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Each one kills differently from the last and can be used in varying ways. The addition of mods and upgrades makes them even more dynamic. However, sometimes it does just feel good to shotgun a demon in the face. Here are the best weapons of Doom Eternal.
Updated December 30, 2022, by Stephen LaGioia: id Software’s iconic Doom franchise continues plowing ahead with this renowned latest entry, thanks to some thrilling run-and-gun gameplay and gruesomely detailed visuals. This popularity has been spurred by the DLC package, The Ancient Gods, which hits players with new challenges and tougher foes to tangle with. As such, it seemed like a good idea to revise and reinforce this list of Doom Eternal’s best weapons for handling the onslaught of monsters.
15 Blood Punch
It can be truly satisfying getting one’s hands dirty in Doom Eternal with some up-close-and-personal melee attacks. But while the default melee strike is rather tame in terms of damage, the more impactful Blood Punch ups the ante, allowing players to wipe out at least smaller foes with a single strike. At the same time, this juiced-up melee move will also inflict loads of damage to larger, more powerful baddies, faltering them in the process.
On top of this, the move inflicts an area-of-effect (AoE) circle that even hits targets in the outer perimeter with a shockwave which can still delete Fodder enemies. There is a catch—the move must be charged by executing Glory Kills on foes. It also can’t be unlocked until players are in the thick of level two, Exultia. But this powerhouse melee move is worth aiming for.
14 Flame Belch
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One wouldn’t expect a side-arm weapon to be too impactful—but this can really turn up the heat under the right circumstances. True to its name, the weapon belches flames that can decimate vulnerable foes in its path. While on the weaker side to be sure, the Flame Belch is useful in its ability to quickly whittle down several targets at once.
It’s great for crowd control, but it also helps in collecting armor shards, which are loosed by flaming enemies. In a sense, this is more of a strategic or survivor weapon than a sheer offensive one, but it certainly has its uses. Coupling this with a finishing blow from a Super shotgun, for instance, will yield more armor. The Flame Belch is obtained after completing the Hell on Earth stage in the Fortress of Doom.
12 Combat Shotgun
The combat shotgun is the first weapon the Doom Slayer starts out with. It is a solid weapon to start out with as it does a decent amount of damage on the smaller foes players will face early on. Unfortunately, the combat shotgun becomes less desirable later on in the game.
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That doesn’t mean it becomes less effective. Players should choose the sticky bomb mod first. The sticky bomb mod is great against demons such as the Revenant and Arachnotron.
11 Heavy Cannon
The heavy cannon is just like an assault rifle. It puts out solid damage in its standard form, but the mods are where this beauty really shines. Adding micro missiles proves very useful given their impact in battle. According to measurements and averages logged by this Redditor, the Heavy Cannon also dishes out roughly 60 damage, which nearly triples when landing headshots with the weapon. Micro missiles are a great choice when it comes to pumping out loads of damage in a short amount of time. The related speed on the micro missiles is not that long either.
However, players will probably find themselves using the precision bolt more to target weak spots on demons. While this mod has since been nerfed (made slower and more imprecise) somewhat following Update 6, it’s still a force to be reckoned with and bumps up the strength of this weapon quite a bit. Those who maintain their distance and take the extra time to aim and fire at foes can still deal lots of damage with high-powered rounds.
10 Plasma Rifle
The classic, redesigned plasma rifle is an important weapon in the game because of a handful of specific demons that are vulnerable to it. The Doom Hunter, Carcass, and Shield Soldiers have energy shields that can be overheated with the weapon.
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A mod called heat blast is an excellent option for players when they are backed up into a corner. The heat mod will store the heat collected from firing, and then it can be dispersed by a short-range blast.
9 Unmaykr
This fun Doom 64 throwback comes laced with some hefty damage and a relatively swift fire rate. Some fans have been deterred due to its steep price of admission and rare, limited ammo (sharing only with the BFG-9000). Still, it’s tough to deny the sheer offensive output of this beast — and those who opt to knock out the six Slayer Gate challenges are in for a good time here.
The Unmaykr is also respectable when it comes to ammo consumption, taking only a small fraction of the BFG’s gluttonous 30-per-shot. It can be obtained in the Fortress of Doom after knocking out the aforementioned challenges.
8 Chaingun
If the goal is mowing down a number of small enemies or taking down a particularly tough, massive foe, then the chaingun is the weapon to do it. This fan-favorite throwback holds a lot of ammunition and can pump out a lot of damage very quickly.
