Augments make their debut here in Black Ops 6 Zombies! A rich, new, & innovative customization system that will aid you in fending off the endless onslaught of the undead. It’ll be worth grinding & researching to upgrade all your favorite perks, ammo mods, & field upgrades. Let’s dive into the details of Augments, & what makes them a worthy addition to Black Ops 6 Zombies:
What Are Augments?
Augments are unlockable gameplay advantages you can apply to every Perk-a-Cola, Ammo Mod, and Field Upgrade in the game, and provide a rich and innovative customization experience, allowing you to invest into research between matches.
- There are 108 Augments available to unlock and equip at the game’s launch, divided as follows:
- Perk-a-Colas: Eight, each with six Augments (48).
- Ammo Mods: Five, each with six Augments (30).
- Field Upgrades: Five, each with six Augments (30).
Researching and Choosing Augments
Augment Research: The key to unlocking the full potential of your loadouts is Augment Research. This unlocks at Player Level 11.
Once you research and unlock individual Augments, they can be chosen before the start of a match for each individual Perk, Ammo Mod, or Field Upgrade. To start researching an Augment, simply select which item you’d like to research in the menu and start earning XP in-game to make progress toward unlocking the Augment.
- Each item has two available Augment slots: one for a Major, and one for a Minor Augment.
- Expect three Major Augments to choose from, per item. A Major Augment offers a substantial advantage to the behavior of the item, usually during use.
- Expect three Minor Augments to choose from, per item. A Minor Augment offers a limited advantage to the item, usually during use.
The depth of the Augments customization experience becomes apparent as you learn the different effects of each Augment, and how they stack and affect other upgrades across the game. This subsequently allows you to customize your Augments for your style of play, whether solo or squad-based.
- If you’ve played a particular role in your squad – as a healer for example – you may already have a good idea of which Augments you should search for, unlock, and employ along with other related power-ups to optimize your team’s dynamics and survivability!
A Familiar Sight?
With the addition of the Augments system, one could compare it to the Aetherium Crystals in Black Ops: Cold War. Aetherium Crystals were used to upgrade skills in Cold War Zombies, giving your field upgrades, weapon classes, perks, & ammo mods a boost in ability & power. The higher the upgrade tier, the higher the required tier crystals needed.
Unlike the crystals, Augments provide a far more innovative & creative spin on the upgrade aspect, with a deeper progression path. Each item having 6 unique augments, compared to the 5 tier system in Cold War. Additionally, the ability to mix & match minor & major augments to experiment & unleash an items full power. The Augment system will prove to be an improvement over Cold War’s Crystals.
FULL AUGMENT LIST (Perk-A-Colas, Ammo Mods, & Field Upgrades)
Now, what improvements does the Augment System bring? How might they improve my perks, field upgrades, & ammo mods? With over 100+ Augments available, let delve into each perk, ammo mod, & field upgrade augment, & see what they do:
Perk-A-Colas (8) and Augments (48)
Currency to access Perk-a-Colas: Essence
Recap: If you’re after a tasty beverage that also has the benefit of granting abilities to aid you and your teammates’ survival chances, then get ready to hunt down your preferred vending machines, as Perk-a-Colas are back and with more of a kick than ever: For Black Ops 6 Zombies, every Perk-a-Cola can comes with up to six Augment options to choose from (three Minor, three Major).
Perks are purchased in-game using Essence and have been designed to offer a wide variety of bonuses that suit your style of play, allowing you to choose the order and number you need. Each time you purchase a new Perk, the Essence cost increases, and your Perk collection – displayed along the bottom of your HUD – lasts as long as you do: If you’re downed, expect to lose Perks depending on how many you’ve obtained, and how long you’re downed for.
At launch, expect to access the following Perk Machines:
- Jugger-Nog: Increase maximum health by 100.
- Quick Revive: Reduce the health regen delay time by 50%. Reduce the time it takes to revive an ally by 50%.
- Speed Cola: Increase reload and armor replating speed bonus by 30%.
- Stamin-Up: Increase movement speed.
- PhD Flopper: Immunity to all self-inflicted damage and status effects. Dive to prone triggers an explosion, which increases the higher you fall. Immunity from fall damage while diving prone.
- Deadshot Daiquiri: Aiming down sight moves to enemy critical location. Increase critical damage to enemies.
- Elemental Pop: Every bullet you fire has a small chance to apply a random Ammo Mod effect.
