Unlocking the Blood Vials Relic in BO7 Zombies Was Way Simpler Than the Hype Suggested

I kept hearing how brutal the Wicked tier relics were in Black Ops 7's Cursed mode—round 60 grinds, insane trials, all that noise. So when I finally geared up for the Blood Vials, the one that straight-up nukes all your weapon augments, I was expecting a nightmare. Turns out? It was one of the more straightforward unlocks in Ashes of the Damned. Don't get me wrong, hitting round 60 in Cursed is no joke, but the actual steps for Blood Vials felt almost chill compared to some of the other portal shenanigans.

I've been deep in BO7 Zombies since launch, chasing those ultra rarities and golden armor plates. Cursed mode hooked me hard—classic points, no minimap, pistol start. Relics crank it to eleven, and Blood Vials is the Wicked closer that forces pure gun skill. No augments means no easy damage boosts or utility crutches. But getting it? Easier than I thought.

What the Blood Vials Actually Do

Once equipped, Blood Vials disables every weapon augment across the board. We're talking no extra crit chance, no extended mags from augments, no elemental pops—nothing. Your guns run base stats only. Sounds rough, right? Especially in high rounds where augments carry a lot of builds.

But here's the flip: it opens up raw challenge runs. Pair it with other relics for insane combos, or just flex on camo grinds without relying on meta augments. Unlocking all relics (including this beast) gates Tier 4 PaP and ultra weapon drops. Worth it for the flex alone.

Prerequisites – You Can't Skip These

Before Blood Vials even thinks about spawning, nail the basics:

• Complete the main Ashes of the Damned EE in standard mode. Beat Veytharion, grab the mysterious object on the frozen lake. This unlocks relic trials in Cursed.
• Unlock and equip at least two Grim and two Sinister relics. That bumps you to Tier 2/Wicked access.
• Push a Cursed run to round 60+. Yeah, that's the real grind. Solo or squad, doesn't matter—just survive.

I ran a solid Necrofluid Gauntlet setup with Brain Rot for crowd control. Monkeys and Kill Joy gobblegums saved my ass more than once.

The Phone Hunt: Starts Early, Ends Late

The Blood Vials quest kicks off way back at round 20. Keep your ears open for a ringing telephone—it's red, glowy, scattered across POIs.

Locations I've hit:

• Inside the main cabin at Blackwater Lake
• Near the docks
• Up in the boathouse
• Random cabins or outbuildings

It spawns randomly each eligible round, but only on specific ones: 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60.

Interact when you hear the ring. Correct phone? You'll see red smoke puff out and hear a creepy laugh (Mr. Peeks, classic). Wrong one? Nothing happens—move on.

Pro move: If it smokes and laughs, mark that exact spot. The same phone respawns for the next intervals. I lucked into one in the lake cabin that stuck all five times.

Miss one? Quest resets for that run. Gotta start fresh next game.

The Trial: Half Damage, Full Panic

Nail all five interactions? Red portal pops inside the Blackwater Lake main cabin (sometimes boathouse—check both).

Step in when ready—your weapons get slapped with a 50% damage nerf. Trial's six waves:

• Waves 1,2,4,5: Standard zombies plus regulars.
• Waves 3 and 6: Heavy on HVTs—Doppelghasts, Zursas, the nasty ones.

No fancy rules like "only Brain Rot kills" or explosives only. Just survive with gimped guns.

I prepped with:

• Necrofluid Gauntlet PaP'd high—those exploding shots still chunked hard.
• Full perks (Jug, Speed, Stamin-Up must-haves).
• Wonder weapon if you have it.
• Traps near the cabin for wave clears.

Solo'd it on my third attempt. Squads make it trivial—revives galore.

Finish the waves? Portal spits you back, Blood Vials unlocked permanently.

Why It Felt Easier Than Expected

Community was hyping it as "round 60 hell." But compared to, say, the explosive-only trials or no-buy challenges on other relics? This one's direct. Hunt phones (annoying but methodical), then a straightforward defense with one debuff.

The early start (round 20) spreads the pain—no last-minute scramble. And the damage nerf? Manageable with good positioning and wonder weapons.

Downside: If you're augment-dependent, activating it later feels brutal. But that's the point—pure Zombies.

Best Setups for the Phone Grind and Trial

For the long haul to 60:

• Ray Gun or Necrofluid from box—carry potential huge.
• Brain Rot ammo mod for turning zombies.
• A7 field upgrade for emergencies.

Trial specifics:

• Explosive weapons shine even nerfed.
• Melee if desperate (but risky).
• Gobblegums: Temporal Gift, anywhere but here.

I ran solo most times, but duo with a trapper buddy sped things up.

Community Takes and Drama

Reddit's full of "easiest Wicked relic" posts mixed with rage quits at round 59 crashes. Some swear same-phone glitch, others say random every time. My experience: consistent spot worked.

Treyarch's been quiet on fixes—enjoy while it lasts?

Tired of the High-Round Slog? Buy BO7 Bot Lobby on U4gm.com

Pushing to round 60 solo in Cursed drains hours—especially if you're camo grinding or testing builds. U4gm.com hooks you up with safe bot lobbies for multiplayer side, but their Zombies boosts and lobby services cut the BS. Grab instant access to controlled runs, farm PaP, or just practice without sweat. Fast, secure—picked up a session myself to unlock some dark ops faster. Check U4gm.com for BO7 bot lobby deals.

Alternatives and Post-Unlock Tips

Got Blood Vials? Stack with Teddy Bear (faster spawns) for chaos runs, or Lawyer's Pen for mimic hell.

If phones bug out: Exfil and restart—progress doesn't carry anyway.

Future maps? More relics incoming—Astra Malorum drops six new ones.

Wrapping It Up: Worth the Push

Blood Vials looked intimidating on paper, but the steps clicked smoother than most EE hunts. That round 60 gate's the real boss—everything else flows. Unlocking it felt satisfying, not soul-crushing.

If you're chasing full relic set for golden armor and ultra guns, knock this one out next. Pure skill ceiling raiser.