BFG-9000 (Doom Eternal)

The BFG-9000 taking aim at a tyrant.

This article is about the weapon in Doom Eternal. For other versions of this weapon, see:

• BFG9000
• BFG 9000 (Doom 3)
• BFG-9000 (Doom 2016)

The BFG-9000 returns as a weapon in Doom Eternal, looking similar to its previous appearance but with fewer exposed parts. In this incarnation, it shares many similarities with its previous design, but lost the red colored areas on the top of the weapon. Unlike its previous appearance, it is now part of the wheel as a normal weapon, albeit one that is shared with the Unmaykr after the latter is unlocked; if both weapons are owned, using the mod swap button will swap between them. Its targeting reticule has a counter that keeps track of how many enemies it kills in a single firing. The BFG-9000 expends 30 Argent cells when fired, and the player can carry a maximum of 60 cells.

The BFG-9000 is obtained in Mars Core from the BFG-10000 orbital defense weapon system.

"The longer the projectile can fly, the more damage the tendrils can do. If you see a BFG ammo nearby, that might mean you can afford to shoot the gun."

― Doom Eternal dossier protip

Tactical analysis

The BFG is a crowd-clearing superweapon capable of emptying arenas in a single blast. The bigger the room, the longer the Argent tendrils will damage foes, so it is best to use it when against a wall. When the projectile hits a foe, it explodes with energy, but the tendrils stop as well. Some especially tanky enemies, like barons of Hell and tyrants, can withstand the force of a BFG shot, and the marauder's shield can completely negate the attack if not faltered, and the weapon's slow charging time, paired with the marauder's relatively low health, make it a poor choice.

The greatest weakness of this weapon is the rarity of ammo, which unlike in the previous game is set to a straight limit and does not drop from enemies (they also recharge fully after upgrading ammo capacity with a sentinel crystal). The BFG can at the very most store two charges, using up half of its ammo capacity every shot. Therefore, it is imperative to make every shot count and not to use the BFG too often for situations that do not need it.

The Unmakyr uses the same ammo pool, and uses up individual Argent cells at a fast rate. If expended to less than half (29 or below), the BFG cannot be fired.

Battlemode

The BFG is seen in Battlemode as a special weapon that the Doom Slayer can use against the player-controlled demons after buying it as a power upgrade. It grants 75% damage resistance for 5 seconds after firing it, but since the tendrils deal no damage to player-controlled demons it needs to hit them directly with the energy sphere to be effective.

Lore

The BFG-9000 remains the most powerful weapon in the UAC's arsenal. When fired, Argent energy tendrils lash out from a sphere of superheated energy, obliterating anything nearby.

Dr. Samuel Hayden's studies on the weapon refined it, making it the linchpin of the BFG-10000 orbital defense station on Phobos. By firing the weapon through a magnifier array and into a series of reactive lensing rings, a stream of gaseous Argent energy is pumped through the barrel which ignites in reaction to the electrified plasma. The resulting energy wave has enough force to crack a planet's surface, and is used to great effect by the Doom Slayer in order to access a secret portal hidden in the core of Mars.