Cyberdemon, Hell Guards, or Spider Mastermind. Who's the Strongest of Them All?

DOOM is back, thanks to id Software and Bethesda. Just a month after release, it’s already received rave reviews and has been hailed as the return of the grandfather of all first-person shooters. One thing is clear: this game kicks all sorts of ass.

It’s also brutally hard and wickedly-paced, never letting up for a second as it throws wave after wave of enemies at you. And as if 21 flavors of demon Hellspawn weren’t bad enough, the game also peppers in three major boss fights for you to contend with throughout the course of the game. Need some help? Don’t feel bad – each one is tougher and deadlier than the last.

Read on to learn all about DOOM’s three biggest and baddest bosses and how to turn them into little demon giblets. (Pro-Tip: Shoot at them, until they die.)

1. Cyberdemon

When the corpse of a Baalgar demon was recovered by the UAC, the Cyberdemon Reanimation Project was born to fuse Hellspawne and modern weapons tech in pursuit of the ultimate killing machine.

First up on the roster is a returning classic from the original 1993 DOOM: the Cyberdemon. Retrieved from Hell and brought back to life by the questionable scientists of the Union Aerospace Corporation (the guys responsible for the great bloody mess you have to clean up), the Cyberdemon bears all sorts of crudely-grafted technological upgrades, including a rocket-launcher arm, a robot foot, and a Hell Energy-powered heart that sounds like something Tony Stark came up with during one of his worse benders. The Cyberdemon appears at the end of the “Lazarus Labs” level; aptly named, considering the UAC brought this guy back to life.

Good thing you’re here to put him back down again.

WIth a massive cannon grafted to one arm and a wicked bone claw on the other, the Cyberdemon is deadly at close and long range.

The Cyberdemon is one ugly bag of tricks, so get ready for a long fight. His main attack comes from that rocket-arm, capable of standard volleys, but he also launches rockets from a nifty backpack in a death-from-above-style rain of fire that covers the entire map, and can charge up a powerful laser beam. Those horns aren’t just for show, either; the Cyberdemon likes to use a bull-headed charge, either towards you offensively or away on the defense (and with a trail of flame for good measure). And like all good bosses, you’ll have to fight through two stages. The second stage takes place directly in Hell and introduces two new attacks: walls of fire and an annoying stone corridor that boxes you in and lines you up for a direct shot.

During the first stage you’ll have to deal with all but the fire-walls and the stone corridor, which the Cyberdemon unleashes in randomized patterns. Most of his attacks can be dodged if you’re quick on your feet. Targeting circles conveniently highlight where the rain of fire will land, and the super laser can be dodged by staying out of the targeting beam. But stay alert – the Cyberdemon likes to charge while you’re busy dodging rockets and lasers. He’s tricky that way.

Do enough damage and you’ll end the first stage with a Glory Kill to the leg, giving you a few seconds to catch your breath. You’ll need it, because the Cyberdemon is much more aggressive in the Hell stage. His fire-wall attacks can be dodged by either jumping or ducking. When he catches you in the stone corridor you’ll face down either fire-walls or missiles. Just keep moving.

Because this is DOOM, the Cyberdemon doesn’t have much in the way of weaknesses. Your only advantage will be the BFG. Use it to stun him, then take potshots to make him drop health. This guy is a bullet-sponge, so you’ll be using this trick a lot.

Doom Marine vs. Cyberdemon, in action. 

2. Spider Mastermind

Aranea Imperatix, the lord of hell reincarnated in his priest Olivia Pierce, was prophesized to one day punish and cleans the heretics and enemies of Hell.

The next big bad is the Spider Mastermind, because of course there had to be a giant spider in Hell somewhere. Coming close to, but not quite at, the actual end of the game, the Spider Mastermind is the final form of Olivia Pierce, the crazed scientist-turned-cult-leader you’ve been chasing throughout the entire game. After tearing open the fabric of reality to let Hellspawn swarm the surface of Mars for some reason, this is her reward: more legs and a big gross brain. Put her out of her misery in the final level, “Argent D’Nur.”

Like the Cyberdemon, the Spider Mastermind has health to spare and is tricked to the gills – er, uh, legs – with all sorts of nasty surprises. There’s a main cannon located beneath the Spider’s body, an array of laser beams that shoot in all directions like the world’s deadliest rave, a swift dashing maneuver, a volley of spike bombs launched from that big throbbing brain, a charged laser blast from the main cannon, powerful melee attacks, an electric mist that covers the arena, and telekinetic attacks.

Massive in size and relentless in attack, the Spider Mastermind can quickly dominate the confined arena where the final showdown takes place.

Chipping away at the Spider Mastermind’s health is going to require patience and skill. It likes to throw multiple attacks at you in quick succession; most of them can be dodged with fleet-footedness, but a few can’t. The electric mist, for instance, can only be avoided by climbing atop fleshy pillars that sprout from the arena floor. (These can also be destroyed for health pickups, but be careful – the Spider Mastermind can also make them sprout spikes in a second.) You can also interrupt the electric mist attack with the BFG, with the added bonus of causing the attack to backfire and blow up in the Spider Mastermind’s face.

Fortunately, the Spider Mastermind has a more obvious weak point than the Cyberdemon: namely, that gigantic brain. Periodically the Spider Mastermind will flip upside down, making it harder to hit the brain. Don’t let up. Pummel it with the Gauss Cannon for maximum damage. The Spider Mastermind will gradually become crippled, until it’s completely immobile. Don’t let your guard down – this is when it decides to use its telekinesis and start chucking things at you. Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge until it’s on its last legs, then Glory Kill it right in its stupid face.

Olivia Pierce's final form - and her final demise. 

3. Hell Guards

Prowling the lands between the Great Steppe and Titan's Realm, Hell Guards are the imposing protectors of their dark master. 

Surprise! You didn’t really think that was the end, did you? Marvel gives us post-credits shawarma and Spiderman; DOOM throws not one, not two, but three post-credit bosses at you.

The Hell Guards are actually living exosuits controlled by giant demonic tapeworms. You know, standard Hell stuff. Spike-covered armor plating protects the fleshy body, but that shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve come this far. Like the Cyberdemon, the Hell Guard fight is a two-parter. (Or three, depending on how you handle it.) You’ll have to face down three of these guys in the actual final stage of the game, “The Necropolis.”

Part one only pits you against a single Hell Guard, but he’s no pushover. Armed with a massive mace and a magical staff, this lone Hell Guard is relentless. The mace can throw up an energy shield that will block your bullets, while the staff fires a volley of three energy orbs or fireballs. The Hell Guard also uses a fire swarm that tracks your movement, a fire whirlwind (he’s got a thing with fire), and some good old fashioned bashing with that mace. Use the Super Shotgun and the Gauss Cannon to get in close. Like the Cyberdemon, the BFG stuns. Once you’ve done enough damage, use a Glory Kill to rip and tear that giant tapeworm from the Hell Guard’s chest.

Congratulations! Now do it two more times.

The second stage of the fight throws two Hell Guards at you simultaneously. One wields the mace in leaping, brutal melee attacks, while the other uses the staff to fire energy and flame attacks at long range. Both will drop health as you damage them, which you’ll absolutely need. Keeping track of two Hell Guards is tricky business; get in close with short-range weapons and explosive upgrades to draw them together and avoid being overwhelmed. The BFG can also be used to stun them both; follow up with a powerful area attack (grenade, rocket, etc.) to get double the bang for your buck.

Threat management is the name of the game here. Stay smart, stay fast, and work your way towards that sweet, sweet Glory Kill. 

The final battle with the guardians of Hell.