Let’s take a look at all the possible weapons you can find in Doom: The Dark Ages. In this article, we’ll break down which chapter each weapon is found in. I’ll explain in detail what improvements they offer, which quests you need to complete to get skins, and when it’s best to use these weapons in the game. Before you start reading, I recommend watching a video on this topic.

Sheld Saw in Doom: The Dark Ages

First, let’s talk about the Sheld Saw. This wasn’t in previous Doom games, so it’s important to understand what this new piece of equipment is and how to use it. You’ll get the Sheld Saw at the beginning of Chapter 2. In some cases, you can use it as a shield to block enemy attacks, but that’s not its main function. Most often, you’ll use the Sheld Saw to deflect green attacks and redirect them at the enemy. This action is effective in combination with runes, which will become available to you a little later. In general, the Sheld Saw is a versatile tool. With it, you will solve various puzzles, activate mechanisms, break connections, and, strange as it may sound, fly.

I recommend starting to upgrade the shield from the beginning of the game. The weapons we will discuss later will change, but the shield will always be with you. In addition to deflecting green attacks, an important feature of this equipment is Shield Charge, which allows you to instantly close the distance to the enemy. This way, you can both attack the enemy and escape in a difficult moment.

The shield is upgraded at the Sentinel Shrine, where you can buy additional bonuses for it with gold. You will also unlock runes for the shield in the game, which add certain features. There are 4 runes for the shield in total. You can only use one rune on your shield. Each of them radically changes what happens on the battlefield.

Ground Fissure rune in Doom: The Dark Ages

You will receive your first rune in Chapter 9. This rune is called Ground Fissure. After deflecting a green attack, a crack forms in the ground in front of you, dealing a small amount of damage to all enemies standing in front of you. Upgrading this rune increases the damage, range, and slightly replenishes your armor.

Holy Swarm rune in Doom: The Dark Ages

The next rune, Holy Swarm, will be unlocked for you in Chapter 11. After repelling a green attack, the rune creates ethereal daggers that randomly damage enemies around it. This is uncontrollable additional AOE damage. Upgrading this rune increases the damage dealt by these ethereal daggers and increases their number.

Auto Turret rune in Doom: The Dark Ages

The third rune, Auto Turret, is the best in my opinion. You will receive this rune in Chapter 12. When this rune is activated, a turret appears on your left shoulder, which deals damage to the enemy in front of you. Upgrading the rune gives you several bonuses. Damage and firing speed increase, and enemies drop health that you can replenish yourself. It’s a kind of vampirism. A very useful and effective rune.

Heaven Splitter rune in Doom: The Dark Ages

The fourth and final rune is also quite useful and is suitable for use when you need to pause to make a decision in battle. This rune controls enemies. It is called Heaven Splitter. You will receive this rune in Chapter 14. After repelling a green attack, this rune summons lightning that paralyzes nearby enemies for a short time. This is necessary to upgrade your weapon or make a decision about your next move.

Power Gauntlet in Doom: The Dark Ages

Next, let’s talk about melee weapons. There are three such weapons in total. The first is the Power Gauntlet. It is unlocked in the first chapter. It helps you in quick combat due to its frequent combos which generate ammunition. Power Gauntlet, your first melee weapon that seems to continue Doomgu’s fury, is the starting weapon. The fist is equipped with brass knuckles and accumulates damage for each combo hit. Its charge is restored instantly when you parry Hell Surge.

This is ideal for close combat, where you can put enemies under pressure and not have to reload. Modifications can be made to improve the final combo, add an extra hit or even shock the first hit. Gauntlet will appeal to those who enjoy fast-paced battles and reliable resource generation.

Flail in Doom: The Dark Ages

The second melee weapon is the Flail. This weapon is available in Chapter 6; it combines armor reduction with solid damage, making it ideal for extended combat. The Flail sacrifices elegance for medieval brutality. The Flail is a spiked, chained ball that explodes on impact and destroys armor.