- Melee Macchiato: Replace weapon gun butt with a deadly punch that sends enemies flying.
Here is a complete list of Augments for each of the Perk-a-Colas available at launch:
Perk-A-Cola Augments
Jugger-Nog
Increases maximum health.
Major Augments
PROBIOTIC: Slightly increase maximum health with Jugger-Nog.
TURTLE SHELL: Armor acts as a shield on your back, completely absorbing damage to your back. No damage mitigation when hit from the front.
REACTIVE ARMOR: When an armor plate breaks, nearby normal enemies are stunned for a short time.
Minor Augments
RETALIATION: Deal bonus damage while health is low.
HARDENED PLATES: Armor plates have more damage mitigation.
DURABLE PLATES: Slightly increase armor durability.
Stamin-Up
Increase movement speed.
Major Augments
FREE FALLER: Become immune to fall damage.
DASHER: Increase Tactical Sprint duration.
STALKER: Walk faster while aiming.
Minor Augments
HARD TARGET: While Tactical Sprinting, projectile damage is reduced.
QUARTERBACK: Use equipment while sprinting.
HOT FOOT: Gain a speed boost after your equipment kills an enemy.
Speed Cola
Reload weapons and replate armor faster.
Major Augments
SUPERCHARGED: Field Upgrades recharge a bit faster.
CLASSIC FORMULA: Reload speed is even faster.
PHANTOM RELOAD: Weapon magazines are slowly refilled over time.
Minor Augments
SPEEDY ROULETTE: The Mystery Box settles much faster.
QUICK SWAP: Swap weapons faster.
FAST PITCHER: Deploy equipment faster.
Deadshot Daiquiri
Drink to improve ADS precision and increase critical damage.
Major Augments
DEAD HEAD: Further increase in critical damage.
DEAD FIRST: Deal double critical damage if an enemy is at full health.
DEAD AGAIN: Critical hits have a chance of adding a bullet to your magazine.
Minor Augments
DEAD BREAK: Increase damage to armor pieces.
DEAD DRAW: Reduce hip-fire spread.
DEAD SET: Reduce gun movement while performing advanced movement.
Quick Revive
Recover health and revive allies faster.
Major Augments
EMT: Reviving an ally allows them to keep all of the Perks on their bleed-out bar.
EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE: Killing an enemy while downed will revive you and remove Quick Revive. This can be done up to three times.
DYING WISH: On lethal damage, become immune to all damage for two seconds and keep one health. Quick Revive is removed on use.
Minor Augments
SWIFT RECOVERY: Reviving an ally increases both of your movement speeds for a short time.
KARMIC RETURN: Reviving an ally heals you to full health.
SLOW DEATH: Increase your time in last stand.
Elemental Pop
Attacks can trigger random Ammo Mods.
Major Augments
CITRUS FOCUS: If a weapon has an Ammo Mod applied, Elemental Pop will only activate that one.
IMPERIL PEACH: Enemies that hit you have a chance to trigger a random Ammo Mod.
ELECTRIC CHERRY: Reloading creates an electric damage discharge that damages and stuns nearby normal enemies. The emptier the magazine, the stronger the damage.
Minor Augments
VULNERA BEAN: Slightly increase enemy elemental weakness damage.
PINEAPPLE BLAST: Equipment can also trigger a random Ammo Mod.
CHILL BERRY: Slightly reduce all Ammo Mod cooldowns.
PHD Flopper
Explosive dive to prone and immunity to self-inflicted explosive damage.
Major Augments
GRAVITY MD: Just falling from heights creates explosions.
DR RAM: Tactical Sprint knocks down and damages base zombies.
PHD SLIDER: Sliding into enemies triggers explosions.
Minor Augments
ENVIRONMENTALIST: Become immune to environmental damage while sliding.
EOD TECHNICIAN: Slightly reduce height and distance requirements for explosions.
TRIBOLOGIST: Sliding distance and speed are increased.
Melee Macchiato
Replace weapon gun butt with a deadly punch.
Major Augments
EXPRESSO: All melee attacks are slightly faster.
VAMPIRIC EXTRACTION: Melee attacks heal a small amount of your health.
TRIPLE SHOT: Your punch can hit multiple enemies at once.
Minor Augments
STICK ’N MOVE: Backpedal speed is increased after a successful melee attack.
