The Holt

The Holt is the fourth and final level of The Ancient Gods, Part One, the first expansion for Doom Eternal. The level is set in the Equestrian Holt, a location on the edges of Urdak that includes a path to the Luminarium. Having recovered the Dark Lord's life sphere from Ingmore's Sanctum, the Doom Slayer must bring it to the Luminarium in order to restore the Dark Lord to physical form.

This level introduces the Blood Maykr enemy. Samur Maykr is encountered as a boss.

"The Slayer returns to Urdak, carrying not the Father's life sphere but that of the Dark Lord himself. With the Father betrayed by the Slayer and Urdak in ruins there is little hope for the once-holy realm, a dying land of crumbling towers and infested with demons. The Slayer has come to fight through the corpse of paradise until he reaches the Luminarium, where he can awaken his ultimate foe and finish this war once and for all."

- Loading description

Lore
The Equestrian Holt is an expanse of supernal nature that borders the edges of Urdak, a place of ivory trees and crimson leaves intermingling with singing data-roots. The Maykrs once used these sacred groves to meditate before meeting the Father in the Luminarium, but the path to the Luminarium has become overgrown and unattended. Following the Icon of Sin's awakening within Urdak the Holt's forests have been corrupted by Hell, and the trees have been tainted by shades of death.

Objectives

 * Resurrect the Dark Lord
 * Get to the Luminarium

Crimson Forest
Follow the path to a clearing and you will see a monkey bar above you leading to a climbable wall. When you jump towards the monkey bar it will retract and a Blood Maykr will appear; this being is only vulnerable when it drops its shield to fire circular energy bolts or throw its spear at you, which gives you an opening to kill it with a headshot from the heavy cannon's Precision Bolt mod. After killing two Blood Maykrs along with some imps and Maykr drones the monkey bar will be revealed again - swing across the monkey bar to a climbable wall, then turn round to leap to a second wall that you can use to reach the upper platforms. Head forward until the path splits in two and dispose of imps, an arachnotron and a dread knight coming the other way, then follow either path to a pit with jellyfish-like platforms that are rising and decaying within it. Jump across the green platforms to reach the crimson forest and head straight through to a blue portal leading to the floor above; numerous heavy demons will arrive here including Blood Maykrs, a possessed Hell knight, mancubi, whiplashes and then a marauder and a tyrant.

After clearing the area, head through the Hell barrier on the upper floor to a purple stream with tentacles in it, as well as a mancubus and some zombies. Punch the tree with the green crack in it to knock it over, then go up and follow the path to another clearing with a purple stream; head down the stream past some imps and go round the corner to see a possessed arachnotron spawn ahead. There is a monkey bar above this area; use it to reach another cracked tree above you and punch it to knock it over, kill two cacodemons that appear then go up the tree and look left to see a climbable wall that you can jump to. Jump left to a second punchable tree and knock that over as well, then walk along it and kill a mancubus that appears ahead before following the winding path to a couple of blaster soldiers. Kill the turret above the pool in front of you then drop down and strike the cueball to get rid of some mecha zombies blocking your path, before climbing up the ledge in front of you to confront a Hell knight.

After killing the knight, turn round and jump to a white pillar in front of you then follow the path round until you see a dread knight burst through a wall ahead; an arachnotron will also spawn above you so step back to avoid being flanked. Head to the upper white bridge and walk along it to see a climbable wall on your left, then jump from that wall to another punchable tree and knock it over to create a path for yourself over the pit ahead. Kill the pinky that appears on the other side of the tree then go over there to punch the tree a second time, which will knock it towards a platform leading to another climbable wall. Look right from this wall and jump down to a white platform, then jump across two jellyfish platforms to a second wall; from here you can leap right to three more jellyfish that will carry you up to a monkey bar, which will swing you out of the pit area. Head past some shield soldiers to an area with four fireball launchers and get ready to fight two whiplash spectres followed by a pack of imps, then a carcass and two dread knights.

Once you have killed all the demons continue on to a clearing full of moveable white pillars - three of the pillars have punch switches on them that must be activated in sequence. The first switch electrifies the floor and causes cacodemons and a pain elemental to appear, the second switch will electrify the pillars and walls and cause various demons (including a possessed Hell knight) to appear, while the third switch raises all the pillars to different heights so you can escape. Climb up to the tallest pillar and go through the circular doorway near it, then follow the path until you reach an open area with floating platforms. Head up the slope and use a control panel at the top to activate a flight ring which will catapult you to the Ivory Path.

Ivory Path
Once you land, head to the door in front of you then go through either of the next two doors to enter an arena where various heavy demons will spawn; after defeating the Blood Maykr a buff totem will appear on a ledge on the right side of the arena, so move quickly to destroy it. Once you have killed the final Blood Maykr along with three barons, head through either of the doors at the back of the arena to find a control panel and interact with it it, then go back outside to find that a launcher has been activated on the left side of the arena which will propel you to the upper level. As soon as you land, turn right and go up the door to find another control panel behind it; after interacting with the panel, go back outside and head towards the Luminarium building where two tyrants and a carcass will spawn - make the possessed tyrant your priority, but watch out for a Doom hunter and then a Blood Maykr teleporting in once the first tyrant falls.

