The Bus is a Wicked tier relic on Ashes of the Damned that makes enemy health regenerate when equipped. It was the last relic the community cracked, and it takes a Tier II run, round 60, a full no-damage round, and a six-wave trial where only Brain Rot kills count. This guide walks through every step with screenshots from our own unlock, and it covers the current method after the old cheeses got patched out.
- Get into a Tier II Cursed run and reach round 60
- Survive one full round without taking damage, ride Ol’ Tessie through a Ravager round
- Use the red portal that appears on the boathouse at Blackwater Lake
- Survive 6 waves where only Brain Rot zombies can kill (your relics are disabled)
- Relic effect: enemy health regenerates while equipped
We unlocked this one in co-op and tracked every stage, from the no-damage round to the final trial banner. The name is a nostalgia nod to the old TranZit bus from Black Ops 2, but the in-game trigger has nothing to do with a literal bus ride. Creators have covered it since launch, including MrDalekJD’s unlock video and TheGamingRevolution’s after-patch walkthrough. Here we lean on our own run for the exact portal spot and a wave-by-wave look at the trial.
Requirements
Before the Bus relic portal can appear, you need all of this ready.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Map | Ashes of the Damned |
| Relic Tier | Wicked (the hardest tier, worth a full Cursed tier bar) |
| Cursed Tier Needed | Tier II or higher. Equip earlier relics to raise your Cursed tier before the run. |
| Main Easter Egg | Finish the Ashes main quest at least once so your relic slots are unlocked. |
| Round 60 | The no-damage trigger only counts from round 60 onward. |
| Brain Rot Loadout | The trial is Brain Rot only. Bring the Brain Rot ammo mod with Caustic Fumes and Super Serum. |
Step 1: Reach Tier II and Round 60
The Bus is a Wicked relic, so its trigger only wakes up once you are in a Tier II run. You raise your Cursed tier by equipping relics you already own before you start. Each relic you add makes the run harder but pushes your tier up, and every tier hands you a starting bonus.
| Cursed Tier | Starting Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tier I | Golden Armor unlocked |
| Tier II | Ultra Weapon Rarity unlocked |
| Tier III | Pack-a-Punch IV unlocked |
From there it is a long game. A solid setup to round 60 takes roughly two to three hours for an average player, so treat this as a full session and not a quick unlock. Build a strong economy early, keep a training spot you trust, and do not burn your best Gobble Gums before you reach the round where the trigger actually matters.
Step 2: Survive a No-Damage Round
This is the Bus trigger, and it is what makes the relic different from the boss-fight unlocks. From round 60 on, you have to survive one entire round without taking a single hit. Clear the round untouched and the portal spawns.
The reliable way to do this is Ol’ Tessie, the drivable armored bus. Hop in during a Ravager round, the grey-sky elite round, and stay mobile. The vehicle soaks the hits, its boost keeps you out of trouble, and the Aether Pulse clears anything that swarms you. We got the portal to spawn on the first try doing exactly this. Just keep an eye on Tessie’s health and do not let her get pinned against the terrain.
Step 3: Enter the Red Portal
Head to the boathouse at Blackwater Lake. The red portal spawns on the boathouse wall, over on the right side. It sits low on the wooden planks, so look for the red swirl rather than a big waypoint.
Interact with it to open the trial prompt. It warns you up front that all your equipped relics are disabled inside the trial and that zombies can only be killed by other charmed zombies. Sort your Brain Rot setup before you hit start, because you cannot change your loadout once the waves begin.
Your gun damage does not kill anything in this trial. Only zombies you have hit with Brain Rot can kill other zombies. Go in with the Brain Rot ammo mod locked in and augments that help it spread.
Step 4: Survive the Trial (6 Waves)
The Bus trial is six waves long. Four are standard waves where you clear the bar, and two are Kill all HVT waves. The catch on every wave is the same: you cannot land the kills yourself. You spread Brain Rot through the horde and let the charmed zombies do the killing for you.
| Wave | Objective | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wave 1 | Charmed kills | Warmup, get a feel for spreading Brain Rot |
| Wave 2 | Charmed kills | Bigger crowd, keep them packed so the infection jumps |
| Wave 3 | Kill all HVTs | Doppelghasts and Zursa bear elites, charm the trash near them |
| Wave 4 | Charmed kills | Standard clear, watch you do not run yourself into a corner |
| Wave 5 | Charmed kills | Last breather before the final push |
| Wave 6 | Kill all HVTs | Final HVT wave, keep a charmed group alive to finish them |
The method that carried us was funneling. We ran a Pack-a-Punched Novaline and did laps around the Blackwater Lake area, then pulled the horde onto the narrow walkway. Drop Brain Rot on the pack so a charmed zombie blocks the path, and the rest kill themselves trying to push through it. It is slow, and it rewards patience over aggression. The whole thing is about awareness, keep a lane open so you never get cornered or trapped while the charmed zombies grind out the kills.
The HVT waves on 3 and 6 are the real test. A Doppelghast or a Zursa bear will not die to your bullets here, so you need charmed zombies alive and angry right next to them. Keep a small infected group on hand before the HVTs land, otherwise you are stuck kiting an elite you literally cannot damage.
