You’ve been running circles around the castle, haven't you? Honestly, the Citadelle des Morts (or just "Citadel" if you’re tired of the French) is probably the most dense map Treyarch has dropped in years. It’s got that old-school Der Eisendrache vibe but with way more movement and a boss fight that is, frankly, kind of a nightmare if you aren't prepared.
Most people think the bo6 easter egg citadel is just about getting a cool sword and swinging it at things. It’s not. It’s a multi-layered logic puzzle that requires you to juggle four different elemental swords—Caliburn, Durendal, Balmung, and Solais—while dodging a two-headed monstrosity called the Doppelghast. If you’re looking for the "Directed Mode" to hold your hand, you’re out of luck if you want those exclusive Season 1 rewards. You have to do this the hard way.
Why You Keep Failing the Rituals
The biggest bottleneck in this quest isn't the zombies. It's the order of operations. You can’t just jump into the main quest; you have to unlock Pack-a-Punch first by following the orange markers to the Oubliette, shooting the locks, and killing the mini-boss. Only after that can you talk to Gabriel Krafft behind the barred door near Quick Revive.
Once Krafft stops talking, the real work begins. You need stamps. You get these by killing those zombies with buckets on their heads that start spawning around round 8 or 10. Don't waste your time looking for them earlier. They won't show up.
Take those stamps to the Dining Hall. There are four knight statues. Each one takes a stamp and gives you a base "Bastard Sword." You can only carry one at a time, which is sort of annoying, but that's the game.
The Four Swords and Their Hidden Requirements
Each sword has a specific upgrade path that feels like its own mini-Easter egg.
The Lion Sword (Solais - Light)
You have to find the door with the lion knocker near the village well. Kill a glowing parasite with the sword to charge it, then whack the door. Do this four times. Once you’re inside the hidden room, you’ve got a symbol-matching puzzle. The order is on the pedestal. Look up, shoot the floating symbols in that exact sequence. If you miss one, you’re basically starting the round over.
The Stag Sword (Durendal - Lightning)
This one is a bit more "fetch questy." You need three lightning rods. One drops from an electric box you shoot with Dead Wire (check the antenna near the underpass), one is just sitting on the ground near Deadshot Daiquiri, and the last one drops from an armored zombie in the dungeon. Assemble them at the cauldron on the ramparts and survive the literal lightning storm that follows.
The Fire Sword (Caliburn - Fire)
This is the "run for your life" sword. Ignite yourself at the dragon statue and run to the three braziers around the map. One is near spawn, one is near the main castle gate, and one is by the stables. You’ll be taking burn damage the whole time. Pro tip: Melee a zombie while you’re on fire to heal. It’s a life-saver.
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The Raven Sword (Balmung - Void)
This is the weirdest one. You need to find an artifact in the lab, take the sword to the tavern basement, and interact with the dial on the wall. You’ll be guiding purple void orbs into holes around the tavern. It feels like herding cats, but once it’s done, the sword becomes a beast.
Cracking the Wall and the Bottle Puzzle
After you have your swords, you need the "Incantations." This is where most players get stuck. Go to the tavern. There are six glass bottles with Roman numerals (I-VI). Interact with them and memorize the symbols that pop up.
Now, head to the flooded basement. If you have Melee Macchiato, punch the back wall. It’ll crumble. Behind it is a wall of blue symbols. You have to shoot those symbols in the order you found on the tavern bottles. The symbols change fast. Like, really fast. Don't rush it or you’ll trigger a fail-spawn of parasites.
Getting the Mystic Orb
Once you’ve got the ritual items—the Pegasus Horseshoe (from the stables, then fly through a lightning cloud using the cannon), the Raven’s Talon (shoot the bird during the cave slide), Ra’s Ankh (light the three bonfires with the fire sword), and the Paladin’s Brooch (the crystal beam puzzle in the Dining Hall)—you can finally assemble the Mystic Orb.
You’ll have to charge this orb at four different stations. Each station requires a specific sword and its matching incantation.
- Spawn Courtyard: Lightning
- Dining Hall: Light
- Undercroft: Void
- Right Courtyard Puddle: Fire
The Guardian Boss Fight: Survive the Lava
The boss isn't just a bullet sponge; he’s an environmental hazard. The arena starts big but shrinks every time he goes into an immune phase.
In phase one, focus on his shoulders and knees. He’s heavily armored. Bullet weapons do almost nothing until you crack that armor off to reveal the glowing weak spots. If you brought the Lion Sword, use its special ability to refill your armor. Trust me, you’ll need it.
By phase three, the outer edges of the arena are literally covered in lava. One wrong step and you’re down. Use your Mutant Injections here. The cannon fire from the mutant form does about 15k to 40k damage per hit to the boss's chest. When his chest opens up in the final stretch, dump every bit of ammo you have into it.
What You Get for Finishing
If you manage to survive and pick up the amulet, you’ll trigger the final cutscene. You get a massive XP dump, a unique Operator skin for the season, and a special Calling Card if you did it before the "Guided Mode" update. Plus, you get some Tier 3 Pack-a-Punch crystals and Legendary tools for your next run.
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Real Expert Tips for Your Run
- Don't ignore the side eggs: There’s a pool table in the tavern. Shoot the balls for a quick 100 essence. It’s small, but it helps in early rounds.
- The Knight Ally: You can actually bring the chess-piece knight into the boss fight. He won't revive you, but he’s great for keeping the trash zombies off your back while you focus on the Guardian.
- GobbleGums: Bring "Idle Eyes." It freezes the zombies and the boss for 30 seconds, which is just enough time to break a piece of armor or revive a teammate in the lava.
You really need to make sure your team is coordinated on the swords. Having four people trying to do the Fire run at the same time is just asking for a wipe. Assign roles early, get your stamps by round 10, and don't let the Doppelghast corner you in the dungeon.
Ready to actually finish this? Get into a match, head straight for the Oubliette to start the Krafft dialogue, and make sure someone on your team is dedicated to the crystal beam puzzle early—it's the most time-consuming part. Check the tavern bottles as soon as you open that area so you aren't backtracking during the high rounds when things get chaotic.