The Dragon is a Wicked tier relic on Ashes of the Damned that disables every Ammo Crate on the map when equipped. It is one of the hardest relics to unlock in BO7 Cursed mode. You need a Tier II run, round 60, the main Easter egg boss, and then a six-wave trial where zombies can only be damaged by explosives. This guide walks through every step with screenshots from our own unlock.
- Get into a Tier II Cursed run and finish the Ashes main Easter egg
- Reach round 60 and beat the final boss, Veytharion
- Hit Continue, then use the red portal on the cabin wall at Blackwater Lake
- Survive 6 waves where only explosives damage zombies (relics are disabled)
- Relic effect: all Ammo Crates disabled while equipped
We unlocked this one in co-op and tracked every stage, from the portal spawn to the final trial banner. It sits behind the full main quest, so it is not a quick grab like the Grim relics. Creators have covered it on YouTube too, including a solo unlock run and a full Dragon 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 Dragon relic trial can even open, you need all of this ready.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Map | Ashes of the Damned |
| Relic Tier | Wicked (the hardest tier) |
| Cursed Tier Needed | Tier II or higher. Equip earlier relics to raise your Cursed tier before the run. |
| Main Easter Egg | You must complete the Ashes of the Damned main quest in the same run. |
| Round 60 | The boss and the relic step only open up at round 60. |
| Explosive Loadout | The trial is explosives only. Bring a Ray Gun, launcher, Mustang and Sally, or the Necrofluid Gauntlet. |
Step 1: Reach Tier II and Round 60
The Dragon is a Wicked relic, so it only appears 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. Getting 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. Do the main Easter egg early while zombies are still easy, then just focus on surviving and building points for the boss.
Step 2: Beat Veytharion
Once you hit round 60, talk to Klaus at Blackwater Lake and start the final trial with Ol’ Tessie. Collect the wisps along the roads to open the boss arena, then fight Veytharion. The cleanest method is to drive into the respawning green plants to keep Tessie charged, then ram the boss with her. Keep Monkey Bombs on hand to peel zombies off you and Aether Shroud to repair Tessie if she takes too much damage.
When the boss goes down, hit Continue on the end screen instead of exiting. This is the step most people miss.
A second or two after you continue, a Mr Peeks laugh plays. That laugh is your confirmation that the relic step has triggered and the portal has spawned.
The Mr Peeks laugh (your confirmation sound)
You hear this right after hitting Continue past the boss. It means the Dragon portal has appeared on the cabin at Blackwater Lake.
Step 3: Enter the Red Portal
Head to the cabin at Blackwater Lake. The red portal spawns on the outside wall of the cabin, on the right side by the stairs and woodpile, right next to the manhole cover. It is small and easy to walk past, so look low on the wall.
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 damaged by explosives. Get your explosive loadout sorted before you hit start, because you cannot change it once the waves begin.
All relics turn off inside the trial, so any bonuses you were leaning on are gone for these six waves. Go in with full explosive ammo. There are no Ammo Crates to bail you out mid-fight.
Step 4: Survive the Trial (6 Waves)
The Dragon trial is six waves long. Four are standard kill waves where you just clear the bar, and two are Kill all HVT waves. The HVTs are Doppelghasts and the armored bear elites, and they are the parts that actually test your explosives.
| Wave | Objective | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wave 1 | Kill standard zombies | Warmup, get a feel for the explosive-only damage |
| Wave 2 | Kill standard zombies | Bigger crowds, keep them grouped for splash damage |
| Wave 3 | Kill all HVTs | Doppelghasts and bear elites, use a launcher here |
| Wave 4 | Kill standard zombies | Standard clear, watch your explosive ammo |
| Wave 5 | Kill standard zombies | Last breather before the final push |
| Wave 6 | Kill all HVTs | Final HVT wave, save your heavy explosives for this |
The trick that carried us was movement. Rotate around the Blackwater Lake area and keep the zombies trailing behind you in a group, then hit the pack with splash damage. It is slower than standing and gunning, but with no Ammo Crates and explosives only, playing it safe beats getting cornered. We ran a Pack-a-Punched 1911 (Mustang and Sally) for crowds and the Necrofluid Gauntlet for the elites, and kept a War Machine for the HVT waves.
Clear wave 6 and you get the Cursed Trial Complete banner. The Dragon relic is now permanently unlocked for Ashes of the Damned.
Relic Effect
Equip the Dragon in a future Cursed run and every Ammo Crate on the map is disabled. That box refill you normally lean on in the mid rounds is just gone. You have to resupply another way: Vulture Aid ammo drops, Gobble Gums, salvage crafting at the bench, or paying for wall-buy ammo.
That is what makes it a Wicked relic. It does not add a flashy modifier, it quietly removes one of your safety nets, and in a long high-round run that resupply gap adds up. For us it lands as a completion unlock more than a relic you run for fun. The trial is not the hardest on the map, it just takes the longest to set up.
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 early in the run, while the zombies are still easy to handle.
- Set your explosive loadout before you touch the portal. Relics and your normal damage are off inside the trial.
- Bring a launcher like the War Machine for the two HVT waves. It clears Doppelghasts and bear elites fast.
- Rotate and train the zombies into a group, then hit the pack with splash damage instead of standing still.
- Remember there are no Ammo Crates in the trial, so top off your explosives before you start.
- The Dragon is a completion and tier-pushing pick. Unlock it for the calling card and higher tiers rather than for everyday runs.
- Need a setup that survives to round 60 comfortably? Check our best BO7 Zombies loadout guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Dragon relic do in BO7 Zombies?
When equipped, the Dragon relic disables every Ammo Crate on the map for the whole match. You cannot buy an ammo refill from a crate, so all your resupply has to come from Vulture Aid, Gobble Gums, salvage crafting, or wall buys. It is a Wicked tier relic on Ashes of the Damned.
How do you unlock the Dragon relic on Ashes of the Damned?
Get into a Tier II or higher Cursed run, complete the Ashes of the Damned main Easter egg, and reach round 60. Beat the final boss Veytharion, hit Continue on the end screen, then use the red portal on the cabin wall at Blackwater Lake. Survive a six-wave trial where zombies can only be damaged by explosives.
What is the Dragon relic trial in BO7?
It is a six-wave Wicked trial at Blackwater Lake with one rule: zombies can only be damaged by explosives, and all your equipped relics are disabled for the duration. Waves 3 and 6 are Kill all HVT waves against Doppelghasts and armored bear elites. Everything else is a standard kill wave.
What weapons should you bring to the Dragon relic trial?
Anything explosive. We ran a Pack-a-Punched 1911 (Mustang and Sally) and the Necrofluid Gauntlet, and both shredded the waves. The Ray Gun works, and a War Machine or other launcher is great for clearing the HVT waves fast. Set your loadout before you enter.
Where does the Dragon relic portal spawn in Blackwater Lake?
After you beat Veytharion and hit Continue, a red portal appears on the outside wall of the cabin at Blackwater Lake, over on the right by the stairs and woodpile next to the manhole cover. A Mr Peeks laugh plays to confirm the step is done.
Is the Dragon relic worth equipping in BO7?
It is worth unlocking for 100% completion, the calling card, and to help push into the higher Cursed tiers. As a relic to actually run, losing every Ammo Crate hurts your resupply, so most players treat it as a completion pick rather than a comfort relic.
Can you unlock the Dragon relic solo in BO7?
Yes, but it is a long solo. You still need a Tier II run to round 60 plus the full boss fight, which is roughly a two to three hour game for an average player. The trial itself is fair solo since the six waves are not that hard, just make sure you have explosive ammo before starting.
Stuck on the Dragon 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.