It has a decent crowd control ability, as each hit adds to the radial damage. Upgraded, it can be more powerful, allowing for incineration of enemies, armor generation, and a reduction in the time between charges. Flail is a great tool if you want to use wide attacks and remain tanky while clearing the battlefield.

Dreadmace in Doom: The Dark Ages

Dreadmace is introduced in Chapter 15. It deals massive damage with just one blow, and offers ammunition refunds to those who prefer slower, more punishing attacks. Dreadmace, a massive spiked weapon that can crush demons to pulp, is pure power. It is slower than most melee weapons but hits harder.

A single swing can often be enough to kill or stun small enemies. The upgrades are centered around reduced health, AoE bonus damage, and following-up attacks after successful parries. The Dreadmace is not intended for prolonged use. However, it will do the trick when you want to make a point or end a fight quickly.

The principle of changing weapons

Now let’s take a look at the 11 main weapons. They are divided into 6 pairs. Only the chainshot has no pair. This division is made to simplify the choice of weapons, so that battles become faster and more intuitive. The pairs are matched by similarity, so if you are used to one weapon and you run out of ammunition, you can quickly switch to a similar weapon and continue the battle.

The game is built on dynamics: you empty your shotgun, press F, and immediately finish off the enemy with a other similar gun. The division forces you to think about which two pairs to choose before the battle. This adds an element of planning, which was less present in previous Doom games.

Combat Shotgun in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Combat Shotgun in Doom: The Dark Ages is the starting weapon that the player receives in the first chapter of the campaign. It is a classic shotgun designed for close and medium range combat, combining reliable power with a fast rate of fire. Its standard ammunition capacity is 20 rounds, which is enough to effectively clear groups of demons in the early stages of the game.

A special feature of the shotgun is its upgrade system: at the first levels, you can unlock the Incendiary modification, which causes enemies to burn and drop their armor when destroyed, and then choose between Smelt, which increases the amount of armor fragments, and Blast, which adds an explosive effect when a demon dies. Subsequent upgrades allow you to either fire a series of three quick shots (Tune Up) or immediately ignite targets with the first shot (Flare-Up).

At the highest level, the Eat This! upgrade is available, which increases the number of pellets in a shot, increasing damage without additional ammunition costs. Thanks to this, the Combat Shotgun can be used both for quickly destroying individual strong enemies and for crowd control. In addition, after unlocking all modifications, the Barrel Stuffer task opens, which, if successfully completed, grants the golden Conqueror skin.

Thus, this weapon is a versatile tool in the hands of the player: easy to use but flexible thanks to the upgrade system, it sets an aggressive pace from the very first minutes of the game and is ideal for situations where maximum damage at close range is required.

Super Shotgun in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Super Shotgun appears in Doom: The Dark Ages in the fifth chapter, “The Holy City of Aratum,” after encountering the enemy “Enforcers” who summon demon reinforcements. The weapon itself drops from a container that appears next to the gate — just press the G key (or the equivalent on consoles) to get it.

This Super Shotgun is a powerful double-barreled shotgun that deals incredible damage at close range and instantly “grinds” most demons; it is especially effective against light enemies, and in cases of a bold approach, it can become a formidable weapon even against bosses. A unique feature of this variant is the lever-action reloading mechanism, which allows you to reload the weapon with one hand and contributes to the smoothness and speed of combat, although reloading is slow.

In the upgrade system, the Super Shotgun has three levels: the first, Speed Loader, reduces the time between shots; the second, Shatter, increases effectiveness against armored enemies; and the third, Eat This!, increases the number of pellets in a shot, significantly increasing its damage without additional ammunition costs. To complete the weapon mastery, you must complete the Mastery: Super Barrel Stuffer challenge, which requires hitting a demon with all pellets 50 times in a row, and as a reward, the player will receive a special “Conqueror” skin.

Overall, the Super Shotgun is an explosive and powerful choice for close combat: powerful but risky, for players who are not afraid to break through the crowd and face their enemies head-on.

