Doom: The Dark Ages brings the carnage and chaos we’ve come to love but mixes in brutal medieval flair and a much heavier focus on melee combat. But whether you’re cleaving demons in half or blasting them to bits, picking the right weapon is key.
This DOOM The Dark Ages Best Weapons – Complete Tier List breaks down the 10 best weapons in the game — their strengths, best use cases, and the upgrades that make them downright broken.
DOOM The Dark Ages Best Weapons – Complete Tier List
1. Super Shotgun – The Tried and True Powerhouse
Let’s be honest, if a Doom game exists, the Super Shotgun will always have a place at the top. In The Dark Ages, that hasn’t changed.
Damage Output: On normal difficulty, a single blast can tear through even tanky enemies like Manubis and Hell Knights.
Best Use: Mid-range encounters and finishing off tougher enemies quickly.
Drawback: Limited ammo forces you to use it sparingly, even more than in past Doom games.
Pro Tip: Use it against Revenants and new enemies like the Acolytes when you’re short on patience and long on aggression.
2. Combat Shotgun – Versatile & Upgradable
While it lacks the raw punch of the Super Shotgun, the Combat Shotgun makes up for it with sheer adaptability.
Why It’s Good: Upgrades like armor drops on blast or triple-shot with one trigger pull make it a beast in the right hands.
Best Strategy: Alternate between shooting and melee for constant momentum and survivability.
Weakness: Less effective against high-tier enemies like Leaders and Valkyries.
3. Flail – The MVP of Melee
Doom: The Dark Ages pushes melee more than ever — and the Flail stands out among the three melee weapons available.
Quick Strikes: Faster than the Power Gauntlet and Dread Mace, making it ideal for fluid combat.
Armor Breaker: It heats up and shatters demon armor, which is a game-changer against shielded foes.
Fun Factor: Watching demons explode into viscera from a chained spiked ball never gets old.
4. Grenade Launcher – Chaos in a Canister
If you’re the type to enjoy watching the battlefield descend into complete mayhem, this one’s for you.
Unique Mechanic: Grenades bounce first, then explode on enemy contact.
Upgrades: Cause additional grenades to spawn after the initial explosion, amplifying chaos.
Use Tip: Keep your distance — you can get caught in your own chain reaction if you’re careless.
5. Cycler – Plasma Done Right
Though the Accelerator gets attention early on, the Cycler proves to be the real MVP when fights get messy.
Balance: Offers a sweet spot between fire rate and raw damage.
Shocking Upgrade: Enemies killed by it electrocute nearby demons, turning every kill into an AOE event.
When to Use: Great against tight clusters of enemies or when crowd control becomes a priority.
6. Rocket Launcher – Risk, Reward, and Self-Heal
The classic rocket launcher gets a twist this time around.
Classic Risk: Still dangerous up close, as usual — one bad shot can cost you half your health.
New Edge: The Cannibalism upgrade lets you heal from explosion damage after parrying.
Playstyle Fit: Ideal for aggressive players who don’t mind risking it all to heal mid-fight.
7. Shield Saw – Parry, Throw, Kill, Repeat
More than just a defensive tool, the Shield Saw is surprisingly potent offensively too.
Basic Use: Blocks damage and parries attacks.
Upgrades: Allows ricochets and blade extensions, letting you mow down crowds like a bloodthirsty Captain America.
Best Moment: When a perfect parry sets off a chain reaction of ricocheting death.
8. Impaler – The One-Shot Sniper Cannon
If you like precision and power, the Impaler is basically a boss-melting railgun.
Raw Power: A single shot can reduce most enemies to a pile of ash.
Upgrades: One makes enemies drop ammo, another recharges melee on headshot.
Best Use: Sniping big threats or bullying a Cyber Demon into early retirement.
9. BFC – The “Not-Quite-BFG” Nuke
Doom’s legendary BFG gets a Dark Ages variant — the BFC.
Pros: Still melts entire hordes in one shot.
Cons: No upgrades available, and it feels weaker than past BFGs.
Use It When: You’re cornered by a mob or want to clear a room with a single pull.
10. Ravager – The True Endgame Weapon
Let’s cut to it: the Ravager is broken in the best way.
Mechanic: Starts slow, but speeds up the longer you hold the trigger.
Insane Upgrade: Causes demons to drop health orbs — so you’re basically healing constantly.
Strategy: Target big enemies and use them as walking medkits while ignoring the rest.
Why It’s #1: Once you get it, you’ll forget every other weapon even exists.