#Introduction In this guide I'm going to showcase about every softlock you can run into on campaign and nightmares.
If you're new to speedrunning, a softlock is a bug that causes the game to not continue which basically stops you from continuing your run. BO3 is infested with softlocks and a lot are very easy to avoid while some can seem unstoppable at times. Most are able to be reversed with the help of the resume story and some with the help of other players.
#Common softlock causes The most common cause of BO3 softlocks is AIs glitching out (in most cases, Hendricks). This is mostly from you going too fast and a door shutting on the AIs which stops them in their tracks and softlocks the game. Other times, it's from a checkpoint being skipped (from going outside of the checkpoints radius and collecting the next one) and also deleted so the AI fails to path find.
Another common cause of the BO3 softlocks is the ghost enemy glitch. This is a glitch that causes an entity to be alive without their hitbox or model being spawned in which makes it impossible to kill. When this happens the chaos cybercores will appear yellow even when the room is cleared out. The only way of reversing this type of softlock is to exit and resume story.
Not to be confused with the phantom enemy glitch, this one makes it so the enemy's hitbox and model are disconnected. So basically, an invisible enemy is able to kill you while the enemy model is disconnected from him and placed somewhere else on the ground. Thankfully, you are able to kill these enemies by shooting the invisible hitbox.
#Common softlock reversing On BO3, there is ways to reverse about any softlock. For most softlocks, there is actually multiple ways to avoid it and fix the game.
The most common way of reversing a softlock is exiting to the main menu and then hitting resume story (as long as your savegame is set to your run). This always fixes softlocks because on your save file, there is only four things that the game tracks on resume story; the scoreboard, the classes being used, the mission, and the current checkpoint. It doesn't track Hendricks's position, your position, any skipped checkpoints, etc. So when you hit resume story, it sets everything else by itself depending on what checkpoint you are on (the devs set up a script that runs for each checkpoint in the game). So in that case, you never softlock when resuming story (except on one checkpoint on Sand Castle). On any NG run where your save file is being reset, the savegame will always be set to your run so you don't have to worry about a failure on exiting and resuming story. On NG+, hit resume story and see where that takes you before starting your run. If it takes you to Black Ops, you can start your run after hitting "restart mission". If it is anywhere else then you have to complete the campaign and bring the savegame to Black Ops. If you don't decide to bring your savegame to your run, then you risk softlocking for good without reversing it on multiple occasions.
Another way of reversing a softlock is AI manipulation. There is multiple ways of doing this. The first way is going far out the map and despawning the AI, and then respawning it to a checkpoint (this is done on In Darkness and Demon Within only). Another way of manipulating an AI is pushing an them by walking into them while it is in "fight mode". There are two modes an AI can be in, animation mode and fight mode. When in animation mode, the AI is unable to be pushed at all. When the AI is in fight mode, you can push the AI wherever you want but it will tend to walk back into it's old position if you let go of them.
#Black Ops Softlock #1 (Room Trap Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Maretti Softlock): 1:18 Softlock #3 (The Dark Battle Softlock): 4:08
Room Trap Softlock Cause: Getting trapped in a room (and the door shutting)
How to avoid: Don't into the room before Hendricks opens it. Allow Hendricks to open the door first.
How to reverse: Dying/returning to previous checkpoint
The Maretti Softlock Cause: Unknown. Most likely from Maretti getting stuck on something out of the map.
How to avoid: Unknown. Try watching Maretti's spawn zone and make sure no enemies are blocking his path.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
The Dark Battle Softlock Cause: Skipping checkpoints and then going too fast
How to avoid: Collect the first checkpoint and don't go to the second half of the room to play it safe. Once the door opens and Hendricks passes through, you can go to the second half.
How to reverse: Break the glass next to the door and push Hendricks through the broken glass.
#New World Softlock #1 (The Diaz Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Train Softlock): 5:40
The Diaz Softlock Cause: The ghost enemy glitch
How to avoid: After crossing the warehouse loading zone, don't go too fast. It should take you around 7 seconds to enter the warehouse after crossing the load zone. After that, don't go to the second half of the warehouse for the first couple of seconds so the enemies can fully spawn in.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
The Train Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Stay on the train and avoid wallrunning to the left unless you are running on realistic difficulty. If you are on realistic difficulty and want to wallrun, don't go too low on the wallrun so you collect the checkpoint
How to reverse: Going back to the checkpoint and collecting it (sometimes that won't fix it which is unknown why, probably from collecting a future checkpoint and the old one gets deleted. In that case exiting and resuming story will reverse it.)
