Mastering the excavation site in northern France requires more than just standard firearms. To survive the relentless mechanical onslaught of the Panzer Soldat and the encroaching giant robots, securing the origins upgraded staffs is the primary objective for any serious run. These ancient relics, once upgraded to their "Ultimate" forms, provide the crowd control and damage output necessary for high-round survival and completing the "Little Lost Girl" sequence.

This guide breaks down the precise steps to build and upgrade the Staff of Ice, Fire, Wind, and Lightning, ensuring a streamlined process for both solo and co-op play.

Core Essentials: Records and the Gramophone

Before any staff can be constructed, you must secure the Gramophone and the specific elemental records scattered across the map.

  1. The Gramophone: This is almost always found on the floor inside the Excavation Site (underneath the Pack-a-Punch machine). It requires a black record to open the lower levels of the site.
  2. The Black Record: Look for this around the Excavation Site. Common spots include the boxes near the entrance to the lower dig site, behind the excavation sign, or on a walkway near the engine at the back.
  3. Elemental Records: Each staff has a corresponding colored disc (Red for Fire, Blue for Ice, Yellow for Wind, Purple for Lightning). These are located in specific zones (e.g., Fire near the Church, Ice near Generator 2).

Placing the Gramophone on the correct pedestal inside the elemental tunnels allows access to the "Crazy Place," where you will retrieve the elemental crystals and later perform the upgrade rituals.

The Staff of Ice (Ull's Arrow)

The Ice Staff is widely considered the best staff for high-round survival due to its massive area-of-effect freezing capabilities. While its damage is immense, obtaining the parts requires specific weather conditions.

Building the Base Staff

  • Parts: You can only find Ice Staff parts by digging in "dig spots" (piles of dirt) while it is snowing. There are three parts, one in each major zone: the spawn area (Generators 1 & 2), the middle map (Generators 4 & 5), and the church area (Generator 6).
  • The Blue Disc: Usually found inside the Tank Station near Generator 2, sitting on a table or a shelf.
  • Assembly: Once you have the crystal from the blue tunnel and the three parts, assemble the staff at the blue pedestal in the bottom of the Excavation Site.

Upgrading to Ull's Arrow

  1. The Crazy Place Puzzle: Go to the Ice section in the Crazy Place. Look at the ceiling; you will see several stone tiles with symbols. On the wall, a single symbol will be displayed. You must shoot the tile that corresponds to the displayed symbol. Refer to an elemental translation chart if you aren't familiar with the base-3 numbering system used by the ancients.
  2. The Tombstone Challenge: Return to the main map. There are three tombstones you must freeze with the Ice Staff and then shatter with a bullet-based weapon (not the staff itself).
    • Location 1: Near the giant robot footprint behind Generator 4.
    • Location 2: Near the giant robot footprint by the Excavation Site, close to the soul box.
    • Location 3: In the muddy area behind the Tank Station (Generator 2), near the downed robot's hand.
  3. Lining up the Rings: Go to the bottom of the Excavation Site. Use the four levers to rotate the rings until all the lights on the rings are blue. Shoot the blue orb at the bottom with the Ice Staff.
  4. Soul Collection: Place the staff in its pedestal in the Crazy Place and kill approximately 20-30 zombies near it until the icon on your HUD indicates it is fully charged.

The Staff of Fire (Kagutsuchi's Blood)

The Fire Staff excels at killing the Panzer Soldat and clearing tight corridors, though it tends to drop off in effectiveness earlier than the Ice Staff.

Building the Base Staff

  • Parts: Unlike other staffs, these parts are tied to specific tasks.
    • Part 1: Defeat the first Panzer Soldat that spawns (typically Round 8).
    • Part 2: Look at the sky and find the glowing red plane. Shoot it down, and the part will land near the Pack-a-Punch machine.
    • Part 3: Activate Generator 6 (at the Church), and the part will appear in the reward chest.
  • The Red Disc: Found in the Church area. It can be on the pews, on a table in the tank bay, or near the boxes by Generator 6.

Upgrading to Kagutsuchi's Blood

  1. The Sacrifice: In the Fire section of the Crazy Place, you will see four stone cauldrons on a metal grate. Kill zombies with the Fire Staff while they are standing on the grate until all four cauldrons are lit.
  2. The Church Torches: Head to the Church basement. You will see symbols on the wall that correspond to numbers. On the upper floor, certain torches have numbers under them. You must shoot the torches with the Fire Staff in the order indicated by the symbols downstairs. Note: The symbol with four vertical lines always represents number 4.
  3. Lining up the Rings: In the Excavation Site, turn the levers until all rings are red. Shoot the red orb.
  4. Soul Collection: Return to the Crazy Place, place the staff, and feed it souls.

The Staff of Wind (Boreas' Fury)

The Wind Staff is the easiest to build but requires precision during the upgrade phase. It functions like a portable Thundergun, blowing zombies away in a single blast.

