Cursed Mode strips away the guidance wheels—no quest markers, limited HUD, classic point economy—and throws you into Black Ops 7 Zombies’ most hardcore experience. But within that challenge lies one of the most rewarding progression systems: Relics. These aren’t cosmetics or optional collectibles. Relics fundamentally change how you play, increase the difficulty ceiling, and unlock some of the best rewards the mode has to offer.
We’re talking Golden Armor that auto-regenerates plates, Pack-a-Punch Tier 4 weapons, and Ultra Weapon Rarity upgrades. These are game-changing progression elements that demand skill to unlock. I’ve personally hunted every relic tier, and the progression structure is genuinely satisfying—each tier gets progressively harder, and each reward scales with that difficulty.
Let’s break down how to unlock every relic, what each one does, and how to claim your rewards.
Important Prerequisites
Before hunting relics, understand one critical requirement.
The Main Easter Egg Requirement: You must complete the main easter egg to actually equip relics once you discover them. You can find and collect relics in Cursed Mode, but equipping them requires main quest completion. This ensures you’ve proven your skill at the core experience before adding relic modifiers.
If you haven’t completed the main easter egg, check out our complete walkthrough guide to understand the progression first.
Understanding Relic Tiers & Rewards
Relics are organized into three tiers, each with increasing difficulty and escalating rewards.
Tier 1 (Grim Relics):
- Collect 3 relics
- Unlock reward: Golden Armor (45,000 Essence)
- Golden Armor provides superior damage mitigation, increased durability, and auto-regenerating armor plates
Tier 2 (Sinister Relics):
- Collect 3 relics (minimum Round 40)
- Unlock reward: Pack-a-Punch Tier 4 (requires higher essence investment)
- Tier 4 Pack-a-Punch represents the ultimate weapon upgrade ceiling
Tier 3 (Wicked Relics):
- Collect 3 relics (highest difficulty)
- Unlock reward: Ultra Weapon Rarity (game-changing rarity tier)
- Ultra Rarity weapons represent the pinnacle of weapon power
Tier 1 Relics (Grim Relics): Complete Guide
Lawyer’s Pen Relic
What It Does: Activates Shock Mimic infiltration. Random items scattered across the map transform into Shock Mimics during gameplay, creating additional combat threats and complexity.
Unlocking Requirements:
- Available from Round 20 onwards
- Napalm Burst Ammo Mod (500 Salvage from The Arsenal) OR 3 Molotovs (350 Salvage each at Crafting Table)
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1: Light Three Hidden Candles Use Molotovs or Napalm Burst to ignite three red candles scattered across the map:
- Farmhouse (Vandorn Farm) – Inside the upstairs bedroom on the bedside cabinet by the northwest wall. You’re looking for a side table next to the bed holding an unlit red candle.
- The Ruby Rabbit (Ashwood) – Ground floor near the Jugger-Nog perk machine. Face the east wall and look at the leftmost shelf; the candle sits here visibly.
- Lost Cabins (Fog Road) – Inside the cabin closest to Ashwood. Look for a table positioned between a couch and wardrobe; the candle sits on this table.
What Happens: After lighting all three candles, a sinister laugh triggers, confirming progression. This unlocks access to the trial.
Step 2: Enter the Lawyer’s Pen Trial Travel to Vandorn Farm and locate a green portal on the northeast wall of the Barn. Interact with it to start the trial.
Trial Mechanics:
- All spawned zombies are Shock Mimics (Special Enemies)
- Shock Mimics are weak to Brain Rot Ammo Mod (bring this if possible)
- 4 waves of combat
- Waves 2 and 4 include HVT (High-Value Target) enemies; prioritize them
- Simply survive and eliminate all spawning enemies
Reward: Completing all 4 waves grants the Lawyer’s Pen Relic.
Dragon Wings Relic
What It Does: Disables normal Power-Up spawning, including Max Ammo drops from Ravager Rounds. This forces resource management and makes ammo conservation critical.
Unlocking Requirements:
- Available from Round 20 onwards
- Access to Jump Pad in Vandorn Farm leading to Janus Towers Plaza
- Ranged weapon (any gun works)
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1: Shoot Three Purple Targets During Fast Travel Use the Jump Pad at Vandorn Farm to fast-travel toward Janus Towers Plaza. While mid-jump, shoot three purple spots that appear during transit:
- Left Pylon – Appears on your left side; shoot the purple mark on the pylon structure
- Right Destroyed Tower – Appears on your right side; shoot the purple mark on the ruined tower
- Left Above Lobby – Appears on your left above the Janus Tower lobby entrance at spawn; shoot the purple mark here
Timing Note: You only have one Jump Pad use to hit all three targets. If you miss any, simply use the Jump Pad again next round and retry. Multiple attempts are perfectly normal; don’t stress if it takes a few tries.
