There are very few things better than the sensation you feel as a one-man army, as anyone can confirm when they play as the Doom Slayer in Bethesda’s Doom Eternal. There’s something very satisfying about when you “rip and tear” through the hordes of hell and come out on top. However, unlike Bethesda’s Doom (2016), Doom Eternal requires more strategy to come out on top. This also means that the player should make good use out of the game’s runes, equipable stat boosts that give the Doom Slayer another unfair advantage.

There’s only one problem: the player can only use a max of three runes at a time out of the nine total runes used in the game. While this gives the player some variety in how they want to buff the Doom Slayer, it also means the player has to choose wisely to get the most out of each fight. To make the slaying process easier, here’s a list of all the runes in Doom Eternal from worst to best.

10. Punch and Reave

The Blood Punch ability is unlocked in Exultia, as well as the first rune where you can unlock Punch and Reave.

When Punch and Reave is active, enemies killed by the Blood Punch shockwave drop health, perfect for players who are always seeking extra health.

Here’s what makes the Punch and Reave rune great:

• Punch and Reave provides extra health mid-combat
• It encourages the use of Blood Punch, which clears out enemies

Here are some details players should know:

• Blood Punch is mainly recharged with Glory Kills, so this rune works best for those who pursue every Glory Kill opportunity they come across
• After defeating the Doom Hunters at the Doom Hunter Base, Blood Punch gains a stronger shockwave that boosts the rune
• The Health for Blood upgrade (extra health contributes to Blood Punch when at max health) boosts your Punch and Reave rune and can create a feedback loop to ensure max health at all times

9. Savagery

A Dread Knight ends up on the receiving end of a doomblade.

A major appeal of Doom Eternal is how fast-paced the game is, and so it’s only natural to want to boost the pacing even further. With the Savagery rune, the Doom Slayer can perform Glory Kills at twice the speed and speed up the gameplay even more.

Here’s what makes the Savagery rune great:

• Faster Glory Kills gets you out of an area faster, which is vital as more hordes surround you in the late game
• This rune works best when multiple demons are staggered.

Here are some details players should know:

• This rune pairs well with the “Blood Fueled” rune which makes the Doom Slayer faster after a Glory Kill
• For maximizing speed after a Glory Kill, unlock the “Hit and Run” suit upgrade to refill your dash upon completing said glory kill

8. Saving Throw

The Doom Slayer nearly dies in the middle of a boss fight.

When times get desperate, the saving throw is the rune for you. With this rune equipped, the Doom Slayer can survive one death blow and slow downtime in the meanwhile

Here’s what makes the Saving Throw rune great:

• It provides the player a second chance in tough encounters
• The slow-motion effect allows the player to kill enemies/get out of tight spots

Here are some details players should know:

• Saving Throw is not activated when extra lives are available
• Saving Throw has become a staple of the Ultra Nightmare community, due to its ability to grant players a second chance in a mode where dying deletes the save slot

7. Take Back

The player is intoduced to the support runes in the DLC.

With the introduction of the Ancient Gods - Part 1 DLC, came the introduction of support runes only available in said DLC. One such support rune is Take Back, which in simplest terms is Saving Throw 2.0. With this rune, the player has 6 seconds to regain a lost extra life by killing the demon that activated said extra life.

Here’s what makes the Take Back rune great:

• Take Back cools down after 10 seconds, meaning that players can use the ability repeatedly unlike Saving Throw
• Upon activation of an Extra Life, the player regains full health and is ready for combat

Here's a detail players should know:

• Since the player will need armor upon activating an extra life, using sentinel crystals to upgrade the Flame Belch is highly recommended

6. Chrono Strike

The Doom Slayer force-feeds the Mancubus a rocket.

Due to Doom Eternal’s fast pace, sometimes a moment is needed to analyze the scene or land a perfect shot. With the Chrono Strike rune, the player can gain an extra couple of seconds by simply activating the weapon mod while in mid-air.

Here’s what makes the Chrono Strike rune great:

• It enables more precise shooting
• Chrono Strike assists with rocket locks on bigger enemies
• Players gain more time to strategize

Here are some details players should know:

• The Chrono Strike rune lasts five seconds but doesn’t recharge until fully depleted
• Combined with the Air Control rune, Chrono Strike allows you to damage more demons while avoiding damage as demons are less accurate while you’re airborne

5. Seek and Destroy

A poor imp watches as a fellow demon loses its head.

