What are Special or Elite Zombies in MW3 Zombies? – Answered

More than just a zombie

Special Zombies MW3
Image via Activision.

Many challenges in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies task you with hunting down Special or Elite Zombies within Urzikstan. Finding them can be easy if you know where to look, and I’m here to explain exactly what these enemies are.

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Special and Elite Zombies in MW3 Explained

Special Zombies include any enemies such as the Mangler, Mimic, or the Disciple. Elite Zombies are a step above Special because they have a name. But at the end of the day, they are all just more complicated versions of the standard zombies around Urzikstan. If they look more dangerous than usual, it’s probably special.

Bounty Contract MW3
Use Bounty Contracts to Find Elites (Screenshot by Prima Games)

Keep in mind that Hellhounds don’t fall into the same category. Mercenaries, standard zombies, and Hellhounds are all part of the normal enemy pool. Finding a Special enemy in the tier 1 zone can be fairly difficult without any contracts. As you get to higher levels, they start to appear all over the place.

If you’re hunting down Elite Zombies specifically, you should start the Bounty Contracts marked with a crosshair. These contracts always lead to an Elite Enemy, so you can grind out as many as you need until the challenge is done. The only downside to this is that Elites are far less common and can be much harder to kill.

Taking on the Spore or Escort Contracts is a great way to farm the Special Zombies alone. Even in Tier 1 Escort Contracts, you can usually find around six Manglers in a single run. So if you’re one of the people grinding out the Serpentinite camo, this is a great way to get the kills out of the way.

For another camo option, learn how you can unlock Bioluminescent in MW3 Zombies.

About the Author

Daniel Wenerowicz

Dan has been writing gaming guides, news, and features for three years after graduating with a BA in writing . You can find him covering Call of Duty for eternity, action-adventure games, and nearly any other major release.