Can You Miss a Gun in Doom? A Comprehensive Guide to Weapon Acquisition

Yes and no. In the original Doom and many of its sequels, it’s difficult to permanently miss a weapon. While you might initially overlook a hidden weapon or a conveniently placed shotgun, the game’s design often ensures you’ll encounter the same weapons later in the level or in subsequent levels. Doom Eternal, however, handles weapon acquisition a bit differently, focusing on mandatory pickups as part of the story progression, making it nearly impossible to miss a weapon. Let’s dive deeper into how weapon availability works across various Doom games, and what that means for your demon-slaying arsenal.

Weapon Acquisition in Classic Doom Games

Secrets and Mandatory Pickups

The original Doom, Doom II, and their expansions were built on a foundation of exploration and secret hunting. Weapons were often placed strategically, some in plain sight, others tucked away behind false walls or requiring clever maneuvering to reach.

• Secrets: Finding secret areas often rewarded players with powerful weapons earlier than intended. For example, you might snag a rocket launcher or plasma gun several levels before it becomes a standard weapon. However, even if you missed these secrets, the game would eventually provide you with those same weapons as you progressed.
• Mandatory Weapons: Certain weapons, like the shotgun or chaingun, were often placed in unavoidable locations to ensure players had access to them. This design choice was crucial for maintaining a balanced difficulty curve. You’d always be able to defend yourself, even if you weren’t an expert at finding secrets.
• Temporary Misses: You might miss a weapon initially, especially on your first playthrough. The winding corridors and intricate level designs of classic Doom games sometimes led players to overlook a shotgun lying in a dark corner. However, revisiting levels or simply continuing the game would inevitably lead to the discovery of these essential tools of destruction.

The Pistol: An Exception?

Interestingly, while other weapons are pretty hard to miss permanently, the pistol plays a unique role. It is present in classic Doom. However, since it’s the starting weapon, you always “have” it. It’s more a question of whether you choose to use it.

Weapon Acquisition in Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal

Streamlined Weapon Progression

Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal adopted a more streamlined approach to weapon acquisition. Weapons are typically introduced as part of the story progression, making it almost impossible to miss them.

• Story-Driven Unlocks: In both games, you unlock new weapons as you progress through the campaign. These weapons are presented as essential tools for facing the increasing challenges ahead.
• No More Hidden Weapons (Mostly): While secrets still exist, they tend to reward you with weapon mods, collectibles, or extra lives rather than entirely new weapons. The core arsenal is usually handed to you at specific points in the game.
• Doom Eternal and Mandatory Weapons: Doom Eternal doubles down on this approach. The game ensures you have the right tools for the job at the right time. The Super Shotgun, for instance, is essential for grappling across gaps and dispatching certain enemy types, so it’s integrated directly into the gameplay loop.

Why No Pistol in Doom Eternal?

The absence of the pistol in Doom Eternal is a deliberate design choice. According to id Software, the pistol didn’t fit the game’s combat flow. The focus is on aggressive, fast-paced action, and the pistol, with its limited power and range, didn’t contribute to that style of gameplay. Instead, the game encourages players to constantly switch between weapons and use the environment to their advantage.

FAQs: Doom Weapon Acquisition

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the topic of weapon acquisition in the Doom series.

1. Is there a secret weapon in Doom (1993)?

   Yes, several! Finding secret areas in Doom (1993) often leads to powerful weapons like the BFG 9000 or the plasma gun, potentially much earlier than you’d normally acquire them.

2. What is the secret weapon in Doom Eternal?

   The Unmaykr is a secret weapon in Doom Eternal, unlocked by collecting all six Empyrean Keys from the Slayer Gates. This powerful weapon is worth the effort.

3. What is the strongest weapon in Doom?

   Many would argue that the BFG 9000 is the strongest weapon in the Doom franchise. Its ability to obliterate entire rooms of demons makes it an invaluable asset in the fight against Hell.

4. Can you beat Doom (2016) with only a pistol?

   While it’s technically possible, it would be an incredibly difficult and time-consuming challenge. The game is designed to encourage weapon switching and strategic use of different tools. The difficulty alone may drive you insane.

5. What happens if you run out of ammo in Doom Eternal?

   The chainsaw becomes your primary tool for refilling ammo. It has a maximum of three charges, which are replenished by collecting gas cans scattered throughout the arenas.

6. Why does Doom use guns?

   The Doom Slayer’s background as a marine contributes to his preference for firearms. Furthermore, many of the weapons are powered by Argent Energy, making them incredibly effective against demons.

7. How accurate is the pistol in Doom?

   The pistol in the original Doom is capable of 100% accuracy if you carefully tap the fire button, rather than holding it down. This requires a more deliberate approach to combat.

8. What gun is Doomguy holding on the Doom cover?

   The weapon on the cover is a BFG 9000.

9. Can you get banned in Doom Eternal for using mods?

   Generally, no, you cannot get banned for using mods in the campaign. However, using battle mode hacks can result in a ban.

10. Which Doom game is the most difficult?

    Many players consider the Plutonia Experiment and TNT Evilution expansions to be the most difficult, due to their relentless enemy placement and challenging level design.

11. What is the weakest enemy in Doom?

    The Zombieman is generally considered the weakest enemy in Doom. Armed with only a rifle, they are relatively easy to dispatch.

12. Who is the strongest character in Doom?

    In terms of demons, Davoth/Dark Lord stands as the strongest. The Slayer is another very strong character.

13. What made Doom so popular?

    Doom’s popularity stemmed from its groundbreaking graphics, fast-paced gameplay, intense atmosphere, and the ability for players to create and share their own levels and mods. Games Learning Society has documented the effect Doom has had on games in general. GamesLearningSociety.org may have articles that would be of interest.

14. What is the most iconic weapon in Doom?

    The chainsaw is widely recognized as one of the most iconic weapons in the Doom franchise. Its visceral nature and satisfying sound effects have made it a fan favorite.

15. Is there a missable weapon in Doom 64?

    While most weapons are obtained through progression, it’s possible to delay getting the Unmaker in Doom 64 by missing the keys needed to unlock it. It’s not technically missable, but it can be significantly delayed.

Conclusion

While it’s possible to temporarily overlook a weapon in the older Doom games, the game’s design usually ensures you’ll eventually find it. Modern Doom games make it even harder to miss weapons, integrating them directly into the story progression. So, while you might not grab every weapon in the perfect order, rest assured, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to arm yourself against the forces of Hell. Now get out there and RIP AND TEAR!