#In Darkness Softlock #1 (Docks Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (Blackstation Softlock): 6:56
The Docks Softlock Cause: Hendricks respawning on another spawn zone (not a softlock but wastes a good 2 minutes from the run)
How to avoid: On non-glitchless, exit warp (Exit Warp #2). For glitchless, clear out the entire room, especially near Hendricks's spawn zone. Sometimes there will be a ghost enemy and sometimes near his spawn zone so if that happens the softlock is inevitable.
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint and then attempting to fix it before it happens again. If there is a ghost enemy then you can't fix it. Since this isn't actually a softlock, you could just wait the 2 minutes and waste your time but that isn't an option most of the time for a top 3 run.
Blackstation Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Avoid doing the bridge skip strat on glitchless. Also avoid the bridge skip strat if you aren't doing exit warps. If you are exit warping, you can do the bridge skip because exit warping will reverse/avoid the softlock no matter what. Exit Warp #3 avoids this softlock.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one. If you exit and resume story too fast while on glitchless then the run will be moved to NG because you shouldn't be taking this route on glitchless anyways.
#Provocation Softlock #1 (Respawn Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Supertrees Softlock): 1:39 Softlock #3 (Double Softlock): 3:56
Respawn Softlock Cause: Dying too fast before the checkpoint is created
How to avoid: This could only happen on a realistic run. If you are running realistic, take cover for the first 2-4 seconds before fighting the first enemy.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
The Supertrees Softlock Cause: Going on the zipline too fast
How to avoid: Wait until Hendricks says "Kane, they're trying to burn down our exfil..." before going on the second zipline
How to reverse: Going back to the zipline to collect the checkpoint. You'll see nothing happen to the last supertree while zipline if you softlocked.
Double Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Take the bridge on your way to the fourth supertree. Avoid going to the right unless you are on realistic and if you do, take the stairs back up to recollect the checkpoint.
How to reverse: Go back to the checkpoint on the end of the fourth supertree's bridge. You'll see the last supertree not on fire at all if you softlocked so keep that in mind before going on the zipline and wasting even more time.
#Hypocenter Softlock #1 (The Gen Lab Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (Robot Lab Softlock): 3:54 Softlock #3 (Checkpoint Skip Softlock): 7:36 Softlock #4 (Hallway Softlock): 8:35 Softlock #5 (Boss Fight Softlock): 10:18 Softlock #6 (The Flood Softlock): 11:46
The Gen Lab Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Exit warping (exit warp #4 dodges this). Don't go to the right off the glass unless you are exit warping.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
Robot Lab Softlock Cause: Death warping after collecting the checkpoint after the robot lab before Hendricks lifts the door open
How to avoid: Only use this spot for exit warping. Stay away from here if you aren't exit warping.
How to reverse: Pushing Hendricks off of the edge
Checkpoint Skip Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Don't jump too high or hug the wall, stay within the checkpoints radius
How to reverse: Go back to the checkpoint
Hallway Softlock Cause: Going too fast, skipping a checkpoint before it appears
How to avoid: Walk slower on this part until the robots break out the cages. For some reason, even just sprinting and sliding is too fast.
How to reverse: Go back to the checkpoint
Boss Fight Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint before it appears
How to avoid: Don't do the jump crouch glitch out of the elevator. Don't exit the elevator until the door is halfway open.
How to reverse: Go back to the checkpoint
The Flood Softlock Cause: Going too fast. Door shutting on Hendricks which traps him in a room.
How to avoid: Avoid going too fast, watch Hendricks and clear his path. Stay slightly past Hendricks during all of this. Once he passes the hallway door you can go as fast as you want.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
#Vengeance Softlock #1 (Rescue Softlock): 0:06
Rescue Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Don't use speed burst cybercore as soon as your in the safehouse to rescue Kane. Sprint to collect the first checkpoint then you can use speed burst all you want after that.
How to reverse: Go back to the very beginning to collect the first checkpoint
#Rise & Fall Softlock #1 (Truck Softlock): 0:06
Truck Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint (and then it getting deleted)
How to avoid: While one of the players are clearing the debris, the debris will be hollow and any other player can go through it. If the player does go through it too fast then the game will softlock. Avoid doing that and just wait until the debris is fully cleared. Going too fast wouldn't save any time anyways since you are waiting for Hendricks and Kahlil.
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint
#Demon Within Softlock #1 (Rocks Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Sarah Hall Softlock): 2:44
Rocks Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: If you aren't doing the frame jump strat don't worry about this at all. If you are, wait on the edge of the rocks until the debris clears IF you are on solo. If you are on co-op, get one player to wait on the edge of the rocks while the other player can go wherever he wants (to the cutscene trigger to save time).
