XERO BlackCell Challenges: DMZ Points and Rewards
In DMZ, every kill on an AI enemy or an Operator is worth 2 points toward the 3,000 that unlock XERO's Cowled skin, so 1,500 kills from zero. Every successful exfil is worth 20 toward the 100 for the Adder skin: 5 exfils. Only Season 1 BlackCell owners can earn them.
Last updated Game version: Season 1 (November 5, 2026)
Quick answer
- Cowled + Occultus
- 3,000 points; 1,500 DMZ kills
- Adder + Exitium
- 100 points; 5 DMZ exfils
- Who
- Season 1 BlackCell owners
- Exfils not counting
- Fixed in the November 6, 2026 update
How many points each mode gives
Both challenges count points, and all three modes add to the same total. The number in brackets is how many you need if that mode is the only one you play.
| Mode | Cowled (3,000) | Adder (100) |
|---|---|---|
| DMZ | 2 per kill (enemy or Operator) (1,500 kills) | 20 per successful exfil (5 exfils) |
| Multiplayer | 5 per kill (600 kills) | 10 per match win (10 wins) |
| Warzone | 15 per kill (200 kills) | 10 per 5 kills without dying (10 runs of 5 kills) |
The DMZ kill counts AI soldiers as well as Operators, so you never have to take on another squad for it: the more soldiers an area sends, the faster it goes, and our threat level guide shows what each level sends after you. For the Adder skin, only an exfil you complete adds points. 5 completed exfils are enough, and our Hajin map marks where the exfils are.
Each challenge pays an Operator skin for XERO and a variant of his Perimeter Lance M4 blueprint: Cowled with Occultus, and Adder with Exitium. XERO himself comes with BlackCell, and you can follow both counters in the game.
When progress did not count
Activision's Season 1 patch notes fixed three BlackCell challenges after launch:
- November 6, 2026: Successful exfils now count toward the Adder skin and the Exitium blueprint.
- November 7, 2026: The LMG camo task, 5 kills without reloading 10 times, tracks again.
- November 10, 2026: Headshots count toward the Sniper Rifle camo again.
BlackCell camo challenges in DMZ
BlackCell also opens six weapon camos. Five belong to a weapon class: do the task with any weapon of that class and the camo is yours for every weapon. Each one has a DMZ, a Multiplayer and a Warzone task:
| Camo | DMZ | Multiplayer / Warzone |
|---|---|---|
| InfiltratorAssault Rifles | Get 20 triple kills | Get 10 double kills / Get 25 kills with ground loot |
| Cell OpsSMGs | Get 200 kills | Get 20 point-blank kills / Get 10 hipfire kills |
| Gold TigerSniper Rifles | Get 100 headshot kills | Get 3 kills without dying 5 times / Get 10 headshot kills |
| WhirlpoolLMGs | Get 5 kills without reloading 10 times | Get 30 longshot kills / Get 2 kills without dying 10 times |
| InterceptMelee | Get 50 kills while undetected | Get 3 kills in a single match 3 times / Get 5 eliminations while in the top 10 |
The sixth, Spinal Verge, waits until all five are done. Its own task in DMZ: exfil with over 150 kills 5 times. In Multiplayer it is place 1st on the scoreboard 3 times, and in Warzone get 2 kills within 10 seconds 10 times.
What else BlackCell gives you in DMZ
- An Advanced Triage Kit as soon as you buy it.
- A daily reward, such as Rigid Synthetics, at the BlackCell Bunker entrance in the FOB. It does not pile up: a reward you leave is gone when the next day's arrives.
- A Weapon Manual for each BlackCell blueprint you earn in the Battle Pass, so you can build its base weapon in the DMZ Gunsmith.
- More weapons and gear to buy for DMZ Cash at the FOB vendors.
Questions
How many DMZ kills do you need for the Cowled skin?
1,500 from zero. The Kills challenge wants 3,000 points and a DMZ kill is worth 2, whether it is an AI enemy or another Operator. Kills in Multiplayer (5 points) and Warzone (15) go toward the same 3,000, and finishing it also unlocks the Occultus M4 blueprint.
How many exfils do you need for the Adder skin?
5 successful exfils. Each one gives 20 of the 100 points the Victories challenge asks for, and the same challenge unlocks the Exitium M4 blueprint.
Why did my exfils not count toward Adder?
Exfils did not count until the November 6, 2026 update, which fixed it. Since then every successful exfil adds 20 points.
Who can do the XERO challenges?
Season 1 BlackCell owners. Buying BlackCell gives you XERO straight away; the two challenges add his Cowled and Adder skins.
What is the DMZ challenge for the Spinal Verge camo?
Exfil with over 150 kills 5 times. It opens once you have all five weapon class camos from the BlackCell camo track.
Official sources
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