id Software's 2016 reboot launched on 13 May 2016 and rebuilt the series by removing every reason to stop moving. Glory Kills drop health, the chainsaw drops ammunition, and cover does nothing at all, so the 13 campaign missions from The UAC through Kadingir Sanctum to Argent D'Nur reward forward pressure over caution. This is the reboot rather than DOOM Eternal or the 1993 original, and its pace still outruns most shooters released since.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough. If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Movement is the defence system
Movement is the defence system. There is no cover mechanic, no regenerating health and no reload button, so standing still in an arena is the single most common cause of death on Ultra-Violence.
2. Treat the chainsaw as an ammunition vending machine rather than a finisher
Treat the chainsaw as an ammunition vending machine rather than a finisher. A Possessed costs one fuel can and drops enough pickups to refill several weapons, so saw the weakest demon in the room, not the biggest.
3. Buy Area-Scanning Technology from the Praetor Suit menu as early as the tokens allow
Buy Area-Scanning Technology from the Praetor Suit menu as early as the tokens allow. It marks secrets on the automap, which is what turns collectible hunting from a slog into a two minute detour per level.
4. Summoners take priority over everything else on screen
Summoners take priority over everything else on screen. They teleport constantly and spawn extra demons for as long as they live, so a delayed Summoner kill compounds into an unwinnable arena.
5. Rune Trials are timed and often awkward, but Savagery alone justifies the detour
Rune Trials are timed and often awkward, but Savagery alone justifies the detour. Faster Glory Kill animations shorten the vulnerable window in every single fight for the rest of the campaign.
6. Weapon mods are chosen per weapon and swapped freely, so carry the mod that fits the level
Weapon mods are chosen per weapon and swapped freely, so carry the mod that fits the level. Explosive Shot on the Combat Shotgun suits open arenas, Charged Burst suits corridors and single targets.
7. Argent Cell choices between Health, Armour and Ammo capacity do not reset
Argent Cell choices between Health, Armour and Ammo capacity do not reset. Health first is the safe order on a first run, and Ammo first suits players comfortable enough to rely on Glory Kills for healing.
8. Every mission hides a classic DOOM map fragment behind a lever, and stepping through drops you into a small remade 1993 area
Every mission hides a classic DOOM map fragment behind a lever, and stepping through drops you into a small remade 1993 area. They are the easiest secrets in the game once the automap upgrade is active.
9. Elite Guard corpses are the only source of Praetor Tokens, and there are a limited number per mission
Elite Guard corpses are the only source of Praetor Tokens, and there are a limited number per mission. Missing them permanently limits the suit upgrades available on that playthrough.
10. Fight the Cyberdemon and the Hell Guard by circling the arena edge rather than crossing the middle
Fight the Cyberdemon and the Hell Guard by circling the arena edge rather than crossing the middle. Both bosses telegraph ground attacks that hit the centre hardest, and the Gauss Cannon covers the distance anyway.
Advanced Strategies
Role Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
For Glory Kill Rusher (A-Tier):
- Focus on Glory Kills combinations for maximum output.
- Core gear: Super Shotgun
- Stat priority: Offensive stats first
For Super Shotgun Brawler (S-Tier):
- The Super Shotgun does more damage per shell than anything short of the BFG, and it has no mods to complicate it. This build closes distance on purpose and treats the reload as the rhythm of the fight.
- Core gear: Super Shotgun, Rich Get Richer rune, Ammo capacity upgrades, Frag Grenades for the reload window
- Stat priority: Ammo capacity, then Health, then Armour
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how DOOM's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
Glory Kills + Chainsaw ammunition economy: Damaged demons stagger and flash, and a melee press executes them for a burst of health. Combined with Chainsaw ammunition economy, the chainsaw runs on fuel, costing between one and three cans depending on the size of the demon, and a chainsaw kill sprays enough ammunition pickups to refill most of the arsenal.
Weapon mods and Field Drones + Rune Trials: Field Drones hidden in the levels grant weapon mods, and each gun holds two. When paired with Rune Trials, rune trials are timed challenges hidden inside missions, and completing one grants a passive rune.