Clear wave 6 and you get the Cursed Trial Complete banner. The Bus relic is now permanently unlocked for Ashes of the Damned.
Relic Effect
Equip the Bus in a future Cursed run and enemy health regenerates. Any zombie or elite you stop damaging starts healing back to full. On paper that sounds brutal for a high-round run, but in practice it is one of the softest Wicked downsides. The regen only kicks in when your damage lulls, so as long as you keep steady fire on a target it barely registers.
Where it does bite is elites and HVTs, the moments where your DPS naturally drops while you reposition or reload. Commit to one target, finish it, then move to the next. Here is our honest take: the Bus is the best-value Wicked relic in the game. You get a full tier bar for a penalty you can play around, which is a much better deal than Dragon pulling your Ammo Crates or Blood Vials killing your augments. If you are pushing for Tier III, this is the Wicked slot to run.
All Ashes of the Damned Relics
Ashes of the Damned has 9 relics total, the most of any map. For the full breakdown of the relic system and tier rewards, see our What Is Cursed Mode guide. While you grind the tiers, our Mr Peeks spawn guide covers the egg drops that hand out free perks along the way.
| Tier | Relic | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Grim | Dragon Wings | Power-ups do not spawn |
| Grim | Lawyer’s Pen | Mimic props infiltrate the map |
| Grim | Teddy Bear | 75% round delay reduction |
| Sinister | Vril Sphere | Limits you to 4 perks |
| Sinister | Samantha’s Drawing | Weapon swaps each round (gun game) |
| Sinister | Focusing Stone | Self-revives disabled |
| Wicked | Bus | Enemy health regenerates |
| Wicked | Dragon | All Ammo Crates disabled |
| Wicked | Blood Vials | All augments disabled |
Tips
- Do the main Easter egg on an earlier run so your relic slots are already unlocked when you go for this.
- Lock in the Brain Rot ammo mod with Caustic Fumes and Super Serum before you touch the portal. Your relics and your gun kills are off inside the trial.
- Ride Ol’ Tessie for the no-damage round. It is the only reliable method now that the Time Out and saw blade cheeses are patched.
- Keep a charmed group alive going into waves 3 and 6, since HVTs can only be finished by other zombies.
- Funnel the horde onto a narrow walkway and let a charmed blocker do the work while you stay mobile.
- Enemy regen is mild in normal play, so the Bus is a strong tier-pushing pick, not just a completion unlock.
- Need a setup that survives to round 60 comfortably? Check our best BO7 Zombies loadout guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bus relic do in BO7 Zombies?
When equipped, the Bus relic makes enemy health regenerate. Any zombie or elite you stop shooting starts healing back up, so you have to commit to a target and finish it. It is a Wicked tier relic on Ashes of the Damned, and the regen is mild as long as you keep steady damage on whatever you are killing.
How do you unlock the Bus relic on Ashes of the Damned?
Get into a Tier II or higher Cursed run and reach round 60. Survive one full round without taking any damage, the easiest way is to ride Ol' Tessie through a Ravager round. A red portal then appears on the boathouse at Blackwater Lake. Use it and survive a six-wave trial where only Brain Rot zombies can kill other zombies.
What is the Bus relic trial in BO7?
It is a six-wave Wicked trial at Blackwater Lake with one rule: zombies can only be killed by other zombies that you have hit with Brain Rot. Your own gun damage does not count. All your equipped relics are disabled for the trial, and waves 3 and 6 are Kill all HVT waves against Doppelghasts and Zursa bear elites.
What loadout should you bring to the Bus relic trial?
You need the Brain Rot ammo mod, that is the whole trial. Run Caustic Fumes and Super Serum so Brain Rot spreads on death and lasts longer, plus a fast-firing gun to infect fast. We ran a Pack-a-Punched Novaline. Bring Jugg and Quick Revive too, since you cannot just delete the horde with raw damage.
Where does the Bus relic portal spawn at Blackwater Lake?
After you clear a no-damage round at round 60 or later, a red portal appears on the boathouse wall at Blackwater Lake, over on the right side. It is on the wooden wall low down, so look for the red swirl rather than a big obvious marker.
Was the Bus relic unlock method patched in BO7?
Yes. Players used to cheese the no-damage round with a Time Out Gobble Gum or by standing on the Ashwood Shops saw blade trap during a Ravager round. Both were patched out. The current method is to survive the Ravager round untouched by using Ol' Tessie for cover and mobility.
Is the Bus relic worth equipping in BO7?
Yes, it is one of the better Wicked relics to actually run. It gives you a full Cursed tier bar for a soft downside, since enemy regen barely shows up when you keep damage flowing. Compared to Dragon losing Ammo Crates or Blood Vials losing augments, the Bus asks the least of you for the most tier value.
Stuck on the Bus trial or any other Ashes relic? Join 50,000+ players in the COD Central Discord. We have dedicated Zombies channels where the community helps each other finish relic trials every day.
