Six Tips You Need To Know For Black Ops 6 Zombies Grief Mode

Treyarch's Grief mode has finally returned to Call of Duty with Season 4 of Black Ops 6. This competitive mode hasn't been featured in Zombies since it was originally introduced Black Ops 2. This is a 4v4 mode that requires a bit of strategy and teamwork in order to secure a win, so we've provided some tips to help you outlast your opponents.At its core, Grief mode sounds simple. You're in a match with another squad of players in hopes of being the last team standing in the fight against zombies. However, it's not always so easy to outlast opponents. This Black Ops 6 version of Grief is also more complex than the original mode, so there's plenty of information you'll want to know, whether you're a new or returning player. Make sure to check out our full breakdown of how Grief mode works in Black Ops 6, which adds new features and more powerful ways to Grief the opposition.Assuming you already know the rules of the mode, we provide several helpful Grief tips below so you can start scoring wins. Best loadout optionsPrimary: Use weapons with high ammo counts, such as assault rifles, light machine guns, and submachine guns with extended mags.Secondary: A pistol with extended mags. The GS45 akimbo build is a great choice.Dedicated melee slot: Pick a fast, dedicated melee weapon and upgrade it in your match. This is even more important than the gun you choose. In Grief mode, there are sometimes melee-only objectives, meleeing your opponents is a good way to slow them down, and it's a weapon you won't lose. I'd recommend the Kali Sticks or nunchucks for your loadout.Lethal equipment: C4 is a strong pick for helping you clear out zombies fastTactical equipment: Shock sticks or decoys are good for grief strategiesField Upgrade: I think having a good team composition of Field Upgrades can be really useful. I'd recommend that at least one person have Healing Aura for healing and reviving your team. Energy Mine with the Turret augment can help you zap zombies as well as slow down enemy players. Tesla Storm is another option for both stopping the undead and slowing down your opponents.GobbleGums: GobbleGums can be a game changer. The mode does restrict some of the really overpowered gums: Exit Strategy, Idle Eyes, Wonderbar, Time Out, and Flavor Hex.However, this still leaves some helpful options:PerkaholicProfit SharingNear Death ExperienceCache BackNowhere But Here Perks choicesYou have access to perks and Armory upgrade machines in all of the Grief arenas. In addition to important perks like Juggernog, Quick-Revive, and Speed Cola, you'll also want to get Melee Macchiato and make sure you're using the Espresso augment for this perk. CommunicationThis should be a no-brainer in Zombies, but communication is even more crucial in Grief mode. You'll need to use mics whenever possible to strategize ways to grief the opposing team. Slow down your enemyYou can't directly damage your opponents in this mode, but you can grief them through various methods to slow them down.Firing on enemy players will cause them to slow downStriking enemy players with your melee attack will also cause them to slowUse Shock Stick equipment to temporarily zap themThese tactics of slowing your opponent may not look impactful at the start of a match, but wait for when you see an enemy getting overwhelmed by a horde or someone who recently went down and doesn't have their perks. Then, slowing them down becomes more deadly.Shock sticks work great for preventing your opponents from reviving their downed teammates. It interrupts the revive animation, and it also puts the reviver at risk of getting hit by zombies. Get the Capture ZonesA new addition to Grief mode in Black Ops 6 is the Capture Zones. You want to beat your opponent at capturing these points, as the team that fails to capture them will get penalized with harsh Grief debuffs, such as ammo drains, weapon nerfs, and slower movement speed.Always pay attention to your HUD when a Capture Zone appears. It always tells you what the debuff penalty will be. You don't really want to suffer from any of the debuffs, but one of the worst is the Weapon Carousel. This will replace both of your weapons with random guns.You don't want to spend money upgrading weapons and lose them to a low-tier rocket launcher or something else unfortunate. Hopefully, you've invested in upgrading your dedicated melee weapon if this debuff does happen to you. Don't let your enemies reviveStop downed opponents from being revived. You can't win the game unless all four members of the opposing team are dead, so stop them from reviving whenever you can.This can include using Shock Sticks to stun the player attempting the revive, or you can throw decoys or Monkey Bombs to send a horde of zombies over to them. If you're close by, melee them to interrupt the revive process.Don't play nice. If the player does get revived, block the crucial perk machines so they can't get their perks back. This might mean

Jun 3, 2025 - 00:20

Six Tips You Need To Know For Black Ops 6 Zombies Grief Mode

Treyarch's Grief mode has finally returned to Call of Duty with Season 4 of Black Ops 6. This competitive mode hasn't been featured in Zombies since it was originally introduced Black Ops 2. This is a 4v4 mode that requires a bit of strategy and teamwork in order to secure a win, so we've provided some tips to help you outlast your opponents.

