Home

 › 

Articles

 › 

7 Killer DOOM Tips You Need to Rule Multiplayer

7 Killer DOOM Tips You Need to Rule Multiplayer

DOOM ‘s multiplayer is fast and frantic, and it takes some getting used to. If you’re used to games like Destiny or Call of Duty , you might be in for a rude awakening for the first few days you attempt to compete online. It’s the Wild West out here, and you can’t just chill and wait for your health to regenerate like you’re used to doing. You have to move; you have to scout; you have to be ready to kill anyone that stands in between you and the glowing, hell-fire rune that transforms you into a near-invincible demon. DOOM is brutal, but it rewards those who take aggressive advantage of its pacing and mechanics. I’ve spent a lot of time in the top 3 in a few game types, and I’m here to give you a basic survival guide.

Keep Moving

Keep Moving

One rule is absolutely consistent between DOOM ‘s single-player and multiplayer modes: if you stay still for long, you’re going to die. You have to keep moving at all times; it’s a matter of survival as well as pragmatism. Since all of your enemies are moving so quickly, you really don’t have time to camp or take cover. You also have to bear in mind that your health and armor never regenerate – you have to move to various spawn points to pick them up along with additional ammunition. Once you learn where certain powerups, special weapons, and demon runes are going to spawn, plan a route and arrive there right when they spawn instead of camping. Your whole team will thank you, and your K/D ratio will improve.

Choose a Versatile Loadout

Choose a Versatile Loadout

Right now it’s somewhat fashionable to rig a loadout with the Super Shotgun and a Combat Shotgun. The Super Shotgun is very powerful, but it reloads slowly. By taking a shot and switching immediately to the Combat Shotgun for a follow-up shot, you cancel out the reload animation for your Super Shotgun, which will be good to go when you switch back to it. This can be really effective at close quarters, but even on smaller maps it’s just not practical to limit yourself to short-range firearms. You will, without a doubt, be engaging multiple enemies from medium and long-range as well, so keep your loadouts versatile. You’ll want to choose equipment that complements your weapons as well. For example, I love the Burst Rifle for its medium and long-range potency. I’ll begin every engagement by throwing out a Tesla Rocket. That rocket ensures that I only need two good pulls of the trigger while targeting the chest and head to snag a kill. If anyone sneaks up on me, I have a Super Shotgun ready. Champions in DOOM are Boy Scouts: always prepared.

Get Vertical

Get Vertical

Something fun that always set games like Quake and Unreal Tournament apart was their verticality. At first I was disappointed that I didn’t see jump pads everywhere in DOOM , but don’t let that fool you. You can ledge-grab much higher than you probably think, and you should. Not only do various powerups tend to spawn on higher levels or platforms, but you’ll have a much better view of the action from up there. This game is so fast, and people tend to just spawn and run, but staying on the ground floor makes you a moving target for those smart enough to move to higher ground.

Strafe to Fine-Tune Your Aim

Strafe to Fine-Tune Your Aim

I’m sure no one has told you how fast DOOM is, right? I know you’re sick of hearing it, but it really is jarring if you’re not used to moving and aiming at such great speeds. Inexperienced or non-competitive players will have a tough time staying on target in multiplayer. If that’s you, the best piece of advice I can offer is to strafe using the left thumbstick to line up shots and stick with moving targets. Trying to track everyone with the right thumbstick can be extremely challenging. Since there’s no sprinting in this game, everyone moves at the same speed when the left stick is pushed down all the way. Keep that in mind when shooting a moving target. Move with them instead of trying to track them.

Learn the Maps

Learn the Maps

Your success in DOOM ‘s multiplayer is dependent on how well you know the territory. Pickups are everything in this game. Knowing where health, armor, ammo, and powerups are going to spawn gives you an indomitable momentum during play. If you know where you’re going, you can work out scouting routes that keep you stocked on health and armor. Demons aren’t so scary when you know where the quad damage powerup usually spawns. Your K/D ratio takes a sharp turn skyward if you know where to find the Gauss Cannon. You see what I’m getting at here? You can be a fish in a barrel or the person shooting it. The difference between the two is often knowledge of the playing field.

It’s Okay to Run

It’s Okay to Run

If you get tagged and you’re about to die, you can’t find cover for a few seconds and recover like you’re used to in Call of Duty or Halo . Your health will never regenerate, so unless you want to throw your life away and help out the enemy team, sometimes you just have to run away. That’s okay. I know you’re the Doom-Slayer and all, but staying alive is more important to your team than charging into the fray like a wild bull. If you’re low on health, then don’t give an enemy chase for long, and don’t try to take on groups of foes. Your number one priority at that point is finding health and armor pickups, and if you heed my last piece of advice, you should know exactly where to go. Stay alive to get more kills; stay alive to win.

You Can’t Solo a Demon

You Can’t Solo a Demon

Following my last tip, I feel like I should address demons specifically. For some reason, even in games full of high-level players, I constantly see teammates who want to rush an enemy demon whenever it spawns. This is literally the worst thing you could do. When someone gains control of the demon rune and transforms, they’ll have a ton of life and can easily melee kill 3 or 4 attacking enemies before having to worry about preserving health. If you go head to head with a demon, you’re going to lose every time. Keep your distance and chip away at its health with your teammates. Each demon is extremely lethal, even at range, and when you attempt to engage them up close you’re allowing the other team to rack up kills. Wait until you see that blue and orange glow before closing in, then claim the power of the demon rune for yourself.

To top