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The most reliable BO7 Zombies setup for Relic hunts is Activision’s Classic Zombies HUD with the Aetherium theme. In Career > Customize > Zombies HUD Presets, select Aetherium and Classic. Then open Settings > Interface > Gameplay HUD: keep loadout, GobbleGum, squad, round and perk information visible, while hiding feeds, medals, notifications, navigation overlays and zombie health bars. You retain the information needed to plan trials without covering the environmental details that reveal a Relic clue.
This setup is a baseline, not a shortcut. Cursed mode gives every Relic its own discovery condition and debuff, so the final loadout must match the specific Relic. Official rules explain how Relics work; the Rocket, Power Switch and Mister Peeks procedures below are community-discovered routes and can change after a patch.
The recommended BO7 Zombies HUD setup
Use the Zombies-specific preset rather than changing the global presentation of every mode. Activision documents separate Zombies HUD presets, so your Multiplayer layout can remain untouched.
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- Open Career from the main menu.
- Select Customize, then Zombies HUD Presets.
- Choose the Aetherium theme.
- Choose the Classic layout and apply it.
Classic gives you a stable information hierarchy while Aetherium supplies the Zombies-specific visual treatment. Keeping the same layout between normal and Cursed matches also removes one source of confusion when a trial starts imposing unusual restrictions.
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Gameplay HUD switches to keep
| HUD item | Why it matters during a Relic hunt |
|---|---|
| Loadout Information | Shows the weapons, tactical equipment and other equipment you must budget for a trial. |
| GobbleGums | Lets you see the consumables available for a difficult phase instead of spending them blindly. |
| Squad Widget | Shows teammates and helps coordinate searches, portal interactions and trap activations. |
| Round Numbers | Relic routes can have round gates; the Rocket community route, for example, calls for round 20 or higher. |
| Perks | Some Relics restrict the number of Perk-a-Colas, so the active list must stay visible. |
Gameplay HUD switches to hide
| HUD item | Reason to remove it while searching |
|---|---|
| Minimap Visibility | Reduces map clutter while you inspect rooms, props and unusual interaction points. |
| Compass | Removes another directional layer when the important evidence is environmental. |
| Scorestreak Widget | Prevents a large equipment panel from competing with interaction cues; keep the streak itself available through your normal controls. |
| Mission Tracker | Stops standard objective text from obscuring a Cursed trial’s visual clues. |
| Player & Streak Toasts | Suppresses temporary pop-ups during a search or escort. |
| Medals and Notifications | Removes celebratory and status banners that can cover a small prompt. |
| Score Feed | Keeps point events from pulling your attention away from an interaction. |
| Elimination Feed | Useful for combat analysis, but not for locating a hidden Relic condition. |
| Elimination ID | Removes additional text around kills while you are checking the environment. |
| Zombie Healthbar | Preserves screen space and avoids health indicators over every target. |
This is a deliberate trade: navigation aids and combat feedback disappear, while round, perk, equipment and teammate information remains. If you are learning a map for the first time, turn the minimap or compass back on temporarily, then return to the low-clutter profile for the actual clue search.
How Cursed mode and Relics change the setup
Activision describes Cursed as an advanced Zombies mode in which players discover and activate Relics. The launch material lists nine Ashes of the Damned Relics. You acquire them by completing Cursed challenges, and equipping a Relic raises a tier bar. A higher-potency Relic adds stronger challenges while providing more tier power.
Every Relic has a different cost
Each Relic has a unique discovery condition and its own debuff; Activision warns that some requirements can be unforgiving. Examples in the official deep dive include a four-Perk-a-Cola limit and removal of Ammo Caches. The practical consequence is that there is no universal “best weapon” or one HUD switch that solves every hunt. Read the Relic effect before loading in and build around the restriction it actually shows.
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Private-match ownership matters
In a private Cursed match, the host’s available Relic collection determines what is available. If a teammate cannot see a Relic in a private lobby, check the host’s collection before repeating the same search on another account.
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What the current usage figures indicate
Activision’s 2026 snapshot reports that 33% of Zombies players had tried Cursed at least once and that 41% of all Cursed matches were played at Tier III. The three most-used Relics in that snapshot were Teddy Bear, Lawyer’s Pen and Dragon Wings. These figures describe player usage, not a power ranking; they do not prove that any of those Relics is best for a particular challenge.
