Ah, DOOM. Never gets old! Whether it’s DOOM (1993) or DOOM: Eternal, there’s one thing that all entries in the franchise have in common: the insane variety of weapons. I mean, seriously, where does Doomguy store all of them?
However, unlike many of the other entries in this long-running franchise, DOOM: Eternal’s weapon variety serves not only as a mere stylistic choice. Rather, the weapons are now built to fill essential aspects of Eternal’s core gameplay, although some do their job better than others. Here, we’re going to go over the top 10 best weapons in DOOM: Eternal.
10. Unmakyr
The Unmakyr. Pure Makyr technology.
The Unmakyr, Eternal’s take on Doom 64’s Unmaker, is an undeniably cool weapon that deals great damage - firing 3 projectiles automatically in a horizontal spread, shredding most heavies and super heavies. Here’s the kicker, though: the Unmakyr uses BFG 9000 ammo. Not only is the iconic BFG definitely the better weapon of the two - firing a green energy sphere that fries up anything not in its direct path with its energy tendrils - the ammo is so scarce up until the last level that ideally, you’d want to save it until absolutely necessary.
Honestly, the Unmakyr is a missed opportunity to make a weapon that directly competes with one of the DOOM franchise’s most iconic guns. It’s not good enough to stack up against the BFG 9000, and it’s certainly not good enough to share an ammo pool with such a powerful weapon. You can obtain the Unmakyr by completing all Slayer Gates in the base game, using the Empyrean Key dropped after each Gate in the Fortress of Doom; but honestly, once you use it, you’ll just be thinking: “Really?”
9. Combat Shotgun
The first weapon you get in the game!
Taking second-last place on our list is the Combat Shotgun. While it’s good to start the game with - becoming ESPECIALLY useful after you get the Sticky Bomb mod - its usefulness begins to diminish quickly as you continue progressing through the game, collecting better weapons as you go on. Sticky Bomb is good for certain weakpoints - most notably Arachnotron turrets and Mancubus flamethrowers - but it just doesn’t do enough damage to justify being a mainstay weapon once you’ve obtained other guns, such as the Ballista and Precision Bolt mod for the Heavy Cannon, which are also both great weakpoint eliminators themselves.
Full Auto, on the other hand, does tremendous damage at a suitable rate if upgraded, but its problem is that it eats up ammo better left to the Super Shotgun. The fact that the Combat Shotgun and Super Shotgun share an ammo pool puts the former firmly in 9th place, as more often than not, you’ll find yourself having the Super Shotgun in your hands for its damage and the Meathook.
8. Rocket Launcher
Tick, tick, boom!
Big, bad and explosive, the Rocket Launcher is a great weapon; however, it finds itself in the lower half of this list for a variety of reasons. For one, the self-harm radius is pretty big and deals a lot of damage; if the target is too close to yourself and you blast it with the Rocket Launcher, there’s a good chance you’ll end up dead, or at least dead soon. To make things worse, the weapon’s mods - Lock-On and Remote Detonate - either take too long to charge or have limited versatility, respectively.
Lock-On, when not upgraded, takes too long to lock onto a target to fire its three-burst rockets, which you have to keep in the weapon’s reticle the whole time. This isn’t really something you can afford to do as you prioritize movement in your playstyle;
Remote Detonate allows a missed rocket to maybe still have some value, but at that point, you’re better off switching to another weapon like the Heavy Cannon’s Precision Bolt or the Ballista to deal more damage.
7. Plasma Rifle
Might as well be in Ghostbusters...
The Plasma Rifle is yet another iconic weapon that DOOM: Eternal brings back, this time in a design very reminiscent of the original from DOOM (1993). Actually, basically all the weapons from DOOM (1993) that are also in DOOM: Eternal look a lot like what they did almost 30 years ago! That speaks a lot to the timeless design of these weapons, and in the case of the Plasma Rifle, its function definitely matches its design in terms of excellence. What makes this weapon so useful is its high rate of fire, coupled with respectable damage output; simplicity isn’t necessarily a bad thing!
What puts this weapon near the bottom of this list, however, is the fact that its mods aren’t that useful. The Heat Blast, while cool and does substantial damage, is really not all that different from other explosive area-damaging weapons, and the Microwave Beam takes too long to charge. Thus, the Plasma Rifle is best used as a high-DPS weapon against fodder, but against heavies and super heavies, you’re better off using the weapons above this one on the list.
You’ll pick up the Plasma Rifle in the middle of the second level, Exultia, when you get teleported to Hell.
6. Chaingun
Big, bad demon calls for a big, bad weapon!
Closing out the lower half of our list is the Chaingun. Big, bad, and deadly, the Chaingun is - much like the Plasma Rifle - a high-DPS weapon whose function is only aided by its mods, Energy Shield and Mobile Turret. Energy Shield gives you a shield in front of you to block a decent amount of damage, but the Mobile Turret multiplies the Chaingun’s damage fourfold - albeit consuming ammo four times as fast, and with a substantial cooldown once the weapon overheats.
The thing with the Chaingun is that, unlike many of the other weapons previously mentioned, there aren’t really any downsides to actually USING it. Its mods don’t slow you down, its base fire is respectable, and its ammo-depleting capabilities are easily rectified via using the Chainsaw (which we’re not mentioning on the list, but it’s probably the best tool in the game just because it’s an ammo farmer!). The Chaingun can stop ferocious, charging demons like the Hell Knights and Barons of Hell dead in their tracks, making it one of the most useful weapons you’ll have in your arsenal.
