Doom: The Dark Ages – Best weapon tier list

You’ll have no shortage of powerful weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages with which you can turn countless demons into chunks of flesh and red smears on the ground, but not all of them are created equal. While there is no out-and-out bad weapon in Dark Ages, there are some we prefer more than others, so to help you with figuring out what to prioritize for your upgrades, we’ve ranked every weapon in the game in a tier list.

Every weapon has the potential to be great though. So check out our guide on the best weapon upgrades in Doom: The Dark Ages to learn more about how to maximize your weapon's potential.

S-Tier weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages

Super Shotgun

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise, as it can cleave even some of the more powerful demons in half with just one shot. While it has a limited supply of ammo, that shouldn’t be a problem as long as you’re keeping up with the glory kills, and it's unbelievably powerful, not to mention very satisfying to use.

Rocket Launcher

You’re firing big explosions directly into demons' faces, it’s really not that complicated. The splash damage hurting you is a problem at first, but the earliest upgrade to the Rocket Launcher allows you to heal from that splash damage instead, provided you’ve just countered a hell surge attack, making it an invaluable tool.

Cycler

The energy weapons may not be as flashy as some of the others in Doom: The Dark Ages, but this thing is a bit of a beast if you use it right. With an incredible rate of fire, it can tear through demons like there’s no tomorrow, and once you’ve pumped a couple of upgrades into it, it will be able to stun enemies with ease, with that effect chaining to nearby demons with each one you kill. Plus, with a high ammo capacity, you’ll rarely run out.

A-Tier weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages

Combat Shotgun

While it isn’t as powerful as its super variant, the Combat Shotgun is still the most reliable weapon you’ll get your hands on during the game. It does solid damage at a decent rate with a reasonable ammo capacity. Plus, the upgrades allow you to start burning demons and even detonate them on death. It’s the first gun you get hold of in the game, and you should always be willing to rely on it.

Impaler

This is another weapon that has a low rate of fire but deals heavy damage. The problem is that it’s outclassed by both the Rocket Launcher and Super Shotgun, so it loses a bit of purpose. If you happen to run out of ammo for both of those, then this is a good backup option, as it has a higher ammo capacity, but it’s only good as a backup.

Grenade Launcher

Dealing explosive damage is great, but the Grenade Launcher is a lot harder to use than its rocket-based counterpart. It’s a lot easier to miss with a grenade thanks to how they bounce around, and while they do explode immediately on direct hits, you have to be careful when you bring this one out.

Ravager

The incredible onslaught of attacks this weapon can unleash is worth the effort it takes to get up to speed, you just have to be in the right situation to use it. The fact that firing it limits your movement speed is a really big downside, as you could easily end up swamped by demons if you’re not careful, though it can be lessened with upgrades.

B-Tier weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages

Chainshot

The Chainshot gets a low ranking, not because it isn’t powerful, but because it just isn’t that fun to use. Charging up the big ball and chain that fires at enemies just isn’t that interesting, and while it does do a decent chunk of damage, the incredibly slow rate of fire just isn’t worth it compared to the heavy-hitting S-Tier weapons.

Accelerator, Shredder, and Pulverizer

These three are lumped together as they all have the same problem, which is that they become entirely pointless to use once you unlock the more powerful version of them. While something like the Combat Shotgun can still be useful after you get the Super Shotgun, these weapons may as well be removed from your arsenal once you get the more powerful version, as they all do essentially the same thing, but worse.