Cursed Survival launched across Vandorn Farm, Exit 115, Zarya Cosmodrome and Mars. Its Round 100 rewards include XP, GobbleGums and a Relic-based cosmetic. Those rewards are separate from the discovery procedures below, but the same low-clutter HUD is useful when a long survival run turns into a search for an interaction.
Preparation before entering a Relic trial
Read the restriction before spending resources
Open the Relic description and trial rule before buying perks, upgrading a weapon or using a rare GobbleGum. Note four things: the allowed damage type, how kills are counted, whether a map or round gate applies, and whether a named Relic must be left unequipped. A loadout that is excellent for ordinary rounds can fail immediately if the trial accepts only traps or a particular elemental weakness.
Keep audio usable
Set game audio high enough to hear laughs, phones, portals and other interaction cues. The available guidance does not publish a required volume value, so treat this as a practical adjustment rather than a numeric setting. Lower music or nonessential chat first if those sounds mask a cue, and use headphones when room acoustics make directional audio difficult.
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Plan points and ammunition
- Keep a reserve for doors, perks and the equipment the trial explicitly requires.
- Do not assume Ammo Caches will be available; one Relic example removes them.
- Carry the exact item named by the route, such as a Combat Axe, Brain Rot, Psych Grenade or a specified scorestreak.
- In co-op, assign one player to watch the active rule and another to track points, round and portal state.
Use an external checklist for multi-map tasks
For a route that crosses several Main Quests, record each completed step outside the game. With the Mission Tracker hidden, you gain screen space but lose an in-game reminder. A short checklist prevents a finished map from being repeated and makes handoffs between teammates clear.
Community route: the Rocket Relic in Paradox Junction
The following route comes from a community guide updated in 2026, not an Activision how-to. Treat every location and interaction as patch-sensitive.
Requirements and warnings
- Complete the Paradox Junction Main Quest.
- Enter Paradox Junction at any Cursed tier.
- Reach round 20 or above.
- Have Brain Rot or a Psych Grenade available.
- Do not equip the Mangler Helmet Relic.
Open the portal in Normal mode
- In Normal mode, convert a Rad-Hound with Brain Rot or a Psych Grenade.
- Pet the converted Rad-Hound.
- Obtain the D.A.W.G. scorestreak.
- Call the D.A.W.G. in on the Destroyed map.
- Set it to sentry mode and pet it.
- Go to Green House Upstairs in Normal mode; the portal should appear there according to the guide.
Follow the elemental-only rule
Inside the trial, kills must use the weakness assigned to the enemy type:
| Enemy | Required weakness |
|---|---|
| Rad-Hound/Toxic | Shadow Rift |
| Doppelghast | Light Mend |
| Shock Mimic | Brain Rot |
Do not mix ordinary weapon damage into the trial until you know the current rule still accepts it. If the portal or conversion fails, recheck the map, mode, round, unequipped Mangler Helmet requirement and the exact consumable; community routes often break when one prerequisite is missing.
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Community route: the Power Switch Relic in Totenreich
This is another independent, patch-sensitive procedure. It is more about observation and point economy than weapon damage.
Requirements
- Complete the Totenreich Main Quest.
- Use any Cursed tier on Totenreich.
- Bring a Combat Axe.
Read the skull order
- Inspect the four map structures that display animal skulls.
- Record the randomized count shown by each structure; the values run from one to four.
- Translate those counts into the throw order for the four animal hides in Blodheim Hall.
- Throw the Combat Axe at the hides in that order.
- When the order is correct, use the opened portal.
Protect the point budget
The trial permits zombie deaths only by traps. The guide recommends about 10,000 points for roughly ten trap activations. Save that amount before beginning the sequence and avoid expensive purchases that leave you unable to trigger the required traps. A teammate can read the skull counts while another protects the reader, but neither player should accidentally finish a zombie with a weapon.
Community route: Mister Peeks Mayhem across the maps
Mister Peeks Mayhem is a long, cross-map objective rather than a single-room interaction.
