locations on walls, purchased with points. They offer reliable, if sometimes basic, weaponry. Always know where the M14 or Olympia are in early rounds for point farming.

Mystery Box

The Mystery Box (often marked with a question mark) offers a random weapon for 950 points. This is where you'll find powerful wonder weapons like the Ray Gun, Thundergun (Kino der Toten), or Wave Gun (Moon). Be prepared for it to move after a certain number of uses or a specific round.

Pack-a-Punch Machine

The ultimate weapon upgrade. For 5000 points, the Pack-a-Punch machine transforms your weapon, increasing its damage, magazine size, and often adding unique effects (e.g., explosive rounds, elemental damage). Finding and activating this machine is a key objective on every map.

General Strategies for Survival

• Train Zombies: In higher rounds, it's often safer and more efficient to group zombies into a "train" by running in circles or specific routes, then turning to eliminate them all at once.
• Communicate: In co-op, clear communication about power-ups, downed teammates, and zombie locations is paramount.
• Prioritize Perks: Juggernog and Quick Revive (especially in co-op) should be your first perk purchases.
• Manage Your Economy: Don't spend all your points recklessly. Always save enough for a crucial door, a perk, or a Mystery Box spin if you're desperate for a better weapon.
• Know the Map Layout: Familiarize yourself with door locations, perk machine spawns, trap activations, and escape routes.
• Headshots are Key: They grant more points and kill zombies faster. Practice your aim!

With these fundamentals, you're ready to face the undead. Remember, practice makes perfect, and every death is a lesson learned. Good luck, and may your clips be full and your perks be plenty!