Doom: The Dark Ages equips players with a vast arsenal, but the key to unleashing the Doom Slayer’s full potential lies in strategic upgrades. Thoroughly clearing missions yields gold and rubies to enhance weapons and abilities, but early in the game, resources are scarce, and choices matter. This guide highlights the most effective upgrade paths to prioritize during the opening hours, ensuring players maximize damage, survivability, and control while adapting to the game’s intense rhythm.
Power Up the Combat Shotgun
Incendiary, Smelt, and Tune Up
The Combat Shotgun is one of the earliest weapons available, and its upgrade path delivers immediate value for both offense and defense. Investing gold here is a smart move, as it bolsters survivability while dishing out serious damage. The Incendiary upgrade sets demons ablaze, creating opportunities for follow-up attacks. Next, the Smelt upgrade ensures burning enemies drop extra armor, keeping the Doom Slayer in the fight longer. The real game-changer, though, is the Tune Up upgrade, which transforms the shotgun into a tri-burst powerhouse. This upgrade makes quick work of mid-tier demons, providing a reliable edge in the game’s opening missions.
Enhance the Pulverizer’s Crowd Control
Runic Skull and Runic Strike
The Pulverizer, acquired early in the campaign, is a versatile weapon designed for crowd control with its wide spread, yet it also packs a punch against larger demons at close range. Prioritizing its upgrades unlocks its full potential. The Runic Skull upgrade boosts the weapon’s Charge after kills with the Pulverizer or melee attacks, granting faster movement and a higher fire rate to tear through enemies. Meanwhile, the Runic Strike upgrade ensures melee attacks build and sustain Charge, making the Doom Slayer a relentless force. These upgrades transform the Pulverizer into a must-have for chaotic battles.
Supercharge the Flail’s Melee Might
Conditioning, Ignite, and Resonant
The Flail, introduced a few hours into the game, is a devastating melee weapon that outshines the Power Gauntlet with its versatility. Its slower charge time is offset by powerful upgrades that players should grab as soon as possible. The Conditioning upgrade reduces charge time, allowing faster attacks. The Ignite upgrade sets enemies on fire, causing them to drop armor to boost survivability. The standout, however, is the Resonant upgrade, which amplifies damage against metal shields and armor, clearing obstacles to deal direct harm to demons. As a bonus, each hit with Resonant drops additional armor, making this upgrade a cornerstone for melee-focused players.
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