Building the Base Staff

  • Parts: The three parts are located inside the heads of the three giant robots (Thor, Odin, and Freya).
    • Thor (Spawn/Gen 2/3): Enter through the glowing foot.
    • Odin (Middle/Gen 4/5): Enter through the glowing foot.
    • Freya (Church/Gen 6): Enter through the glowing foot.
  • The Yellow Disc: Located near Generator 5. Check the tables near the Stamin-Up machine or the crates near the entrance to the tunnel.

Upgrading to Boreas' Fury

  1. The Ceiling Puzzle: In the Wind section of the Crazy Place, you will see four concentric rings above the portal. You must shoot them to align the symbols. The correct combination is a series of horizontal and vertical bars that match the "Wind" sequence. Once aligned, they will rotate upward.
  2. The Smoking Orbs: Across the map, there are three stone spheres emitting smoke. You must shoot them with the Wind Staff to direct the smoke toward the Excavation Site.
    • Orb 1: Near Generator 4.
    • Orb 2: Near the mud path behind the Church.
    • Orb 3: Near Generator 5, just outside the barrier.
  3. Lining up the Rings: In the Excavation Site, turn the levers until all rings are yellow. Shoot the yellow orb.
  4. Soul Collection: Place the staff in the Crazy Place and collect souls.

The Staff of Lightning (Kimat's Bite)

The Lightning Staff is a high-capacity weapon great for taking out clusters of zombies quickly, though it requires good movement to use effectively at high rounds.

Building the Base Staff

  • Parts: All parts are found by jumping off the Tank while it is moving around the map.
    • Part 1: Jump to the wooden platform on the right side when moving from the Church toward Generator 2.
    • Part 2: Jump to the stone ledge near the Excavation Site when moving from Generator 2 toward the Church.
    • Part 3: Jump to the platform near Generator 5 just before the Tank returns to the Church.
  • The Purple Disc: Located near Generator 4. Common spots include the table in the wind tunnel entrance or the crates near the generator itself.

Upgrading to Kimat's Bite

  1. The Piano Riddle: In the Lightning section of the Crazy Place, you will see a series of purple triangles (keys). On the wall, there are musical notes. Shoot the triangles in the following sequences:
    • Sequence 1: Keys 1, 3, 6
    • Sequence 2: Keys 3, 5, 7
    • Sequence 3: Keys 2, 4, 6
  2. The Sparking Switches: There are seven electrical panels around the map that are sparking. You must turn the dials on these panels until the sparking stops. They must be done in a specific order, or you must find the one currently sparking.
    • Locations: Spawn (Generator 1), Generator 2 (near the tank exit), Generator 5 (Stamin-Up), Church (downstairs and upstairs), Generator 4, and the Excavation Site entrance.
  3. Lining up the Rings: In the Excavation Site, turn the levers until all rings are purple. Shoot the purple orb.
  4. Soul Collection: Place the staff in the Crazy Place and collect souls.

Strategic Deployment of the Upgraded Staffs

When managing origins upgraded staffs, team composition is key. For solo players, the Ice Staff provides the most consistent safety net. The upgraded version, Ull's Arrow, creates a blizzard that lingers, killing any zombie that enters its radius for several seconds. This is indispensable when trapped in the mud or during the later rounds when zombie health scaling makes other weapons obsolete.

In a four-player scenario, the roles should be clearly defined:

  • Ice Staff: Stays in the front or holds the most dangerous choke point.
  • Fire Staff: Focuses on Panzer Soldats and clearing paths during movement.
  • Wind Staff: Acts as the "panic button" weapon, used to clear a path if the team gets cornered.
  • Lightning Staff: Efficient for general horde thinning and protecting the rear.

The "Ultimate" Reward: Sekhmet's Vigor

Every upgraded staff gains a secondary attachment called Sekhmet's Vigor. By pressing the d-pad (or the corresponding key), you flip the staff around. Shooting a downed teammate with this beam will revive them instantly from a distance. In the chaotic environment of the Excavation Site, this is often the difference between a successful run and a Game Over screen.

Expert Tips for Efficiency

To get all origins upgraded staffs as early as possible (ideally by round 10-12), follow these efficiency tips:

  • The Snow Cycle: If it's snowing on Round 3 or 4, prioritize digging. If you miss the third part during the first snow cycle, you might have to wait until Round 10 or later, delaying your Ice Staff upgrade significantly.
  • Tank Management: Use the Tank sparingly in early rounds to save points, but ensure you have enough points to run it twice if you miss a jump for the Lightning Staff parts.
  • Zombie Blood: Use the Zombie Blood power-ups found in the reward chest or dug from the ground to safely complete the sparking switch puzzle or the church torch puzzle without being harassed by the horde.
  • The Crazy Place Limitation: Be aware that once all staffs are upgraded, the walls in the Crazy Place stop moving, making it the safest training spot on the map. However, if you are still working on upgrades, the shifting walls can easily crush you.

By following these steps, the origins upgraded staffs will be yours, granting you the power of the ancients to defy the undead curse and secure your path to the endgame.