DOOM: The Dark Ages Guide - Quick Tips & Tricks to Dominate

Before He Was a Legend…

The Slayer’s legend was not forged in a single, frenzied dance of death. Before the aerial ballet of Eternal, there was the inexorable march of a titan. Welcome to DOOM: The Dark Ages, where you are not the storm; you are the mountain it breaks against. 🏔️ This is a prequel, a glimpse into the Slayer’s rage during his prime with the Night Sentinels, long before he was entombed in his sarcophagus.

Forget what you know of the hyper-mobile, acrobatic combat of recent memory. The core philosophy of DOOM: The Dark Ages is “Stand and Fight.” This is a deliberate and powerful shift, transforming the Slayer from an unstoppable force into an immovable object. He is an iron tank, a walking fortress whose combat is grounded, heavy, and devastatingly impactful. This design returns to the roots of classic DOOM, emphasizing strategic strafing and weaving through patterns of enemy fire.

This change is not merely a new mechanic; it is a systemic overhaul. The removal of the double jump and dash is filled by the mighty Shield Saw. The slower, more deliberate weapon handling encourages tactical commitment. The cinematic Glory Kills have been reforged into a fluid, physics-based execution system that never wrests control from your hands. The controls have been streamlined, made more ergonomic, so that your focus is on fighting the demons, not the controller.

This tome is your codex. 📜 It contains the sacred knowledge required to master this new rhythm of war. Within these pages, you will find every technique, every hidden mechanic, and every tactical advantage needed to transform yourself from a mere soldier into the super weapon of gods and kings. Prepare yourself, Slayer. Your crusade begins now.

Part I: The Foundation of Fury – Core Combat Principles 🔥

To master DOOM: The Dark Ages, you must first understand its soul. The combat is a brutal symphony with a new, deliberate tempo. It is a cycle of defense, punishment, and resource generation that rewards patience and tactical aggression.

The New Rhythm of Rip and Tear

The core combat loop is a powerful trinity of actions. Master this, and you will never falter.

Embrace the “Stand, Parry, Punish” Cycle. Your journey begins with defense. Stand your ground against the demonic onslaught. Wait for the telltale green glow of a Hell Surge attack. A successful Parry is not just a defensive move; it is the trigger for your entire offensive chain.
Parrying is Your Gateway to Power. A successful parry does more than just deflect damage. It recharges your powerful melee weapon. Think of it as drawing power from the enemy’s own fury and turning it back against them.
Melee is Your Source of Ammunition. With your melee weapon charged, unleash it upon your foes. Every successful melee strike forces demons to bleed ammunition for your guns. This is the second link in the chain: converting defensive success into offensive resources.
Guns Complete the Cycle. With your ammo replenished, you are free to unleash overwhelming firepower. Your guns are for sustained damage and controlling the battlefield while you wait for the next parry opportunity, thus completing the cycle.
Practice the Rhythm. The flow of combat is: Stand your ground 🛡️ ➡️ Parry to charge melee ⚔️ ➡️ use Melee to gain ammo ➡️ then fire your Guns 🔫 until the next parry opportunity. It is a rhythm of charging up and unleashing devastating bursts of power.

Master the Un-Synced Execution 💀

The Glory Kill system has been reborn. Forget the cinematic, control-locking animations of the past. Executions are now a seamless, physics-based part of combat that you control completely.

Execute From Any Angle. When an enemy is staggered and vulnerable, you can perform an execution from any direction without interrupting your movement.
Chain Your Executions. The new system allows you to stagger multiple enemies at once. You can then carve a path through them, executing each one in a single, brutal run without stopping.
Executions Still Grant Invincibility. ✨ Though faster, executions still grant a brief window of invincibility. Use this moment to reposition or catch a breath.
Combine Executions with Movement. Since you are always in control, you can weave executions into your movement. Execute a demon, then immediately use a Shield Charge to cross the arena and engage another target.

Mastering Momentum in DOOM: The Dark Ages 🚀

Though grounded, the Slayer is far from slow. Your momentum is now more deliberate and targeted, channeled through powerful new abilities.

