- In this guide you’ll find a step by step walkthrough for upgrading the Ice Staff in Origins, including a short section on obtaining the original blue discs, gramophone and completing the base Ice Staff. As with all my other guides, there are detailed screenshots, maps and other puzzle codes to make things as simple as possible.With the remastered version of Origins now available in Zombies Chronicles and with many of you playing the backwards compatible Black Ops 2 version on Xbox One, it makes perfect sense to revisit the Ice Staff upgrade process once more.
The Ice Staff is visually one of the best in Origins, freezing zombies instantly and watching them shatter is more than satisfying. However the base version has an inherent weakness in that frozen enemies end up blocking your escape route when you’re overrun by a whole horde.
Thankfully, the upgraded Ice Staff is arguably the best staff in the game simply because it’s charged attack (or super attack if you prefer) causes a massive blizzard that sucks in nearby zombies. This attack is the perfect high round ally and also a fantastic camp spot support weapon.
So let’s start with the base Ice Staff and how you get it…
How to get the Ice Staff
Like every other staff in Origins, players need 3 parts, 1 coloured disc, 1 black disc and the gramophone to get the staff. In the case of the Ice Staff the parts are BLUE, the disc is BLUE and the gramophone must be used to open the BLUE portal (Ice Portal).
Disc Location
The blue disc is always inside the building next to Generator 2. Either on the front table, weapon box shelf or shelf next to the rear door.
Part Locations
The Ice Staff parts have no set locations but they do have specific requirements. Players must wait until it is snowing and then dig up the rubble piles on the floor. Usually this involves opening every section of the map and exhausting every dig site until you get all three.
Black Disc
The Black Disc is used in combination with the Gramophone to open the lower level of the excavation site. It’s always found in one of three locations:
- On a box, bottom of the walkway leading up the excavation site (Generator 2 side)
- On a box, opposite side of excavation site, near the entrance leading to church
- Top of the excavation site, in a wheelbarrow beside PaP
Gramophone
The Gramophone is always inside the central excavation site (dig site), one level downstairs on the floor. Players should place the Gramophone on the table to open the secret sub level with the Staff statues. A good tip is to always open the bottom section of the excavation site and then immediately pick up the gramophone so you don’t need to go back for it later.
Final step
Once you have the parts, disc and gramophone go to Generator 6 (back of the church). Go down the tunnel, place the gramophone on the table and wait for the blue portal to build. Head into the crazy place, get the crystal from the blue pedestal and leave the crazy place by rebuilding the blue portal.
Finally, go back to the central excavation site, go to the bottom level and build the staff using the statue.
Upgrade Steps
1. Solve the Ice Staff Puzzle
With the Ice Staff equipped go to the crazy place through the blue portal. Look immediately upwards and take note of the slabs with blue symbols on them. Also note the blue symbol on the wall.
Solve the puzzle by using the Ice Staff to shoot the correct slab on the ceiling that corresponds to the symbol on the wall. Repeat several times.
Puzzle Codes:
2. Shoot the Gravestones
Leave the crazy place and go back to the outside world. Shoot 3 x gravestones with the Ice Staff and then shoot with a regular weapon.
Gravestone 1
Facing excavation site from mud pool (adjacent to Soul Box mud pool), Generator 6 side of the map.
Gravestone 2
Mud pool with Soul Box adjacent to Generator 6 Jug area. Gravestone is outside of the map boundary, facing away from Jug.
Gravestone 3
Outside the rear of Generator 2 building (where there’s lots of mud). Look for Robots arm outside of the maps boundary, gravestone is beside it.
3. Line Up the Gems
Go to the lower level of the excavation site (where the Staff statues are) and take note of the circular rings floating above. Each ring has four colours germs on the sides. You must rotate each ring so that all the BLUE gems line up.
To do this, pull the levers which are also located in the lower level of the excavation site, on wooden scaffolding platforms, besides the walkway etc. They look like power switches.
Once all the rings are lined up, use the Ice Staff to shoot the blue orb at the bottom of the rings to send it upwards and through the rings.
4. Charge the Staff (Collect Souls)
Finally, head back to the crazy place using the BLUE portal. Place the Ice Staff in the pedestal where you originally picked up the gem. Now kill 2-30 zombies in the vicinity to charge the staff.
Once done, pick up the staff and the upgraded version is yours to enjoy!!