Once the area is clear the side doors to the Luminarium will be unlocked, with a different challenge behind each door; the right door focuses on shield-based enemies including carcasses, a Doom hunter and a horde of shield soldiers, while the left door focuses on the blood punch and pits you against many pinkies along with cyber-mancubi and imps. After completing either challenge, head through the next door to find a pit bordered by three platforms - to get across the pit you must strike a punch switch to momentarily activate a launcher, then while in mid-air shoot the green button above you to lower a monkey bar that will give you enough height to dash through a cracked grate. Once you land, grab any ammo you need before heading through the final door to Samur Maykr's arena.

Samur Maykr
Samur alternates between firing groups of purple energy bolts at you and teleporting around the arena; he can also summon eyes that float around the arena and electrify you if they get too close. Because Samur teleports frequently, use the purple trails he leaves behind to keep track of him and use fast-firing weapons like the chaingun or plasma rifle for best effect; use the two platforms in the middle of the arena as cover whenever possible. Once Samur's health bar is depleted, he will reconfigure the arena before shielding himself and summoning a possessed Hell knight and mancubus; you must defeat both demons and destroy their spirits to make Samur vulnerable again. Samur does not attack during this time so focus on the knight first before dealing with the mancubus; normal versions of these monsters will spawn after their possessed versions have been killed. Once Samur's shield drops, perform a glory kill on him to move to the next stage.

Samur will now electrify the floor and teleport outside the arena; while you are left with four platforms, they all have electric generators that function in pairs so you will only ever have two safe places to stand. Defeat all the cacodemons that appear, watching out for yellow laser grids that travel across the arena, until Samur chooses to re-enter the battle - the arena will be reconfigured again to create a series of tall platforms, and while the floor will no longer be electrified the lasers will remain. Use the blue portals around the arena to stay on the upper level as much as possible, since you will have a better view of Samur as well as the Blood Maykr that spawns in the arena. Once Samur's health bar is depleted for a second time, he will shield himself again and summon a possessed dread knight and pain elemental - kill both enemies and destroy the spirits possessing them to finish the fight.

Slayer Gate
After felling the first punchable tree and going up it, climb to the ledge above and look back the way you came to see a platform you can jump to; the Slayer Key is on a ledge next to it. Go up the tree again and follow the path as normal until you get to a possessed arachnotron - the Slayer Gate will be on your right.

The encounter opens with two arch-viles; once you kill both of them and the monsters they summon, you will have to deal with a Blood Maykr which is followed by a second Blood Maykr, a dread knight and two Doom hunters. Once they are all taken care of a possessed marauder will join the fight along with some carcasses; unlike other possessed monsters the marauder can still be faltered with a well-timed attack, but you must stay on the move to avoid the imps and shield soldiers that block your way. Once the marauder is killed and its spirit destroyed, kill a Hell knight and two more carcasses to finish the fight.

Secret encounters

 * 1) After felling the first punchable tree and going up it, head straight forward and look for a cracked wall on your right; a gore nest is behind this wall. You will have 35 seconds to kill two zombies, a spectre and a possessed cyber-mancubus (the spirit inside it does not need to be destroyed).
 * 2) When you reach the control panel on the lower level of the Ivory Path, you will see a gore nest behind a laser grid; after using the panel, look up to see that a green button has been revealed in the ceiling and shoot it to deactivate the lasers. You will have 45 seconds to kill a marauder, a Blood Maykr and two zombies.

Completing both secret encounters will unlock the "Blood Slayer" skin.

Special items
Head up the path past the Slayer Gate to find the automap station.


 * Four extra lives
 * In the area with the first punchable tree there is a white ledge you can climb up. Follow the narrow path here to a 1UP, but watch out for two Hell knights that appear behind you.
 * After felling the first punchable tree and going up it, climb to the platform above and follow the path here until you see a cracked wall ahead. A 1UP is behind this wall.
 * When you reach the second set of jellyfish platforms, look carefully at the left-hand wall by the second jellyfish to spot a cracked section just above where it spawns. Punch through this wall to reach a 2UP.
 * Five soulspheres
 * After felling the first punchable tree and going up it, follow the path to a clearing and punch the cracked wall under the waterfall to find a soulsphere.
 * On one of the platforms around the flight ring that catapults you to the Ivory Path.
 * In the clearing full of white pillars
 * A soulsphere appears when you enter the pinky combat challenge in the Luminarium building.
 * A soulsphere appears in the middle of Samur Maykr's arena during the second stage of the battle.
 * Three Argent cells
 * Behind a cracked wall next to one of the grates above the clearing full of white platforms.
 * In the arena on the lower level of the Ivory Path.
 * Just before Samur Maykr's arena.

Collectibles

 * Five Codex pages
 * "Book of the Seraphs - Part IX" - before dropping into the large pit with the second set of jellyfish platforms, look down to see a climbable wall leading down to a platform. The page is on this platform, surrounded by three tentacles.
 * "Book of the Seraphs - Part X" - On one of the platforms around the flight ring that catapults you to the Ivory Path.
 * "Book of the Seraphs - Part XI" - By the control panel on the upper level of the Ivory Path.
 * "Seraphim" - after crossing the pit to Samur Maykr's arena, turn around and look up to see a green button. Shooting this button will unlock a door by the launcher you just used, leading to the page.
 * "The Father" - Just before Samur Maykr's arena.
 * One support rune
 * Complete the Slayer Gate encounter to be rewarded with a support runestone.