Shredder in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Shredder is a fully automatic rail spike assault weapon that Doom Slayer gets in the first chapter of Village of Khalim, and it shoots fast, sharp spikes, kinda like the heavy cannon from Doom Eternal. The weapon is effective in close and medium combat, copes well with large numbers of ordinary demons, although it is not as powerful against heavily armored opponents.

Its distinctive feature is a unique upgrade system: the first level offers a choice between Pincushion — bullets stick to demons and can explode when the shield effect is activated — or Ricochet — bullets ricochet off other demons; the second level, No Frills, increases the rate of fire; and the third level, Barbed, increases the damage from explosions or ricochets and also allows the shield attack to detonate Pincushion. After unlocking all three upgrade levels, a Mastery challenge called Burster becomes available — you need to cause secondary damage from Pincushion or Ricochet 100 times, and as a reward, the gold skin “Conqueror” is unlocked.

In addition to gameplay details, the design reference adds that Shredder is modeled after the Sentinel weapon, which uses a crystal core to fire adjustable steel bolts from a rotating drum. Shredder is a fast, flexible weapon that excels at crowd control, especially with the right upgrades, and can become a key part of the arsenal for players who enjoy shield combos and controlling multiple targets at once.

Impaler in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Impaler is a heavy “rail spike” weapon that players receive in the fourth chapter, “Sentinel Barracks,” near the Dragons Den location. This weapon fires a powerful projectile similar to a sniper rifle: it launches a crystallized spike capable of piercing armor and inflicting significant damage, especially effective when hitting targets in the head.

Although it has limited ammunition, it is ideal for quickly eliminating dangerous enemies or even powerful demons with a single shot. In the upgrade system, the first level of Stalwart allows you to get additional Impaler charges when performing actions with a shield — such as throwing, accelerated strikes, or parrying Hell Surge. The second level offers a choice between two options: Salvage, which provides a boost to the next shot after picking up ammunition, or Chronospike, which slows down time when the fire button is pressed and increases the damage of projectiles fired at that moment.

The third level, Lobotomy, fills part of the melee charge after a headshot — this creates synergy between marksmanship and melee attacks. Purchasing all upgrades unlocks the Acupuncture skill challenge, which involves restoring the melee charge through the head with Impaler shots 100 times — successful completion grants the weapon the Conqueror gold skin. All in all, the Impaler is a great choice for players who value accuracy and control: it allows you to instantly eliminate strong enemies with a single shot, but requires careful use and well-chosen upgrades.

Accelerator in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Accelerator is a plasma assault weapon that the player receives in the second chapter, titled “Hebeth,” when completing the “Defend Hebeth” mission and finding the corresponding weapon container. This weapon is distinguished by its high rate of fire, moderate spread, and ability to gradually increase power during firing, making it effective in close and medium combat, especially against enemies in armor or with shields.

Shooting at demons increases the charge, and when the maximum level is reached, the damage increases, the dispersion decreases, or the rate of fire increases, depending on the selected upgrade. You can also unlock Heatblast mode, which, when fully charged, allows you to unleash a powerful burst of electricity, consuming the entire charge and dealing damage in the area with a regular shot, while enemies killed by such a blow drop their ammunition. You can choose the Mega Cell modification, which extends the maximum charge duration, as well as Overload — when you shoot a demon at full charge, an overcharge is activated, which significantly increases damage and side effects.

Completing all upgrades unlocks the Redline skill challenge: you must damage demons with Overload or Heatblast 1000 times, after which the weapon will receive the golden “Conqueror” skin. As a result, Accelerator is a powerful plasma attack that is ideal for piercing protected targets and destroying enemy defenses, especially if you use the charge accumulation system wisely, choose upgrades according to the situation, and occasionally release Heatblast for maximum effect.

Cycler in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Cycler is a dual-barreled plasma assault weapon available in Chapter 5, “The Holy City of Aratum,” where players can find it on one of the ships in the initial segment of the level. The Cycler has increased accuracy and range compared to the Accelerator, and its plasma bolts effectively destroy demon energy shields and damage reactive enemies.

