Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies has reimagined the iconic Zombies formula with a wealth of features, mechanics, and systems that make for one of the deepest, most accessible, and enjoyable experiences to date. Whether you’re a returning veteran or a brand-new player, this all-in-one guide breaks down everything you need to know about Cold War Zombies—point systems, weapon upgrades, perks, game modes, and more—so you can jump in fully prepared.

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The Point System: What’s Changed?

Unlike past titles, Cold War Zombies only awards points for kills, not for shooting enemies repeatedly. Here’s how it works:

• 90 points per regular kill
• 115 points for melee kills or headshots

Bonus points are awarded for certain actions like stunning enemies, breaking armor, or killing bosses. It’s a simpler, more focused system that rewards precise and effective combat rather than spamming bullets.

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Weapon Rarity and Loadouts

You can now customize your starting Loadout with any weapon in the game. To keep balance, weapons are classified by Rarity:

• Red (Loadout/default): Weakest
• Green (Common)
• Blue (Rare)
• Purple (Epic)
• Orange (Legendary): Strongest
• Gold: Reserved for Wonder Weapons

Weapons can upgrade automatically as rounds progress or through Mystery Box rolls. Higher rounds improve your odds of getting better Rarity weapons from the box, including Wonder Weapons.

Salvage System

Salvage is a secondary currency dropped randomly by enemies and at milestone rounds:

• Green Salvage (Common)
• Blue Salvage (Rare)

You can use Salvage at Armor Stations to:

• Upgrade weapon Rarity
• Obtain or upgrade armor
• Replenish armor durability

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Armor and Crafting

Armor offers an extra defensive layer and can be picked up from enemies or purchased with Salvage. There are three levels of armor, each more durable than the last. You can:

• Replenish or upgrade armor at armor stations
• Collect armor vests or shards in-game

At Crafting Tables, use Salvage to build:

• Lethal and tactical equipment (e.g., grenades, monkey bombs)
• Killstreaks (e.g., sentry guns, chopper gunners)
• Self-revives (limited to one in solo, more can be bought if available)

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Perks and Progression

The perk system gets a massive overhaul:

• No 4-perk limit
• Each perk increases in cost by 5000 points after every purchase
• The Wonderfizz Machine lets you buy any perk directly

Perks now feature five upgrade tiers, unlocked with Aetherium Crystals:

• Earned every 5 rounds starting from Round 10
• Higher rounds yield Refined and Flawless crystals

Upgrade your perks, weapon classes, field upgrades, and ammo mods permanently via the Weapons > Skills menu. These changes are irreversible once applied.

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Field Upgrades

Field upgrades function as rechargeable abilities earned through eliminations. Available options include:

• Ring of Fire: Damage boost in a radius
• Frost Blast: Freezes nearby enemies
• Energy Mine: AoE trap
• Aether Shroud: Teleports and hides you from enemies
• Healing Aura: Heals you and teammates
• Frenzied Guard: Repairs armor and draws enemy aggro
• Toxic Growth: Lethal thorns that slow enemies
• Tesla Storm: Stuns enemies with electricity

Change your upgrade mid-game via the pause menu. Either reselect your class or swap your field upgrade directly.

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Pack-a-Punch and Ammo Mods

Pack-a-Punch is still central to survival but now offers three upgrade tiers:

• Tier 1: 5,000 points
• Tier 2: 15,000 points
• Tier 3: 30,000 points

You can also add Ammo Mods for 2,000 points:

• Napalm Burst (Fire damage)
• Cryo Freeze (Freezing effect)
• Dead Wire (Stun with electricity)
• Brain Rot (Turns enemies into allies)
• Shatter Blast (Explosion on impact)

Each ammo mod is effective against different enemy types—watch for visual indicators during fights.

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X-Fill: End Your Match on Your Terms

Instead of playing indefinitely or completing an Easter egg, you can call for extraction starting every 5th round after Round 10. Use the marked radio to initiate:

• Defeat several waves of enemies
• Survive until Raptor-1 extracts you

Successful X-Fill grants bonus XP and additional Aetherium Crystals. It’s a great way to conclude a match while keeping your progress.

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Loadout Customization and Blueprints

You can fully customize guns in the Zombies Gunsmith. If you like a particular combo of attachments and camos, save it as a custom loadout. Better yet, you can apply that loadout mid-game:

• Pause
• Go to Apply Blueprint > Custom Loadouts

It’s a fantastic feature that saves time and gives you tactical flexibility.

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Max Health and Difficulty Scaling

Zombies reach maximum health of 60,000 by Round 55. From there, they won’t get tougher health-wise—but damage they deal will continue increasing.

From Round 20 onward, armored zombies join the horde. They wear vests and helmets that must be shot off. Certain weapon attachments deal bonus damage to armor—equip them when needed.

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Bonus Features and Side Systems

• Rampage Inducer: Found in spawn rooms of round-based maps. Speeds up zombie spawns and makes them sprint aggressively. Use it to farm XP or challenge yourself.
• Trials Computer: Complete timed challenges for reward tiers. Redeem at the Reward Station. Highest tier can even award Wonder Weapons.
• Ammo Crates: Refill your ammo for points, found across all maps.

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Recommended Weapons for Beginners

Even without DLC guns, several base weapons shine in Zombies:

• Gallo Shotgun: Semi-auto, high burst damage
• Diamatti (Dual Wield): Incredible DPS when dual wielded
• M16: Burst fire but deals consistent, high damage

If you unlock DLC weapons, try:

• AMP63 (Dual Wield): Efficient and deadly
• MAC-10: Devours ammo but tears through hordes with proper hipfire build

Truthfully, most weapons can be effective with the right upgrades, so don’t hesitate to try what feels right.

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Overview of All Maps

• Die Maschine: A balanced, vanilla introduction. Simple power/PAP quest, solid Wonder Weapon, straightforward enemy types.
• Firebase Z: Underrated gem. Enjoyable defense rounds, easy Wonder Weapon, strong layout.
• Mauer der Toten: Considered the best map. Strong Wonder Weapon, dense side quests, top-tier main quest.
• Forsaken: Simplest setup—power and PAP are activated by a button. Wild side quests and creative mechanics.
• Onslaught & Onslaught Containment: Play Zombies on multiplayer maps. Onslaught Containment removes orb movement and boosts weapon XP.
• Outbreak: Large-scale, objective-based, open-world Zombies. Complete map objectives, side quests, and either X-Fill or move to a new zone. Use the beacon to skip rounds.

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Final Thoughts Cold War Zombies is a near-perfect evolution of what Zombies can be—offering intense replayability, vast build potential, and both casual and high-skill challenges. Whether you’re grinding for XP, going for high rounds, or just trying to extract alive, this guide gives you all the tools you need to master the mode.

Lock and load, and welcome to the undead fight.