Mastering The Lightning Staff Upgrade In Origins: A Definitive Guide
For any seasoned Call of Duty: Zombies player, the map Origins stands as a monumental challenge, a true test of skill and strategy. Central to conquering its formidable waves and unraveling its intricate Easter Egg is the mastery of the elemental staffs. Among these, the lightning staff, often affectionately called the "purple staff," holds a unique place. Its raw power, once upgraded, transforms from a potent weapon into the devastating Kimat's, an essential tool for surviving high rounds and completing the legendary quest. However, the journey to achieve this ultimate form, the lightning staff upgrade, is fraught with specific challenges that have stumped countless players. This guide aims to demystify every step, providing clear, actionable insights to ensure your upgrade process is as smooth as possible, transforming potential frustration into triumph.
Many players, myself included, have faced the vexing issue of the "purple orb just won’t appear" or the dreaded "friend shot the wrong tile" during the crucial piano step. These aren't just minor glitches; they can halt your progress, leading to wasted time and immense frustration. But fear not, for this comprehensive walkthrough, drawing from collective player experiences and confirmed game mechanics, will arm you with the precise knowledge needed to navigate every puzzle, from collecting the pieces to unleashing Kimat's full potential. We'll cover common pitfalls, provide exact solutions, and even share some lesser-known tips to speed up your lightning staff upgrade journey.
Table of Contents
- The Unyielding Power of the Lightning Staff
- Gathering the Elemental Pieces: The Foundation of Your Lightning Staff Upgrade
- The First Riddle: Decoding the Crazy Place Piano
- The Second Riddle: Aligning the Elemental Switches
- The Final Test: Charging Kimat's Thunder
- Advanced Tips for a Seamless Lightning Staff Upgrade
- Beyond the Upgrade: Wielding Kimat's Power
The Unyielding Power of the Lightning Staff
The Staff of Lightning, commonly referred to as the lightning staff, is one of four buildable elemental staffs on the Zombies map Origins. In its base form, it shoots bolts of electricity that chain between zombies, offering decent crowd control. However, like its counterparts, its effectiveness wanes significantly as rounds progress, often losing its punch by Round 20 against the increasingly robust zombie hordes. This is where the lightning staff upgrade becomes not just an option, but a necessity. Upgrading this staff transforms it into Kimat's, a vastly more powerful weapon capable of devastating multiple enemies with charged shots and a wider electrical spread, making it indispensable for high-round survival and the complex Easter Egg quest.
The elemental staffs in Origins harbor incredible power that is necessary to earn high rounds and complete the famed quest. Each staff has its unique base abilities, but their true potential is unlocked only through their respective upgrade quests. For the lightning staff, this transformation into Kimat's is crucial, turning a good weapon into an extraordinary one. Understanding its importance sets the stage for appreciating the meticulous steps required for its upgrade.
Gathering the Elemental Pieces: The Foundation of Your Lightning Staff Upgrade
Before you can even think about the intricate puzzles of the lightning staff upgrade, you first need to assemble the staff itself. This involves collecting three distinct pieces scattered across the map and then crafting it. The process is straightforward but requires careful navigation of the giant robots that periodically stomp across the map:
- **The Robot Heads:** All three pieces of the lightning staff are found inside the three different robot heads. You will have to teleport through each of the robots to collect them. This means waiting for a robot to pass overhead, looking for the glowing foot, and then shooting it to gain access. Once inside, you'll be teleported to its head where a staff piece awaits. Repeat this for all three robots (Fjall, Thor, and Odin).
- **The Mound:** Once you have all three pieces, head to the mound area, which is located downstairs near Generator 6. There, you will find a crafting bench where you can assemble the Staff of Lightning. This is a critical first step, as you cannot begin the upgrade process without the base staff in hand.
Collecting these pieces often involves some strategic movement around the map, especially if you're also building other staffs or activating generators. A common strategy is to combine this step with other early-game objectives, such as activating generators or collecting gramophones, to maximize efficiency. For example, you might grab the first lightning piece while heading to the fire tunnel to place a gramophone, or pick up the gramophone on your way up to the church to ride the tank, which can position you for a robot foot stomp.
The First Riddle: Decoding the Crazy Place Piano
The true challenge of the lightning staff upgrade begins once you have the staff in hand. The first step to upgrading the lightning staff is to decode some images in the Crazy Place. Head back to the Crazy Place, and you will notice lines of pink triangles near the purple teleporter area. These triangles represent the keys of a piano, and you need to shoot them in a specific musical sequence. This is often the most frustrating part for players, as precision and timing are key.
There will be a series of triangles that represent the keys of a piano. You will shoot these in three different combinations. The correct pattern, which has been confirmed by countless players, is:
- **First sequence:** Shoot 1, 3, 6.
- **Wait:** Crucially, wait for the sparks to disappear after hitting the first sequence. This visual cue confirms your input was registered and allows the game to reset for the next part.
- **Second sequence:** Then hit 3, 5, 7.