The Shield Charge is Your New Dash. With no air dash, the Shield Charge is your primary tool for rapid repositioning. Hold the block button to lock onto an enemy, then press the trigger to launch yourself toward them.
Use the Shield Charge to Engage. See a high-priority target? Charge them. Instantly close the distance and open your attack.
Use the Shield Charge to Disengage. 💨 If you are overwhelmed, target a demon on the far side of the arena and launch yourself out of the fray.
Gain Verticality with the Shield Charge. Many arenas have verticality. Target an enemy on a ledge above you to rocket upward.
The Charge is an Offensive Weapon. 💥 The Shield Charge itself deals significant area-of-effect damage upon impact. Aim for a demon in the middle of a pack to clear them all.
Unleash “Death From Above.” The Slayer’s sheer weight is now a weapon. When you fall from any significant height, your landing unleashes a massive shockwave that instantly obliterates any fodder demons.
Scan Arenas for Stomp Opportunities. As you enter a new combat space, immediately look for small ledges, ramps, or hills. Even a small drop is enough to trigger the shockwave.
Integrate Stomps into Your Combat Flow. Use a Shield Charge to get high, then leap down into a group of enemies. This is a devastating opening move.
Combine Stomps with Your Shield. If you are dropping from a high platform, you can initiate a Shield Charge mid-air on a demon below. This creates a double-dip of area damage.
Don’t Underestimate Fodder Clearing. The shockwave stomp is your most efficient tool for clearing out lesser demons.

The Resource Loop Reimagined 🔄

Resources are the lifeblood of your crusade. The new system rewards a specific, aggressive playstyle.

The Resource Triangle is Law. Memorize this loop: Parry ➡️ Melee ➡️ Ammo. Every action feeds the next.
Melee is Your Ammo Generator. Do not think of your melee weapon as just a damage tool. It is your primary method for replenishing ammunition.
Spend Your Melee Charges Freely. Your melee attacks operate on charges. Do not hoard them. Use them as soon as they are available to keep your ammo topped off.
Parrying Accelerates Everything. A successful parry speeds up the recharge of your melee weapon. The more you parry, the more you melee, and the more ammo you have.
Aggression is Rewarded at Low Health. ❤️‍🩹 When your health is critical, demons will drop more health pickups. The game is designed to push you forward, not back.

Part II: The Shield Saw – An Extension of Your Will 🛡️

The Shield Saw is the heart of your new arsenal. It is a defensive bastion, an offensive battering ram, a traversal tool, and a key to unlocking the game’s deepest synergies.

Immovable Object: Blocking & Parrying Essentials

Your shield has two primary defensive functions, dictated by the color of your enemy’s attack.

Red Means Block. 🔴 When an enemy unleashes an attack with a red glow, it cannot be parried. Raise your shield to block and absorb the damage.
Green Means Go (For the Parry). 🟢 A green glow signifies a “Hell Surge” attack. Time your block for the instant before the attack connects to perform a parry.
The Parry Window is Generous. Especially on standard difficulties, the timing is quite forgiving. Do not be intimidated.
Adjust the Parry Window for Your Playstyle. DOOM: The Dark Ages includes accessibility options to adjust the parry window, making it wider for an easier experience or narrower for a greater challenge.
Parrying is Essential for Certain Enemies. While you can defeat many demons with raw firepower, some heavier foes and bosses are nearly impossible to beat without mastering the parry.

Unstoppable Force: The Shield Charge & Throw

The shield is not just for defense. It is one of your most versatile and powerful offensive tools.

Master the Crowd-Clearing Charge. The Shield Charge’s area-of-effect damage makes it perfect for plunging into clusters of fodder demons.
Hunt for Stone Imps. A hidden synergy exists with the Stone Imp. Hitting one with a Shield Charge will cause it to detonate in a massive explosion.
Use the Charge as a Finisher. A Shield Charge can be used to perform an execution on a staggered enemy.
Learn the “Heat and Shatter” Technique. 🔥 Many enemies carry metal shields or wear heavy armor. First, you must shoot their armor with your weapons until it glows incandescent red. This is the “Heat” phase.
Shatter with the Shield Throw. 💥 Once the armor is superheated, unleash your Shield Throw. A single throw against heated metal will cause it to shatter spectacularly.
Line Up Your Throws. The Shield Throw can pass through multiple fodder demons. Look for opportunities where enemies are lined up.
Stun-Lock Heavy Demons. Against larger demons, a successful Shield Throw will embed the spinning saw into their flesh, stunning them for a crucial few seconds.
Use the Time-Slow for Precision. ⏳ If you are having trouble aiming your Shield Throw, hold down the throw button. This will temporarily slow down time.
The Shield is Also a Puzzle Key. 🔑 Your shield’s abilities are essential for exploration. Use the Shield Charge to break down weak walls and the Shield Throw to break chains or activate distant nodes.
If You’re Stuck, Think Shield. Many secrets and alternate paths require the Shield Saw. The answer almost always involves a charge, a throw, or a recall jump.