STRENGTH TRAINING: Your punch can one-hit kill normal enemies for longer.
HIDDEN IMPACT: Melee kills reload a portion of your held weapon.
Field Upgrades (5) and Augments (30)
Mastery Badges available for this Equipment Type
Currency to access Ammo Mods: Salvage
Field Upgrades are selected prior to a Match, within your Loadout Menu. During a match, you can also swap to a different Field Upgrade at any time by using the in-game menu. Note that your cooldown will reset upon switching to a different Field Upgrade.
At launch, expect to choose the following Field Upgrades:
Aether Shroud: Phase into the Dark Aether, becoming hidden from enemy detection.
Frenzied Guard: Repair armor and force all enemies in the area to target you. During this time, kills repair a portion of your armor.
Healing Aura: Summons beams of energy down on yourself and allies to instantly revive and heal to full health.
Energy Mine: Create a mine of pure energy that detonates in rapid succession, dealing lethal electric damage.
Dark Flare: You generate a massive energy beam that deals lethal shadow damage. The beam penetrates everything in its path.
Field Upgrade Augments (ZM)
Aether Shroud
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 47
Phase into the Dark Aether and become temporarily hidden from enemy detection.
Major Augments
GROUP SHROUD: Nearby players are also cloaked.
BURST DASH: Warp forward a short distance, killing all normal enemies in your path.
VOID SHEATH: Swap to your dedicated melee weapon as it’s imbued with Dark Aether energy. Kills allow you to stay in Aether Shroud for longer.
Minor Augments
INSTANT RELOAD: Activation instantly reloads your currently held weapon.
EXTRA CHARGE: Increase max charges by one.
EXTENSION: Aether Shroud duration is significantly increased.
Dark Flare
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 20
Generate an energy beam that deals lethal shadow damage and penetrates everything in its path.
Major Augments
EXTENSION: Significantly increase Dark Flare duration.
SUPERNOVA: The beam is replaced with a sphere that damages nearby enemies as it travels. The ball detonates at the end of Dark Flare’s duration.
DARK PACT: Beam heals and revives other players on contact.
Minor Augments
BROAD BEAM: Significantly increase the size of the beam.
HEAVY SHADOW: The beam slows enemies on contact.
EXTRA CHARGE: Increase Max Charges by one.
Frenzied Guard
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 9
Repair armor to full and force all enemies in the area to temporarily target you. Armor takes all damage during this time.
Major Augments
PHALANX: Teammates can also repair armor from kills while near you.
RETRIBUTION: Trigger an explosion on activation. Normal enemies that melee the player are damaged and knocked down.
FRENZY FIRE: While Frenzied, use ammo from stock.
Minor Augments
REPAIR BOOST: Repair more armor per kill.
EXTENSION: Increase Frenzied Guard duration.
RALLY: On activation, repair all nearby teammates’ armor to full.
Healing Aura
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 33
Heal all nearby players immediately.
Major Augments
RESILIENCE: All affected players have their health regeneration delay reduced and their rate of healing increased temporarily.
ENDURING RADIANCE: The beams and their healing effects persist for a short time after leaving the area of effect.
PERSISTENCE: Revived players keep all Perks on their bleed-out bar.
Minor Augments
INNER STRENGTH: Affected player damage is slightly increased for a short time.
PROTECTION: Healed players have damage slightly mitigated for a short time.
STOIC PRESENCE: On activation, Special and Elite enemies are stunned while normal enemies are knocked down.
Energy Mine
Available: Unlocked Immediately
Create a mine of pure energy that detonates three times, dealing lethal electric damage.
Major Augments
SCATTER: The Energy Mine will split into three mines that scatter and detonate one time each.
TURRET: Instead of a mine, deploy a turret that shoots at the nearest enemy.
CAROUSEL: Three Energy Mines will float around you, detonating when an enemy is nearby.
Minor Augments
FREQUENCY BOOST: Increase detonation count and duration of Energy Mine.
EXTRA CHARGE: Increase max charges by one.
SIREN: Energy mine now attracts nearby normal enemies for a short time.
Ammo Mods (5) and Augments (30)
Currency to access Ammo Mods: Salvage
Recap: Along with Rarity and Pack-a-Punch capabilities, your Primary and Melee Weapons can be outfitted with an upgrade known as an Ammo Mod. Obtained in-game via a purchase at the Arsenal Machine using Salvage, Ammo Mods grant the affected weapon a percentage chance of dealing a special additional effect upon a successful projectile impact. Only one Ammo Mod can be applied to the weapon at a time, though you can purchase a new Ammo Mod as necessary.