- **Wait:** Again, wait for the sparks to disappear.
- **Third sequence:** Finally, hit 2, 4, 6.
This sequence must be executed precisely. Each number corresponds to a specific triangle in the Crazy Place. For example, take the circles that match with '11' on the fire upgrade – this is a similar concept, where each column of circles represents a place, just like how the number '1' has 1 place. For the lightning staff, these are the pink triangles, and hitting them in the correct order is paramount.
Troubleshooting the Piano Step: Common Pitfalls and Solutions
This piano step is notorious for causing headaches. Many people ruin the lightning staff upgrade by messing up the piano, and it's hard to fix if you don't know what you're doing. I’ve seen countless discussions where players exclaim, "How the literal f*** do you do the first step of the lightning staff upgrade?" or "I hit the right keys I'm sure, but the lightning [orb won't appear]." Here are the common issues and their solutions:
- **"The purple orb just won't appear":** This is almost always due to an incorrect input in the piano sequence. Even if you think you're doing the code (136, 357, 246) correctly, a slight misfire or incorrect timing can prevent the orb from spawning. Double-check your numbers and the order.
- **Shooting the wrong tile:** As one player shared, "when doing the piano step for upgrading the lightning staff, my friend shot the wrong tile and for the next 20 minutes [we were stuck]." Precision is non-negotiable. Ensure your shots land squarely on the correct triangles.
- **"You have to change the order you put the numbers in to fix it!":** This is a critical, often overlooked tip mentioned by players. If you've tried the standard 136, 357, 246 sequence multiple times and it's not working, try inputting the sequences in a different order (e.g., 246, 136, 357, or 357, 246, 136). While the canonical order is 136, 357, 246, some players have reported success by simply re-ordering the *sets* of numbers if the initial attempt fails to trigger the next stage. This might be a subtle game state issue or a specific trigger condition not widely documented. This applies going forward as well; sometimes, a slight variation in the input method can resolve a seemingly stuck puzzle.
- **Not waiting for sparks:** This is a common mistake. After each set of three numbers (e.g., after 136), you *must* wait for the sparks to disappear before inputting the next set. Rushing this can invalidate your sequence.
If you find yourself stuck, unable to play the piano at the lightning staff hub, take a deep breath, review the exact sequence, and consider the "change the order" tip. Persistence and precision are your allies here.
The Second Riddle: Aligning the Elemental Switches
Once you've successfully completed the piano sequence in the Crazy Place, the next step in the lightning staff upgrade involves manipulating a series of elemental switches located across the map. These switches correspond to different locations and must be turned in specific directions. This is another point where many players can get stuck if they don't know the exact configuration.
The switches need to be set as follows:
- **Generator 5:** Turn the switch **UP**.
- **Excavation Site:** Turn the switch **DOWN**.
- **Downstairs Church:** Turn the switch **LEFT**.
- **Upstairs Church:** Turn the switch **DOWN**.
You'll find these switches in their respective locations. Ensure you turn each one to the correct direction. If any are incorrect, the upgrade process will not proceed. This step tests your map knowledge and ability to quickly traverse Origins, often under pressure from incoming zombie waves.
After setting all switches correctly, return to the Crazy Place with the lightning staff. If all steps have been completed accurately, the next stage of the upgrade will be accessible.
The Final Test: Charging Kimat's Thunder
With the piano riddle solved and the switches aligned, you're on the home stretch for your lightning staff upgrade. The final staff-specific task involves charging the staff with souls. Return to the Crazy Place with the lightning staff. Head to the lightning staff area (where the purple teleporter is), and you will find symbols and cords. This area is now activated for the final charging phase.
To complete the upgrade, you need to kill zombies near the staffs to charge them with souls. Position yourself within the designated area in the Crazy Place, typically marked by the staff's elemental symbol or a glowing pedestal. As you eliminate zombies within this zone, their souls will be absorbed by the staff, filling it with power. You'll usually see a visual cue, like the staff glowing brighter or a counter filling up, indicating your progress.
Continue killing zombies until the staff is fully charged. Once complete, you will be able to pick up the upgraded staff, now known as Kimat's. This marks the successful completion of the lightning staff upgrade, transforming your weapon into its ultimate form.
Advanced Tips for a Seamless Lightning Staff Upgrade
While the steps outlined above cover the core process, there are small tips that can significantly speed up upgrading the lightning staff, discussions I've never seen mentioned on guides or Reddit. With BO2 being revisited by lots, I thought it was worth sharing for those that don't know. These insights come from countless hours of gameplay and community collaboration, designed to make your upgrade journey as efficient as possible.
The Efficiency Edge: Optimizing Your Upgrade Path
One of the most valuable, yet often overlooked, aspects of the lightning staff upgrade (and all staff upgrades) is efficiency. This isn't just about speedrunning; it's about minimizing wasted time and maximizing your resources. Here's how to gain an edge:
- **Pre-positioning:** Before starting a step, consider where you need to go next. For example, after collecting the robot pieces, you might already be near the mound for crafting. Similarly, after the piano step, know exactly where each switch is located so you can move directly to them without hesitation.