Engraving Your Legend: Shield Upgrades & Runes ✨

Sentinel Shrines allow you to enhance your gear. Prioritizing your shield upgrades will pay dividends.

Prioritize “Retaliation” Early. This powerful upgrade causes successful parries to unleash a larger shockwave that can stagger nearby demons.
Invest in “Blade Master.” This upgrade increases the stun duration when your Shield Saw embeds in an enemy.
Unlock “Power Surge” for Shielded Enemies. This upgrade causes your thrown shield to bounce between enemies who carry energy shields.
“Harvester” Empowers Your Charge. This rune rewards you for clearing fodder with your shield throw, empowering your next Shield Charge.
Look for Cross-Weapon Synergies. 🤝 Other weapons have upgrades that synergize with the shield. For example, a Shredder upgrade can cause projectiles to ricochet out of an enemy with your Shield Saw embedded in them.
Equip the “Ground Fissure” Rune. This rune transforms your parry’s shockwave into a fissure of energy that travels along the ground.
Unleash the “Holy Swarm.” This rune causes a successful parry to launch a cluster of homing daggers.
Deploy the “Auto Turret.” With this rune, parrying deploys a shoulder-mounted turret that automatically fires at enemies.
Call Down the “Heaven Splitter.” ⚡ This powerful rune changes your parry into a bolt of energy that calls down a lightning strike.
Experiment with Runes. You can only have one Shield Rune equipped at a time. Experiment with each one to see which best complements your playstyle.

Hidden Tech & Quirks 🤫

Troubleshoot the Shield-Break Tutorial. Some Slayers have encountered a bug early in the game where the tutorial for shattering superheated shields does not register. If stuck, try aiming at the enemy’s feet or throwing from a long distance.
Recall Your Shield Manually. After throwing your shield, you do not have to wait for it to return. You can press the throw button again to manually recall it.

Part III: The Armory of Argent D’Nur – A Slayer’s Guide to Every Weapon ⚔️

The arsenal of DOOM: The Dark Ages is a collection of medieval torture devices with a sci-fi upgrade. Each weapon is a tool, and a master Slayer knows which tool to use for every job.

Weapon Name	Weapon Type	Ammo Type	Effective Range	Chapter Found
Combat Shotgun 🔫	Shotgun	Shells	Close	Chapter 1
Super Shotgun 🔥	Shotgun	Shells	Close	Chapter 5
Rail Spike Shredder	Rail Spike	Spikes	All	Chapter 1
Rail Spike Impaler 🎯	Rail Spike	Spikes	Long	Chapter 4
Plasma Accelerator	Plasma	Cells	Close-Medium	Chapter 2
Plasma Cycler ⚡	Plasma	Cells	Close-Medium	Chapter 5
Skullcrusher Pulverizer	Skullcrusher	Skulls	Close-Medium	Chapter 4
Skullcrusher Ravager	Skullcrusher	Skulls	Close	Chapter 12
Reaver Chainshot	Chainshot	Cores	Long	Chapter 6
Grenade Launcher 💣	Launcher	Grenades	Medium-Long	Chapter 8
Rocket Launcher 🚀	Launcher	Rockets	All	Chapter 10
Ballistic Force Crossbow (BFC)	BFC	Lances	All	Chapter 14
Power Gauntlet 👊	Melee	Charges	Close	Chapter 1
Flail	Melee	Charges	Close	Chapter 6
Dreadmace 💀	Melee	Charges	Close	Chapter 15

The Shotguns: Close-Quarters Brutality

Combat Shotgun: The Workhorse. Your first firearm is a reliable classic, perfect for dealing with fodder and unarmored heavies.
Upgrade the Combat Shotgun for Armor. Prioritize the “Smelt” upgrade. It causes shots to ignite enemies, forcing them to drop valuable armor shards.
Super Shotgun: The Executioner. The iconic double-barrel beast returns. Its damage at point-blank range is unmatched, making it your go-to for punishing a staggered heavy demon.

