Dark Ops Mastery in Black Ops 6 Zombies – Full Season 4 Guide

 

What Are Dark Ops Challenges in BO6 Zombies?

Dark Ops challenges in Black Ops 6 Zombies offer exclusive calling cards for players who pull off unique and often tough tasks. These objectives don’t show up in your regular challenge tracker, and they’re usually more demanding than typical zombie grind activities. Season 4 brings four brand-new challenges, and unlocking all of them contributes to the highly sought-after Dark Ops Mastery.

Start with the Toughest: Goat of Grief

Among all four new tasks, Goat of Grief stands out as the most time-consuming. To earn this calling card, you need to win 115 games of Grief. The game mode is 4v4, with each team aiming to be the last one standing. Matches vary in length — some are over in minutes, while others can last close to an hour.

Winning even a few in a row takes coordination, skill, and the right loadout. You'll want to play smart and consistently to slowly rack up those wins.

Ideal Loadout for Grief Mode

For best results in Grief:

• Equip akimbo GS45 pistols

• Use decoys and tomahawks for tactical and lethal gear

• Run Aether Shroud with augmentations to support teammates

• Melee options: Kali Sticks or Scythe if the former isn’t unlocked

GobbleGums aren’t recommended for this mode. Most matches are too short to justify using top-tier gums like Perkaholic. Save those for traditional zombies.

Strategy: Beat Your Rivals, Not Just Zombies

Grief isn’t about killing zombies fast — it’s about slowing down your enemies and outlasting them. Use melee weapons to interrupt and disrupt opposing players. While this tactic has been nerfed since launch, it’s still effective, especially in tight quarters or crowded zombie spawns.

Make every opportunity to throw off the enemy’s rhythm. Your job is to make their gameplay harder and their chances of survival lower.

Complete Objectives for Bonus Edge

In Grief, completing in-game objectives can swing the match in your favor. Objectives not only give bonus score to your team but also debuff enemy weapons, making it harder for them to stay alive. Even if you can't complete one yourself, do everything you can to prevent the opposing team from succeeding — push them out, stall, or cause chaos.

Grief Teamwork Tips and Potential Workaround

This challenge can be brutal in public lobbies. If you’ve got a full party of eight friends, you can technically manipulate wins by switching off victories. While not necessarily in the spirit of fair play, this method does make the 115-win grind manageable — just don’t expect it to be quick either way.

Calling Card #2: Of Legend

Next up is the Of Legend Dark Ops challenge. You’ll unlock this one by completing the Citadel Easter egg and killing the Guardian boss using only your swords. The entire sequence can be completed in Directed Mode, which gives you step-by-step guidance through the Easter egg and simplifies the final boss fight.

Citadel Preparation Steps

To speed up the process, you can complete several tasks before formally beginning the Easter egg:

• Collect the horseshoe from the barn

• Grab a lightning rod near Deadshot Daiquiri

• Use Dead Wire at Speed Cola’s electrical box for a second lightning rod

• Activate Pack-a-Punch and talk to the NPC in the closet to get started

From here, follow the in-game instructions in Directed Mode.

Using the Dragon Sword Wisely

While working on the Dragon Sword step, keep this in mind: if you're about to die, meleeing any zombie instantly restores your health. It's a built-in survival mechanic that’s easy to overlook and could save your run.

For the Raven Sword portion, remember Directed Mode won’t tell you the exact symbol combinations. These are determined by the animal fossil you discover. You'll need to decipher the puzzle manually or have the combinations ready ahead of time.

Solving the Pages Puzzle Early

Inside the Stamina-Up room, there’s a pages puzzle based on matching torn corners. You can pre-solve this before officially reaching this Easter egg step. Page order goes top-left, bottom-left, top-right, bottom-right, and you’ll activate traps in this same sequence by matching the points of power with the book’s symbols.

Incantation and Sword Steps

Another Directed Mode step that’s vague involves using incantations on the knights beneath the stairwell. Here’s the process:

• Match each sword with a knight based on Roman numerals I–IV

• Use the incantation on that knight

• Then inspect the sword at the statue (don’t just “use” it)

This unlocks the final phase of the fight.

Guardian Fight Tips for Of Legend Unlock

You’ll only use your sword in this fight. No guns, no grenades, and especially no elemental pop (it could cause unwanted damage). Watch for glowing magma weak spots on the Guardian. If you can’t reach high areas, aim for the legs instead. Use your parry ability to absorb damage — many players forget this exists.

Use decoys and Aether Shroud as your backup to survive if the boss fight gets overwhelming.

