The developers at id Software have always cut their teeth on best-in-class first-person shooting, but that doesn't mean they're afraid of innovation. In Doom: The Dark Ages, they've added a shield to the combat sandbox. Naturally, it's used for defense, but the Slayer can toss it as well, stunning demons and even slicing them in half.
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PostsDoomguy's shield also acts as a conduit to perform special abilities known as Shield Runes. After parrying a projectile, your equipped skill will activate, impacting the surrounding battlefield. The Dark Ages gives you four to choose from, but which one is the best? Here's our ranking of every Shield Rune.
4 Holy Swarm
The Most Uninspired Of The Four
Holy Swarm triggers after a parry and sends a cloud of daggers straight into your enemies. It's certainly a cool effect, with streaks of blue embedding themselves in nearby demons, but that's about as much as you can expect from this Rune.
It only does damage, somewhat limiting its usefulness when compared to other Shield Runes with more battlefield utility. You might think that upgrades can make the ability better, but all they do is create more daggers and make them more powerful. It's not to say that Holy Swarm is a horrible choice, but it's handily outclassed by your other options.
3 Auto Turret
Doomguy Becomes The Predator
On first blush, the Auto Turret doesn't seem like it would be much better than Holy Swarm. Both are designed with the purpose of unleashing a quick counterattack, putting the enemy on the back foot.
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PostsHowever, the Turret's progression positions it as a much superior choice. On top of looking cool and being an homage to the Predator franchise, the Auto Turret begins dropping items after you buy its second upgrade. Each demon hit by it will squirt health pickups, letting you get back into the fight as fast as possible.
2 Ground Fissure
Earthquake!
Ground Fissure is the first Shield Rune you get in the Dark Ages, and it happens to be one of the best. Parries open up a crack in the ground, causing even the largest demons to stumble and giving you a split second to plan your next move.
Right out of the gate, Fissure has great utility, but upgrades make it even better. Not only will the area of effect expand, but the second upgrade sets enemies on fire. This does more damage, and causes them to drop armor with every subsequent bullet you sink into them.
1 Heaven Splitter
The Perfect Mix Of Utility And Damage
Heaven Splitter is, by far, the best Shield Rune in The Dark Ages. When you first acquire it, it will call down a bolt of lightning, stunning any nearby enemies and giving you a chance to attack.
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PostsIts upgrades make it ludicrously powerful. The first two increase the stun duration and the area of effect, but it's the final one that vaults Heaven Splitter head and shoulders above the other runes. All affected demons will be given the shock status effect, meaning all damage done to them is increased. Upon death, they'll explode, hurting other enemies around them even more.
Perhaps the developers knew how good Heaven Splitter was, since it is the last Shield Rune you earn in the campaign.
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FPS Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy Systems 3.5/5 8.3/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 85/100 Critics Rec: 95% Released May 15, 2025 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence Developer(s) id Software Publisher(s) Bethesda Softworks Engine id TechWHERE TO PLAY
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