The Chaingun can be found in the Super Gore Nest level, once you’ve deactivated the first valve on the Heart.
5. Heavy Cannon
Ever had an assault rifle double as a sniper, then also double as a missile launcher?
The Heavy Cannon is basically DOOM: Eternal’s take on a rugged, dependable assault rifle. Here’s the thing: sure, the Heavy Cannon’s base fire is inferior to many of the weapons below it on the list. It doesn’t do as much damage, making it virtually useless against heavies and super heavies, and even for fodder, many of the weapons below it on the list do a way better job.
What the Heavy Cannon takes the halfway spot for on this list are its mods; more specifically, the Precision Bolt mod. Not only is it incredibly useful, capable of taking out many demon weakpoints, it’s also half of one of the best combos in the game. Commonly abbreviated to PB + Ballista, this combo entails quickswapping between the Heavy Cannon’s Precision Bolt mode and the Ballista’s base fire; by quickswapping, you eliminate the cooldown times for both weapons, and deal a substantial amount of damage to any demon in a very short amount of time.
You’ll find the Heavy Cannon at the beginning of Exultia, the second level.
4. Ballista
A laser... cannon?
Ah, the Ballista. A carryover from DOOM (2016)’s Gauss Cannon, the Ballista is a weapon that packs a serious punch. Here’s the thing: while you may believe that this weapon should probably be lower on this list, suffering from many of the same issues as the Rocket Launcher, what makes the Ballista special is how quick it fires and how its cooldown can be mitigated with weapon switching to deal maximum damage. One of Eternal’s most popular combos is Precision Bolt + Ballista; quickswapping between the Heavy Cannon’s sniper mode and the Ballista allows you to deal a lot of damage very quickly to heavy and super heavy demons, without each weapon’s cooldown time.
The Ballista’s insta-fire makes it one of the best weapons to combine with another in quickswapping combos, without needing its modded forms. Neither the Arbalest or Destroyer Blade charge up quickly, and should be used sparingly unless you’re sufficiently skilled in handling their slow charge time. Hell, the Ballista’s basic fire can even be used in the same way that the Precision Bolt is used to target weakpoints such as the Arachnotron’s turret and the Mancubus’ flamethrowers, eliminating them in one shot; even without its modded forms, the Ballista still stands as one of the best weapons DOOM: Eternal has to offer.
You’ll get the Ballista in the Fortress of Doom, after completing the Doom Hunter Base level.
3. Crucible
The Doom Slayer's greatest weapon from his time among the Night Sentinels.
The Crucible is a new addition to DOOM: Eternal’s catalog of weapons, bearing the distinction of being the second melee weapon introduced in the franchise (the first being the Chainsaw, unless you want to count your fists), and boy, does it come in strong. First introduced, although never used, in DOOM (2016), the Crucible is the sacred blade of the Night Sentinels, capable of putting down almost any demon. That’s right, almost every single demon in the game is subject to punishment from this fearsome weapon. Is that Cyberdemon giving you trouble? Let him taste the Crucible. That Arch-vile getting on your nerves, spawning its disgusting little friends in a gazillion at a time? The Crucible will shut him down quick.
The only demons the Crucible can’t immediately take out are the Doom Hunter and Marauder, and honestly for good reason - both of these are introduced as minibosses, and so they should be harder to take out without a quick way to dispose of them. The Crucible is obtained in Taras Nabad, the ninth level - getting you ready for the last stretch of the game.
2. BFG 9000
Big. F***ing. Gun. 9000, just for the obligatory DBZ reference.
Needing no introduction, second on our list is the iconic BFG 9000. This weapon is arguably better than the Crucible, for the simple fact that it kills almost anything when fired. Sure, it does the most damage when it hits your target head-on, but even if it doesn’t, it’ll still deal substantial damage with its tendrils that latch onto almost all demons in any room, killing fodder and severely damaging heavies and super heavies, allowing you to finish them off with ease.
The only problem with the BFG 9000 is that you’ve only got two shots, so you need to really pick and choose when you use it. Ammo for this weapon is pretty hard to come by, so don’t expect to breeze through the rest of the game once you’ve got it. You’ll get the BFG 9000 in level 7, Mars Core, and you’ll be forced to use it immediately - although it’ll be a pleasant surprise when you fire it.
1. Super Shotgun
One of the most iconic weapons in the DOOM franchise, and it wasn't even part of the original game!
Easily taking the #1 spot here on our list is the essential, indispensable, double-barreled Super Shotgun, a staple since 1994’s Doom II. Although not nearly on the same level as the BFG and Crucible in terms of damage output, the Meathook mod - which the Super Shotgun comes outfitted with as soon as you get it - allows you to propel yourself across Eternal’s maps by hooking onto demons, giving the player incredible variety in movement options; when fully upgraded, it also sets target demons on fire, dealing more damage and giving you shield pickups.
The movement and versatility afforded by the Meathook has instantly made it a signature of DOOM: Eternal’s advanced gameplay in comparison to all other entries in the franchise, placing the Super Shotgun firmly at #1. If there’s one thing in Eternal more important than damage output, it’s being able to evade damage that would be inflicted onto you, something that the Super Shotgun facilitates exceptionally well.
The Super Shotgun is obtained in Cultist Base, the third level of the base game. Getting it early on gives you ample opportunity to upgrade and get familiar with the weapon, which you’ll be using a lot as you progress through the game. Hopefully you’ll fall in love with it, just as I have, and I hope that using it makes you love DOOM: Eternal all the more!
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