Its unique ability is to apply the Shock debuff: after sufficient damage, the demon receives “Shock,” causing all attacks against it to deal more damage, and killing such a demon causes a lightning discharge that jumps to other enemies. The upgrade system allows you to supplement this mechanic: Amplify increases damage to demons under Shock, Fulmination prolongs its effect and adds more discharges, and Overload allows you to accumulate charge based on the size of the demon and increases damage at maximum charge.

With these upgrades, Cycler becomes effective at destroying groups of enemies, especially when you need to break through shielded defenders, and the ability to spread Shock helps you control crowds faster. Completing all upgrades unlocks the “Thermal Runaway” challenge, in which you must deal 500 damage with the Overload effect or lightning arcs — after which, upon successful completion, the player receives a gold skin version of “Conqueror” for Cycler.

Pulverizer in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Pulverizer appears in the game in the fourth chapter, “Sentinel Barracks,” immediately after the start of this level, and—most characteristically—uses demonic skulls as ammunition, firing bone fragments in a wide arc, making it ideal for clearing dense groups of enemies; against large demons, it is more effective at close range to ensure that more fragments hit their target.

Its upgrade system consists of three levels: the first, Runic Skull, allows you to accumulate a charge depending on the size of the demon killed, and at maximum accumulation increases the player’s movement speed and the Pulverizer’s firing rate; the second, Runic Strike, allows you to charge the weapon through melee attacks while retaining the charge; the third, Flay, significantly expands the damage area, increasing the number of fragments fired per shot, which helps to deal with crowds of demons more effectively.

Once all upgrades are unlocked, the Hunter skill challenge becomes available, which requires you to hit demons with the Pulverizer’s charged attack a certain number of times (250 hits), and successful completion of the challenge rewards the weapon with a golden “Conqueror” skin. With its bone charge, wide coverage, and ability to build up power in close combat, the Pulverizer becomes a reliable tool for crowd control and maintaining an aggressive shooter-style pace of combat.

Ravager in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Ravager is a formidable version of the Skullcrusher class, which the player finds in the twelfth chapter, titled “Sentinel Command Station,” located in a special weapon capsule next to the console. This weapon fires a rapid stream of bone fragments in a narrow area of effect, and its rate of fire increases when the player holds down the fire button, but movement slows down at the same time — just like the Pulverizer, but the Ravager has a more focused, directed attack.

In the upgrade system, the first level — Vampirism — provides health boosts picked up from enemies at maximum firing speed. At the second level, you can choose between two alternatives: Ignition, which reduces the time to reach maximum fire rate and removes movement penalties while firing, or Slow Burn, which increases maximum fire rate but is achieved more slowly and increases movement penalties. The third level, Supplier, allows enemies to drop Skullcrusher ammunition when hit. Completing all upgrade levels unlocks the Gatherer master challenge, in which you must collect ammunition 100 times using the Supplier effect.

Successful completion rewards the weapon with the Conqueror gold skin. At its core, the Ravager is a powerful “cannon” for prolonged combat, which surpasses the Pulverizer in accuracy and firing duration thanks to its gradual acceleration of fire rate. It is capable of maintaining stability in combat thanks to healing or ammunition drops, if you choose the appropriate upgrades — ideal for those who value stability in grueling confrontations.

Chainshot in Doom: The Dark Ages

Chainshot is a powerful weapon that the player receives in the sixth chapter of Doom: The Dark Ages, during the mission “Siege Part I,” where it is necessary to destroy cults to close the Mountain portal. This weapon is a unique combination of heavy artillery and melee combat, resembling a combat chain that fires a charged ball that explodes on impact, causing significant damage to enemies.

The Chainshot has a unique charging mechanic: holding down the fire button allows you to accumulate energy, which increases the power of the shot. A fully charged shot explodes on impact, damaging all enemies within the blast radius. This makes the Chainshot an effective tool for fighting groups of enemies and destroying armor. The Chainshot upgrade system consists of three levels. The first level, Eldritch Blessing, allows you to instantly charge your next shot after successfully parrying a Hell Surge attack, greatly increasing the weapon’s effectiveness in dynamic combat.

