DOOM: The Dark Ages is id Software's medieval prequel, released 15 May 2025, and it swaps Eternal's air dashing for a grounded fight built around a Shield Saw. Twenty two chapters run from Village of Khalim to Reckoning, broken up by Atlan mech brawls and flights on the dragon Serrat. Separate difficulty sliders let you tune projectile speed, enemy aggression and damage independently.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary weapons | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your role's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary weapons | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Village of Khalim
Key resources: Combat Shotgun, Power Gauntlet, Rail Spike Shredder Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Super Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Hebeth
Key resources: Shield Saw, Plasma Accelerator Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Super Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Holy City of Aratum
Key resources: Super Shotgun, Plasma Cycler Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Super Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Abyssal Forest
Key resources: Grenade Launcher, shield runes and secrets Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Shield Saw max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Spire of Nerathul
Key resources: Ballistic Force Crossbow Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Shield Saw max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Village of Khalim to Hebeth)
- Upgrade your starting weapons to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Super Shotgun once accessible
Mid Game (Holy City of Aratum)
- Push Super Shotgun to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Shield Saw
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Abyssal Forest to Spire of Nerathul)
- Max out Shield Saw. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary weapons for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple weapons: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Holy City of Aratum farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Only green attacks can be parried. Train your eye on the colour before you train the timing, because attempting a parry on a non green projectile is a free hit for the demon.
- Farm Holy City of Aratum during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More DOOM: The Dark Ages Guides
- DOOM: The Dark Ages DOOM: The Dark Ages Overview
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Best Builds
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Tier List
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Walkthrough
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Beginner's Guide
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Tips & Tricks
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Weapons Guide
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Combat Guide
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Boss Guide
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Maps & Locations
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy DOOM: The Dark Ages, check out these related guides:
- Counter-Strike 2 Crafting Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Apex Legends Crafting Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Crafting Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