What Happens: Successfully hitting all three targets causes the purple spots to disappear and triggers a sinister laugh, confirming progression.
Step 2: Enter the Dragon Wings Trial Travel back to Vandorn Farm and locate a green portal on the southeast wall of the Farmhouse. Interact with it to start the trial.
Trial Mechanics:
- Power-Ups spawn from killed zombies but touching them causes massive damage
- Don’t pick up any Power-Ups, even though they drop constantly
- Kill zombies normally for progression; their Power-Up drops are traps
- 4 waves of combat
- Waves 2 and 4 include HVT enemies; prioritize them
- Focus on survival and enemy elimination without touching Power-Ups
Resource Management: This trial trains you to play without relying on Power-Ups. Bring ammo and trust your loadout.
Reward: Completing all 4 waves grants the Dragon Wings Relic.
Teddy Bear Relic
What It Does: Reduces round start delay by 75%, meaning zombies spawn significantly faster at the beginning of each round. This increases early-round pressure dramatically.
Unlocking Requirements:
- Start hunting from Round 1 (recommended)
- Aether Shroud Field Upgrade (essential—bring this into the match)
- Necrofluid Gauntlet Wonder Weapon (can be obtained by Round 8)
- Final Mr. Peeks won’t spawn until Round 20+
Critical Warning: Saving and quitting resets all Mr. Peeks locations and requires 20 additional rounds to spawn the final one. Do this hunt in one continuous session; don’t quit mid-progression.
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1: Hunt and Shoot 10 Mr. Peeks
Use Aether Shroud and the Necrofluid Gauntlet to find and eliminate 10 hidden Mr. Peeks statues hidden throughout Ashes of the Damned. For each Mr. Peeks:
- Stand at the location
- Activate Aether Shroud (turns you invisible)
- Shoot Mr. Peeks with Necrofluid Gauntlet
- Reload to pull Mr. Peeks toward you
- Watch the Teddy Bear drop and explode
Location List:
- Mr. Peeks #1 – Top left sign at Janus Towers Plaza exit leading to Blackwater Lake road
- Mr. Peeks #2 – Barn silo at Vandorn Farm (face southeast)
- Mr. Peeks #3 – Toppled barrel in Grounded Ship, the road between Vandorn Farm and Ashwood (face northeast)
- Mr. Peeks #4 – Inside toilet in Blackwater Lake cabin upstairs bedroom (same room as Speed Cola perk)
- Mr. Peeks #5 – Log storage shelter roof in Lost Cabins, road between Blackwater Lake and Ashwood (face northeast)
- Mr. Peeks #6 – Inside church rafters at Ashwood (face northeast)
- Mr. Peeks #7 – Top of cabinet in high room at Rabbit Alley, Ashwood (face south)
- Mr. Peeks #8 – Electricity pole top at Zarya Cosmodrome (face northeast)
- Mr. Peeks #9 – Lower areas of Zarya Cosmodrome in Support Systems (face north toward electrical box wall)
- Mr. Peeks #10 – Highway sign at Exit 115 (easily visible from Diner Rooftop looking east) ONLY SPAWNS ROUND 20+
Step 2: Enter the Teddy Bear Trial After collecting all 10 Teddy Bears, travel to Vandorn Farm. Locate the green portal on the north wall of the small armor shed. Interact with it to start the trial.
Trial Mechanics:
- Every weapon shot costs 100 Essence
- You can continue shooting after Essence depletes, but you’ll exit the trial with zero points
- Kill zombies and HVT enemies normally
- 4 waves of combat
- Manage your Essence spending carefully; don’t waste shots on non-threat zombies
Strategy: Focus your gunfire on high-value targets. Don’t spray ammo carelessly. Melee when possible to conserve Essence.
Reward: Completing all 4 waves grants the Teddy Bear Relic.
Tier 1 Completion: Golden Armor Reward
Once you’ve collected all three Tier 1 (Grim) Relics and completed their trials, you unlock access to Golden Armor.