At launch, expect to access five Ammo Mods, some of which require you to be a specific Player Level. Each Ammo Mod has six Augments to unlock and choose from, to further bolster the following base effects:
- Brain Rot: Bullets deal toxic damage. Each bullet has the chance to turn a Normal or Special enemy into an ally.
- Cryo Freeze: Bullets deal frost damage. Each bullet has a chance to slow Normal or Special enemies.
- Dead Wire: Bullets deal electrical damage. Each bullet has a chance to stun any Normal and Special enemy, generating a field that deals electric damage to nearby enemies.
- Napalm Burst: Bullets deal fire damage. Each bullet has a chance to ignite Normal and Special enemies.
- Shadow Rift: Bullets deal shadow damage. Each bullet has a chance to spawn a black hole if striking Normal or Special enemies, warping nearby zombies away and dropping some from the air at high speed.
Ammo Mod Augments (ZM)
Brain Rot
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 27
Bullets deal toxic damage. Each bullet has a chance to temporarily turn a normal or special enemy into an ally.
Major Augments
PLAGUE: The charmed enemy has a chance to turn other enemies.
PHEROMONE: The charmed enemy distracts nearby normal and special enemies for a short time.
BIG GAME: Brain Rot can charm elite enemies.
Minor Augments
EXTENSION: Brain Rot duration is slightly increased.
HASTE: Brain Rot cooldown is slightly reduced.
EXPLOSIVE: Charmed enemies explode at the end of Brain Rot’s duration, dealing toxic damage.
Cryo Freeze
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 14
Bullets deal frost damage. Each bullet has a chance to slow a normal or special enemy and increase the damage they receive.
Major Augments
BIG GAME: Cryo Freeze can slow elite enemies.
ICE CLOUD: Enemies that are killed while frozen may leave a cloud that slows enemies.
FROZEN STIFF: Enemies are frozen in place.
Minor Augments
EXTENSION: Slightly increase the slow duration.
FREEZER BURN: Slightly increase damage to frozen enemies.
LIQUID NITROGEN: Significantly increase your chance for Cryo Freeze to activate.
Dead Wire
Available: Unlocked Immediately
Bullets deal electric damage. Each bullet has a chance to stun a normal or special enemy, causing them to generate an electric damage field.
Major Augments
CHAIN LIGHTNING: The stunned enemy can spread the stun to others.
BIG GAME: Dead Wire can stun elite enemies.
LIGHTNING STRIKE: A bolt of lightning strikes from above, stunning all normal and special enemies in the area.
Minor Augments
HIGH VOLTAGE: Dead Wire deals slightly more damage.
HASTE: Dead Wire cooldown is slightly reduced.
EXTENSION: The stun and electric field last longer.
Napalm Burst
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 6
Bullets deal fire damage. Each bullet has a chance to apply a burn effect on normal and special enemies, dealing damage over time.
Major Augments
BIG GAME: Napalm Burst can burn elite enemies.
THERMITE: Increase burn effect damage.
FIREBOMB: Burned enemies explode on death, spreading the fire to nearby enemies.
Minor Augments
EXTENSION: Increase the burn duration.
INCENDIARY: Each damage tick has a small chance to spread to a nearby enemy.
CONTACT BURN: Initial burn effect deals more damage.
Shadow Rift
Available: Unlocked at Player Level 44
Bullets deal shadow damage. Each bullet has a chance to spawn a black hole on a normal or special enemy, warping away those nearby and dropping some from the air at lethal speed.
Major Augments
BIG GAME: Shadow Rift can activate on elite enemies.
TOPPLE DANGER: Warp one enemy that deals shadow damage to others
EXPLOSIVE RAIN: Enemies that are dropped from portals will explode on contact with the ground.
Minor Augments
HASTE: Shadow Rift cooldown is reduced.
TARGETED: Dropped enemies will fall on other enemies.
SUPERMASSIVE: The singularity’s lethal radius is increased and can kill more enemies.
THE END
What are your thoughts on the Augment system? Are you looking forward to experimenting with the different augments? For a full breakdown of the Augment system coming to Black Ops 6 Zombies, check out the video below:
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