The Necropincer is Totenreich's nastiest surprise. Armed with a trident and a claw, this Special Enemy hits hard and spawns alongside full zombie hordes, which means it can overwhelm you fast if you don't know what you're dealing with. The good news: there's a specific Ammo Mod that shuts it down completely, and once you know the setup, the Necropincer stops being a threat entirely. Here's everything you need to handle it in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
When does the Necropincer first appear?
The Necropincer begins spawning from Round 13 onward. That gives you a solid window to prepare your loadout before the first one shows up. Don't wait until Round 12 to sort out your Ammo Mod setup.
Black Ops 7 Zombies Totenreich Guide: How to Beat the Necropincer
What is the Necropincer's elemental weakness?
Dead Wire is the Necropincer's elemental weakness. This is the only Ammo Mod you should be running when this enemy is on the field. Other mods won't produce the same results, and given how aggressively the Necropincer moves, you need every advantage the elemental weakness provides.
Dead Wire stuns the Necropincer and any surrounding zombies, which is the key to keeping the situation manageable. Without the stun, you're dealing with a brawler enemy plus a full horde at the same time.
Do not swap off Dead Wire mid-round when a Necropincer is active. The stun effect is what keeps the surrounding horde from overwhelming you simultaneously.
What are the best Dead Wire Augments to use against the Necropincer?
Not all Dead Wire Augments are equal here. After testing combinations on Totenreich, the following setup is the one that makes the Necropincer the least threatening enemy on the map:
Dead Wire Augment loadout setup
Chain Lightning is the priority pick. When the Necropincer spawns, it rarely comes alone. Chain Lightning ensures the surrounding zombies get caught in the stun spread, stopping the horde from piling on while you focus fire on the Necropincer itself.
Extension and Aftershock work together to stretch that stun window out. With both running, zombies stay locked down long enough for you to break the Necropincer's shield and push damage onto its head.
How do you break the Necropincer's shield?
The Necropincer carries a shield that blocks incoming damage until you destroy it. Aim directly at the center of the shield to break it. Once the shield is gone, the Necropincer is fully exposed and you can target its head for critical hit damage.
High-DPS weapons are the correct choice here for two reasons: they destroy the shield faster, and they deal the sustained fire needed to land consistent headshots once the shield is down.
Black Ops 7 Zombies Totenreich Guide: How to Beat the Necropincer
Best weapon types for killing the Necropincer
The source testing confirms two weapon categories perform best against this enemy:
- Assault Rifles: Strong DPS, manageable recoil for targeting the shield center and head
- SMGs: High fire rate, excellent for sustained pressure on the Necropincer's critical hit spots
Both classes handle the shield destruction and headshot follow-up well. Avoid slow-firing weapons like Sniper Rifles or LMGs for this encounter since the Necropincer's aggression rewards fast, sustained fire over single high-damage shots.
For more on surviving Totenreich's tougher challenges, check out the full guide on how to get the Jotunn Star Wonder Weapon and the step-by-step walkthrough for all Totenreich Relics.
The Necropincer is one of several Special and Elite Enemies in Black Ops 7 Zombies, each with their own elemental weaknesses. The same Ammo Mod approach applies to the Zursa, Uber Klaus, Shock Mimic, and Rad Hound as well.
For more on navigating Totenreich's secrets and surviving deep rounds in Black Ops 7's Zombies mode, the complete Black Ops 7 Zombies guide covers everything from perk locations to wonder weapon unlocks. You can also browse the full Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 guides collection for every strategy you need across multiplayer and Zombies.