Unlock Your Slayer’s Full Potential: Master Weapons, Upgrades, Challenges, and More in DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal is a first-person shooter developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main entry in the DOOM series and a direct sequel to 2016’s DOOM. The game is set in a chaotic world filled with demons and focuses on fast-paced action and intense combat. This guide will help you understand the various mechanics, weapons, and strategies that can help you level up and become a more formidable Slayer.
Basic Game Mechanics
To level up in DOOM Eternal, you must first familiarize yourself with the game’s mechanics. The game is built around the concept of “push forward combat,” which encourages players to engage enemies aggressively. This is supported by three core mechanics: Glory Kills, Chainsaw Kills, and Flame Belch.
- Glory Kills: When an enemy is staggered and flashing blue or orange, approach and press the Glory Kill button to execute a brutal finishing move. Glory Kills grant you health pickups, encouraging you to stay in the fight.
- Chainsaw Kills: The chainsaw is a powerful tool that can instantly kill most enemies, except for some larger demons. Chainsaw Kills reward you with ammunition, ensuring you always have the firepower to keep fighting.
- Flame Belch: The Flame Belch is a shoulder-mounted flamethrower that sets enemies on fire. While burning, enemies drop armor shards, providing you with extra protection.
Mastering these three mechanics is crucial to surviving in DOOM Eternal and leveling up effectively.
Weapons and Mods
DOOM Eternal boasts a diverse arsenal of weapons, each with unique mods that can be swapped in and out to suit your playstyle. Weapon Mods can be found in floating drones scattered throughout the levels or unlocked by spending Weapon Points earned from combat encounters and challenges.
Here are the weapons and their respective mods:
- Combat Shotgun: Sticky Bombs and Full Auto
- Heavy Cannon: Precision Bolt and Micro Missiles
- Plasma Rifle: Heat Blast and Microwave Beam
- Rocket Launcher: Lock-on Burst and Remote Detonation
- Super Shotgun: Meat Hook (default)
- Ballista: Arbalest and Destroyer Blade
- Chaingun: Mobile Turret and Energy Shield
- BFG 9000: No mods (default)
- Unmaykr: No mods (default)
As you progress through the game, upgrade your weapons and mods to maximize their potential. This will help you deal with increasingly powerful demons and contribute to your overall level progression.
Runes and Suit Upgrades
Runes and Praetor Suit upgrades further customize the Slayer’s abilities, enhancing your combat prowess and survivability.
- Runes: Runes are special enhancements that grant the Slayer unique abilities. You can equip up to three Runes at a time, and there are nine to choose from. Experiment with different Rune combinations to find the ones that best suit your playstyle.
- Praetor Suit Upgrades: The Praetor Suit can be upgraded using Praetor Suit Points found in levels or earned by completing challenges. These upgrades are divided into five categories: Environment, Frag Grenade, Ice Bomb, Fundamentals, and Exploration. Prioritize the upgrades that complement your playstyle and help you overcome specific challenges in the game.
Mastery Tokens
Mastery Tokens are a collectible resource in DOOM Eternal that allows you to bypass the mastery challenges for weapon mods and instantly unlock their full potential. These tokens can be found throughout the later levels of the game and are often located in secret or hidden areas.
In DOOM Eternal, each weapon mod has a mastery upgrade that provides a significant enhancement to the weapon’s functionality. To unlock a mastery upgrade, you need to complete specific challenges related to that weapon mod. These challenges often involve killing a certain number of enemies in a specific way or under certain conditions.
Mastery Tokens come in handy when you want to skip a mastery challenge that you find too difficult, tedious, or time-consuming. Instead of completing the challenge, you can use a Mastery Token to instantly unlock the mastery upgrade for your chosen weapon mod.
To use a Mastery Token, open your Arsenal tab, select the weapon mod you want to upgrade, and then choose the option to spend the token. Keep in mind that Mastery Tokens are limited in number, so use them wisely.
It’s important to note that there are 10 Mastery Tokens in the game, and here’s a list of the levels where you can find them:
- Taras Nabad: 1 Mastery Token
- Nekravol: 1 Mastery Token
- Nekravol – Part II: 2 Mastery Tokens
- Urdak: 3 Mastery Tokens
- Final Sin: 3 Mastery Tokens
By strategically using Mastery Tokens, you can further enhance your Slayer’s combat capabilities and optimize your favorite weapon mods to suit your playstyle.