One of the most frustrating moments in Doom Eternal is when you stagger a demon and run over to them, only for their stagger state to end just as you reach them. With the Seek and Destroy rune, this issue goes away as you’re able to enter a glory kill from further away

Here’s what makes the Seek and Destroy rune great:

• Players launch into Glory Kills from twice the distance
• It allows the player to get away from tougher enemies/gain lost health
• And it works with a chainsaw for when you’re low on ammo

Here are some details players should know:

• Combined with the Dazed and Confused rune, Seek and Destroy nearly guarantees that you can reach every staggered enemy in time for a glory kill
• Activating a glory kill from a distance teleports you to the demon’s location for the cutscene, which can be used tactically to get away from tougher demons or bad positions

4. Blood Fueled

Blood Fueled activates upon a glory kill, giving players yet another reason to mutilate every demon they see. But let's be honest, everyone glory kills the Marauder out of spite.

Sometimes using a Glory Kill isn’t the best move in a fight as it can allow the player to get surrounded. For moments like this where you need a quick getaway, Blood Fueled has your back as it increases your speed for three seconds following a Glory Kill

Here’s what makes the Blood Fueled rune great:

• This rune increases traversal
• Blood Fueled can get the player out of tough corners faster, increasing survivability
• It also triggers when using the chainsaw and crucible

Here's a detail players should know:

• Just like with Savagery, having the “Hit and Run” upgrade allows for an even faster escape as your dash refills from a glory kill.

3. Dazed and Confused

The Possessed Soldier is helpless as the Doom Slayer approaches. His friend is next.

Sometimes it seems that demons don’t remain staggered long enough, seeming to return to normal before you have time to even react. But with the Dazed and Confused rune, that issue goes away as demons remain staggered for a longer time.

Here’s what makes the Dazed and Confused rune great:

• It staggers demons for 2x-4x as long (4x for fodder demons, 2x for heavy and super-heavy demons)
• Dazed and Confused keeps enemies off your back for a longer amount of time
• It can improve Glory Kill combos when multiple demons are staggered

Here's a detail players should know:

• This rune can be used defensively to keep demons at bay and keep the Doom Slayer from getting overcrowded

2. Equipment Fiend

The Doom Slayer likes his demons extra crispy.

The difference between casual Doom Eternal players and veterans is how they utilize their equipment. For veterans who use equipment to its fullest extent, they require the Equipment Fiend rune that decreases the recharge time for equipment whenever enemies are killed by/under the influence of said equipment.

Here’s what makes the Equipment Fiend rune great:

• It effects all equipment except the chainsaw and crucible
• The rune becomes more effective the more you use your equipment, providing a feedback loop

Here are some details players should know:

• When using sentinel crystals, unlock the “quickdraw belch” upgrade to further decrease the cooldown time.
• Three out of the four Ice Bomb upgrades indirectly increase the effectiveness of the Equipment Fiend rune, so make sure to prioritize those upgrades as ice bombs are essential both offensively and defensively
• All grenade upgrades provide an indirect boost as well to the rune, so focus on the grenade after the ice bomb. Prioritizing these upgrades and the previous ones mentioned will consequently maximize the effects of Equipment Fiend.

1. Air Control

The Doom Slayer is a threat both on the ground and in mid-air.

In a game where movement is crucial to staying alive, nothing exceeds in importance more than the ability to improve movement in midair. The Air Control rune improves movement control while the Doom Slayer is airborne.

Here’s what makes the Air Control rune great:

• Air control mproves general movement overall
• It improves platforming in combat and world exploration
• The rune also removes slowdown from direction change, perfect for avoiding obstacles and projectiles

Here are some details players should know:

• While the rune is praised by the community overall, there is controversy as many fans believe players should naturally have this ability in the game
• Using Air Control also helps those who wish to 100% the game due to the platforming needed to reach most upgrades and collectibles

What doesn’t work for one person works for another, so it’s always important to mix and match runes to determine what works best. Certain runes may not be as strong separately, but when combined with others gives them a major boost, such as “Savagery” and “Blood Fueled”. Experiment with each rune and find what works for you so that you can slay the hordes of hell with ease.

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