How to Open Dark Aether Rifts - Call of Duty: MW3 Guide - IGN (2024)

To enter the Dark Aether Rift, you must collect a series of key items while playing Zombies in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. This guide details everything you need to know about opening the Dark Aether Rift in MW3 Zombies, including how to find all required items, defeating the Mega Abomination, and even tips for farming Sigils.

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• Why Should I Go To The Dark Aether
• Why Should I Gather All These Items
• How To Get The Locked Diary
• How To Get The Pill Bottle
• How To Get The Surveillance Camera
• How To Get The Dog Collar
• How to Open Dark Aether Rifts
• How To Farm Sigils

Why Should I Go To The Dark Aether

You should take the time to travel to the Dark Aether because this is the only place you can obtain the Classified schematics.

Why Should I Gather All These Items

You should get all of the items mentioned below because once you've completed the final step, you'll be rewarded with a Sigil. Without a Sigil, you can't use the portal to enter the Dark Aether found at F6.

How To Get The Locked Diary

To get the Locked Diary, you must complete the Bad Signals, the story mission in Act 4. To learn more about completing Act 4, check out our guide detailing everything you need to know!

How To Get The Pill Bottle

You'll first equip the Brain Rot Ammo mod to get the Pill Bottle. If you don't have the Schematic to craft this mod, here are some ways to obtain it.

Find and Loot Aether Caches

Brain Rot Ammo is known to spawn inside Aether Caches, which are found inside Infested Strongholds. While not marked on the map, you can find Infested Strongholds by looking for buildings that feature gas bellowing from their entrance. Before entering, you will need to find and equip a Gas Mask, typically found quite commonly across the map.

Do note that everything that spawns inside Aether Caches is completely random. So it might take you a while before you find one.

Purchase Brain Rot Ammo at Elemental Pop Stations

Another way to obtain Brain Rot Ammo is by visiting the Elemental Pop Stations that can be found all throughout the map. Below is a picture of what they look like.

It's also worth mentioning that Elemental Pop Stations cost 2,000 points to use and will spawn random loot. So you might get lucky and get Brain Rot Ammo right away, or you might have to spend a lot of points.

Now that you've got the right mod, you'll need to find an Aether Nest and shoot a cyst once. After that, a prompt will appear that'll let you open it up.

Once it's open, you'll be able to pick up the Pill Bottle.

Now that you've picked up the Pill Bottle, you'll need to find an Aether Tear. If you're having a hard time finding one, they usually spawn at the exit locations for each portal. Below is a picture of where all the exists can be found.

While you're in the air, you should see a green rift that you'll need to go through.

When you get to the other side, follow the mist and accept the bounty contract.

Since this contract will be in the normal color zone, we recommend that you have the following items:

• 3 Plate Vest
• At least one level 1 Pack A Punch Gun
• Decoy Grenade

When you get to the contract, you'll be tasked with killing a small group of Mimics. We recommend you shoot from a distance and avoid letting them get close to you for this fight. The key to winning is not to stop moving. So make sure there's a lot of room to run around and avoid their blast attacks.

Once you kill them, a reward rift will appear, and inside, you'll be able to get the Gold Pill Bottle.

If you're running low on time, collect the item and exfil with it because you can stow this away in your inventory and keep it safe.

How To Get The Surveillance Camera

To find the Surveillance Camera, you'll need to have the Dead Wire Ammo Mod equipped. If you don't have the Schematic to craft this mod, here are some ways to obtain it.

Find and Loot Aether Caches

Dead Wire Ammo is known to spawn inside Aether Caches, which are found inside Infested Strongholds. While not marked on the map, you can find Infested Strongholds by looking for buildings that feature gas bellowing from their entrance. Before entering, you will need to find and equip a Gas Mask, typically found quite commonly across the map.

Do note that everything that spawns inside Aether Caches is completely random. So it might take you a while before you find one.

Purchase Dead Wire Ammo at Elemental Pop Stations

Another way to obtain Dead Wire Ammo is by visiting the Elemental Pop Stations that can be found all throughout the map. Below is a picture of what they look like.

It's also worth mentioning that Elemental Pop Stations cost 2,000 points to use and will spawn random loot. So you might get lucky and get Dead Wire Ammo right away, or you might have to spend a lot of points.

Now that you have the mod, you'll need to find a Harvester Orb.

How to Find Harvester Orbs in Zombies

Harvester Orbs spawn randomly throughout the map and can be found nearly anywhere. But they tend to spawn in the normal color zones and can often be found in places with open plains. If you are close enough to one, they'll also appear on the map, and an icon will appear. Below is a picture of the Harvester Orbs icon.

Once you find the orb, you'll need to begin shooting it with the weapon that has the Dead Wire mod. The second you shoot it, the orb will turn gold.

Make sure it doesn't disappear. The second you destroy a Surveillance Camera, it will drop.

Once you pick it up, you'll need to look for an Aether Tear; if you're having a hard time finding one, they usually spawn at the exit locations for each portal. Below is a picture of where all the exists can be found.

As you're flying through the air, you'll want to look for an orange Aether Tear in the sky and go through it.

After that, follow the mist and accept the bounty contract.

The bounty will task you with killing a small group of disciples. For this, we recommend you have the following items:

• At least a level 2 Pack A Punch gun
• Self Revive (Have at least 2)
• Jugger-Nog (perk)
• Quick Revive (perk)
• Speed Cola (perk)
• 3 Plate Vest
• Decoy Grenade
• Wunderwaffle

How To Kill Disciples

To kill a Disciple, you'll want to fight them from a distance and take out the surrounding zombies around them. Killing the zombies around the Disciple will make it more defenseless and prevent it from draining and buffing their health.

