The shield inDoom: The Dark Agesisn’t just there to soak up damage. It’s a key part of your offense, defense, and crowd control all rolled into one slab of metal. Whether you’re flinging it into a crowd, grinding through a demon with the Shield Saw, or charging forward to knock something off its feet, the shield pulls more weight than it gets credit for. And once you start unlocking upgrades, it gets even cooler.
Every Shield Runes in Doom: The Dark Ages, Ranked
Some shield runes in Doom: The Dark Ages send lightning crashing down, while others summon daggers, turrets, or explosions.
These upgrades change how the shield fits into your fighting style. Some let you get more value out of your throws. Others reward you for finishing off enemies in a certain way. A few simply make your timing feel smoother. So here’s a breakdown of every shield upgrade and what it actually offers in the heat of battle.
6Retaliation
Causes Enemies to Lose Control for a Moment
When a demon slams you with a Hell Surge and youtime your parryjust right, your shield sends out a shockwave. That shockwave makes enemies around you to get hit with a Heavy Falter. This stops them cold for a second, giving you breathing room or a chance to line up your next hit.
Retaliation doesn’t kill anything on its own, but it gives you control in messy fights. Instead of scrambling to dodge five demons at once, you buy yourself a moment. Honestly, it’s the kind of thing that quietly makes fights easier without shouting for attention. You’ll parry anyway, so why not get something extra out of it?
5Power Surge
Shield Throw Hits Nearby Enemies
If you toss your shield at a demon hiding behind an energy shield, your shield doesn’t just stop there; it bounces and hits a nearby enemy too. So instead of tagging one enemy and calling it a day, you’re suddenly hitting two or three in one throw. You’re still doing the same action of just throwing the shield, but now it pulls double duty.
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It’s a small change, but it helps a lot when you’re getting swarmed or trying to thin out weaker enemies while focusing on something bigger. It also means energy-shielded enemies aren’t just annoying, they can be turned into setups for multi-target hits. It costs 75 Gold, which is a bit more than some other upgrades, but it earns its keep by saving you time and effort in those hectic fights.
4Blade Master
Shield Saw Stuns Last Longer, Giving You More Control
Blade Master is the kind of upgrade that rewards you for slowing the chaos down just enough to take control. When you stun an enemy with the Shield Saw, Blade Master makes that stun last longer. That small change opens up a lot of space. You get more time to either finish off the stunned target or shift your focus to other enemies without being rushed. It’s especially useful when you’re swarmed or trying to lock down something big without getting jumped from the side.
What I love most about Blade Master is that it doesn’t ask you to play differently. It simply makes your existing approach more reliable. If you’ve already beenusing the Shield Sawas a way to break enemy momentum or create breathing room, this upgrade smooths that out and gives you more payoff for landing a good hit. The cost is 2 Rubies, which makes it a high-end option, so it’s best for players who regularly rely on the Shield Saw in their loadout. If that’s you, Blade Master makes those moments of stun count for more.
3Harvester
Killing Fodder Powers Up Your Next Shield Strike Attack
When you take out multiple weak enemies using a Shield Throw, Harvester powers up your next Shield Charge, making it hit harder. If you’re good at spottingclusters of demonsand thinning them out with a well-aimed throw, Harvester gives you a reward for that awareness: more damage on your next direct hit.
You’re basically turning crowd control into a setup for a stronger one-on-one attack. You don’t need to go out of your way to trigger it, as it fits right into a natural flow. And it costs 1 Ruby instead of Gold. If you like keeping your shield in the action and linking your moves, Harvester adds just enough punch to make that loop feel tighter.
2Extended Edge
Shield Throw Travels Farther, Hitting Smaller Enemies from a Safe Distance
Extended Edge is a straightforward shield upgrade that boosts how far your shield throw can travel, but only when you’re targeting the smaller, weaker enemies. Instead of having to be up close to take enemies out, this upgrade lets you hit them from a safer distance. It’s especially handy when you’re facing groups of these fodder demons, giving you a better chance to thin their numbers before they close in on you.
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This extra reach doesn’t change how much damage you do, but it gives you more room to work with, which can make a difference in tight situations. It costs 100 Gold, a bit pricier than some other upgrades, but if you like staying out of melee range while handling crowds, it’s worth considering. The upgrade helps keep you from getting overwhelmed by letting you poke at enemies sooner.
1Steadfast
Quicker Shield Recovery
Your shield can take hits for you, but once it breaks or absorbs too much damage, there’s a short delay before you can bring it back up. That delay can leave you wide open, and that’s where Steadfast comes in. Steadfast shortens that wait time. It doesn’t give you extra power or any fancy new trick, but it makes sure your shield’s ready again faster after breaking.
That quick shield recovery means you’re able to block more often, stay on the move, and not feel like you’re being punished as hard for getting hit. It’s basically damage control for when your timing’s off or the fight gets too messy. You’ll feel the difference most during chaotic brawls where you’re blocking nonstop. It costs 125 Gold, which isn’t cheap, but it’s one of those upgrades that pays off when things get uglyfighting against a boss.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
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