Doom Eternal: The Best Runes to Unlock First

Doom Eternal isn’t your average first-person shooter. It charges at you from the get go, forcing you to make split-second decisions or be overwhelmed by the chaos. It takes what the 2016 reboot offered and cranks the pace up to eleven. For those inexperienced with id Software’s take on FPS, Eternal may feel a little grueling at times, especially at higher difficulties.

If you too are having trouble keeping up with the game’s pace, finding the right combination of the Doom Slayer’s many upgrades and power-ups should help lighten the load. In this article, we’ll explore the best Runes to equip and seeing as the game only allows you to equip a maximum of three at a time out of the total tally of nine, we’re going to limit our list to three picks. Rune unlocks are rare through the early parts of the campaign, so your first three picks will matter. Here are our recommendations.

Doom Eternal Best Runes

Chrono Strike

With Chrono Strike equipped, holding the alternate fire button (LT, L2, or right-click) in midair slows down time temporarily or till the Rune is fully drained, after which you will have to wait a while before you can use it again.

Chrono Strike is particularly useful for targeting weak points on certain enemies and works wonders in combination with the Precision Bolt mod for the Heavy Cannon or the Lock-On Burst upgrade for the Rocket Launcher. It’s an excellent first Rune to unlock, especially if you’re struggling with the game’s pace.

Chrono Strike

Saving Throw

As you progress through the game and find yourself running out of extra lives, this Rune is the safety net that will stand between you and a trip back to the last checkpoint. Saving Throw protects you from one death blow and temporarily slows down time to help you out of a sticky situation that would have otherwise ended in the Slayer becoming the slayed.

The Rune kicks in when you have run out of extra lives and recharges on death, and yet it more than makes up for its slot when you’re moments away from kicking the bucket. It may not be as potent as an extra life but it is the next best thing.

Saving Throw

Equipment Fiend

This Rune essentially affords you the opportunity to use your Equipment Launcher more often. With Equipment Fiend equipped, any enemies killed by a Frag Grenade or while under the effect of the Flame Belch or an Ice Bomb will reduce the time it takes for the equipment to be recharged. The Flame Belch and Ice Bomb in particular become essential to your survival later in the campaign. Use them in conjunction with the Frag Grenade and this Rune, and you’ll be swimming in surplus health and armor.

Equipment Fiend

These runes should cater for a majority of the uninitiated. If it’s the movement or platforming that you’re struggling with and not survival, you may want to swap one of the above three, maybe Equipment Fiend, with Air Control. The Rune affords more control over your midair movement, which is especially useful against a certain airborne boss that appears toward the end of the campaign.

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Sameed Khan

I write, game, design at times, and revel in sarcasm. You can find me on Twitter.