How to Get and Use Field Upgrades in Black Ops 6 Zombies

Key Takeaways:

1. Field Upgrades in Black Ops 6 Zombies offer essential survival tools, from healing to lethal attacks, giving players the edge against overwhelming undead hordes.
2. Strategic use of each Field Upgrade is crucial, as timing can make the difference between life and death for Operators and their teams.
3. Understanding each upgrade’s strengths and weaknesses lets players maximize their effectiveness in both solo and team scenarios.

In Black Ops 6 Zombies, Field Upgrades are the lifelines that can save Operators from certain death or turn the tide against overwhelming zombie hordes. By carefully choosing and timing each upgrade, players can gain tactical advantages whether for direct damage, healing, evasion, or even drawing enemies away from teammates. With five unique Field Upgrades in this edition, each offers distinct powers and weaknesses. Below, we’ll dive into each upgrade, ranking them from least to most effective, so you can make the most of each ability.

What Are Field Upgrades in BO6 Zombies?

Field Upgrades in Black Ops 6 Zombies are rechargeable abilities that players earn by defeating zombies. Each upgrade has a specific ability, such as damaging enemies, healing allies, or temporarily concealing the player. These upgrades add a strategic layer to the game, as they can help you escape tricky situations or quickly eliminate groups of zombies. Knowing when and how to use each upgrade is essential for players seeking to master the game and maximize their survival time.

How to Use Field Upgrades

Using a Field Upgrade requires it to be fully charged. This can be done by killing zombies, and once ready, players activate it using controller buttons (L1 + R1 on PlayStation, LB + RB on Xbox, or X on PC). Players can choose their Field Upgrade in the “Loadout” menu under Weapons. The icon for the equipped Field Upgrade appears on the bottom right of the HUD when charged, and the icon will display a “1” once it’s ready to use.

Now, let’s jump into each Field Upgrade in Black Ops 6 Zombies, ranked from least to most effective.

5. Energy Mine

Ability: Spawn a mine that detonates three times, dealing powerful electric damage.

Energy Mine is often the first Field Upgrade available to players. It generates a mine that explodes multiple times, releasing electric shocks capable of taking out or stunning zombies. This is particularly helpful in the early rounds as it provides a decent area-of-effect attack. However, the Energy Mine’s drawbacks include a delayed impact, meaning it can fail if players get cornered before the explosion goes off. While Energy Mine offers an early advantage, its limitations make it less effective in higher rounds when quick, immediate effects are necessary.

Pros

• Great early-round defense.
• Lethal to groups of zombies in confined spaces.

Cons

• Slow activation; ineffective if you’re cornered.
• Less useful as zombies become stronger in later rounds.

4. Healing Aura

Ability: Instantly heal all players within a specific radius.

Unlocked at level 33, Healing Aura allows players to revive and fully heal all nearby teammates. It acts like a powerful stim shot, instantly restoring health. However, Healing Aura’s effectiveness is often limited in large maps where players are spread out, and without armor, the health restoration is quickly drained by even a few hits from zombies. This upgrade is best used in boss fights where the team can stay close and benefit from the boost.

Pros

• Rapidly revives and heals teammates.
• Useful in team scenarios, particularly in confined boss fight areas.

Cons

• Limited radius, so spread-out teammates may not benefit.
• Health alone is insufficient without armor in high-level rounds.

3. Dark Flare

Ability: Fire a powerful beam of energy dealing lethal shadow damage.

A new addition in Black Ops 6, Dark Flare fires a continuous beam of energy capable of penetrating multiple zombies. This upgrade can be especially effective when ammo is running low, as it provides an ongoing damage source. While Dark Flare dishes out significant damage even in later rounds, it doesn’t provide crowd control benefits for allies, making it less useful when a teammate is cornered.

Pros

• Penetrates multiple zombies, useful in low-ammo scenarios.
• Effective even in high rounds.

Cons

• Lacks crowd control benefits.
• Not suitable for rescuing teammates in emergencies.

2. Aether Shroud

Ability: Become invisible to zombies for a short period.

A fan favourite, the Aether Shroud from Black Ops: Cold War makes its return in BO6, allowing players to vanish from zombies’ view temporarily. This upgrade is invaluable for players who find themselves cornered, need to resupply, or are attempting a risky revival of a downed teammate. Zombies will ignore the player while Aether Shroud is active, making it ideal for escaping from sticky situations or completing map objectives that require timed activities.

Pros

• Grants temporary invisibility, ideal for survival.
• Perfect for resupplying, reviving teammates, or escaping.

Cons

• Limited duration.
• Doesn’t directly deal damage to zombies.

1. Frenzied Guard

Ability: Fully repairs armor and redirects all zombies to the player, while armor absorbs all incoming damage.

Frenzied Guard, unlocked at level 9, is the most powerful Field Upgrade for BO6 Zombies. When activated, the player’s armor is fully restored, and any damage taken goes to the armor rather than health, providing temporary invincibility. It also draws all zombies to the player, making it perfect for rescuing teammates or holding off waves of zombies. This ability is exceptionally strong with the right augmentations, as players can use it to rack up kills and further repair their armor.

Pros

• Provides temporary invincibility through armor absorption.
• Ideal for crowd control and reviving teammates.
• Full armor restoration enhances longevity in intense fights.

Cons

• Directs all zombies to the player, making it risky without strong weapons.

How to Maximize Field Upgrades in Black Ops 6 Zombies

In Black Ops 6 Zombies, understanding Field Upgrades and choosing the right one for your playstyle and team composition is crucial for maximizing survival. Here’s a quick rundown on how best to utilize each upgrade:

1. Timing is Key: Use upgrades at critical moments. For example, deploy Healing Aura during boss fights or Dark Flare when running low on ammo.
2. Coordinate in Teams: If you’re playing with teammates, coordinate to cover weaknesses. While one player uses Frenzied Guard to absorb damage, another could use Aether Shroud to revive or heal.
3. Augment Upgrades: Some upgrades have special augmentations available in the Augment menu, which enhance abilities. Experiment with different augment combinations to find what works best for each scenario.

FAQ

What is the best Field Upgrade in Black Ops 6 Zombies? Frenzied Guard is often the best due to its ability to fully repair armor and absorb damage, providing brief invincibility. It’s particularly effective for solo players and as a team support ability.

How do I unlock Field Upgrades in Black Ops 6 Zombies? Field Upgrades unlock at different player levels. For example, Energy Mine is available early, while Aether Shroud requires a higher level to unlock.

Can I use Field Upgrades in all Black Ops 6 modes? No, Field Upgrades are specific to the Zombies mode, designed to give players a strategic advantage against zombie hordes.

Do Field Upgrades recharge over time? Field Upgrades recharge as players kill zombies, making it essential to stay engaged in the fight to have them ready when needed.