Imp (Doom 2016)



The imp is a large humanoid creature spawned from the depths of Hell who originally appeared in Doom (1993) and has been in every Doom game since. These imps are taller than those in the classic series and are similar in stature and acrobatic skills to imps in Doom 3. They are the weakest demon in Doom (2016), and as such they occur in droves throughout the game. As with their previous incarnations, they continue to present a dual threat in the form of melee attacks with their vicious claws, and the ability to throw fireballs at a distance.

Tactical analysis
Health: 250

Chainsaw Fuel Usage: 1

Imps can leap in nearly any direction, hang on pillars and walls, and run twice as fast as the player, all while still attacking the player without any pause. Amongst lower-tier enemies they have already been described as "dangerous," with their charged fireballs doing significant damage, as much as 72 hit points in the game's Nightmare skill level. Imps possess two fireball attacks - a fast but weak fireball, and a "charged" fireball that has a short windup time but deals much more damage and moves more quickly, giving barely enough time for the player to dodge if his attention is focused. A "harasser" unit by design, imps will often retreat from the player and try to find purchase on a higher, more distant surface from which to attack. This is in contrast to the previous incarnations of the monster, which always sought to close to melee range - this imp rarely resorts to melee attacks unless the player chooses to close to that range.

That being said, some imps prefer to engage in melee and will occasionally leap toward the player to strike if they are at medium range; these imps cannot be distinguished visually from their range-oriented cousins, so observation is advised to determine which type the player is facing.

Unique player kills
The imp has a player kill similar to that of the revenant, albeit more gory. It will rip out some of the player's entrails before ripping off his left arm and beating him to death with it.

Lore
For how common the imp was as the front-line soldier of Hell's armies, the UAC possessed little actual information on the imp beyond the obvious. Anatomical comparisons of the imp with the summoner did seem to show a relationship between the two, however, suggesting that the latter is a highly advanced form of the imp.

Research found that the imp's projectiles are composed of concentrated Hell energy, which sucks in airborne particles and debris before heating them up into a condensed fireball. Their athletic ability was also commented on, as well as their habit of feeding on human flesh when they have opportunities to do so.

Design change
Imps underwent a dramatic redesign between the initial public presentation of the game and the release final product. The earlier design was closer in appearance to a smaller version of the Hell knight, suggesting some kind of relationship between the two. The final imp design added distinct features to the head and body, two prominent glowing eyes, spines on their back, and accents of purple color.

Some dead imps in the Lazarus Labs still retain the older model even in the final version of the game.

Trivia
The bluish-purple coloration of the imp as well as the spines on its back are considered by some fans to be callbacks to the appearance of the normal imp and nightmare imp in Doom 64. This design influence remains currently unconfirmed, but other influences from the game are known to exist, making it a distinct possibility.