If you’ve been grinding Zombies and wondering how to get the Ice Staff upgrade, this guide is for you. Without any doubt, you witness this to be one of the coolest wonder weapon upgrades in COD Zombies. And, it’s true both literally and figuratively. Because getting it would need you to have proper timing along with patience. However, when you get it you are going to freeze huge zombie hordes.
Step 1. Freeze The Lanterns
To start the Ice Staff upgrade, you first need to have the basic Ice Staff built. You can’t upgrade it without that. Once that’s ready, head out to find the three Aetheric Lanterns scattered across The Tomb map. They’re usually near the spawn area, the temple, and the catacombs.
Your goal is simple but tricky, shoot each lantern with your Ice Staff so they float near their matching wall symbols.
After you successfully placed all three in position, you now need to shoot them and freeze them. The time window in which you have to complete it is strictly 10 seconds. Otherwise, you are going to try again and again.
This is the first step and when you complete it, Archibald’s voice confirms the objective completion.
Step 2. Match The Symbols In Dark Aether
After freezing the lanterns, you’ll need to enter the Dark Aether. This is where things start getting more intense. Inside, you’ll see three floating rocks glowing with purple symbols. These are key to the Ice Staff upgrade process.
Shoot each symbol with the Ice Staff to lower the rocks. Take a good look at the symbols revealed on them, these are your codes. Memorize or write them down. Once you lower all three rocks, one of the Dark Aether portals on the main map will close, marking your progress.
Step 3. Unlock The Sealed Portal
Now head back to the main map. The portal that closed in the Dark Aether is the one you’ll need next. Walk up to it, and you’ll notice the portal door has three blank spots for symbols.
This is where your memorized code comes into play. Shoot the same three symbols you saw in the Dark Aether onto the door.
Upon completing it correctly, the door will open and you’ll see a glowing purple orb waiting inside.
Step 4. Follow The Orb And Defend
Once inside, interact with the orb. It’ll start floating, and your job is to follow it through the area while killing zombies that spawn along the way. You need to offer energy to the orb from your kill to keep it active. You also need to keep it close to yourself so it doesn’t drift too far away.
This is the second last step so make it count. It’s better if you keep your proper distance as well as maintain a good reloading pattern.
When the orb finally reaches the center of the map, you’ll know you’re almost done with the Ice Staff upgrade ritual.
Step 5. Complete The Ritual
After the orb returns to the altar, head back to the Dark Aether Nexus. There, you need to place your Ice Staff on the central pedestal. The ritual will start and your objective is to hold the zombie hordes off so that they won’t interrupt it for a minimum of 1.5 minutes.
It helps if you circle around the altar and keep shooting ice blasts into groups. You’ll see the staff glow brighter as the ritual nears completion. Once it’s over, grab your weapon. Congratulations, your staff is now the Ull’s Arrow, the fully upgraded Ice Staff.

What The Ice Staff Upgrade Does
So, why go through all that work? Because the Ice Staff upgrade turns a good weapon into a devastating one. Ull’s Arrow shoots freezing blasts that stop zombies mid-charge and shatter them seconds later. It’s perfect for crowd control and zombie boss fights.
It also uses ammo more efficiently than the base staff. You can take down larger groups without draining all your shots. Plus, it looks incredible, glowing blue frost trails behind every hit. If you’re running with a squad, this staff can easily carry your team through higher rounds.
How To Get It Quickly
Timing matters here. You only have 10 seconds to freeze all three lanterns, so memorize their locations first. For the orb escort, use weapons that reload quickly. Try not to use explosives, they might damage the orb.
When defending during the ritual, activate your field upgrade right away. Anything that slows zombies or boosts your damage helps. You’ll finish the Ice Staff upgrade much faster if you plan each step ahead.
Wrapping Up
Learning how to get Ice Staff upgrade code COD Zombies is all about practice. And, after you have done it a few times, you’ll feel that it wasn’t that hard, it was all the grind.
You’ll go from confused to confident in one match. The Ull’s Arrow is absolutely worth the effort, it’s powerful, reliable, and one of the best Wonder Weapons in the game right now.
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