Challenges and Milestones
Challenges and Milestones are objectives that reward you with experience points, weapon points, and other valuable resources. These objectives are divided into three categories: Mission Challenges, Weekly Challenges, and Series Challenges.
- Mission Challenges: Each mission in DOOM Eternal has three unique challenges that reward you with weapon points and experience points. Completing these challenges is essential to maximizing your level progression.
- Weekly Challenges: Every week, new challenges are introduced that reward you with experience points and cosmetics. These challenges can be completed in both the campaign and Battlemode.
- Series Challenges: Series Challenges are longer-term objectives that reward you with unique cosmetics and other valuable resources. Complete them to show off your skill and dedication to the game.
Extra Lives and Exploration
Extra Lives and exploration are crucial aspects of leveling up in DOOM Eternal. Extra Lives grant you an immediate respawn upon death, allowing you to stay in the fight and avoid restarting from checkpoints. These Extra Lives can be found in hidden locations throughout the levels.
Exploration is rewarded with valuable resources such as Codex Entries, Sentinel Batteries, Praetor Suit Points, Weapon Mods, and Runes. Additionally, discovering secrets and collectibles contributes to your level progression.
To maximize your exploration, invest in the Exploration Praetor Suit upgrades that reveal the Automap Station location, progression items, and other valuable resources on the map.
Battlemode
Battlemode is DOOM Eternal’s multiplayer component, which pits a fully-armed Slayer against two player-controlled demons. Playing and winning matches in Battlemode contributes to your overall level progression and unlocks unique cosmetics.
To succeed in Battlemode, familiarize yourself with the different playable demons and their abilities, as well as the various maps and their layout. Coordination and teamwork are crucial for the demon players, while the Slayer must use their full arsenal and mobility to outmaneuver and eliminate their opponents.
Slayer Gates and Secret Encounters
Slayer Gates and Secret Encounters are optional combat challenges that provide valuable rewards upon completion. They are scattered throughout the campaign and can be identified by their unique symbols.
- Slayer Gates: These are intense arena-style battles that pit you against waves of powerful demons. To access a Slayer Gate, you must find its corresponding Slayer Key in the level. Completing all six Slayer Gates rewards you with the Unmaykr, a powerful energy weapon. Additionally, each completed gate grants you three Weapon Points and an Empyrean Key.
- Secret Encounters: These are timed encounters that require you to defeat specific enemies within a set time limit. Successfully completing a Secret Encounter rewards you with Weapon Points, which can be used to upgrade your weapon mods.
Participating in these challenges not only contributes to your level progression but also tests your combat skills and mastery of the game’s mechanics.
Collectibles and Cosmetics
Collectibles and cosmetics are additional elements that, while not directly contributing to your level progression, add depth to the game and provide a sense of accomplishment.
- Collectibles: DOOM Eternal features numerous collectibles, such as Toy Collectibles, Albums, and Cheat Codes. Finding these items contributes to your Exploration progress and offers a fun side objective to complete.
- Cosmetics: As you level up and complete challenges, you’ll unlock various cosmetics, such as weapon skins, player icons, and nameplates. These items allow you to personalize your Slayer and show off your achievements in the game.
Master Levels
Master Levels are remixed versions of the campaign levels, featuring more challenging enemy encounters and layouts. These levels provide a high level of difficulty for experienced players looking to test their skills. Completing Master Levels earns you experience points and bragging rights among your fellow Slayers.
DOOM Eternal consists of 13 main campaign levels. Here’s a brief guide on mastering each level:
- Hell on Earth
Mastering Hell on Earth requires familiarizing yourself with the game’s basic mechanics, such as movement, Glory Kills, and the Chainsaw. Focus on exploring the level to find all secrets and resources, and prioritize upgrading your Shotgun with Sticky Bombs for effective crowd control and dealing with weak points on Arachnotron enemies.
- Exultia
To master Exultia, learn to use the new Blood Punch ability effectively and efficiently. Seek out the Heavy Cannon weapon mod and the first Rune to enhance your combat capabilities. Utilize your newly acquired Dash ability for increased mobility during combat and platforming sections.
- Cultist Base
Mastering Cultist Base involves understanding how to eliminate the challenging Mancubus enemy effectively. Use the Sticky Bombs or Precision Bolt mods to target their weak points (arm cannons) efficiently. Familiarize yourself with the level’s numerous traps and puzzles, and don’t forget to collect the Super Shotgun, a crucial weapon for close-quarters combat.
