There are a lot of different systems and mechanics inDoom Eternal, like a real lot. The game has skill “trees” stacked upon each other so that every five minutes or so the Doom Slayer is unlocking something new. There are Arsenal unlocks, Mods, Mastery Skills, Praetor Suit Upgrades, and Rune Slots.
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The Runes are what this article will be primarily focusing on, as the combination of the three the player uses can lead to some very different playstyles. Here are the ones found to be the best for doing what Doom Slayer does best…ripping and tearing his way through all ofDoom Eternal. But any combo works and most of these variations play mostly the same.
Updated on October 25th, 2021 by Hodey Johns:Syncing up runes is an important part of the Doom Eternal and it is about to become even more important. With the new Horde Mode coming, Slayers are going to have to be at the top of their game if they want to survive for more than a few waves. Specifically, making sure that the runes combo up well is going to change the entire gameplay experience. This guide has added more entries to the list that work well in Horde mode. Additionally, this list was published before support runes were around, so many of these new combinations include support rune combos too.
10Savagery & Blood Fueled
Trying to keep up with the game’s opponents is a losing venture without a little bit of help.Players make the game harder on themselvesby running and taking damage because bullets fly faster than legs. Thankfully, there is a way for gamers to speed up.
Savagery speeds up Glory Kills and Blood Fueled makes the Slayer faster after performing a Glory Kill. With enough practice, this can translate to a permanent speed boost when rotating those beautiful Glory Kills correctly.
9Dazed and Confused & Punch and Reave
The Stagger State refers to the moment when enemies blink orange and blue to signal they can be Glory Killed. Enemies like the Cacodemon and the Arachnotrons have pretty short Stagger State durations, which is what makesDoom Eternalamong the fastest-paced games in history.
Especially for newer players, making this stagger window as long as possible is important. But what if they still miss it? Instead of being set up for death, use Punch and Reave, which will kill an enemy at low enough health to be staggered and have them drop a bunch of health.
8Air Control & Chrono Strike
Out of all the possible Rune Combinations, this one is probably the most obvious. “Chrono Strike” allows the player to slow down time while aiming in the air while “Air Control” simply provides more maneuverability in the air.
RELATED:Great Shooters With Lengthy Campaigns (& How Long They Take To Beat)When combined, Doom Guy can aim his shots better and position his landings better; it is a win-win. This combo is most evidently used among players who aretrying to beat the game on Ultra-Nightmaresince staying in the sky keeps some of the most brutal demons at bay.
7Equipment Fiend & Dazed and Confused
Players who miss the equipment-heavy arsenals ofother great FPS gamescan simulate the experience inDoom Eternal. Essentially, Equipment Fiend reduces the cooldown for any kill that was under the effect of one of the Equipment Launcher’s types.
By lengthening the window of time to kill these monsters with Dazed and Confused, Equipment Fiend is more likely to charge up equipment with each kill. In Horde Mode, this will be huge, because these effects give the Slayer valuable armor to stay alive for longer.
6Desperate Punch & Punch And Reave
Blood Punch can sometimes feel out of place without a distinct time to use it. Desperate Punch does double damage on Blood Punches executed under 75 health, giving it a perfect time to use anytime dropping under so much health.
For anybodywondering about the Slayer’s ability to survive below 75 health, don’t aim to stay in that range. Instead, treat Blood Punch as a way to stay in top shape. When the Slayer finds himself below 75, Blood Punch, get a kill and heal via Punch and Reave.
5Punch and Reave & Savagery
Another odd combo, and one that might not make a ton of sense at first glance. Why would anyone combine a Rune that affects Glory Kills and one that affects Blood Punches? Well, because neither of these two mechanics can be used 100% of the time.
Enemies have to be staggered to be Glory Killed and Blood Punch has to be charged to use. However, Glory Kills charge Blood Punch faster, and the AOE damage from a Blood Punch can knock enemies into their Stagger State.
4Saving Throw & Punch and Reave
This combo is really only recommended for Ultra-Violence or Nightmare runs. “Saving Throw” basically gives the player one more chance after a death blow and slows downtime for a small duration.
“Saving Throw” combined with “Punch and Reave” means a nearly dead player can turn and find a group of easy mobs, Blood Punch them all, and grab their health for a full-on second chance. This won’t come in handy all too often but can save someone a lot of time if they’re stuck in a particularly hard Combat Arena.
3Chrono Strike & Seek and Destroy
This is just another variation of the “Seek and Destroy” and “Air Control” combo, but this time the player will have more opportunity to scout the room for Staggered or damaged opponents.
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Remember thatDoom Eternalhas a visual system in place where the more flesh and bone a demon is missing, the closer they are to death. Therefore, scout the room in the slow-mo air time, find the most hurt enemy, pepper them a few times, and capitalize on “Seek and Destroy” to teleport them from what seems like a mile away for the Glory Kill.
2Break Blast & Chrono Strike
Break Blast is a support rune that causes concussive blasts every time a weak point is destroyed. Against tougher monsters or mobs, this generates a small stun that allows the Slayer to get a few free hits off.
This exploit is maximized with Chrono Strike, which slows down time while aiming in midair. When an enemy has their weak spot damage, hop up and aim to get a larger window for a few extra free hits. Against tougher monsters, this can be chained to destroying weak point after weak point, preventing them from being able to move until they die.
1Seek And Destroy & Dazed and Confused
Dazed and Confused makes it so that the tougher enemies stay staggered for longer, giving Doom Guy the time to get to them and execute a Glory Kill from across the room. “Seek and Destroy” increases the range that Glory Kill will trigger, making the time required to reach them even shorter.
Using both of these allows players to feel safe peppering the tougher enemies from afar with things like the Assault Rifle Precision Bolt or the Ballista simply because they know they’ll have the time to get to the enemy and Glory Kill them once they’re staggered.
Doom Eternalwas released on June 01, 2025, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
