Escalation encounter

A first round escalation encounter gore nest.

An escalation encounter is a special combat encounter in Doom Eternal, only found in The Ancient Gods, Part Two. They consist of two waves of increasing difficulty, each with multiple waves of demons. The first wave is mandatory and unlocks an upgrade for the Sentinel Hammer, and the second is optional and unlocks a Slayer skin. Escalation encounters are initiated by interacting with special gore nests.

The World Spear

First wave

The first wave of the escalation encounter initially pits you against cyber-mancubi and whiplashes, followed by cacodemons and Hell knights, pinkies and prowlers, then a baron and some carcasses. Completing the first wave upgrades the Sentinel Hammer, causing demons hit by it to drop more ammo.

Second wave

The second wave initially pits you against cacodemons and pain elementals, followed by several Hell knights, mancubi and cyber-mancubi, two arch-viles, then two tyrants and two Doom hunters. Completing the second wave unlocks the "World Spear Slayer" skin.

Reclaimed Earth

First wave

The first wave of the escalation encounter includes three main groups; first, mancubi along with a dread knight and a cacodemon; second, revenants along with a riot soldier, carcass, and cursed prowler; finally, a marauder along with a cyber-mancubus and riot soldier. Completing the first wave upgrades the Sentinel Hammer: striking demons that are on fire now causes them to drop more armor, while striking frozen demons causes them to drop more health.

Second wave

The second wave includes six main groups; first, pinkies along with arachnotrons and a pain elemental; second, Hell knights and a cyber-mancubus; third, an arch-vile along with a cursed prowler; fourth, a possessed Hell knight; fifth, spectres along with cacodemons; finally, a marauder along with a Doom hunter and an arachnotron. Completing the second wave unlocks the "Survivor" Slayer skin.

Immora

First wave

The first wave of the escalation encounter includes three main groups; first, dread knights and revenants; second, two Doom hunters along with whiplashes; finally, cacodemons, barons and carcasses. Completing the first wave unlocks a final upgrade for the Sentinel Hammer: demons hit by it will be dazed for a longer duration.

Second wave

The second wave pits you against demons in the following order: armored baron and carcasses, followed by a baron, cacodemons, a marauder, two tyrants and finally another marauder. Completing the second wave unlocks the "Hellforged" Slayer skin.