Exo Upgrades (Perks) in Exo Zombies - Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

In Exo Zombies, Advanced Warfare removed their Perk-A-Cola machines and replaced them with Exo Upgrade Stations. Many players still refer to these upgrades as Perks and often refer to them by the name of their Black Ops counterpart. Outbreak has five Exo Upgrade Stations scattered throughout the map. In order to purchase an upgrade, you will first need to equip the Exo Suit* and power up the machine.

This guide will briefly explain each Exo Upgrade and the abilities that each provides. As a reference, I will compare each upgrade to the Black Ops Perk that it most closely resembles. Each section will also list the cost and location of the upgrade.

In This Guide:

• Exo Upgrade Basics
• Exo Slam
• Exo Soldier
• Exo Medic
• Exo Reload
• Exo Health

* Exo Medic can be purchased in solo without first equipping the Exo Suit. See the Exo Medic Section below for more information. 

Equipping Upgrades

As the name suggests, using an Exo Upgrade Machine will add an upgrade to your Exo Suit. You can not equip an upgrade to a suit that you are not wearing... except for Exo Medic in a solo game.

Your character will activate the upgrade using the computer on the Exo Suit Arm. You whill not be able to use your weapons during this short period of time, leaving you vulnerable to an attack.

Purchasing Upgrades

Atlas didn't get to be number one by giving employees free Exo Upgrades. They get you hooked by giving you the suit for free and then nickle and dime you for each upgrade. The cost will depend on which upgrade you are purchasing, with Exo Health having the highest cost.

Losing Upgrades

Unlike the Black Ops version, you don't lose all of your upgrades as soon as you go down. However, you will begin losing upgrades as you lay there complaining about the lag that brought you down. An upgrade will begin to blink shortly after going down, and eventually fade away. This will continue until you are revived or you bleed out. Bleeding out will cause you to lose all of your upgrades, weapons, and the Exo Suit.

Exo Slam adds the slam ability to the Exo Suit, allowing the user to come crashing stunning, causing damage, and sometimes killing zombies in the surrounding area. The ability will need to recharge after each use, which is indicated by the slam icon blinking.

• Exo Slam is needed for getting Oz's Security Badge for the 'Game Over Man' Easter Egg in Outbreak

Using The Slam Ability

1. Use the thrust ability by pressing your jump button twice (A on Xbox)
2. When in the air, press your crouch button (B on Xbox)

If looking strait ahead, you will come down at an angle, making it necessary to practice a few times in order to perfect your landing area. However, you can look strait down at your target before pressing triggering the slam. This will allow you to better direct your landing.

Exo Slam Cost

2000 Credits

Exo Slam Location

• Outbreak - In the Main Hub

Exo Slam Vs. Flopper

Exo Slam is comparably to the Flopper Perk in Black Ops. They both allow the player to injure a zombies in the area, and require the player to be off the ground. They have many unique qualities that set them apart.

Slam Pros

• You don't have to jump off an elevated surface, which makes it useless in certain areas.
• Landing directly on a zombie will not prevent the Slam ability.
• You are not lying on the ground directly after using the ability and zombies in the area will be stunned.

Slam Cons

• The ability has to recharge after each use.
• It does less damage than Flopper.
• Unlike Flopper, it does not make you invincible to fire and explosions.

Overall, Exo Slam is more balanced than Flopper. The cool down period makes it like likely to be abused by players, but its ease of use makes it more valuable for getting out of stick situations. When used properly, this will be the one upgrade you can not do without.

Exo Soldier is similar to the Gung Ho Perk in multiplayer. It's target icon may bring back memories of the Deadshot Daiquiri Perk in Black Ops 2, but they only share a single quality.

Exo Soldier Abilies:

• Able to shoot while running or sliding
• Increases hip fire accuracy
• Quicker weapon swap

Exo Soldier Cost

1750 Credits

Exo Soldier Location

• Outbreak - B Holding, Area 2

Exo Soldier vs. Deadshot

Deadshot Daiquiri help with headshots by having auto aim pull towards the zombies head and helped reduce weapon sway. However, it did not allow a player to shoot while running or sliding, and had no effect on weapon speed.

I like to turn off auto aim when playing zombies, so I didn't get much benefit from Deadshot. But soldier has been essential for surviving late rounds when there is little time to aim and switching weapons quickly is the difference between a close call and getting trapped.

Quick Revive no longer comes in a can. Exo Medic is almost an exact replica, it even functions the same way in solo games. The only real difference is that Exo Medic can be bought only three times in a solo game, instead of four.

• Exo Medic is the only upgrade in Outbreak that has power at the start of the game
• Exo Medic can be equipped in a solo game without first equipping the Exo Suit

Exo Medic Abilities

2 or More Players

• Allows the equipped player to revive downed players quicker.

Solo Game

• Allows the player to self revive.
• You will only lose the Exo Medic upgrade when downed

Exo Medic Cost

• 1500 - 2 or more players
• 500 - solo game

Exo Medic Location

Outbreak - Start Location, near the door to the Administration Area

Exo Reload allows you to reload your weapon faster. It functions the same as Speed Cola, but without adding the ability to rebuild barriers quicker. However, there are no barriers to rebuild in Exo Zombies.

Exo Reload Abilities

• Faster Reload

Exo Reload Cost

2000 Credits

Exo Reload Location

• Outbreak - The Morgue Area

The most expensive upgrade in Exo Zombies allows you to take more damage before going down, similar to Juggernog. The main difference is the addition of the Exo Suit. The suit itself makes a player stronger and able to take more damage. In Black Ops, getting jug was the main priority. However, the suit itself has become the main priority and the upgrade doesn't become necessary until later rounds.

Exo Health Abilities

• Take roughly twice as much damage before going down.

Exo Health Cost

2500 Credits

Exo Health Location

Outbreak - B Holding, near the stairway