Marauder

"You were never one of us. You were nothing but a usurper, a false idol. My eyes have been opened. Let me help you to see, Slayer."

- One of Marauders to the Doom Slayer

The Marauders are a new type of monster which occurs in Doom Eternal, a group of Night Sentinels who joined the Khan Maykr and were later resurrected by combined Hell magic and Maykr technology with the purpose of destroying the Doom Slayer. Each Marauder is a humanoid demon with a skull-like head bearing large, prominent horns. They have blueish-gray skin and wear green suits of armor which closely resemble the Praetor suit, presumably corrupted versions of the armor they once wore as Night Sentinels. They keep a garland of skulls around their left thighs, indicating that they may act as headhunters. Every Marauder wields a super shotgun and an Argent double-bladed battle axe.

Tactical analysis
The Marauder has been referred to by game director Hugo Martin as a “black belt” demon, remarking that simple run-and-gun tactics which work against other demons will not suffice. The Marauder has certain attack patterns that need to be studied and dealt with carefully.

The Marauder uses its super shotgun whenever the player gets close. It uses it quite fast, making it unlikely that the player will be able to dash out of the way.

The Argent axe is has two functionalities: it is used as a melee weapon from a medium distance, where the Marauder performs a lunging swing, and it is also utilized in a long-range attack where the Marauder sends out a wave of Argent energy.

The Marauder can protect himself from all damage by using his shield. The shield glows red-orange and displays the Doom Slayer’s mark. It acts similar to the shield wielded by some soldiers; however, it does not seem to be affected by the plasma rifle and thus cannot be blown up. In addition, it seems to offer omni-directional protection - firing rockets or grenades behind the shield is not effective. The Marauder is resistant, though not invulnerable, to the BFG and other "super weapons" (a term requiring clarification post-release), and will deploy his shield whenever he takes damage. In order to properly damage the Marauder, it is necessary to wait for him to use his mid-range melee attack with the Argent axe. During his melee animation his eyes flash green, which indicates an opportunity to strike. Attack during this time successfully and the Marauder staggers slightly.

The Marauder has a dash ability much like the Doom Slayer. This is often used to flank behind the player. It is possible to see where the Marauder has gone due to a streak of Argent energy left behind in the wake of the dash.

The Marauder can summon a hellhound (possibly a wolf) made of Argent energy. It glows red-orange like the Marauder’s shield and will move across the arena. It frequently attacks the player and can be an annoying and significantly damaging distraction. It should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Pre-release
Hugo Martin promised at the 2018 convention that there is a story reason behind the appearance of the Marauder and its resemblence to the Doom Slayer which will be revealed in the game.

E3 2019
The Marauder appears at the end of the story trailer of Doom Eternal, as the Doom Slayer pulls out a chainsaw in response while it is swinging its battle axe.

At E3 2019 the Marauder was revealed to be one of the five established playable demons in the new Doom Eternal multiplayer Battlemode.

2020 trailer
The Marauder appears in the second official trailer for Doom Eternal, walking out of a red portal facing the Doom Slayer. It is revealed that at least one Marauder can speak, and he refers to the Doom Slayer as an "usurper" and a "false idol," perhaps hinting at facets of the Slayer's history in Night Sentinel culture that have not yet been fully revealed.