How to reverse: Going back to the edge of the rocks to collect the checkpoint
The Sarah Hall Softlock Cause: Not 100% known yet but it's most likely from using the speed burst as Sarah Hall is approaching the blue room
How to avoid: Don't use speed burst as Sarah Hall is reaching the end, wait until she actually comes to a full stop before using it again
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint (to have a chance of avoiding it again). If the checkpoint is too far up, then it's too late and the only way to reverse is exiting and resuming story.
#Sand Castle Softlock #1 (Comm Station Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Bullshark Softlock): 3:46 Softlock #3 (Surface Softlock): 9:18 Softlock #4 (The Talon Hardlock): 11:47 Softlock #5 (Hangar Drop Softlock): 14:20 Softlock #6 (The Hangar Softlock): 19:19 Softlock #7 (Timescale Softlock): 22:39
Comm Station Softlock Cause: Dropping down before checkpoint is created
How to avoid: Right after the game gives you the ability to drop down to the comm stations, wait 1-2 seconds before actually dropping if you are already there
How to reverse: On co-op, another friend can drop down and fix the softlock. On solo, exiting and resuming story is the only option.
The Bullshark Softlock Cause: Another player dying and not re-entering his bullshark while another player is advancing to the water cutscene
How to avoid: The players down at the comm station must re-enter their bullshark before the other player advances to the water cutscene. Which means nobody can die as well.
How to reverse: There's a chance that the game will have one player that isn't softlocked. If that's the case he can re-enter his bullshark if it spawns him outside of it. Other than that, exiting and resuming story will be the only other option.
Surface Softlock Cause: Dropping down before checkpoint is created
How to avoid: Right after the game gives you the ability to drop down to the water cutscene area, wait 1-2 seconds before actually dropping if you are already there
How to reverse: On co-op, another friend can drop down and fix the softlock. On solo, exiting and resuming story is the only option.
The Talon Hardlock Cause: Talons being alive near the water cutscene area (not sure why it does this though)
How to avoid: Kill every talon you see when you get the chance. If they happen to follow you towards the water cutscene then make it a priority to kill them.
How to reverse: There is no reversing the hardlock once it already happens. If it does happen then you need to close the game and restart it. Then you can resume story and you'll be put back to the second comm station but lose about 8 minutes from your run. If this happens on a WR attempt your run is dead.
Hangar Drop Softlock Cause: Dropping down before checkpoint is created
How to avoid: Right after skipping the cutscene, wait 1-2 seconds before actually dropping if you are already there
How to reverse: On co-op, another friend can drop down and fix the softlock. On solo, exiting and resuming story is the only option.
The Hangar Softlock Cause: Exiting and resuming story after going under the hangar OR skipping a checkpoint then dying/returning to checkpoint
How to avoid: The checkpoint does not matter if it's skipped but you can risk softlocking if you die. Try your best not to die under the hangar, there is multiple softlocks that can happen from dying here. Also, do not exit and resume story under the hangar. This is where the devs actually messed up when setting up a position for everything to spawn. So you end up spawning under the hangar even though the object is to enter it (on top of the hangar) which ends up trapping you in the room.
How to reverse: The only way to ever reverse this softlock is on co-op. You will need one player to die while the other stays alive. Then the other player will respawn above the hangar and will be able to complete the objective.
Timescale Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint then dying/returning to checkpoint
How to avoid: Try your best not to die under the hangar, there is multiple softlocks that can happen from dying here. The checkpoint does not matter if it's skipped but you can risk softlocking if you die.
How to reverse: There is no way to reverse this softlock. If you exit and resume story then The Hangar Softlock will get triggered. Your best bet is to either restart your run, or to deal with the slow motion the entire mission.
#Lotus Towers Softlock #1 (Security Station Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (Mobile Shop Softlock): 2:57 Softlock #3 (The Hell Softlock): 6:04 Softlock #4 (Skybridge Softlock): 10:45 Softlock #5 (The Elevator Softlock Softlock): 14:30 Softlock #6 (The Mothership Softlock): 16:56
Security Station Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Go off the mobile shop elevator normally and don't boost outside of it unless you are exit warping (in that case it doesn't matter if you softlock because it is reversed)
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
Mobile Shop Softlock Cause: Hendricks getting stuck onto an enemy
How to avoid: Make sure to clear all enemies so they are not in the way of Hendricks. There's a certain point in the room where Hendricks will not try to kill enemies and will try to advance and he can get stuck onto robots that way (if they are standing still). In some cases, Hendricks seems to fully disappear but that might happen from clipping through a wall or falling off the map after getting stuck on a robot.
How to reverse: If you are not in the mobile shop yet, you can kill the enemies that Hendricks is stuck on. If you are in the mobile shop, then dying/returning to checkpoint will take you outside of it, then you can kill the enemies afterwards.