- DOOM Hunter Base
For DOOM Hunter Base, focus on understanding the mechanics of the new Plasma Rifle and its mods. Learn how to effectively deal with the Whiplash enemy, which can be challenging due to its fast movement and attacks. Prepare yourself for the boss fight against the DOOM Hunter by upgrading your weapons and saving BFG ammo.
- Super Gore Nest
In Super Gore Nest, learn to use the Rocket Launcher and its mods to deal with large groups of enemies and high-health targets. Be mindful of your positioning during combat encounters, as the level’s design often forces you into close-quarters engagements. Make sure to find the Rad Suit for navigating hazardous areas.
- ARC Complex
To master ARC Complex, hone your skills in using the Ballista, a powerful weapon that excels at taking down flying enemies like the Pain Elemental. Learn the layout of the level to optimize your exploration and find all collectibles. Be prepared for the challenging Marauder enemy; use your Super Shotgun and Ballista to exploit their vulnerability during their attack window.
- Mars Core
Mastering Mars Core involves becoming proficient with the BFG-9000, which can eliminate large groups of enemies in a single shot. Manage your BFG ammo wisely, as it is limited. Learn the level layout and use the environmental hazards, such as exploding barrels, to your advantage during combat encounters.
- Sentinel Prime
For Sentinel Prime, the focus is on the boss fight against the Gladiator. Learn its attack patterns and use your most powerful weapons (e.g., Super Shotgun, Ballista, and Rocket Launcher) to deal damage. Utilize the Crucible, a powerful melee weapon, to eliminate powerful enemies quickly.
- Taras Nabad
In Taras Nabad, become proficient with the Crucible to conserve ammo and eliminate powerful enemies like the Archvile quickly. Find and complete the secret Slayer Gate encounter for valuable rewards. Learn the level’s layout, as it contains numerous secrets and optional combat encounters.
- Nekravol
To master Nekravol, focus on your mobility and positioning, as the level features many platforming sections and tight combat encounters. Make use of your full arsenal, including the BFG and Crucible, to deal with large groups of enemies and high-priority targets.
- Nekravol – Part II
In Nekravol – Part II, utilize the environmental hazards, like the crusher traps, to eliminate enemies efficiently. Make sure to explore the level thoroughly, as it contains many hidden secrets and collectibles. Manage your resources wisely in preparation for the upcoming boss fight.
- Urdak
To master Urdak, focus on understanding the layout of the level, as it features a mix of platforming sections and combat encounters. Learn to effectively deal with the new Maker Drone enemy, which drops valuable resources when killed with a headshot. Additionally, be prepared to face the Marauder and Archvile again in challenging encounters.
- Final Sin
In the Final Sin level, bring your full arsenal and all your skills to bear in the climactic battle against the Icon of Sin. Ensure that you have collected all available upgrades and resources before engaging in the final boss fight. Target the Icon of Sin’s body parts methodically to inflict maximum damage, and stay mobile to avoid its powerful attacks. Use your BFG and Crucible strategically to eliminate high-priority targets and survive the onslaught of demons.
By understanding the unique challenges and requirements of each level, you’ll be able to master DOOM Eternal and become a formidable Slayer. Remember to explore thoroughly, learn enemy weaknesses, and utilize your full arsenal of weapons and abilities to conquer each level.
Revisiting Earlier Levels
As you progress through the game and unlock new abilities, weapons, and upgrades, it’s a good idea to revisit earlier levels. This allows you to complete any missed challenges, find remaining secrets, and unlock additional resources, such as Praetor Suit Points, Runes, and Weapon Mods.
Revisiting earlier levels with a fully upgraded Slayer also offers a unique experience, as you can experiment with different strategies and weapon combinations, further enhancing your skills and mastery of the game.
Tips and Tricks for Leveling Up
- Always keep moving: DOOM Eternal rewards players who stay mobile and use the environment to their advantage. Use double jumps, dashes, and monkey bars to dodge enemy attacks and maintain the upper hand in combat.
- Use the right weapon for the job: Experiment with different weapon and mod combinations to find the most effective strategy for each enemy type. For example, the Plasma Rifle’s Microwave Beam is highly effective against the pesky Prowler, while the Super Shotgun can devastate Cacodemons at close range.
- Prioritize dangerous enemies: Some demons, like the Archvile and the Marauder, pose a significant threat and should be dealt with as soon as they appear on the battlefield. Use your most powerful weapons and abilities to eliminate them quickly.
- Manage resources: Keep an eye on your health, armor, and ammo. Use Glory Kills, Chainsaw Kills, and Flame Belch strategically to replenish these resources and stay in the fight.