The second level, Gravitational Flux, increases the damage Chainshot deals to armor at maximum charge, making it useful against heavily armored enemies. The third level, Cosmic Breach, adds an explosion effect on impact, allowing you to effectively destroy groups of enemies. Completing all upgrade levels unlocks the Reverberation mastery challenge, in which the player must deal 100 explosive damage with fully charged Chainshot shots. Successfully completing this challenge rewards the player with the Conqueror gold skin.

The Chainshot is a powerful tool for destroying enemies, especially effective against groups of demons and heavily armored opponents. Its unique charging mechanics and explosive effect upon impact make it an important part of the player’s arsenal in Doom: The Dark Ages.

Grenade Launcher in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Grenade Launcher in Doom: The Dark Ages is a heavy explosive weapon that the player receives in the eighth chapter, “Abyssal Forest,” after descending into the mine level. It fires grenades that bounce off surfaces and explode on contact with enemies, damaging everyone in the blast zone, making it extremely effective against groups of enemies and armored opponents.

The weapon works well both in open spaces and for tactical crowd control, allowing the player to use the environment to hit enemies behind cover. The Grenade Launcher upgrade system consists of three levels that increase the effectiveness of grenades: they increase damage, add a cluster explosion effect, and allow you to deal additional damage to enemies under the effect of a shield. After unlocking all upgrades, the Clusterfun skill challenge becomes available, in which you must damage demons with cluster grenades 100 times; successful completion unlocks the Conqueror gold skin.

The Grenade Launcher combines high damage with a wide area of effect and flexibility of use, making it an important part of the player’s arsenal, especially in battles against numerous or tightly grouped enemies.

Rocket Launcher in Doom: The Dark Ages

The Rocket Launcher in Doom: The Dark Ages is a powerful explosive weapon that the player obtains in the tenth chapter, “Forsaken Plains.” It fires slow-moving rockets that deal massive damage with an effective blast radius, making it ideal for fighting groups of enemies and heavily armored opponents.

The weapon has a limited rate of fire and requires precise timing, especially when using the parry mechanic, which adds an element of strategy to its use. The Rocket Launcher upgrade system consists of three levels: the first, Cannibalism, allows you to parry Hell Surge attacks, temporarily converting the damage taken into health restoration; the second, Cooked and Blood Sacrifice, allows you to choose between increasing the power of the next shot after parrying or increasing the damage from the explosion at the cost of greater self-damage; the third, Bloodlust, significantly prolongs the effect of Cannibalism, allowing you to recover health longer after parries.

Completing all upgrade levels unlocks the Engorge master challenge, in which the player must restore health 50 times using the Cannibalism effect from nearby Rocket Launcher explosions; successful completion of this challenge rewards the player with the Conqueror gold skin. The Rocket Launcher is a powerful tool for destroying enemies, especially effective when parries are timed correctly and explosions are used strategically in combat.

Ballistic Force Crossbow in Doom: The Dark Ages

And finally, I will tell you about a unique and very special weapon. The Ballistic Force Crossbow in Doom: The Dark Ages is a powerful weapon that serves as a kind of analogue to the BFG 9000 in the game universe. It was created by astral blacksmiths for night watchmen, giving it the ability to fire Eldritch Spears that pierce any defense and cause catastrophic damage.

This weapon is available in Chapter 14, “Spire of Nerathul,” after completing the task of deactivating three Stasis Imitators. It has a limited amount of ammunition — only three shells, which do not regenerate automatically, so they must be found in level secrets. The BFC does not occupy the main weapon slot and is activated by a separate hotkey, allowing it to be used in critical situations when you need to quickly destroy a large number of enemies or powerful bosses.

However, due to the limited amount of ammunition and the inability to use a shield while it is activated, the BFC should be used cautiously and strategically. Due to its destructive power, it is considered one of the most powerful weapons in the game, capable of clearing large areas of enemies with a single shot. These are all the weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages that you can use.