At its core, Grief mode sounds simple. You're in a match with another squad of players in hopes of being the last team standing in the fight against zombies. However, it's not always so easy to outlast opponents. This Black Ops 6 version of Grief is also more complex than the original mode, so there's plenty of information you'll want to know, whether you're a new or returning player. Make sure to check out our full breakdown of how Grief mode works in Black Ops 6, which adds new features and more powerful ways to Grief the opposition.

Assuming you already know the rules of the mode, we provide several helpful Grief tips below so you can start scoring wins.

Best loadout options

Primary: Use weapons with high ammo counts, such as assault rifles, light machine guns, and submachine guns with extended mags.

Secondary: A pistol with extended mags. The GS45 akimbo build is a great choice.

Dedicated melee slot: Pick a fast, dedicated melee weapon and upgrade it in your match. This is even more important than the gun you choose. In Grief mode, there are sometimes melee-only objectives, meleeing your opponents is a good way to slow them down, and it's a weapon you won't lose. I'd recommend the Kali Sticks or nunchucks for your loadout.

Lethal equipment: C4 is a strong pick for helping you clear out zombies fast

Tactical equipment: Shock sticks or decoys are good for grief strategies

Field Upgrade: I think having a good team composition of Field Upgrades can be really useful. I'd recommend that at least one person have Healing Aura for healing and reviving your team. Energy Mine with the Turret augment can help you zap zombies as well as slow down enemy players. Tesla Storm is another option for both stopping the undead and slowing down your opponents.

GobbleGums: GobbleGums can be a game changer. The mode does restrict some of the really overpowered gums: Exit Strategy, Idle Eyes, Wonderbar, Time Out, and Flavor Hex.

However, this still leaves some helpful options:

Perkaholic
Profit Sharing
Near Death Experience
Cache Back
Nowhere But Here

Perks choices

You have access to perks and Armory upgrade machines in all of the Grief arenas. In addition to important perks like Juggernog, Quick-Revive, and Speed Cola, you'll also want to get Melee Macchiato and make sure you're using the Espresso augment for this perk.

Communication

This should be a no-brainer in Zombies, but communication is even more crucial in Grief mode. You'll need to use mics whenever possible to strategize ways to grief the opposing team.

Slow down your enemy

You can't directly damage your opponents in this mode, but you can grief them through various methods to slow them down.

Firing on enemy players will cause them to slow down
Striking enemy players with your melee attack will also cause them to slow
Use Shock Stick equipment to temporarily zap them

These tactics of slowing your opponent may not look impactful at the start of a match, but wait for when you see an enemy getting overwhelmed by a horde or someone who recently went down and doesn't have their perks. Then, slowing them down becomes more deadly.

Shock sticks work great for preventing your opponents from reviving their downed teammates. It interrupts the revive animation, and it also puts the reviver at risk of getting hit by zombies.

Get the Capture Zones

A new addition to Grief mode in Black Ops 6 is the Capture Zones. You want to beat your opponent at capturing these points, as the team that fails to capture them will get penalized with harsh Grief debuffs, such as ammo drains, weapon nerfs, and slower movement speed.

Always pay attention to your HUD when a Capture Zone appears. It always tells you what the debuff penalty will be. You don't really want to suffer from any of the debuffs, but one of the worst is the Weapon Carousel. This will replace both of your weapons with random guns.

You don't want to spend money upgrading weapons and lose them to a low-tier rocket launcher or something else unfortunate. Hopefully, you've invested in upgrading your dedicated melee weapon if this debuff does happen to you.

Don't let your enemies revive

Stop downed opponents from being revived. You can't win the game unless all four members of the opposing team are dead, so stop them from reviving whenever you can.

This can include using Shock Sticks to stun the player attempting the revive, or you can throw decoys or Monkey Bombs to send a horde of zombies over to them. If you're close by, melee them to interrupt the revive process.

Don't play nice. If the player does get revived, block the crucial perk machines so they can't get their perks back. This might mean having a player train Zombies around the Juggernog machine or Pack-a-Punch.

Season 4 doesn't include a new Zombies map, but the developer has revealed that Grief will remain in Black Ops 6 as a permanent game mode. Last season added the Shattered Veil Zombies map. We have full guides for how to upgrade the Ray Gun Mark II Wonder Weapon and how to complete the main story quest for Shattered Veil.