DOOM (2016): Complete Guide

A guide to id Software's 2016 DOOM reboot: the combat loop, every weapon and mod, runes and Praetor Suit upgrades, a mission-by-mission outline with collectibles, difficulty advice (including Ultra-Nightmare), and a word on multiplayer and SnapMap today.

Researched September 2026 — covers the final PC build (Update 6.66 and later, with all DLC free and Vulkan support; last Steam update was a backend stability patch in April 2024). Check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• Never stop moving. DOOM's combat rewards pushing forward. Standing still or hiding gets you surrounded.
• Glory kills heal you. Damage an enemy until it staggers (it flashes blue, then orange when you're close), then press melee for a glory kill. Glory kills drop health.
• The chainsaw gives ammo. Chainsawing an enemy makes it explode into ammo. Small demons cost one fuel pip. Keep it for when you're low.
• Health and armor come from killing. You get health from glory kills and armor/ammo from pickups. The game wants you to fight to stay alive.
• Swap weapons constantly. Each gun has a job. The Super Shotgun for close range, Gauss/Rocket for big targets, Plasma for shields.
• Upgrade weapon mods early. Weapon upgrade points come from combat, challenges, and secrets.
• Find the automap station in each level. It reveals secrets on the map.
• Pick Argent Cell upgrades carefully. Health, Armor, and Ammo capacity. Most players go Health and Armor first.
• Play on Ultra-Violence if you've played shooters before. Hurt Me Plenty if you're newer.
• Classic maps are hidden in most levels. Find the hidden lever to unlock a playable original DOOM map, which you can then launch from the menus.

The Combat Loop

DOOM is built on a push-forward loop:

• Shoot enemies to stagger them.
• Glory kill staggered enemies for health.
• Chainsaw fodder when ammo runs low.
• Grab armor and ammo pickups during the fight.
• Keep moving to avoid projectiles and melee.

The fights take place in arenas. When an arena locks, it won't open until every demon is dead. Use the whole arena, including jump pads, ledges, and power-ups.

Movement

• Double jump (after the first upgrade in the story) and ledge grabbing let you climb anywhere.
• Strafing is your main defense. Circle-strafe around large demons.
• Power-ups such as Berserk, Quad Damage, Haste, and Invulnerability appear in some arenas. Use them to clear big fights fast.

Weapons and Mods

Weapon | Mod 1 | Mod 2 | Role

Pistol | Charge shot built in | None | Infinite-ammo backup

Combat Shotgun | Charged Burst | Explosive Shot | Early workhorse, crowd control

Heavy Assault Rifle | Tactical Scope | Micro Missiles | Mid-range damage

Plasma Rifle | Heat Blast | Stun Bomb | Breaking shields, stunning big demons

Rocket Launcher | Remote Detonation | Lock-On Burst | Big burst damage, crowds

Super Shotgun | None | None | Close-range king

Gauss Cannon | Precision Bolt | Siege Mode | Huge single-target damage

Chaingun | Gatling Rotator | Mobile Turret | Sustained damage against bosses

BFG 9000 | None | None | Clears a room. Very limited ammo

Chainsaw | None | None | Instant kill for ammo, uses fuel

How mods work

• Field Drones in each level give you weapon mods.
• Weapon upgrade points unlock mod upgrades.
• Once a mod is fully upgraded, a Mastery challenge appears. Completing it unlocks a powerful bonus for that mod.

Recommended mod picks

• Combat Shotgun: Explosive Shot — great crowd damage early.
• Heavy Assault Rifle: Micro Missiles — big burst damage once upgraded.
• Rocket Launcher: Lock-On Burst — reliable damage on large demons.
• Gauss Cannon: Precision Bolt — massive single hits on heavy demons.
• Plasma Rifle: Stun Bomb — freezes enemies for free damage and glory kills.
• Chaingun: Mobile Turret — excellent for bosses.

The strongest classic combo is Precision Bolt into Super Shotgun (or rockets into Super Shotgun): fire the heavy hitter, swap, fire the Super Shotgun, swap back. Weapon swaps are fast, so swapping is often quicker than waiting for a single weapon to cycle.

Praetor Suit, Runes, and Argent Cells

Praetor Suit upgrades

Collect Praetor Tokens from Elite Guard corpses in each level. Spend them in five categories:

Category | What it improves

Environmental Resistance | Resistance to explosive barrels, hazards, fall damage

Area-Scanning Technology | Map and secret detection

Equipment System | Equipment cooldowns and power

Power-Up Effectiveness | Power-up duration

Dexterity | Weapon swap speed, ledge grab speed

Early priorities: Area-Scanning Technology for secrets and Dexterity for faster weapon swaps.

Runes

Complete Rune Trials (short challenge rooms) to unlock Runes. You can equip three at a time. Each rune has an upgrade challenge.

Rune | Effect

Vacuum | Increases pickup radius

Dazed and Confused | Staggered enemies stay staggered longer

Ammo Boost | More ammo from pickups

Equipment Power | Stronger equipment

Seek and Destroy | Launch into glory kills from farther away

Savagery | Faster glory kills

In-Flight Mobility | Better air control

Armored Offensive | Glory kills drop armor

Blood Fueled | Speed boost after glory kills

Intimacy is Best | A close-range rune tied to staggered demons (read its in-game description before relying on it)

Rich Get Richer | Infinite ammo while your armor is above a threshold

Saving Throw | A one-time save from a lethal hit

Popular setup: Savagery, Seek and Destroy, and Blood Fueled for an aggressive loop. Saving Throw is essential for Ultra-Nightmare.

