E5M2: Rapids (Heretic)
From DoomWiki.org
| Heretic maps |
|---|
| City of the Damned |
| Hell's Maw |
| The Dome of D'Sparil |
| The Ossuary |
| Fate's Path (deathmatch only levels) |
| This level has a remastered version |
E5M2: Rapids is the second level in episode The Stagnant Demesne of Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders. It uses the music track "Atlas" by Kevin Schilder.
Contents
Walkthrough[edit]
Essentials[edit]
From the start, turn right and fight the current to grab an ethereal crossbow, then fight your way down the falls. Pass the yellow door and head downriver into the brown cave passages. You will soon pass the yellow key, but it is out of reach for now. Continue following the river, going against the current as needed, to find a switch which lowers the key. The Gauntlets of the Necromancer are also in this area, off slightly to the side. With the yellow key, head back to the corresponding door and through. The switch reveals monsters, the dragon claw and a second switch. This second switch lets you escape the room, but collect a Bag of Holding from the ambush chamber before you go.
Head back towards the switch that gave you access to the yellow key; the nearby bars have been removed now. Passing beyond, you will find a larger underground waterway obstructed with some exploding pods. Follow the looping river to the north as it curves around to the weredragon-guarded ledge where the green key is stashed. With the key, drop down into the pod room and head through the green door, going upriver to a switch. This opens the bars on the other side of the pod room, and you can once again fight your way upriver to the ledge overlooking the yellow door. Drop down and return to the start. The corridor where you found the crossbow has risen into stairs leading to a blue trident pad. The lack of teleport glitter on the pad should make you wary; it is not an exit, but a trap that drops the walls and reveals disciples of D'Sparil. Once you have triggered the trap, head back down the stairs to find the true exit now open.
Other points of interest[edit]
If the firemace has appeared at the level startup, you can find it in one of five different positions. In order of appearance, they are located:
- center of the "armory" in the lava area;
- northernmost point of the map after visiting the unofficial secret near the shadowsphere;
- by the switch that lifts the pod room bars;
- next to secret #5;
- on the trap pad that opens the exit.
Secrets[edit]
Official[edit]
- The lava chambers that are revealed as a side area after visiting the switch that lowers the yellow key. Extra quartz flasks, weapons and an enchanted shield can be found in this area. (sector 90)
- Past the yellow door, in the ambush room with the barrels, the north side has a false wall. Behind it is a Tome of Power and a switch which temporarily lowers a nearby lift. This lift takes you up to a ledge overlooking the lava chambers, with a Morph Ovum. (sector 155)
- Above the path leading to the green key are three ledges with a shadowsphere, a hellstaff, and Time Bombs of the Ancients. Step off any of these ledges into the water below then go south into the small cavern, where the south wall has lowered. Step under the south wall to activate a lift that goes down to an enchanted shield. (sector 51)
- Across from the switch after the green door, there is a secret door to the left of the hanging skull. A Ring of Invincibility can be found overlooking the lava chambers. (sector 94)
- Near the ledge overlooking the yellow door, there are a couple of secret chambers marked with hanging skulls. One contains a phoenix rod, while the opposite contains Wings of Wrath. (sector 17)
Non-official[edit]
- Near the shadowsphere in the cave off of the winding river past the pod room, a secret door is marked with hanging skulls. It leads to a Bag of Holding.
Areas / screenshots[edit]
The start
One of the pools
Pods everywhere
Speedrunning[edit]
Routes and tricks[edit]
Current records[edit]
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:
| Run | Time | Player | Date | File | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM speed | 1:20.71 | Doomniel | 2023-12-27 | E5M2-12071.zip | |
| SM max | 4:11.46 | Doomniel | 2025-07-02 | E5M2-41146.zip | |
| BP speed | 1:22.11 | Doomniel | 2023-12-28 | E5M2-12211.zip | |
| BP max | 4:20.26 | Doomniel | 2025-07-06 | E5M2-42026.zip | |
| NM speed | 1:23.63 | Doomniel | 2025-06-28 | E5M2-12363.zip | |
| NM 100S | 1:39.80 | Doomniel | 2025-06-25 | E5M2-13980.zip | |
| Tyson | 18:48.69 | Doomniel | 2025-08-31 | E5M2-184869.zip | |
| Pacifist | 1:44.20 | Doomniel | 2023-12-27 | E5M2-144.zip | |
| NoMo | 0:53.83 | Ks4 | 2023-12-15 | h5o2-5383.zip | |
| NoMo 100S | 1:13.06 | Doomniel | 2025-06-24 | E5M2-11306.zip |
The data was last verified in its entirety on October 4, 2025.
Deathmatch[edit]
Player spawns[edit]
This level contains five spawn points:
- facing west. (thing 16)
- facing west. (thing 17)
- facing east. (thing 18)
- facing south. (thing 19)
- facing west. (thing 20)
Statistics[edit]
Map data[edit]
| Things | 600 |
| Vertices | 792* |
| Linedefs | 808 |
| Sidedefs | 1090 |
| Sectors | 170 |
Things[edit]
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:
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