The chaingun’s mobile turret mod is perfect against bosses who need a lot of ammo. It is important to note that the chaingun shares ammo with the heavy cannon, so jump between them wisely. On the other hand, players can use the shield mod to protect themselves from incoming projectiles for a short time while mowing down demons.
7 Ballista
The ballista is one of the more underrated weapons in Doom Eternal. Its slow rate of fire is not great in a giant firefight, but its damage is significant. The ballista deals extra damage to flying demons but still packs a punch against others as well.
The ballista has two mods: arbalest and destroyer blade. Destroyer blade is a horizontally wide shot perfect against many smaller enemies. It can wipe them out in a second while the arbalest mod shoots a sticky projectile that explodes a few seconds after. This massive weapon can be collected in the Fortress of Doom upon finishing Doom Hunter Base (offered as a mission objective).
6 Super Shotgun
While the combat shotgun is a solid weapon, the super shotgun is its more potent cousin. In fact, the weapon has been measured to dish out a whopping 1,600 damage on average, which even trounces, say, the Rocket Launcher’s 900. This time, Doom Eternal has a simple, yet excellent modification to the weapon as well.
The super shotgun is now equipped with a meat hook. Capable of hooking enemies and reeling Doom Slayer closer to the demon, the meat hook is an excellent weapon in Doom Eternal, which allows players to get the most out of this close-range boomstick. Plus, the fact that the Doom Slayer uses a demon to retrieve it makes it so much cooler. It lacks additional mods and isn’t nearly as effective from range, but it’s a force to be reckoned with up close and personal.
5 Rocket Launcher
Rocket launchers are usually powerful in shooters worth their salt, and the Doom Eternal version is no different. Doom Eternal’s rocket launcher is just like Doom 2016’s version other than it having a new design. It is just as powerful as its predecessor.
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The two mods for the rocket launcher, remote detonation, and lock-on burst, have not changed. The most effective and efficient mod of the rocket launcher is the lock-on burst. Players will find the lock-on burst mod to be helpful in a specific boss battle.
4 Chainsaw
The chainsaw is one of the most iconic weapons from the Doom franchise. It provides a satisfying roar as it cuts through the flesh of grotesque demons. The chainsaw is a classic and is certainly more beneficial than just cutting demons up in a cool way.
Chainsaw gas is abundant in Doom Eternal and offers players a choice to gather ammo. Chainsawing an enemy will make them spew ammunition of all types, which can be beneficial in a boss battle or a massive firefight. It will also automatically refill one gallon upon being fully depleted (holding three gallons). The weapon cuts through Fodders and Tentacles like a knife through butter, taking a single strike—while even Heavies only take three slices to cut down the monsters.
3 BFG 9000
The BFG 9000 is the perfect name for a weapon that can decimate demons in a split second. The BFG 9000 is derived from the BFG 10,000, a large cannon on Phobos. The smaller version is not less powerful, however. This beast can annihilate large crowds of powerful foes in one fell swoop.
A single BFG 9000 shot can clear a room of demons or provide a plethora of damage to a boss. The shot does not require a direct hit as its energy can reach enemies from varying distances. This weapon is truly a “big f***ing gun.” The weapon is collected as part of Mission 7: Mars Core.
2 The Crucible
The crucible was introduced in Doom 2016 but was never used within gameplay. Doom Eternal provides the Doom Slayer with his very own crucible weapon, and it’s a mighty sword. It is a plot device in the first game, but Doom Eternal cranks it up a notch.
Trailers for Doom Eternal have given glimpses of this weapon, but they do not start to describe its capabilities. In order to use it, players need to find red sword pickups. Up to three can be held at a time. Upon use, the sword can kill any common enemy in the game other than the marauder, one of the most difficult enemies in Doom Eternal.
1 Sentinel Hammer
One wouldn’t have imagined a weapon besting the melee monster that is The Crucible, but this new addition manages to pound it into oblivion. This weapon of the gods (specifically The Ancient Gods - Part Two DLC), would even make Thor quake in his boots, with its insane raw power and stunning shockwaves. Those who aren’t instantly deleted in its vicinity will usually find themselves slowed or hobbled to the point of near-certain doom.
Not only is this warhammer mighty, but it’s also quite versatile. It renders its targets vulnerable, covers ample ground, and recharges from hitting weak points or notching Glory Kills.
Doom Eternal is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
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