Doom: The Dark Ages Update Weakens Fan-Favorite Skullcrusher Weapons

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Summary

  • The Pulverizer and Ravager in Doom: The Dark Ages have been nerfed.
  • Tunable update by id Software increases durability of Hell Knight arms.
  • The update made various other tweaks to the FPS.

In the latest update for “Doom: The Dark Ages,” the game has made adjustments to the Ravager and Pulverizer, its notorious crushing guns. This highly anticipated first-person shooter is one of the biggest releases of the year in this genre. As the third installment in the rebooted “Doom” series, it sends the Slayer back to a darker, medieval era prior to the events of 2016’s “Doom,” providing players with an array of gruesome weapons for destruction. Among these is a shield saw, which serves as the Slayer’s primary tool for wreaking havoc.

At Xbox’s June event about a year ago, a specific weapon in Doom: The Dark Ages caught everyone’s attention and generated lots of excitement: the Pulverizer. This weapon is distinctive because it crushes skulls and launches the fragments at enemies in a broad pattern, ideal for clearing out a room teeming with weak demons. As with most other weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages, the Pulverizer has a version known as the Ravager. Like the Pulverizer, the Ravager allows players to observe it chomping on skulls in real time. However, unlike its counterpart, the Ravager fires shards in a narrower spread with a slower rate of fire that increases with continuous firing. This feature makes the Ravager a preferable choice over its counterpart when confronting some of the larger, more menacing demons found in Doom: The Dark Ages.

In a recent update for “Doom: The Dark Ages,” developer id Software has fine-tuned some aspects of the game. Specifically, they’ve reduced the effectiveness of the Pulverizer and Ravager weapons. It appears that the Hell Knight demons in “The Dark Ages” were losing their arms too readily when struck by Pulverizer fire, so id Software has increased the weapon’s target durability. Regarding the Ravager, they’ve decreased its damage output against Komodo demons and game bosses as part of this adjustment process.

The reduction in power for the Ravager weapon is disappointing, since it seems tailored for battling giants like Komodo demons and bosses from Doom: The Dark Ages. On the other hand, the adjustment to the Pulverizer isn’t as detrimental because employing it against Hell Knights can lead to trouble, especially when they aren’t surrounded by a large group of lesser enemies. As for the overall update, id Software has altered the duration that health and armor pick-ups remain on the ground, particularly during Atlan mech levels and specific boss fights.

I’m thrilled to share that, as a dedicated fan, I can confirm that id Software has delivered a near-flawless gem with Doom: The Dark Ages! While there might be minor adjustments to demons, armor, or other game components in upcoming Tunable updates, players are encouraged to stay vigilant for any noteworthy changes that could impact their preferred weapons.

Doom: The Dark Ages May 23, 2025 Update

  • Adjustments to make the Hell Knight’s arms tougher to sever when using the Pulverizer
  • Lowered Skullcrusher Ravager damage against Bosses and Komodo
  • Reduced how long certain health and armor drops linger in the world in the [spoiler] boss fight
  • Reduced how long health drops linger in the world when in the Atlan
  • Rebalanced the Atlan final [spoiler] boss fight

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2025-05-24 21:24