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Progress rules
- Every Black Ops 7 Main Quest must be beaten in Standard or Directed.
- The Relic itself cannot be obtained in Directed, even though the listed Main Quest progress can include Directed completions.
- The Main Quests do not have to be completed in map order.
Items listed for the Ashes steps
The community guide lists Dark Flare without the Supernova augment, the Necrofluid Gauntlet and Plant Spray. Confirm each item and augment state at the point where the step calls for it; carrying a different Dark Flare configuration can invalidate the interaction.
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How to manage a multi-map attempt
- Make a map-by-map checklist before starting.
- Record whether each Main Quest was completed in Standard or Directed.
- Mark the Ashes step immediately after completing it.
- Keep the low-clutter HUD active so visual interactions are easier to inspect.
- Verify that the final Relic acquisition is being attempted outside Directed mode.
Solo and co-op settings decisions
Solo hunts
Solo players benefit most from the full low-clutter profile: hide every listed feed and overlay, retain round and perk information, and pause before each objective to reread the restriction. An external checklist is especially valuable because there is no teammate to remember a completed clue.
Co-op hunts
Keep the Squad Widget visible and assign responsibilities. One player can search for environmental clues, a second can protect the searcher and watch points, and a third can hold the required item. For Power Switch, designate one person to read skull counts and another to perform the Combat Axe throws; for Rocket, designate the player responsible for the Rad-Hound and D.A.W.G. sequence.
If communication is more important than a perfectly clean screen, restore Player & Streak Toasts temporarily so a teammate’s state change is obvious. Return to the recommended profile once the team reaches the clue-search phase.
Troubleshooting failed searches and trials
No portal appears
- Check that the correct Main Quest was completed and that you are on the named map.
- Verify the required round or Cursed tier.
- Confirm the mode: the Rocket sequence specifies Normal mode for the setup, while Mister Peeks cannot be acquired in Directed.
- Recheck named equipment and forbidden Relics, especially the Rocket route’s Mangler Helmet warning.
- Repeat the interaction exactly; petting or sentry-state steps can be order-dependent.
The trial fails despite correct-looking kills
- Read the trial rule again; Rocket requires the listed elemental weaknesses.
- For Power Switch, allow traps to make every zombie kill.
- Do not let a teammate’s ordinary damage finish an enemy during a restricted phase.
- Check that the item or augment is the specified version, such as Dark Flare without Supernova.
You miss a visual or audio clue
- Restore the minimap or compass briefly if you are still learning the route.
- Lower music and nonessential chat until laughs, phones or portal sounds are distinct.
- Use the Classic layout consistently so the prompt appears where you expect it.
- Search again at the correct round or after completing the prerequisite; some clues do not activate early.
You run out of points or ammunition
Restart with a larger reserve rather than forcing the attempt. Power Switch’s trap-only requirement makes the point budget explicit, while Relics that remove Ammo Caches demand an ammunition plan before entry. Keep the round and loadout fields visible so you can decide whether to delay the trial for another earning round.
A practical decision framework
| Situation | Priority | Recommended adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Searching rooms for an unknown clue | Clue visibility | Use Aetherium Classic; hide minimap, compass, feeds, medals and health bars. |
| Relic limits perks or removes Ammo Caches | Restriction resistance | Keep Perks and Loadout Information visible and plan the build around the displayed debuff. |
| Trap-only trial | Point economy | Save the required points before activating the sequence; avoid unnecessary purchases. |
| Portal or conversion sequence | Audio and interaction order | Keep game audio clear and follow the named mode, map and interaction order exactly. |
| Multi-map objective | Coordination and memory | Use an external checklist, keep the Squad Widget on in co-op and record each completed Main Quest. |
| First attempt on an unfamiliar map | Navigation | Temporarily restore the minimap or compass, then hide them once the route is learned. |
What is official and what can change
Activision is the authority for the HUD controls, Cursed definition, Relic progression, the nine Ashes of the Damned Relics and the published 2026 usage figures. The Rocket, Power Switch and Mister Peeks instructions are community guidance updated in 2026. Their locations, order checks and item requirements should therefore be revalidated after a game update. If an interaction stops working while the HUD and loadout match this guide, suspect a patch change before assuming the display settings caused the failure.
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