How to Claim Golden Armor:
- Purchase Tier 3 Armor First – Visit any Armor Wall-Buy and purchase Tier 3 standard armor to unlock the upgrade path
- Find Golden Armor – Return to any Armor Wall-Buy after Tier 3 purchase
- Cost: 45,000 Essence
Golden Armor Benefits:
- Superior damage mitigation (absorbs more damage per plate)
- Increased armor durability (plates last longer before breaking)
- Auto-regenerating plates (armor slowly regenerates without manual replate purchase)
- This is the ultimate armor tier and represents Tier 1 reward progression
Tier 2 Relics (Sinister Relics): Coming Soon
Current Status: Tier 2 Relics are still being discovered by the community. Currently, only two have been found, and both require reaching Round 40 minimum.
What We Know:
- Minimum Round 40 requirement (significantly higher than Tier 1)
- 3 Sinister Relics total (following the 3-relic pattern)
- Unlock reward: Pack-a-Punch Tier 4 (ultimate weapon upgrade tier)
- Increased difficulty commensurate with higher round requirement
Check Back Soon: We’ll update this section with complete Tier 2 guides as all three relics are discovered. Bookmark this guide to return for comprehensive step-by-step directions once the community findings are compiled.
Tier 3 Relics (Wicked Relics): Coming Soon
Current Status: Tier 3 Relics represent the ultimate challenge tier and haven’t been fully discovered yet.
Expected Progression:
- Highest round requirements (estimated Round 60+)
- 3 Wicked Relics following established pattern
- Unlock reward: Ultra Weapon Rarity (pinnacle rarity tier)
- Extreme difficulty and complex trial mechanics expected
Check Back Soon: We’ll update this section with complete Tier 3 guides as the community continues exploring and discovering these ultimate-tier relics. The findings will include precise step-by-step directions for each Tier 3 relic hunt.
Relic Progression Strategy
Optimal Hunt Order
- Start with Lawyer’s Pen – Most straightforward (light candles, fight trials)
- Progress to Dragon Wings – Requires precision shooting but single attempt per round
- Hunt Teddy Bear Last – Most time-consuming (10 locations, requires full session commitment)
This order builds skill progression while managing time investment.
Solo vs. Squad Hunting
Solo Benefits:
- Move at your own pace
- No team communication required
- Full essence control
Squad Benefits:
- Share essence farming burden
- Teammates can cover areas while you hunt
- Trial waves are easier with team support
Round Timing
- Tier 1: Hunt between Rounds 20-35 (manageable zombie difficulty)
- Tier 2: Hunt at Round 40 minimum (zombie health and damage spike significantly)
- Tier 3: Preparation for Round 60+ (extreme pressure)
Don’t attempt early; give yourself time to prepare loadouts and resources.
Related Guides to Master Cursed Mode
The Relic system is just one layer of Cursed Mode progression. Explore these complementary guides:
- Complete Ashes of the Damned Walkthrough – Required easter egg completion for relic equipping
- Best Ashes of the Damned Loadout – Optimize weapons for relic trials
- Necrofluid Gauntlet Wonder Weapon Guide – Essential for Teddy Bear relic hunt
- Best Field Upgrades Tier List – Aether Shroud and alternatives
- Unlock Augments Research Guide – Enhance relic trial performance
- How to Farm Essence Fast – Accelerate resource gathering for trial costs
Tips for Success
Resource Management: Relics require essence spending for ammo mods, Molotovs, and trials. Farm essence aggressively before attempting hunts.
Trial Preparation: Bring optimal loadouts into each trial. Don’t wing it with suboptimal weapons or perks.
Patience With Targets: Mr. Peeks hunt is tedious but straightforward. Take your time locating each one. Screenshot locations for future reference.
Document Locations: Write down Mr. Peeks locations as you find them. This accelerates future hunts on the same map.
Community Resources: The Cursed Mode community actively shares relic discoveries and optimal strategies. Check forums and Discord for Tier 2 and Tier 3 updates as they emerge.
Ending Note
The Relic progression system in Cursed Mode is extraordinarily well-designed. It rewards exploration, requires skill execution, and gates ultimate rewards behind meaningful challenges. Collecting Tier 1 relics is genuinely achievable for dedicated players, providing access to Golden Armor—a quality-of-life upgrade that meaningfully improves your survivability.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 relics represent the hardcore endgame, reserved for players willing to push into extreme round territories. The rewards justify the effort: Pack-a-Punch Tier 4 and Ultra Weapon Rarity are worth the grind.
Start with Tier 1, master the relic hunt mechanics, and work your way upward. Each completed relic hunt teaches you the patterns you’ll need for higher tiers. The Relic system is a masterclass in progressive difficulty and rewarding exploration.
