Dark Aether Unlocks — All Rifts

How to Get:

• Complete Bad Signal (Act 4) and defeat Gorm’gant. Collect the Locked Diary from the Reward Rift.

Upgrade to Gold:

• This relic is already gold upon obtaining, no further action needed Gold Diary.

How to Get:

• Equip Brain Rot.
• Go to an Aether Nest, shoot a Cyst until it turns green, interact to collect the Pill Bottle.

Upgrade to Gold:

• Enter an Aether Rift with the Pill Bottle.
• Parachute to a green Rift in the Low Threat Zone and complete the contract for the Gold Pill Bottle.

How to Get:

• Equip Dead Wire, destroy a Harvester Orb, collect the Surveillance Camera.

Upgrade to Gold:

• Enter an Aether Rift with the Camera.
• Parachute to a gold Rift in the Medium Threat Zone; complete the contract for the Gold Camera.

How to Get:

• Get a Molotov and a Chunk of Flesh, use them at a Doghouse to spawn a hostile Hellhound.
• Kill it and collect the Dog Collar.

Upgrade to Gold:

• Enter an Aether Rift with the Collar.
• Parachute to a red Rift in the High Threat Zone; complete the contract for the Gold Collar.

• Complete the Countermeasures story mission; collect from the Reward Rift.

How to Get (Obelisk challenge):

• Activate the obelisk on the ship. Upon activation, an Insta-Kill drops nearby.
• Use melee-only (weapon or fists) to kill all spawned zombies during the event.
• After completion, a Reward Rift appears — claim the Tattered MMA Gloves (epic).

Extra context: Keep a melee weapon ready (like a strong knife) and clear space before starting. Having teammates hold or kite nearby spawns makes it safer to chain melee kills while Insta-Kill is active.

Upgrade (Season 2 process):

• Location: Gym (tile F7, Zaravan Suburbs).
• Offer the gloves in the center of the boxing ring.
• Three punching bags spawn on the right; punch each bag once left→right to set them on fire.

How to Get (Obelisk challenge):

• Activate the obelisk at tile E3.
• From this point, you must kill every zombie with headshots only.
• After completing the challenge, a Reward Rift appears — claim the Perforated Target (epic).

Extra context: Bring a precise weapon (semi-auto or single-fire helps). Avoid explosive damage, AOE field upgrades, and companions that might steal body kills. Teammates can keep distance and ping spawns so you line up clean headshots.

Upgrade:

• Location: Shooting Range (tile H8, Shahin Manor).
• Offer the key at the middle target; shoot glowing targets to spawn a unique zombie.
• Kill that zombie with a headshot.

How to Get (Obelisk challenge):

• Activate the obelisk at tile I8 to begin the challenge.
• Watch the elemental ring that appears (e.g., Fire). Take the matching Ammo Mod and kill zombies inside the area.
• When the element changes, quickly swap to the new matching Ammo Mod and continue killing.
• On completion, a Reward Rift appears — claim the Pristine Mirror (epic).

Extra context: The ring can cycle between elements (e.g., Fire → Electric → Cryo, etc.). Park near the mod stations so you can swap fast. Teammates can call out the next element and funnel zombies into the zone for you.

Upgrade:

• Location: Graveyard (tile I3).
• Offer the mirror at a grave; three zombies spawn.
• Kill each with a different Ammo Mod (mods available in a nearby lit tower).

• Complete the Union Story Mission (Season 3 Reloaded) and collect from the Reward Rift.

Obtain (unattuned):

• Farm Chunks of Flesh by destroying zombies (PAP, explosives, or ACV in Escort contracts).
• Summon a Hellhound at a Doghouse using Chunks matching zone Threat Level.
• Have the Hellhound kill a Sergeant Merc (red beret) at a Merc Camp or during Defend Ground Station/Aether Extractors.
• A Reward Rift spawns with the unattuned Laptop.

Attune (to gold):

• In Sector F5, NW of Opal Palace, find the rune triangle near the crumbling walls.
• Stand on the roof at the base of Opal Palace staircase (doorway) to align the Aetherial markings into a triangle (map ref).
• Kill zombies inside the purple ring until the sound cue; defeat the Mimic to get the Attuned Laptop.

Obtain (unattuned):

• Find an Aether Storm (purple biohazard circle; location varies). Bring a Gas Mask.
• Kill 50 zombies in the Storm (Kazmir Grenades help). Avoid the Stormcaller Disciple.
• A Reward Rift spawns with the unattuned Journal.

Attune (to gold):

• In Sector E3, near the Rift altar by Nahr Bathhouse, stand on the northeast archway facing the bridge to align the triangle (map ref).
• Kill zombies in the ring; defeat the Hellhound to get the Attuned Journal.

Obtain (unattuned):

• In Sector I7 (Zohoor Ranch), go top floor of main building; interact with the container under the bed.
• A Reward Rift spawns on the bed with the unattuned Drawing.

Attune (to gold):

• In Sector F5, Opal Palace NE destroyed wall — find the triangle at the staircase top (map ref).
• Climb, jump the gap, face the rune area to align triangle; kill zombies in the ring; defeat the Mangler for the Attuned Drawing.

Note: You can attune across multiple matches. Use Tombstone to recover Relics if you die, or carry only what you plan to attune.

• Obtained at the end of the Final Story Mission in the Reward Rift.

• Complete a race between two “Mr Peeks” using the Bloodburner (east side of T3).
• Upgrade: interact with a Meteor at F7.
• Zombies will spawn with AAT effects — use the pillars to swap to the matching AAT.

• Kill 5 Special Zombies (e.g., Mimics) with an Aether Blade.
• Upgrade: interact with a Meteor at D2.
• After teleport, with PHD Flopper equipped, dolphin dive onto the blue crate under the Nuclear Tower.

• Use the Sergeant’s Beret schematic and perform a Finishing Move on a Mercenary.
• Upgrade: interact with a Meteor at F4.
• Eliminate all HVTs that spawn.