Marauder

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Revision as of 12:47, 2 March 2020 by 174.192.202.154 (talk) (Lore)


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The Marauder appears against the backdrop of Argent Breach.

The Marauder is a new monster which occurs in Doom Eternal. It is a humanoid demon with a skull-like head bearing large, prominent horns. It has blueish-gray skin and wears green armor which closely resembles the Praetor suit. It keeps a garland of skulls around its left thigh, indicating that it may act as a headhunter. It 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.

Lore

Spoiler Warning: Plot details follow.

In the last days of Argent d'Nur, the Priests rebelled against the royal family and plunged the city into civil war at the command of the Makyrs. The Night Sentinels who fought on the side of the Priests were resurrected through a combination of Makyr technology and demonic power. Thus transformed, the once noble warriors were dubbed the Marauders and commanded to kill the Doom Slayer at all costs.

Spoilers end here.

Pre-release

Hugo Martin promised at the 2018 QuakeCon 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 he 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.