You'll need to act fast after that because once you kill all the zombies, it'll summon more within a minute or two. And if the Disciple gets close enough to you, it'll begin to drain your health, and if that happens, shoot the hand that's taking your health to stop the process.

While fighting the Disciple, you'll want to repeatedly shoot it in the head because that's the weak spot. As long as you keep your distance and take out his buffed zombies, you'll kill it in no time.

After you kill the Disciple, you'll be able to collect a gold Surveillance Camera from a reward rift.

If you're running low on time, collect the item and exfil with it because you can stow this away in your inventory and keep it safe.

How To Get The Dog Collar

You'll first need to load into the game with either a Thermite Grenade or a Molotov to get the Dog Collar. Once you've spawned in, you'll need to find a Doghouse.

Everything spawns randomly in Zombies Mode. Doghouses are no different, but they're known to spawn in specific areas. It's important to mention that just because a doghouse spawns in a specific area in one game doesn't mean it'll be there for the next one. Listed below are some of the known locations where you may find a doghouse.

When you get to the Doghouse, you'll need to place the Thermite Grenade or a Molotov inside.

After that, a dog will come out of the house, and you'll need to kill it. Once you've killed the dog, it'll drop the Dog collar.

As soon as you've picked up the Dog collar, you'll then need to find an Aether Tear; if you're having a hard time finding one, they usually spawn at the exit locations for each portal. Below is a picture of where all the exists can be found.

When you enter the portal, you'll want to deploy your Parachute and look for the Red Rift in the sky then enter it.

This will take you to the Red Zone, and you'll see a purple marker that'll take you to a bounty contract.

Since you're in the Red Zone, this means the bounty will be tougher. We recommend you have the following items:

• At least one level 3 Pack A Punch Gun
• Self Revive
• Jugger-Nog (perk)
• Quick Revive (perk)
• Speed Cola (perk)
• Juggernaut
• Precision Airstrikes
• 3 Plate Vest
• Decoy Grenade
• Wunderwaffle

You'll be tasked with killing a small group of Manglers for this bounty. To make things easier for yourself, you'll want to call in your Juggernaut before you start fighting them. Following that, you'll want to ensure you inflict as much damage as possible to them before the Juggernaut suit goes away.

On the off chance that you don't kill them, use the Precision Airstrikes to try and finish the job.

Once you've killed them, a reward rift will spawn, and inside, you'll be able to collect the Gold Dog Collar.

If you're running low on time, collect the item and exfil with it because you can stow this away in your inventory and keep it safe.

How to Open Dark Aether Rifts

Now that you've collected all of the gold items, you're ready to enter the Dark Aether. But before you do so, we recommend you have the following items first:

• At least one level 3 Pack A Punch Gun
• Self Revive (Have at least 2)
• Jugger-Nog (perk)
• Quick Revive (perk)
• Speed Cola (perk)
• Juggernaut
• Precision Airstrikes
• 3 Plate Vest
• Decoy Grenade
• Wunderwaffle
• Sentry Turret

After you've geared up, you'll need to head to the Dark Aether Rift, which can be found at F6 on a small island in the Red Zone.

When you get there, make sure to place all the items in the correct Pedestal. Below is a chart of where you'll need to place each item.

The second you place these items on the Pedestal, they'll be gone. If you want to get them again, you'll have to repeat the entire process. But it's also worth mentioning that everyone in your party will receive a Sigil for defeating the boss.

Before you place all the items on the pedestals, make sure you place the turrets you have near the portal and have your Juggernaut ready.

As soon as you place all of them, a Mega Abomination will appear with hordes of normal zombies, so be ready for a fight.

The Abomination will rotate between the following attacks:

• Charge
• Tail Hit (Usually followed up after a charge)
• Shoots Beams

Once the Abomination walks through the portal, you'll want to inflict as much damage to it with your Juggernaut before it goes away. To ensure you're doing as much damage as possible when its mouth begins to glow, shoot it. If you've done enough damage to the Megabomb, its head will explode, and it'll lose a lot of health.

If you find yourself getting overrun by zombies, make sure to throw a Decoy Grenade to get them away from you. Or shoot them with the Wunderwaffle to kill as many as possible. While you're fighting the Mega Abomination, you'll want to keep moving. Keep running around the portal until it's dead because it'll only take a second for all the zombies to swarm you.

If you want to ensure you or your teammates don't go down during the fight, make sure to use your Juggernaut and have the Mega Abomination focus its attacks on you. Try to inflict as much damage to it as possible. But the second the Juggernaut goes away, start running again.

After you kill the Abomination, a Reward Rift will appear, and inside, you'll be able to collect the Sigil. This can be used to open the portal and enter the Dark Aether.

To use the Sigil, you'll need to go to the left-hand side from where the Mega Abomination walked through. You'll see a spot where you can place it when you get there.

Before entering the portal, gear up because all of the zombies inside will now be level 4. Once you enter the portal, you'll have the chance to unlock Classified items.

How To Farm Sigils

It is possible to skip the entire process mentioned above and farm Sigils. In order to farm Sigils, you'll need to complete contracts in the Red Zone. Even though reward rift items are completely random, the odds of you finding one inside are incredibly high. So, if you complete just a few contracts in the Red Zone, you're bound to come across one almost immediately.