Argent Cells

Each Argent Cell increases Health, Armor, or Ammo capacity. Most players take Health and Armor first. Ammo helps if you use a lot of heavy weapons.

Equipment

• Frag Grenade — standard explosive
• Siphon Grenade — steals health from enemies
• Hologram — a decoy

Mission Outline

# | Mission | Notes

1 | The UAC | Intro. Learn glory kills and the basics

2 | Resource Operations | First field drones and weapon mods

3 | Foundry | Big, open level with lots of secrets

4 | Argent Facility | Bigger arenas and tougher demons

5 | Argent Energy Tower | Vertical tower climb

6 | Kadingir Sanctum | First trip to Hell

7 | Argent Facility (Destroyed) | Back on Mars

8 | Advanced Research Complex | Story heavy, big fights

9 | Lazarus Labs | Leads to Hell again

10 | Titan's Realm | Hell

11 | The Necropolis | Hell

12 | VEGA Central Processing | Late game

13 | Argent D'Nur | Finale

Boss fights include the Cyberdemon, the Hell Guard (guarding the Crucible in Hell), and the Spider Mastermind as the final boss.

Collectibles in each level

• Secrets (hidden areas)
• Collectible figures (Doomguy and demon figures)
• Data logs
• Elite Guards (Praetor Tokens)
• Argent Cells
• Rune Trials
• Challenges (three per level)
• Classic map levers
• Field Drones (weapon mods)

Use Mission Select after finishing a level to go back for missed items. Collectibles stay collected.

Difficulty

Difficulty | Who it's for

I'm Too Young to Die | Story mode

Hurt Me Plenty | New to shooters

Ultra-Violence | Experienced players

Nightmare | Hard, recommended after one playthrough

Ultra-Nightmare | Nightmare with permadeath. One death ends the run

Ultra-Nightmare tips:

• Always equip Saving Throw until the late game.
• Know the hardest fights in advance.
• Upgrade Health and Armor first.
• Use power-ups immediately in hard arenas.

Enemies and How to Handle Them

Enemy | Tip

Imp | Kill fast, dodge fireballs

Possessed Soldier | Weak. Headshots or a quick glory kill

Possessed Security | Carries an energy shield. Plasma breaks it fast, or flank it

Hell Knight | Keep your distance, use Super Shotgun or rockets

Mancubus | Keep moving. Heavy damage from Gauss or rockets

Revenant | Dodge homing rockets, shoot them down

Pinky | Circle behind it and hit its weak back

Cacodemon | Shoot a grenade or explosive into its mouth for an instant stagger

Summoner | Focus it quickly. It spawns more enemies

Baron of Hell | Big health pool. Gauss plus Super Shotgun

Cyber-Mancubus | Tougher Mancubus. Heavy weapons

Multiplayer and SnapMap

• Multiplayer was developed with Certain Affinity. Update 6.66 (July 2017) revamped progression and made all multiplayer DLC free (Unto the Evil, Hell Followed, Bloodfall).
• Modes include Team Deathmatch, Freeze Tag, Soul Harvest, Warpath, Clan Arena, and Domination. Demon runes let you transform into a demon.
• SnapMap is a built-in level editor for single-player, co-op, and PvP maps.
• As of April 2024, Bethesda pushed a backend stability update. Player counts are low in 2026, so expect long queues or play with friends.

PC Settings

• Use Vulkan. It usually gives better performance than OpenGL.
• Uncap the frame rate if your monitor supports high refresh rates.
• Increase FOV to see more of the arena.
• Classic weapon position (centered gun) is an option in settings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Hiding behind cover. Health comes from fighting.
• Forgetting the chainsaw. Running out of ammo is a choice.
• Ignoring glory kills. They're your main healing.
• Not using mods. The mods are where the real damage is.
• Wasting BFG ammo on small fights.
• Skipping Rune Trials. Runes change how the game plays.

Advanced Tips

• Quick-swap combos — fire Gauss or rockets, swap to Super Shotgun, repeat.
• Stun Bomb + glory kills — freeze a group and chain glory kills for health.
• Use Seek and Destroy to launch into glory kills from farther away.
• Glory kill for positioning — the kill moves you. Use it to escape or to get in close.
• Revisit levels with Mission Select for 100%.

FAQ

Is DOOM 2016 multiplayer still online? It was still running as of an April 2024 backend update, but the population is low.

What's the best weapon in DOOM 2016? The Super Shotgun for close range, Gauss Cannon for big targets.

How do I get more health? Glory kills, health pickups, and Argent Cell upgrades.

Which runes should I use? Savagery, Seek and Destroy, and Blood Fueled for aggression. Saving Throw for Ultra-Nightmare.

Where are the classic maps? Most levels have a hidden lever, usually inside a secret area, that unlocks a classic DOOM map to play from the menu.

What should I play next? DOOM Eternal, then DOOM: The Dark Ages (May 2025).

Sources

• DOOM on Steam
• DOOM Steam news — Update 6.66, April 2024 update
• DOOM (2016) on Wikipedia