Unlocking the Shattered Veil Challenge

The third calling card comes from beating the Shattered Veil Easter egg. Again, use Directed Mode for guidance. Before getting into the formal steps, there are a few side tasks you can do early:

• Shoot white Janus crates for salvage and other small items

• Collect canisters early:

  • First needs tomahawk

  • Second via Ray Gun Mark II on blue crystals

  • Third via Casmir grenade near the double tap barricade

Vault Code and Pre-Boss Loadout Tips

One Easter egg step that often confuses players involves unlocking the vault. The vault code is behind the elevator, displayed from left to right. Once you gather this, you're nearly at the boss.

Before activating the boss fight:

• Fully upgrade a melee weapon

• Unlock every perk except Elemental Pop

• Choose a secondary weapon like a Wonder Weapon or high-damage base gun

• Equip Chopper Gunner for damage buildup

• Keep decoys and Aether Shroud ready for emergencies

Focus on your melee first — it’s essential for the upcoming Dark Ops condition.

Getting the Apex Prey Dark Ops Calling Card

In the Shattered Veil boss fight, you must ride the Z-Rex and deliver the final blow using only a melee weapon to unlock the Apex Prey calling card.

To practice, wait for the tail slam move. If you’re standing still, it launches you backward. But if you move forward as it slams, it will launch you above the Z-Rex. Use your interact button in mid-air to start riding it.

Dealing the Final Blow with a Melee Weapon

The first time you land on the Z-Rex, test how much melee damage you deal. For the actual completion, you’ll need to weaken the Z-Rex until it has slightly less health than your test damage. Once its health is low enough, get launched again and land the final melee hit.

It’s worth noting — only one player can earn this calling card per match, based on who deals the final blow. If you’re playing with friends, plan accordingly so everyone gets a turn over time.

Using Tools to Survive the Boss Fight

Reaching the final stages of this fight solo or with a team requires careful planning:

• Use Chopper Gunner and your weapons to bring Z-Rex’s health down

• Save decoys and Aether Shroud for getting into position

• During the ride, aim your strikes well — you get one shot per launch attempt

Don’t use lethals or elemental weapons that could accidentally finish off the boss. The melee blow must be the one that ends it.

Final Dark Ops Challenge: Friends Off

The last challenge, Friends Off, is more straightforward. It requires you to activate a jump scare in the Tomb map and then transfer it to another player using a melee hit.

This can be done in public or private games. While playing solo isn’t an option here, you don’t necessarily need friends — randoms work fine too.

How to Activate the Jump Scare

During Round 6 in the Tomb, go to the Speed Cola side. A statue spawns in a few different locations:

• On rocks above Quick Revive

• In the rocky outcroppings near Speed Cola, looking out into the map’s edge

Use a large optic scope to aim at the statue. When it turns around and its eyes glow red, you’re infected with the jump scare.

Transferring the Jump Scare to Another Player

Once infected, just walk up to another player and melee them. This transfers the scare and completes the challenge. That's it.

Playing with a friend makes it easier, but you can also do this in matchmaking lobbies if someone is nearby.

How Rewarding Are These New Challenges?

Grinding through all four of these challenges isn’t for everyone. Some — like Goat of Grief — take a long time. Others are more gimmicky or tricky to set up, like Apex Prey. The final reward? Calling cards. That’s it.

While some players may find the novelty exciting, the visual rewards themselves aren’t game-changing. Still, if you’re a completionist or aiming for Dark Ops Mastery, they’re worth tackling.

Final Thoughts on the Dark Ops Grind in Season 4

Black Ops 6’s Season 4 Dark Ops challenges vary in difficulty and enjoyment. Some players may breeze through Friends Off or Of Legend, while Goat of Grief might take weeks to finish. It’s a mixed experience with a modest reward, but still a fun way to challenge yourself outside of typical progression paths.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How many Dark Ops challenges were added in Season 4 of Black Ops 6 Zombies?
A: Four new challenges were introduced: Goat of Grief, Of Legend, Apex Prey, and Friends Off.

Q: Can you complete the Apex Prey Dark Ops in co-op?
A: Yes, but only one player can unlock it per game — the one who lands the final melee hit on the Z-Rex.

Q: Do I need to use Directed Mode for the Easter eggs?
A: No, but it's highly recommended for easier step tracking and reduced boss difficulty.

Q: Can I complete Friends Off in a public match?
A: Yes. You just need to activate the jump scare and melee any nearby player, friend or random.

Q: Is Elemental Pop safe to use during boss fights?
A: No. Avoid it, as elemental effects can cause unintended damage that disqualifies challenge conditions.

Q: What’s the fastest way to grind Goat of Grief wins?
A: Play with a group of eight friends and alternate wins between teams. It speeds up the grind.

Q: Are there any rewards besides calling cards?
A: No, the only rewards from these Dark Ops challenges are exclusive calling cards and Mastery credit.

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