The Rail Spikes: Precision and Saturation

Rail Spike Shredder: The Crowd Mower. This fully automatic weapon unleashes a torrent of deadly spikes. Hold the trigger to mow down groups.
Rail Spike Impaler: The Sniper. 🎯 The Impaler is your first true long-range weapon. It fires a single, slow, but incredibly powerful spike.

The Plasma Weapons: Energy Overload

Plasma Accelerator: The Shield Breaker. This rapid-fire weapon is designed to overload enemy energy shields, causing an explosion.
Plasma Cycler: The Chain Reaction. ⚡ The Cycler fires slower but more damaging plasma spikes. A fully upgraded Cycler can cause shock to chain between dying enemies.

The Skullcrushers: Bone-Shattering Firepower

Skullcrusher Pulverizer: The Bone Shotgun. This brutal weapon fires shards of bone in a wide horizontal arc, perfect for clearing dense waves of fodder.
Skullcrusher Ravager: The Focused Fury. The Ravager tightens the spread, concentrating damage on a single target. Its fire rate increases the longer you hold the trigger.

The Heavy Hitters: Specialized Destruction

Reaver Chainshot: The Armored Core. This weapon functions like a bow, firing a massive iron ball on a chain. It is your premier tool for breaking physical armor.
Grenade Launcher: The Arcing Annihilator. 💣 This weapon lobs explosives that bounce, perfect for hitting enemies behind cover.
Rocket Launcher: The Straight Shooter. 🚀 For more direct explosive power, the Rocket Launcher fires projectiles in a straight line.

The Unholy Trinity of Melee

Power Gauntlet: The Brawler. 👊 Your starting melee is fast and focuses on single-target damage, perfect for quick strikes to generate ammo.
Flail: The Crowd Controller. The Flail is slower but hits in a wider arc, creating a small explosion. It is your best melee tool for breaking armor and dealing with groups.
Dreadmace: The Ultimate Finisher. 💀 The Dreadmace has a single, slow charge but deals colossal damage. A single hit instantly refills all of your weapon ammunition to full. Save it for when you are running on empty.

The BFC: Wielding Ultimate Power

Ballistic Force Crossbow: The Screen Clearer. The BFG’s medieval successor fires a massive lance of energy that obliterates everything in its path.
Know the BFC’s Trade-Off. ⚠️ Wielding the BFC is a total commitment. While you have it equipped, you CANNOT use your Shield Saw for blocking or parrying.

Part IV: Know Thy Enemy – A Tactical Bestiary 👿

To defeat the legions of Hell, you must understand them. Each demon is a puzzle designed to test your mastery of the “Stand and Fight” philosophy.

Fodder Class

Imp/Soldier: Your bread-and-butter enemies. A single shotgun blast or melee strike is sufficient. Use them to generate resources.
Shield Soldier: Do not waste ammo on their shields. Use a plasma weapon to superheat the shield, then shatter it with a shield throw.
Stone Imp: These variants are uniquely vulnerable to your Shield Charge, causing them to detonate.

Heavy Class

Hell Knight: This aggressive brawler’s attacks are telegraphed with a green glow. Stand your ground and parry its slams to open it up for a counter-attack.
Arachnotron: 🕷️ This ranged threat’s standard fire is unparryable. The best counter is to hit it with a Shield Throw to embed the saw, stunning it.
Mancubus: Often armored. Heat its cannons with plasma fire, then shatter the armor with a Shield Throw.
Revenant: Its rocket barrages can be parried and sent back for heavy damage.
Whiplash: This fast demon can be difficult to hit. A Shield Throw is your most reliable tool for stunning it.
Pinky Rider: Focus on parrying the rider’s projectiles. A successful parry will often dismount the rider.
Battle Knight: Prioritize parrying its melee attacks to break its stance and destroy its armor.

