Tombstone Soda: A Deep Dive into Black Ops 2’s Risky Perk
Tombstone Soda is a unique and somewhat controversial Perk-a-Cola in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Zombies. Costing 2000 points, its primary function is to provide players with a chance to recover their lost perks and weapons after death, but with a significant caveat. When a player with Tombstone Soda is downed, they are given a prompt to “Don’t feed me to the Zombies,” and can choose to commit suicide by pressing the action button. This action results in a Tombstone Power-Up spawning in their place. This tombstone, when collected at the start of the next round, grants the player all the perks they had upon death except for Tombstone itself and the weapon they were holding. The key here is that the Tombstone is not a free revive, but a way to recover from a mistake by paying a price in the current round.
Understanding the Mechanics of Tombstone
The concept of Tombstone is built around a trade-off. You sacrifice the current round, which can be a major setback, in exchange for a powerful advantage the next round. The process is quite specific:
- Downed: When a player with Tombstone Soda is downed, they don’t immediately die. Instead, they are given a choice.
- Suicide: The player can choose to commit suicide, which instantly kills them and creates the Tombstone Power-Up at their location.
- Tombstone Spawn: This tombstone will remain at that location until the start of the next round, or if it despawns due to time constraints.
- Collection: At the start of the next round, the player can return to the Tombstone and interact with it.
- Reclamation: Upon collection, all of the player’s perks (except Tombstone) and weapons (except the weapon they died with) are instantly restored.
It’s critical to understand that the Tombstone has a time limit. If not retrieved within approximately 90 seconds after the player respawns, it will disappear. This time limit adds another layer of risk and strategy to the use of this perk. Furthermore, if you are revived by a teammate while you have Tombstone, you will lose all your perks, including Tombstone, and you will only keep your weapons.
Why Use Tombstone?
Given its drawbacks, the question arises: why bother with Tombstone? Here are some reasons players might choose this perk:
- Perk Preservation: In high-round scenarios, losing all of your perks can be devastating. Tombstone allows you to quickly bounce back from a mistake, maintaining your enhanced abilities.
- Strategic Recovery: While it might be a setback in the current round, planning a strategic suicide in a safe area can be better than a messy revival that leads to more downs.
- Experimentation: Players might use Tombstone as a backup while trying to learn a map, experiment with a new strategy, or test the limits of certain areas.
- The Risk-Reward Element: For some players, the risk of losing the current round and the need for calculated placement of a tombstone adds another layer of complexity and strategy to the game.
However, it’s worth noting that Tombstone is generally not considered one of the best perks in Black Ops 2 due to the heavy cost of losing the current round, and the time constraint of the tombstone.
Is Tombstone Worth It?
The value of Tombstone is highly subjective and depends on the player’s skill, play style, and the specific situation. For casual players, the risk and required level of coordination to utilise the perk may outweigh its benefits. However, for skilled players, particularly those seeking high rounds on difficult maps, Tombstone can be a strategic tool to avoid losing all progress due to a single mistake. Players who play solo will see the biggest use out of tombstone as a means to revive yourself with all your perks the next round instead of ending the game.
Ultimately, whether Tombstone is worth it depends on the player’s risk tolerance and strategic thinking in each specific match.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the cost of Tombstone Soda in Black Ops 2 Zombies?
Tombstone Soda costs 2000 points each time it is purchased from the machine.
Does Tombstone save the weapon you died with?
No, Tombstone does not save the weapon you died with. It will save all other weapons, but not the one you were holding when you were downed.
Does the Tombstone ever disappear?
Yes, the Tombstone will disappear if not collected within approximately 90 seconds after the player respawns.
Can you use Tombstone to get back all of your perks if you’re revived by a teammate?
No, if a teammate revives you while you have Tombstone, you lose all of your perks, including Tombstone itself, and you will only keep your weapons.
Where can you find the Tombstone Soda machine?
Tombstone is available on most Black Ops 2 Zombies maps, but its location can vary from map to map. It typically spawns at a set point on each map.
If you die and create the tombstone, can you use it to recover the current round?
No, the Tombstone is only accessible at the start of the following round, you can not use it to instantly revive yourself in the current round.
Does Tombstone save your special equipment, like grenades?
Yes, the tombstone will restore your special equipment, like grenades, as long as the player had them before being downed.
Can other players use your tombstone?
No, the tombstone is only for the player who created it by committing suicide, other players will not be able to use it, even if it is in the same location.
Is Tombstone Soda considered one of the best perks in Black Ops 2?
While it can be useful, Tombstone Soda is generally not considered one of the best perks in Black Ops 2 due to its drawbacks and the risk it involves.
Can you have more than one Tombstone at the same time?
No, you cannot have more than one Tombstone at the same time. If you are downed while already having a tombstone out, the older one will disappear and be replaced by the new one.
Does the order of your perks matter with Tombstone?
No, the order of perks does not matter, the tombstone will restore them in the same way you had them before your suicide.
Is Tombstone Soda available in all Zombies maps of Black Ops 2?
While it is featured in most maps, Tombstone may not be available in all Black Ops 2 Zombies maps. Check which specific maps Tombstone is available in before a match.
What happens if a player suicides too close to another player?
If a player suicides too close to another player, that player will be knocked back and might be injured by the explosion.
Is there a specific strategy recommended to use Tombstone Soda properly?
Yes, use Tombstone Soda in a safe area, as the time limit of the tombstone means you are vulnerable during the next round. A proper strategy requires knowing when to die and where to ensure the next round isn’t impacted too much.
Does Tombstone work in all Zombies modes in Black Ops 2?
Yes, Tombstone works in all the standard Zombies mode in Black Ops 2, and not in other zombie variants of the game such as Tranzit.