Imp (Doom Eternal)

An imp.

This article is about the monster in Doom Eternal. For other games, see:

• Imp
• Imp (Doom 3)
• Imp (Doom 2016)

The imp returns as a monster in Doom Eternal, similar to its appearance in Doom (2016) but with a more muscular, bulky stature, and now sporting sharp spikes in many locations on its body, much like the classic imp. It also has brighter, red-colored glowing eyes and darker brown skin, details which also hearken back more closely to the monster's original design.

Tactical analysis

The imp retains statistics and behaviors that mostly match those from the previous game. Like in all the games before, they are a ubiquitous enemy, appearing in large numbers in every level. They have a negligible amount of health, though, so late in the game they should just be collateral damage.

Similarily to the previous game, there are two types of imps. One will keep its distance from the player, hurling fireballs and just being a nuisance, while the other will rush the player, attempting to get into melee range and attack directly, while throwing fireballs.

A single imp will die to a point-blank combat shotgun blast, and a group can be mowed down with the full auto mod, or destroyed with a single sticky bomb. The super shotgun can take out a group easily, too. Other good options are the rocket launcher, the heavy cannon's micro missiles, or the frag grenade. The ice bomb is effective at forcing them to stay still for follow-up attacks.

Most of their attacks can be avoided by keeping on the move. The only notable thing is that, since they are shorter than the Slayer, if they get into melee range they will run up under the player's camera, and the Slayer will have to back up to hit them effectively.

An imp has the same amount of health as a zombie, with 100 HP, but slightly less health during stagger (90 HP), making them marginally easier to accidentally kill instead of glory kill. In particular, two plasma shots will kill a staggered imp but not a staggered zombie.

Lore

The Imps are some of the most common natives of the Hellscape, living as scavengers of the Underworld. They are unintelligent, and are motivated primarily by the urge to hunt. This predatory instinct combined with a talent for violence makes them a common sight in the armies of Hell as expendable cannon fodder.

Glory kills

• The Slayer kicks the imp to the ground and caves in its skull with his fist.
• The Slayer knees the imp in the chin and then sends it flying back with a punch to the face.
• The Slayer breaks the imp's arm and then knocks it out with a right hook to its jaw.
• The Slayer parries the imp's claw swipe before bisecting it with the Doomblade.
• The Slayer drives the Doomblade through the imp's heart before kicking it away.
• The Slayer brings the Doomblade down in a vicious chop that splits the imp in two.
• The Slayer knocks the imp to the ground and then stomps its head in.
• The Slayer sweeps the imp's legs out from under it and then cuts it in half.
• The Slayer drives the Doomblade through the side of the imp's head.
• The Slayer breaks the imp's leg with a stomp before decapitating it.

Gallery

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  An imp close-up.

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  The imp toy.

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  An imp's biology as shown in the codex entry "History of The Sentinels - Part VI".

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  Two imps can be seen low in the foreground in this still from the E3 teaser.