How To Upgrade the Staff of Ice in Black Ops 6 Zombies

The Staff of Ice in *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* Zombies is a unique Wonder Weapon. While its base form is relatively weak, its upgraded version, Ull's Arrow, becomes essential for high-round survival and completing the main Easter egg quest. This guide details the upgrade process.

Prerequisites for Upgrading the Staff of Ice

Before upgrading, you need two things: the Staff of Ice itself (obtained from the Mystery Box or by collecting its three parts) and access to the Dark Aether Nexus. Open the Door to Nowhere to access the Dark Aether as early as possible.

How to Upgrade the Staff of Ice

Step 1: Freezing Dark Aether Crystals

Freeze three Dark Aether Crystals rapidly using the Staff of Ice. These crystals are located in underground lanterns (black frame, purple fire) within The Tomb. Perks like Stamin-Up and PHD Flopper (with Tribologist) significantly improve your movement speed, making this step easier. Strategically plan your route, possibly waiting a few rounds for optimal lantern placement. A suggested route: Tomb area, Shrine of the Hierophants, then the Subterranean Temple entrance lantern (avoiding the lantern near Quick Revive due to distance). Successfully freezing the crystals triggers dialogue from Archibald, signaling progression to the Dark Aether Nexus.

Step 2: Targeting Floating Rocks in the Dark Aether Nexus

Three floating rocks with glowing purple Runes appear in the Dark Aether Nexus. Note the symbol on each. Shoot each Rune with the Staff of Ice (a hitmarker confirms a successful shot). This causes the rock to descend, making the Rune easier to target. A scoped weapon may aid accuracy. The order of shooting the rocks doesn't matter.

Step 3: Solving the Rune Symbol Puzzle

After Step 2, a portal back to the main map will be replaced by a stone wall, revealing a wall with Runic icons. Shoot the three icons matching the symbols from the floating rocks. The portal will open regardless of whether the correct symbols are chosen, but incorrect selections will teleport you to an undesirable location within the Dark Aether Nexus. Multiple failures may require waiting for the next round. Correct selections lead to a floating rock with a purple orb. Interact with the orb.

Step 4: Escorting the Soul Chest Orb

After interacting with the orb, follow it, killing zombies nearby. Zombie kills empower the orb's movement. The orb will eventually reach a central structure, forming a small purple portal. Interact with it to upgrade the Staff of Ice to Ull's Arrow.

Ull's Arrow: Upgraded Staff of Ice Abilities

Ull's Arrow retains the powerful charged AoE attack of its predecessor from Black Ops 2 and 3, and gains an alternate fire mode capable of reviving downed players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.