Super Heavy Class

Cyberdemon: 😈 The ultimate test of your parrying skill. Many of its most powerful attacks are telegraphed Hell Surges. Mastering the parry is not optional here.
Cosmic Baron: Its multi-hit combos require a series of rapid, well-timed parries. Do not get greedy; focus on defense.
Agaddon Hunter: A new apex predator. Like the Cyberdemon, its attacks are designed to be parried. Stand your ground, read its movements, and counter its fury.
Identify the Buff Commander. 🚩 If you see an enemy glowing with blue energy, they are being buffed by a demonic leader holding a blue flag. Ignore the buffed enemy and hunt down the flag-bearer first.

Confronting the Commanders: Spoiler-Free Boss Tactics 👑

Parrying Drains Stamina. Your primary goal against most bosses is not just to deal health damage, but to drain their stamina meter by parrying their attacks.
Create Your Damage Window. Once a boss’s stamina is depleted, they will be staggered. This is your window to unleash your most powerful weapons.
Recognize Attack Patterns. Every boss has set attack cycles. Spend the early phase observing their movements and distinguishing between blockable red and parryable green attacks.
Manage Your Resources. Boss fights are wars of attrition. Keep your resource loop flowing by using fodder enemies to melee for ammo.
The Dreadmace is a Mini-Boss Killer. The colossal damage from a single Dreadmace swing can often one-shot or severely wound mini-bosses.

Part V: Colossal Carnage – Mastering the Atlan and Mecha Dragon

DOOM: The Dark Ages breaks up its core combat with massive-scale vehicle sections.

Piloting the Atlan 🤖

Stepping into the 30-story Atlan mech is a pure power fantasy.

Learn the Atlan Rhythm: Dodge, Counter, Build. Atlan combat is a rhythmic dance. Your giant demonic opponents have the same red (block/dodge) and green (perfect dodge/counter) attack tells.
Time Your Dodges Perfectly. Dodging a green attack at the precise moment will supercharge your mech’s weapon systems.
Build Your Special Meter. Every successful hit you land fills a special move bar.
Unleash Your Special Moves. You can trigger a powerful special attack once the bar is half-full, or wait until full for an enhanced version.
Save the Stomp for Crowds. Your Atlan has a powerful area-of-effect stomp. Save it for moments when you are surrounded.

Taming the Mecha Dragon ‘Serrat’ 🐉

Taking to the skies on your cybernetic dragon offers a different kind of combat, focused on aerial dogfighting.

Master the Dodge-to-Empower Loop. When facing enemy ships, they will fire Hell Surge projectiles. Instead of parrying, you must dodge them. A successful dodge will supercharge your dragon’s cannons.
Wait for the Green Light. You can only deal significant damage to shielded targets after empowering your cannons with a dodge.
Use Boost for Fire Rate. Boosting not only increases your flight speed but also increases the fire rate of your cannons.
Assault Mode is for Stationary Combat. When engaging fixed targets like turrets, you will enter Assault Mode. This locks your view and movement, allowing you to dodge only up, down, left, or right.
Scan for Secret Landing Zones. The large aerial maps are not just for flying. Keep your eyes peeled for landing areas off the main path to find collectibles.

Part VI: Secrets of the Sentinels – A Spoiler-Free Guide to Exploration 🗺️

The sprawling levels are littered with secrets, collectibles, and challenges. Exploration is a crucial part of powering up the Slayer.

The Spoils of War 💎

Demonic Essence: Permanent, direct upgrades to your Health, Armor, and Ammo.
Gold & Rubies: Currencies used to purchase standard and mid-tier upgrades.
Wraithstones: Rare currency for the final, most powerful endgame upgrades.
Toys & Codex Pages: Collectibles that flesh out the world and its lore.
Weapon Skins: Hidden cosmetics to customize your weapons.

The Collector’s Eye 👀

Look for Glowing Cracks. The most common secret entrance is a wall with glowing green or yellow cracks. A Shield Charge will shatter these.
Your Shield Throw is a Key. Many secrets are blocked by mechanisms activated from a distance. Look for breakable chains and blue energy nodes.
Scan for Flesh and Energy Nodes. Traversal puzzles often require your shield. Look for green flesh or blue energy nodes that your shield can latch onto for a “Recall Jump.”
Question Every Ledge. The level design often includes ledges that seem just out of reach. Always investigate these.
Listen for the Chime. 👂 When you are near a secret, a subtle audio cue will often play.

