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Black Ops 4 Blackout character mission unlocks explained

How to unlock bonus characters with their missions in Blackout.

Black Ops 4 Blackout character missions help you unlock new skins in the Battle Royale mode.

Character skins for many well known characters from the Black Ops franchise, Zombies and multiplayer are unavailable from the start, and require specific actions to unlock.

Update (February 20th): Added the four new characters added as part of Operation Grand Heist - Outrider, Warden, Misty and Cosmic Silverback.

How to complete Blackout character missions in Black Ops 4

As well as a personalising your own character appearance, there are multiple preset skins you can unlock. Some of them are through accruing Merits to then unlock Eschelon levels, which is Blackout's form of progression, but others require specific steps.

These steps are 'character missions', found by playing Blackout matches and are tied to items found in Supply Drops, Mystery Boxes and more.

When you find them, the character item will feature several steps required to unlock them. This can be using certain items in the match, avoiding collapse damage (the ring that closes in on the map) or finishing the match above a certain place.

You have to complete these steps within the match you found the item. If you fail, you have to find the note again in a different match and try again.

You can also loot them from other players once you've killed them - so though their sources should be your focus, they won't be the only method.

Each completed set gives you a Trophy or Achievement, if you wanted another incentive to find and complete every character mission.

Blackout character missions list in Black Ops 4

Here is every character by group, and the steps we know so far on how to unlock them. Thanks to Max_Rockwell from reddit for helping fill in some of the gaps.

Multiplayer character missions

CharacterNoneGames featuredHow to unlockSteps
Reaper
Black Ops 3Purchase the Blackout PassBlackout Pass
Battery
Black Ops 3, 4Find the 'War Machine' grenade launcher (from Supply Drops or Caches)Kill the specified number of enemies with the Annihilator
Finish with Annihilator in inventory
Firebreak
Black Ops 3, 4Find 'Burned Doll' (from Supply Drops or Caches)Kill the specified number of enemies with fire
Finish with Burned Doll in inventory
Nomad
Black Ops 3, 4Find 'Juneau's Tags' (from Supply Drops or Caches)Kill the specified number of enemies wearing Character Mission skins
Finish with Juneau's Tags in inventory
Outrider
Black Ops 3, 4Operation Grand Heist Tier 1. Outfit: Find 'Tactical Cap' (from recon or sniper spots, such as the Dam)Lifetime: Kill 25 enemies from high ground
Finish with Tactical Cap in inventory
Prophet
Black Ops 3, 4Find 'Ocular Prosthetics' (from Supply Drops or Caches)Finish the match with a win
Have the specified amount of perks active
Finish with Oscular Prosthetic in inventory
Ruin
Black Ops 3, 4Find 'Punching Mitts' (found on the tops of Lighthouse, Asylum or Construction Site)Kill an enemy in close quarter combat
Finish with Punching Mitts in inventory
Seraph
Black Ops 3, 4Find the 'Annihilator' pistol (spawns in the Firing Range)Kill the specified number of enemies with the Annihilator
Finish match within the specified position
Finish with Annihilator in inventory
Ajax
Black Ops 4Find 'Broken Armor Plating' (looted from fallen players)Scavenge three armour plates from enemies
Complete the match with those three armour plates
Crash
Black Ops 4Find 'Poker Chips' (from Medic Bags)End the match with 15 Healing Items
Finish the Match within the specified position
Finish with Poker Chips in Inventory
Recon
Black Ops 4Find 'I Ching Coins' (from Supply Drops or Caches)Avoid collapse damage
Finish the Match within the specified position
Finish Match with I Ching Coins in inventory
Torque
Black Ops 4Find 'Note from Torque' (from Supply Drops)Deploy 2 Razer Wires
Deploy a Barricade
Finish the Match within the specified position
Finish Match with Note in Inventory
Zero
Black Ops 4Black MarketUnlocked from Absolute Zero Black Market tier 1

Remember - you can also get the above items by looting them from other players. If you want to go to the source - the above locations is what you're looking for.

