I saw that video drop a couple days ago and I had to test it myself last night. 75,000 damage per shot? On the Totenreich boss? I thought it was clickbait at first, but after a few solo runs I’m convinced — the XR3 Ion at Pack-a-Punch 4 is actually broken in the best way possible.
Black Ops 7 Zombies has been cooking lately, and Totenreich is easily one of the toughest Easter Egg boss fights right now. Most people are struggling for 20-40 minutes and still wiping. But once you get this gun set up right, the whole fight feels completely different. I went from barely scraping by to consistently clearing it in under 12 minutes solo. Here’s everything you need to know.
Dravakar (the main boss) has three distinct phases and he hits like a truck. You’ve got glowing red weak spots to shoot, these annoying Gjallarfrost adds that show up with shields, and then the floating head phase where you have to time your shots into his mouth when his eyes glow red.
The reason most loadouts fall apart is simple — people bring high-round clear weapons instead of burst damage monsters. You need something that melts the boss while still handling the adds without running dry on ammo. That’s where the XR3 Ion comes in and completely changes the game.
At Pack-a-Punch 4 this thing turns fully automatic and starts putting out over 25,000 damage per bullet. That’s 75,000+ per shot when you land all three rounds. I’ve never seen anything hit this hard on a boss fight in Black Ops 7.
The reason it outperforms everything else is the combination of insane single-target DPS and decent enough add clear once you get the right attachments. Most other guns either run out of ammo too fast or don’t have the burst needed for the later phases. The Ion just deletes health bars.
I tested it against the Novaline, the Voyak, and even the MP40 ultra from the box. The Ion won every time on pure boss damage once it was fully upgraded. That’s why the community has been losing their minds over it the last few days.
Here’s exactly what I’m running and the real reason behind each choice:
Primary – XR3 Ion (PaP 4, Ultra rarity)
This is the star of the show. The reason I always go for headshot barrel and maximum damage/range attachments is because you need every bit of that burst to chunk the boss during the weak spot phases. It’s not the best add clearer in the world, but it’s good enough when paired with the right secondary.
Secondary – Dual M1911s (Mustang & Sally)
The reason these are perfect here is the close-range clear and the explosive damage. When Gjallarfrost start swarming, these things melt them while you keep the Ion trained on the boss. Napalm Burst or Shatter Blast as the ammo mod just makes everything burn faster.
Wonder Weapon – Jotunn Star
You can’t skip this. The reason it’s mandatory is the shield break on Gjallarfrost and the flame strike for the boss mouth phase. When his eyes glow red, one well-placed charge shot or a grenade into the mouth stuns him and opens up massive damage windows.
Perks & Gobblegums
Juggernog, Speed Cola, and Deadshot Daiquiri are non-negotiable for the fire rate and headshot multiplier. I always bring Near Death Experience or Phoenix Up for solo safety. The reason these matter is because one mistake in the later phases can end the run instantly.
Ammo Mod
Napalm Burst is my go-to because it adds consistent burn damage on top of the Ion’s already ridiculous output. It helps chew through the boss while you’re busy managing adds.
Phase 1 – Red Weak Spots
Position yourself with good sightlines and just unload the Ion into the glowing spots. The reason you don’t chase the boss around is because the Ion has great range once upgraded. Keep moving in a circle to avoid his basic attacks while the dual pistols handle any early adds.
Phase 2 – Gjallarfrost Management
This is where most people die. The reason you switch to the Jotunn Star here is to break the shields fast. Once they’re down, the Ion or the M1911s clean them up. Don’t waste Ion ammo on shielded enemies — that’s how you run dry before the final phase.
Phase 3 – Floating Head / Mouth Phase
When his eyes glow red, that’s your window. Hit him with the Jotunn Star flame strike or chuck a grenade straight into his mouth. The reason this stuns him is it gives you a free 8-10 seconds to dump the Ion into his head. This is where the 75K shots really shine.
I wiped a few times learning the timing, but once it clicked the fight went from stressful to actually fun.
| Weapon | Boss Damage | Add Clear | Ammo Efficiency | Best Situation | Reason It Loses to Ion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XR3 Ion (PaP 4) | Insane | Good | Excellent | Boss melt | Slightly slower add clear |
| M34 Novaline | Very High | Excellent | Good | Balanced solo runs | Lower burst damage |
| Voyak KT3 | High | Great | Very Good | Beginners / mobility | Damage drop-off |
| MP40 (Ultra) | High | Excellent | Good | Lucky box pulls | Harder to get consistently |
Myth 1: “You need a full squad.”
Solo is very doable with this setup. I’ve done it multiple times now.
Myth 2: “The Novaline is better overall.”
It’s great, but the Ion’s burst on the actual boss health bar is just higher once fully upgraded.
Myth 3: “Wonder weapons carry everything.”
The Jotunn Star is important for mechanics, but the Ion does the real heavy lifting on damage.
If you’re struggling to level weapons or just want to test this loadout without the long grind, a lot of players grab bot lobbies from U4GM.com to get everything maxed fast and practice the fight safely.
I’ve played a lot of Zombies over the years, and this is one of those rare moments where a single gun completely changes how a boss fight feels. The XR3 Ion doesn’t just make Totenreich easier — it makes it fun again. Once you land those 75K shots and watch the health bar melt, you’ll understand why everyone’s been talking about it.
The meta might shift if Treyarch patches it, but right now this is the way. I’m running it every time I queue Totenreich.
So tell me — are you going to try the XR3 Ion setup on your next run? Drop your fastest clear time or any tips you’ve found in the comments. I actually read them all. And if you wipe a few times like I did, don’t stress. Once it clicks, this fight becomes one of the most satisfying in Black Ops 7.
Stay frosty out there. See you in the boss room.