Mission & Weapon Mastery Challenges ✅

Focus on One Challenge at a Time. Trying to complete all three mission challenges in a single run can be difficult. Focus on one specific objective per encounter.
Replay Earlier Levels. Some challenges require specific enemy types. Use Chapter Select to replay an earlier mission where those enemies are more common.
Unlock Weapon Mastery. Once a weapon is fully upgraded, you will unlock its unique Weapon Mastery Challenge. Completing this rewards a prestigious weapon skin.

Part VII: Forging a Legend – Advanced Slayer Optimization ✨

You have mastered the fundamentals. Now, delve into the hidden mechanics that define the true skill ceiling.

The Art of the Animation Cancel 🔄

Cancel Weapon Swaps with a Shield Bash. You can bypass the slow weapon swap animation by initiating a swap and immediately canceling it with a Shield Bash.
Cancel a Parry into a Shield Bash. Certain powerful attacks can push you back even on a successful parry. Negate this knockback by canceling the parry recovery into a Shield Bash.
Shoot During the Parry Slow-Mo. ⏳ The brief slow-motion after a parry is a tactical window. Fire a quick shot and still cancel into a Shield Bash.
The Rocket Swap Cancel (Advanced). A difficult but powerful technique. If you throw your shield and then fire the Rocket Launcher with specific timing, you can swap to your next weapon ~33% faster.
Understand Animation Locks. ⚠️ Be aware that not everything is cancelable. You cannot cancel a melee combo or a standard weapon swap with a block or parry.

Optimal Loadouts for Ultra-Nightmare

The “Impaler’s Judgment” Build. This build focuses on a constant stream of buffed, high-damage shots.
- Weapon: Rail Spike Impaler with the “Salvage” attachment.
- Melee: Dreadmace.
- Shield Rune: Heaven Splitter.
- Synergy: Any parry or shield action will activate Salvage, empowering your next Impaler shot. The Dreadmace is a panic button for an instant ammo refill.
The “Infinite Chain Reaction” Shock Build. This build excels at clearing rooms with cascading electrical damage.
- Weapon: Plasma Cycler with full shock upgrades.
- Melee: Power Gauntlet with the “Jolt” upgrade.
- Shield Rune: Heaven Splitter with the “Gigawatt” upgrade.
- Synergy: Initiate combat by parrying to trigger Heaven Splitter. Use the Jolt-enhanced Gauntlet, then switch to the Cycler. As shocked enemies die, the shock status will jump to nearby demons.

Customizing Your Crusade ⚙️

Create Custom Difficulty Modes. The sliders allow you to adjust game speed, player damage, enemy damage, and more. Experiment to create unique challenges.
- “Glass Cannon” Mode: Max enemy damage but slow projectile speed for a tense bullet-hell experience.
- “Horde” Mode: Increase game speed and aggression but lower individual damage for a high-body-count battle.
Crucial Quality-of-Life Settings.
- Turn Off “Auto Weapon Switch On Empty.” Prevents a slow swap that locks you out of blocking.
- Turn On “Parryables in Threat Indicator.” Provides an off-screen visual cue for incoming parryable attacks.
- Change Parryable Color. If the green glow blends in, change it to a more visible color like purple or yellow.
- Enable Auto-Sprint. Reduces finger fatigue and lets you focus on combat.

The Path of the Speedrunner 🏃‍♂️

Out-of-Bounds Clipping. It is possible to clip through geometry by repeatedly dodging backward into specific collision points.
Weapon Wheel Collision Skip. A powerful glitch allows you to ignore all world collision by opening the weapon wheel and continuing to move, phasing through locked doors.
Shield Charge Boosting. A core movement technique for speedrunners, a Shield Charge can provide a significant burst of momentum.
Map Morphing. A complex glitch involving opening the map during certain actions can displace the Slayer, teleporting him.

This advanced knowledge is for those who seek to push the boundaries. Use it to craft your own legend, Slayer. Now go. Rip and tear, until it is done. 🤘

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan work, all trademarks and copyrights for Doom: The Dark Ages belong to the developer id Software.

Find the game here! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3017860/DOOM_The_Dark_Ages/

DOOM: The Dark Ages Guide – Quick Tips & Tricks to Dominate