Blackout character missions

CharacterNoneGames featuredSourceSteps
Reznov
World at War, Black Ops 1Find 'Ushanka Hat' (at a fountain at Estates)Kill the specified number of enemies at extreme range
Finish match within the specified position
Finish with Annihilator in inventory
Mason
Black Ops 1 to 3Find 'Stained White T-Shirt' (from supply drops / caches)Play match as Reznov
Wake the Sleeper Agent (activate emergency broadcast in Array)
Finish match within the specified position
Finish with Stained White T-Shirt in inventory
HudsonBlack Ops 1 to 3Black MarketUnlocked from Operation First Strike Black Market tier 199
Woods
Black Ops 1 to 3Find 'Wood's Bandana' (at campsite east of Construction Site)"You see that Hind?" (Fly a helicopter until it unlocks)
"You can't kill me!" (Finish with Wood's Bandana in inventory)
Mendenez
Black Ops 2Find 'Locket' (in supply drops / caches)Kill an enemy with a shotgun
Kill an enemy with a melee attack
Finish the match with Locket in inventory
Ranger
Black Ops 4Earn MeritsUnlocked at Echelon level 20
Frogman
Black Ops 4Earn MeritsUnlocked at Echelon level 40
Airborne
Black Ops 4Earn MeritsUnlocked at Echelon level 60
Seal
Black Ops 4Earn MeritsUnlocked at Echelon level 80
Battle Hardened
Black Ops 4Earn MeritsUnlocked at Echelon level 80 Prestige

Operation Grand Heist is here, and so are four new Blackout character unlocks. If you're only just getting started, our Black Ops 4 Blackout tips and tricks can help, as well Mystery Box and zombie locations for useful loot and how to get Merits fast to level Eschelons. We also have a Blackout Challenges and Black Ops 4 Dark Ops list. Meanwhile, here's how to unlock Create a Class in Black Ops 4 multiplayer, and finally, the best Blackout weapons, guns and multiplayer weapon damage stats.


Zombies character missions

CharacterNoneGames featuredSourceSteps
Shadow Man
Black Ops 3, 4Purchase the Blackout PassBlackout Pass
Cosmic Silverback
Black Ops 1, 3Purchase the Blackout PassBlackout Pass
Dempsey
WWII, Black Ops 1 to 3Black MarketUnlocked from Absolute Zero Black Market tier 95
Nikolai
WWII, Black Ops 1 to 3Black MarketUnlocked from Absolute Zero Black Market tier 45
Dempsey
Black Ops 1 to 3Juggernog Bottle (found in Nuketown bunker)Kill player with grenade
Finish within specified position
Have Juggernog Bottle in inventory
Nikolai
Black Ops 1 to 3Russian Tanker Hat (use Monkey Bomb to blow up locked gate in graveyard)Finish within specified position
Have Russian Tanker Hat in inventory
Richtofen
Black Ops 1 to 3Blood Vial (with the Juggernog Bottle, Russian Tanker Hat or Letter to the Emporor in inventory, interact with blood foundain in Asylum)Finish within specified position
Finish with Blood Vial in inventory
Takeo
Black Ops 1 to 3Letter to the Emporor (interact with a typewriter in Lighthouse or Asylum)Use no equipment
Finish within specified position
Finish with Letter to the Emporor in inventory
Warden
Black OpsBlack MarketUnlocked from Operation Grand Heist tier 45
Misty
Black Ops 2, 4Black MarketSpecial Orders purchase
Bruno
Black Ops 4Mug Shot (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Down enemy with headshot
Finish match with Mug Shot in inventory
Diego
Black Ops 4Pulp Magazine (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Kill enemy with headshot
Finish match with Pulp Magazine in inventory
Scarlett
Black Ops 4Racing Goggles and Scarf (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Down enemy with a vehicle
Finish with Racing Goggles and Scarf in inventory
Shaw
Black Ops 4Alchemical Set (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Down enemies with Wraith Fire or Acid Bomb
Finish with Alchemical Set in inventory
IX Bruno
Black Ops 4Lion Pauldron (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Kill enemy with Combat Axe
Finish with Lion Pauldron in inventory
IX Diego
Black Ops 4Mayan Crest (from Ammo Boxes)Bowie Knife
Finish with Mayan Crest in inventory
IX Scarlett
Black Ops 4Steel Bracer (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Open a Supply Drop
Finish with Steel Bracer in inventory
IX Shaw
Black Ops 4Ritual Bowl (from zombie kills, Mystery Boxes or Blightfather loot)Use Specified Perks Used
Finish with Ritual Bowl in inventory
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