The Hell Softlock Cause: Going too fast before Hendricks is past the second half of the first room
How to avoid: On non-glitchless, exit warping will always avoid this. On glitchless (or if you aren't using exit warps) then clear out Hendricks's path until he passes the first half of the room. When he does you can go as fast as you want.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
Skybridge Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Don't wallrun too high and don't skip the bottom area past the planes
How to reverse: Going all the way back to the beginning (fastest way is by dying and then turning around and getting the checkpoints again)
The Elevator Softlock Cause: Going too fast
How to avoid: You can go as fast as you want until reaching the final area. When you do wait for the elevator to make it to ground level, then you can advance to fight Taylor.
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint. If it's too late then exiting and resuming story will be the only way.
The Mothership Softlock Cause: Fully depleting all of the motherships health as it's under the left side
How to avoid: If the mothership is fully under the left side, don't kill it. You can take as much health as you want away from it as long as you don't fully kill it. Once it's back up and is finished deploying R.A.P.S you can kill it.
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint
#Life Softlock #1 (The Kane Softlock): 0:06 Softlock #2 (The Death Hardlock): 3:31
The Kane Softlock Cause: Skipping a checkpoint
How to avoid: Don't go to fast. Right after the door opens clear the robots then sprint down the hole. Don't go running straight down without clearing the robots and especially don't use the speed burst cybercore here.
How to reverse: Go back to the checkpoint and bring Kane near the elevator. After she is stuck next to the elevator you can push her in the elevator yourself and the softlock will be reversed.
The Death Hardlock Cause: Two checkpoints running at once (there's a more advanced reason to this but it's basically two checkpoints running at once and causing two wraiths with the same entity data to exist)
How to avoid: Make sure the HQ door doesn't close instantly. The door closes when all players and Kane is inside of the Coalescence HQ. If Kane teleports instantly then wait outside the HQ for like 1-2 seconds. If you are in the HQ already look at Kane's spawn zone for the first 1-2 seconds then you can look away. For advanced runners there is a way to purposely teleport her fast by intentionally frame spiking BO3. If you do FPS spike, then wait 1-2 seconds before actually starting so Kane doesn't teleport too fast
How to reverse: There is no reversing the hardlock once it already happens. But if you notice Kane teleport WAY too fast then you can exit and resume story to stop the game from getting bricked. If it does happen then you need to close the game and restart it. Then you can resume story and you'll be put back in the Coalescence HQ but lose about 5-6 minutes from your run. If this happens on a WR attempt your run is dead.
#Nightmares Exclusive Softlocks SAND CASTLE; Softlock #1 (The Sniper Softlock): 0:06 IN DARKNESS; Softlock #2 (Invincible Softlock): 3:32 IN DARKNESS; Softlock #3 (The Armored Hardlock): 6:20
These softlocks are only exclusive for Nightmares. Just a disclaimer: every campaign softlock exists on nightmares since this gamemode is practically a duplicate of campaign with some changes. On top of that, there are a few softlocks that are only bound to happen on this gamemode. These nightmares exclusive softlocks will not happen on the campaign mode.
The Sniper Softlock Sand Castle Cause: Skipping the cutscene where Maretti dies. The devs messed up on what should happen when skipping that cutscene on Nightmares so there's a chance that you will softlock.
How to avoid: Do not skip the cutscene where Maretti dies. They will be removed from loads on all Nightmares times.
How to reverse: Exiting and resuming story, no other way to reverse this one
Invincible Softlock In Darkness Cause: Leaving the truck enemies alive before killing the armored zombie. Killing the armored zombie despawns half of the enemies in the alley before spawning new ones and it can sometimes give a truck enemy negative health and keep it alive.
How to avoid: Clear all human enemies (on the trucks) before killing the armored zombie
How to reverse: Dying/returning to checkpoint
The Armored Hardlock In Darkness Cause: Killing the armored zombie too early. It will be killing multiple zombies as they are spawning and as the game spawns new zombies later on, it will crash the game (entity overlap terminal script error).
How to avoid: Wait atleast 8 seconds before killing the armored zombie. You can multi-task with this and dodge both softlocks by killing the truck enemies before going after the armored zombie. This will give you the time you need to avoid both softlocks.
How to reverse: This is a hardlock so there is no way of reversing this one at all. When this does happen and you still want to finish your run you can close BO3 and reload it, then resume story which will waste a huge amount of time but you will still get to finish your run.
#Final If there is any softlocks that you have found and they are not on here message me (@Ndt) on the CoD discord https://discord.gg/fQaYqvF
