Vanguard Zombies perks guide

(Image credit: Activision)

The Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies perks are quite the shake-up in the new Der Anfang mode which features loads of changes from previous COD Zombies entries. Perks have different names, new pricing, and an interesting new tier system that allows you to upgrade each perk as you play and survive rounds. Of course, with this being a new Zombie mode, you’ll want to know where you can find all of these perks right away, how much they cost, and what they do, so you can succeed on Der Anfang.

In this Vanguard Zombies perks guide, we’ve got everything you need to know so you can survive against the endless horde of zombies. These Der Anfang perks will help your character grow stronger, making it much easier to stay alive. We've also got a general Vanguard Zombies guide to help you out overall, and what's going on with the Vanguard Zombies easter egg

Vaguard Zombies Perk list

Fiendish Fortitude - Increases health
Aethereal Haste - Boosts movement speed
Diabolical Damage - Increases critical damage
Venomous Vigor - Boosts regen speed
Demonic Frenzy - Boosts reload speed

Perk locations

When you start a game on Der Anfang, all areas will be locked, meaning you must complete objectives to open up the map. Once you unlock an area, you’ll be able to acquire the perk in that specific section of the map.

Below are the locations of all five perks in Der Anfang.

Fiendish Fortitude (Juggernog)

This heath boosting perk should be the one you grab first. It’s located in the Office on the northwest side of the map, just outside a building.

Aethereal Haste (Staminup)

You can find this speed increasing option on the inside of the Theater on the bottom floor by the steps. It’s on the north side of the map.

Diabolical Damage (Deadshot Daiquiri)

To find this perk that increases critical damage, head to the Apartments on the Southwest side of the map. Go inside and you’ll find this perk on the bottom floor, once again by a set of steps.

Venomous Vigor (Quick Revive)

You’ll find this regen enhancing perk on the northwest side of the map on the outside in the Panzer Column East area of the map.

Demonic Frenzy (Speed Cola)

Finally, look for this perk to increase your read speed in the Boiler Room area, which is on the northwest side of the map.

How do Vanguard Zombies perks work?

This time around, perks work a little differently than in previous entries. Instead of having to spend points to purchase them, the base version of all perks can be acquired for free. That’s right, you can approach each perk machine and collect the tier 1 version without actually spending points, which is handy.

However, each perk has four tiers, and each one costs more than the last. Below are the perk costs for each tier.

Tier 1: Free
Tier 2: 2,500 points
Tier 3: 5,000 points
Tier 4: 7,500 points

Each tier you purchase enhances the Zombies perk. For instance, the free version of Fiendish Fortitude gives you 25% extra health, but each tier thereafter grants you with an additional 50%, 75%, and 100% health boost, respectively. So, it pays to continue upgrading the perks, as they’ll become much more effective as you climb the tiers.

In Black Ops Cold War, perks would increase in price as you acquire them, which does not apply in Call of Duty: Vanguard. Even if you go to purchase Diabolical Damage last, the tier 2 version will always cost 2,500 points (remember, tier 1 is free).

One thing you should be aware of is how perks change if you go down. When you go down, each perk will decrease by one tier. For instance, if you have a tier 4 Demonic Frenzy when you go down, it will lower to the tier 3 version. However, if you become downed, you will never lose any of the perks altogether. If you go down while you have a tier 1 version of Venomous Vigor, for example, you’ll still keep the tier 1 version no matter what.