- **Combining Objectives:** If playing with friends, assign roles. One player can be gathering gramophones while another is collecting staff pieces. This parallel processing significantly cuts down on overall time.
- **Understanding Triggers:** The game often requires specific actions to trigger the next stage. For instance, knowing you *must* wait for the sparks to disappear after each piano sequence is a trigger understanding that saves countless retries. The "small tip" often refers to these subtle, yet crucial, trigger conditions that aren't explicitly stated in-game. It's about knowing the exact sequence of events the game expects, not just the general steps.
- **Tank Routes:** Utilize the tank strategically. It's not just for moving; it can open new paths (like the church shortcut) and provide cover. Knowing its route and timing your staff piece collection or switch activations around it can save rounds.
Why Precision Matters: Avoiding Costly Mistakes
As highlighted earlier, many people ruin the lightning staff upgrade by messing up the piano, and it's hard to fix if you don't know what you're doing. This isn't an exaggeration. Unlike some other puzzles in Zombies, the piano step for the lightning staff can be incredibly unforgiving. If you input the wrong sequence or miss a shot, it can feel like the puzzle is permanently broken. While it's rarely truly broken (a new round or game restart usually fixes it), it wastes valuable time and can derail your entire Easter Egg attempt. Therefore, approaching this step with utmost precision and a clear understanding of the correct pattern (136, 357, 246) is paramount. Don't rush, confirm each shot, and heed the advice about waiting for the sparks. This meticulousness will save you from future headaches.
The Grand Quest: All Staffs for the Easter Egg
While this guide focuses on the lightning staff upgrade, it's important to remember its place within the larger Origins Easter Egg. To upgrade a single staff, you can just complete its riddle and then follow the appropriate upgrade steps. However, you will need all staffs upgraded to complete the Easter Egg. This means the knowledge gained here for the lightning staff is transferable, but each staff has its unique set of challenges and puzzles. Mastering one is a stepping stone to mastering them all. The collective power of all four ultimate staffs is what truly allows players to conquer the map's final challenges and achieve the ultimate victory.
Beyond the Upgrade: Wielding Kimat's Power
Once you've successfully completed the lightning staff upgrade and wield Kimat's, you'll immediately notice its transformative power. Kimat's fires a concentrated bolt of lightning that, upon impact, creates a devastating electrical storm, electrocuting and chaining damage to multiple zombies in a wider radius than its base form. Its charged shot is particularly effective for clearing lanes and dealing with large groups, making it an excellent choice for holding choke points or escaping tight situations.
This upgraded staff is not just a powerful weapon; it's a critical component of the Origins Easter Egg. Its abilities are often required for specific steps, such as powering certain mechanisms or dealing with particular enemy types. Understanding its capabilities and integrating it into your overall strategy is key to success in high rounds and the ultimate completion of the map's story. Kimat's truly embodies the elemental might required to stand against the zombie horde.
As you progress through Origins, you'll find that the upgraded staffs become extensions of your will, allowing you to manipulate the very elements against your foes. The lightning staff, in particular, offers a dynamic and satisfying gameplay experience, rewarding precision and strategic use. Its journey from scattered pieces to a thunderous force reflects the player's own progression and mastery over the map's challenges.
The staff of lightning was considered one of the more useful staves, but like the others, it would lose its effectiveness by round 20. However, upgrading this staff will transform it into Kimat's, ensuring its relevance and power throughout even the highest rounds.
Conclusion
The journey to complete the lightning staff upgrade in Call of Duty: Zombies Origins is undoubtedly one of the game's most intricate and rewarding challenges. From meticulously collecting its scattered pieces within the giant robots to deciphering the cryptic piano code in the Crazy Place and precisely aligning the elemental switches, every step demands attention to detail and a keen understanding of the map's mechanics. We've delved deep into the common frustrations, like the elusive purple orb or the unforgiving piano step, providing concrete solutions and troubleshooting tips that have helped countless players overcome these hurdles. Remember, precision in inputting the piano codes (136, 357, 246), patience in waiting for visual cues, and accuracy in setting the elemental switches are your keys to success.
By following this definitive guide, you're not just learning how to upgrade a weapon; you're mastering a critical component of the Origins experience, paving the way for higher round survival and the grand completion of the Easter Egg. The transformation of the lightning staff into Kimat's is a testament to your dedication and skill, empowering you with unparalleled electrical might. Now that you're armed with this comprehensive knowledge, go forth, conquer the horde, and unleash the thunder! Did this guide help you finally get your purple orb to appear? Share your experiences and any additional tips in the comments below, or explore our other guides for upgrading the Staff of Fire, Staff of Wind, and Staff of Ice to complete your elemental arsenal!
Origins
Steam Community :: Guide :: Lightning Staff Build and Upgrades
Staff upgrade dial locations:
