The Shadows of Evil Zombies map in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 offers one of the most intricate main easter egg quests in the franchise's history. Completing the main quest requires a full team of four players who must coordinate ritual sacrifices, upgrade swords, and defeat the Shadowman. Understanding each objective step by step is essential for surviving the atmospheric noir city and successfully sealing away the ancient evil.
Opening the Pack-a-Punch and Performing Rituals
Before attempting the main easter egg steps, players must first open the Pack-a-Punch machine by completing four distinct rituals across Morg City. Each playable character corresponds to a unique ritual item that must be gathered using Beast Mode in the Junction, Waterfront, Footlight, and Canal districts. Placing these items on their respective altars summons Keepers that must be defeated to complete the ritual prep work.
Once all four rituals are finished, head down into the Rift area to place the sacrificial worms on the main altar. This opens the Pack-a-Punch chamber and unlocks crucial map utilities needed for subsequent steps. Proper communication during this early stage ensures your team enters the mid-game with sufficient points and weapon upgrades.
Acquiring and Upgrading the Apothicon Swords
The next major phase involves obtaining the sacred Apothicon Swords, which act as powerful melee weapons required for later rituals. Players must ride the city tram and look out the windows to identify three hidden symbols scattered along the tracks. Entering these symbols into the Rift wall using Beast Mode unlocks the sword room where each player collects their weapon.
To upgrade the sword, players must visit their character's designated ghost in the city to collect an elemental egg. Placing the egg inside four specific statues across the map and killing nearby Zombies charges the artifact. Returning the fully charged egg endows the team with upgraded, autonomous swords that attack enemies independently.
Defeating the Shadowman in the Rift
With upgraded swords equipped, players can interact with the Keeper in the Rift to receive a special book. Placing this book on the main table causes the Shadowman to appear in human form across various locations on the map. Locating and shooting the Shadowman forces him back into the main Pack-a-Punch room for the final confrontation.
During the battle, players must sacrifice Margwas while constantly shifting between charging the altar and shooting the Shadowman. Once his protective shield drops, quickly force him into the large summoning aura above the Pack-a-Punch machine to trap him. Success requires precise timing so team members do not get overwhelmed by endless waves of enemies.
The Final Four Player Co-Op Step
Unlike many other Zombies easter eggs, Shadows of Evil strictly requires four active players to complete the ultimate ending sequence. After trapping the Shadowman, giant Margwas will spawn continuously across the map, and infinite Beast Mode fountains will activate. Three players must position themselves at the train stations in each district, while the fourth remains in the Rift.
The three station players must shock the electrical panels simultaneously to launch all trams at the exact same moment. Meanwhile, the player in the Rift must shock the human Keepers standing near the center tracks right as the trains pass through. Executing this step correctly destroys the giant Apothicon beast in the sky and triggers the final cutscene.