Praetor Suit and Argent Cells scaling: Praetor Tokens taken from dead Elite Guard corpses buy suit perks such as Area-Scanning Technology, which puts secrets on the automap. Argent Cells are a separate currency that upgrades only Health, Armour or Ammo capacity, and those choices stay locked in for that playthrough.
Weapons Efficiency
| Weapon | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Super Shotgun | Close quarters against heavy demons, and any fight where a Glory Kill stagger needs setting up fast. | Two barrels, enormous close range damage and no weapon mods at all. |
| Combat Shotgun | General purpose fighting and staggering demons into Glory Kill range at medium distance. | The workhorse, carried from the first mission to the last. |
| Gauss Cannon | Barons of Hell, Mancubi and any heavy demon you can hit from across an arena. | A precision energy rifle with two very different mods. |
| Rocket Launcher | Cacodemons, Revenants and clustered Imps that a shotgun would take too long to clear. | Splash damage with two mods that change its role entirely. |
| BFG 9000 | Arena waves that spawn multiple Barons or a Cyber-Mancubus alongside a full crowd. | Three shots at a time, no mods, and it deletes almost everything in line of sight. |
Location Efficiency
Resource Operations (Mission 2 of 13): The second mission and the first proper arena teaching level, where Gore Nests and the wave system are introduced properly. It also hands over the Combat Shotgun mods and the first Rune Trials worth chasing.
Kadingir Sanctum (Mission 6 of 13): The first full Hell level, all bone architecture and open drops, and a sharp difficulty increase over the Mars facilities. Hell Knights and Summoners appear in numbers here for the first time.
Lazarus Labs (Mission 9 of 13): The UAC research wing where Olivia Pierce's work is laid out in data logs, and the mission that ends in the Cyberdemon fight. The arena is large and circular, which is the only reason the fight is survivable.
The Necropolis (Mission 11 of 13): A vertical Hell fortress built around the Hell Guard encounter, first one and then two at once. It is the point where a build that neglected Armour and Ammo capacity stops working.
Argent D'Nur (Mission 13 of 13): The final mission, set in the ruined homeland of the Night Sentinels, and it closes on the Spider Mastermind. Everything before it is preparation for one long arena with no cover and no retreat.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Backing into a corner when health drops, which removes every Glory Kill option and leaves you trapped as the arena fills behind you.
- Saving the chainsaw for emergencies and then running the entire mission on the pistol, when a single fuel can spent on a Possessed refills the whole arsenal.
- Ignoring Field Drones and finishing the campaign with half the weapon mods, which makes the Gauss Cannon and Rocket Launcher far weaker than they should be.
- Leaving Summoners alive while clearing smaller demons, which lets them keep spawning reinforcements until the arena is unmanageable.
- Confusing this game with DOOM Eternal and expecting Eternal's ice bomb, flame belch and dash resource loop, none of which exist in the 2016 reboot.
Pro Quick Tips
- Movement is the defence system. There is no cover mechanic, no regenerating health and no reload button, so standing still in an arena is the single most common cause of death on Ultra-Violence.
- Treat the chainsaw as an ammunition vending machine rather than a finisher. A Possessed costs one fuel can and drops enough pickups to refill several weapons, so saw the weakest demon in the room, not the biggest.
- Buy Area-Scanning Technology from the Praetor Suit menu as early as the tokens allow. It marks secrets on the automap, which is what turns collectible hunting from a slog into a two minute detour per level.
- Start with Super Shotgun Brawler, switch to Glory Kill Rusher when ready
- Invest in Super Shotgun above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Resource Operations → Kadingir Sanctum → Lazarus Labs → The Necropolis → Argent D'Nur. See our maps guide
- Glory Kills + Chainsaw ammunition economy together are stronger than either alone
More DOOM Guides
- DOOM DOOM Overview
- DOOM Best Builds
- DOOM Tier List
- DOOM Walkthrough
- DOOM Beginner's Guide
- DOOM Weapons Guide
- DOOM Combat Guide
- DOOM Boss Guide
- DOOM Maps & Locations
- DOOM Crafting Guide
- DOOM Classes & Characters
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