By following these strategies and understanding the various aspects of DOOM Eternal, you’ll be well on your way to leveling up and becoming a true master of the game.
Experimenting with Different Playstyles
As you level up in DOOM Eternal, experiment with different playstyles to find the one that best suits your preferences and maximizes your combat effectiveness. Here are a few playstyles to consider:
- Aggressive: Embrace the “push forward combat” philosophy, relying heavily on Glory Kills, Chainsaw Kills, and Flame Belch to maintain a constant flow of health, armor, and ammunition. Use high-damage weapons and mods, like the Super Shotgun, Ballista, and Rocket Launcher, to eliminate enemies quickly.
- Defensive: Focus on crowd control and maintaining a safe distance from enemies. Utilize the Heavy Cannon’s Precision Bolt or Micro Missiles, and the Plasma Rifle’s Heat Blast to deal damage from afar. Prioritize Praetor Suit upgrades that enhance your survivability, like the ones in the Environment category.
- Tactical: Utilize a mix of long-range and close-range weapons, along with various abilities, to adapt to any situation. Use Ice Bombs and Frag Grenades to control groups of enemies and create openings for powerful attacks. Opt for Runes that provide strategic advantages, like Chrono Strike or Blood Fueled.
Utilizing Cheat Codes
Cheat Codes are collectible items found throughout the campaign that, when activated, alter certain game mechanics or provide benefits, such as infinite ammunition or increased power for specific weapons. While Cheat Codes do not directly contribute to leveling up, they can be used to practice and refine your skills without the fear of failure or resource scarcity. Experiment with different Cheat Codes to gain a deeper understanding of the game’s mechanics and improve your overall performance.
here is a list of cheat codes available in DOOM Eternal. These can be found throughout the campaign as floppy disk collectibles. Keep in mind that using cheat codes disables progression for mission challenges and milestones, but you can still collect items, secrets, and complete encounters:
- IDDQD – Sentinel Armor: Sentinel Armor provides increased protection and is automatically equipped when you run out of lives.
- IDKFA – All Weapons: Unlocks all weapons and weapon mods.
- IDFA – Infinite Ammo: Grants unlimited ammunition for all weapons.
- IDCLEV – Mission Select: Allows you to select any mission, including Master Levels.
- IDCLIP – No Clipping: Enables the ability to walk through walls and fly.
- IDDT – Reveal All: Reveals all secrets, items, and enemies on the automap.
- IDBEHOLD – Powerup Mode: Grants a random powerup (Quad Damage, Haste, or Regeneration) for a limited time.
- IDMYPOS – Player Position: Displays your current coordinates in the game world.
- IDCALL – Silver Bullet Mode: Enables one-hit kills on all enemies, except for bosses.
- IDSPECHTRE – Berserk Powerup: Grants temporary invincibility and one-hit melee kills.
- IDGOD – God Mode: Makes you invulnerable to all damage.
Please note that future updates or expansions to the game may introduce new cheat codes or alter existing ones. Be sure to check for the latest information to ensure you have the most up-to-date list of cheat codes for DOOM Eternal.
Engaging in the Community
DOOM Eternal boasts a passionate community of players who share their experiences, tips, and strategies with one another. Engage with the community through forums, social media, and video-sharing platforms to learn from others and improve your gameplay. You can also share your own knowledge and experiences to help others level up.
Watching Speedruns and Professional Gameplay
Speedrunners and professional players often have a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and strategies, allowing them to complete the game efficiently and effectively. Watching their gameplay can provide valuable insights and help you learn new techniques to level up faster in DOOM Eternal. Analyze their movement, weapon choices, and combat strategies to see what you can incorporate into your own gameplay.
Reviewing Your Gameplay
To further enhance your skills and level up in DOOM Eternal, review your own gameplay. Recording your gameplay sessions and analyzing your performance can help identify areas where you can improve. Look for moments where you struggled or made mistakes and determine how you could have approached the situation differently.
conclusion
DOOM Eternal offers an exhilarating and challenging gaming experience that demands skill, strategy, and persistence. By mastering the game’s mechanics, optimizing weapons and mods, and exploring the rich world of upgrades, challenges, and secrets, you’ll level up faster and become the ultimate demon-slaying Slayer. Engage with the community, learn from expert players, and never stop practicing to unlock your full potential in this thrilling first-person shooter. Embrace the chaos and dominate the battlegrounds, as you immerse yourself in the relentless, adrenaline-pumping action that is DOOM Eternal.