Ballista

The ballista is a new weapon first occurring in Doom Eternal, said to be a favored weapon among Night Sentinel marksmen. It launches kinetic projectiles with results similar to those of a rail gun, and can be charged to fire an explosive bolt which tears apart enemies (the Arbalest mod). It is currently presumed to replace the previous game's Gauss cannon given its similar mechanics. The ability to charge up a more powerful shot is inherited from the Gauss cannon's precision bolt mod, though the bolt explodes after a short delay. The second mod is, as noted by Hugo Martin and as later shown in the 2020 "gameplay" trailer, a "destroyer blade" - a wide projectile which can slice through packs of demons after it is charged up. The ballista deals extra damage to flying demons.

"Bonus damage to Energy Shields. Penetrates though fodder demons."

- Doom Eternal dossier protip

Arbalest

 * Full Speed
 * Movement speed in Arbalest mode is increased to 30%
 * Costs 3 weapon points


 * Stronger Explosion
 * Increase the size of the Arbalest explosion by 60%
 * Costs 6 weapon points


 * Instant Salvo
 * The Arbalest will start charging instantly after a direct hit
 * Mod is unlocked by killing 20 cacodemons with the fully charged Arbalest mod

Destroyer Blade

 * Charging Blast
 * At max charge, the Destroyer mod will emit a blast wave that falters demons
 * Costs 3 weapon points


 * Rapid Chains
 * Destroyer Blade charge time reduced by 20%
 * Costs 6 weapon points


 * Incremental Blade
 * Fire Destroyer Blades before they have reached the maximum width
 * Mod is unlocked by killing at least 3 demons or more at once with a fully charged Destroyer Blade 15 times

Lore
Night Sentinel legend has it that a single battalion of archers armed only with Ballistas defended the city of Illkana for ten days and ten nights. The weapon fires a twin beam of superheated Argent energy, vaporizing its target on impact.