Black Ops 4 made a lot of changes to the standard Zombies mode. This includes a complete overhaul of the perks system with some beloved perks like Juggernog being removed from the array in exchange for a few completely new ones.
Another big change to the Zombies gameplay in BO4 is that now you have the option to add modifiers to your perks. The modifiers are special bonuses to the existing perks which you can check out at the perks menu before a match.
List of all the Perks in BO4 Zombies
There are 14 perks in total and you have a choice of selecting four before the match starts. It is these four perks that will appear on Perk-a-Cola machines spread across the map.
| Zombie Perk | Effects | Unlock Level |
|---|---|---|
| Bandolier Bandit | The ammunition capacity for the weapon is increased. | 26 |
| Deadshot Dealer | Multiple benefits. Insta-headshot kill while aiming down the sight, reduced sway while aiming, and reduced recoil are some of the perks. Finally, even shooting from the hip will not be much inaccurate thanks to reduced spread. | 18 |
| Death Perception | Mini-map shows enemies’ movement and walls reveal enemies through them when they are close to the player. | 1 |
| Dying Wish | The player does not go into the downed state for revival; instead, the Berserk ability is activated. In such a state, the player will take no damage whatsoever. The effect lasts for 9 seconds and when it fully commences, the player is brought back to life with 1 HP left. | 1 |
| Electric Burst | Whenever you reload a weapon near enemies, an electric shock is produced which stuns and damages enemies. The amount of damage depends on how empty the weapon was when you proceeded to reload it. | 1 |
| Mule Kick | You gain an additional slot for carrying a primary weapon. | 38 |
| PhD Slider | You can only utilize this special perk when you build a charge for it. This can be done by sliding down once. After that, you can slide again into enemies to cause explosive damage and resist those explosions yourself. | 42 |
| Quick Revive | In addition to being revived quicker than usual, the rate of regenerating health is also increased. | 1 |
| Secret Sauce | You acquire a perk randomly. Note that this random perk will not be one from those you have already selected to be in the machines from the perks menu. | 6 |
| Stamin-Up | While your stamina will replenish much faster, you will also receive a boost in general movement speed and sprinting. | 1 |
| Stone-Cold Stronghold | For a short amount of time, you will generate armor and produce more damage thanks to a field created around you. Note that you will have to stay inside this circle for the effects to last. | 2 |
| Timeslip | Equipment can be re-used faster because of increased cooldown rates. Trap and Fast Travel have shorter delays due to reduced cooldown times. Lastly, obtainable weapons from the Mystery Box and Pack-a-Punch will emerge quickly. | 1 |
| Victorious Tortoise | Your shield will absorb damage from all angles and directions. Moreover, once the shield has taken enough damage to break down, it will do so while causing an explosion in the process that only damages the enemies nearby. | 14 |
| Winter’s Wail | Cause an icy explosion whenever you receive melee damage. This frost explosion will temporarily freeze down most of the enemies and slow down more powerful ones. | 30 |
Best Perks in BO4 Zombies
Now that you have familiarized yourself with all the Perks available in the game, you must pick favorites. Remember, you can only select up to 4 perks for each match. Therefore, we must narrow down our selection to only the essential perks and give up on the rest.
The selection can vary for players depending on their play style and the map in question but we will describe the 6 most used and effective perks in Black Ops 4 Zombies.
Victorious Tortoise
This perk allows you to avoid taking damage from all sides when your shield is equipped, practically making you invincible as long as your shield is not destroyed. Upon being destroyed, your shield will explode which can be used as an offensive strategy.
This Perk is essentially useful on higher rounds and will let you run past hordes of zombies unharmed and you can keep replacing your shields as they take damage. Upon putting this perk in the modifier slot, you will also be able to knock down mini-boss zombies with your shield.
Bandolier Bandit
This perk allows you to carry more ammo in each of your weapons and will regenerate your ammo for the weapon that is currently not in use. This might not seem like a big deal to many players but a little extra ammo can go a long way in saving your playthrough, especially if you are carrying a Wonder Weapon.
Quick Revive
Originally this perk only did what the name suggests – revive the knocked-down teammates faster which made it completely useless when playing solo. However, Quick Revive was greatly improved in Black Ops 4 as it now not only revives faster but also regenerates your health faster after taking a hit.
This makes the perk essential regardless of the play style as you will be able to survive for longer even in higher rounds. If used in the modifier slot, when reviving a teammate, this perk will give both players full health.
Winter’s Wail
This is the replacement of the Widow’s Wine perk in Black Ops 4. It does what Widow’s Wine did in the previous games except you don’t throw web grenades.
Instead, you can now unleash a frost aura that will freeze the enemies caught in it. You only have 2 charges in standard use and can gain an additional charge by using the modifier slot for this perk.
However, unlike the beloved Widow’s Wine, you cannot recollect the spent charges. This might not be as powerful as the original perk from the previous games but it is still your best ace in the hole for close-quarter fights in BO4 Zombies. It will often save your skin when things get a bit too crowded.
Stamin-Up
One of the classics, Stamin-Up has been a staple of all Black Ops Zombies games since BO1. This perk gives you an increased movement speed and longer sprint duration like it did in the previous games but if you run it in the modifier slot, you will be able to sprint indefinitely.
Given the large maps and fast pace of Black Ops 4, this is the perk every player must have equipped. This is especially helpful when you get overwhelmed by a large number of zombies and need to make a quick getaway.
Dying Wish
Dying Wish is a lifesaver and easily one of the best perks in BO4 Zombies. It serves as a more than welcome alternative for Juggernog.
Whenever you take fatal damage with this perk equipped, you will go into a berserk mode instead of going down. While in Berserk mode, you will be completely invulnerable and have a boosted melee damage.
You can use the berserk mode to clear out the zombies near you or escape to a safe area where you can recover your health. Dying Wish has a cooldown after being used which means you can use it again, essentially making you immortal.
You can also pair it up with Quick Revive to regain health faster after receiving fatal damage or use it in the modifier slot which will give you full health after leaving the Berserk mode.
