Unlocking the full potential of the secret swords in Black Ops 6 Citadelle des Morts can transform your gameplay experience, allowing you to dominate rounds effortlessly and even become invincible. This guide dives into the abilities of all four elemental swords, their unique powers, and how to maximize their effectiveness.

Shared Characteristics of All Swords

All four elemental swords share some foundational traits:

1. Melee Mastery: These swords are powerful melee weapons, effective at any round.   
2. Augment Compatibility: Pairing the swords with the Melee Macchiato augment enhances their damage, and the Espresso Major augment increases swing speed.   
3. Parry Ability: By using the left trigger at the right moment, you can parry attacks, negating damage. This is especially useful against amalgams and parasite swarms.   
4. Ultimate Abilities: Each sword charges its unique ultimate ability based on kills, which provides additional strategic value.

Related: How to Optimize the Swords on Citadel des Morts in Black Ops 6

Dragon Sword: The Quick Charger

- Charge Requirement: 20 zombie kills.   
- Visual Indicator: Intense fire effect and a lion’s roar.   
- Ultimate Ability: Fires a set of fireballs, eliminating up to 16 zombies per use.   
- Special Feature: Activates an Easter egg that plays Caliburn’s song when used near the Dragon Sword Quest braziers.   
- Strengths: Low kill requirement for recharging; effective against fire-sensitive enemies like amalgams and ghlas.

Stag Lightning Sword: The Crowd Controller

- Charge Requirement: 25 zombie kills.   
- Visual Indicator: Bright electric bolts and a scream sound effect.   
- Ultimate Ability: Shoots a lightning beam that stuns and eliminates around 16 zombies.   
- Passive Ability: Procs the Dead Wire ammo mod for crowd control.   
- Weakness: Slow movement during activation; lower kill efficiency.

Raven Void Sword: The Void Master

- Charge Requirement: 40 zombie kills.   
- Visual Indicator: Bright purple glow and glowing Raven eyes.   
- Ultimate Ability: Spawns a void portal that pulls in and eliminates over 35 zombies. Teleports the player randomly across the map.   
- Passive Ability: Procs the Shadow Rift ammo mod, significantly reducing the health of elites upon reappearance.   
- Strengths: High utility for horde clearing and elite weakening.

Lion Sword: The Game-Changer

- Charge Requirement: 40 zombie kills.   
- Visual Indicator: Visceral orange-yellow glow and a lion’s roar.   
- Ultimate Ability: Grants full health regeneration, instant zombie kills on contact, and co-op revive capability.   
- Passive Ability: Melee kills restore armor, making it possible to maintain invincibility.   
- Augment Synergy: Pairing with Vampiric Extraction replenishes health with melee attacks, effectively ensuring 250 HP at all times. Adding Frenzy Guard allows instant armor replenishment.

Ranking the Swords

1. Best Sword: The Lion Sword’s healing, armor restoration, and co-op support make it unbeatable.   
2. Most Versatile: The Raven Void Sword excels in crowd control and elite encounters.   
3. Quickest to Recharge: The Dragon Sword balances fast recharges with solid damage output.   
4. Least Effective: The Stag Lightning Sword struggles with slower swings and less impactful ultimate abilities.

Related: Black Ops 6 Guide: Ranking All Swords in Citadelle des Morts

Final Thoughts

While each sword has its strengths and weaknesses, the Lion Sword stands out as the most powerful and versatile option. Whether playing solo or co-op, mastering these swords and their abilities can elevate your gameplay to new heights. Experiment with different augment combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.