Imp stalker

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A imp stalker prepares to generate and throw its projectile

The imp stalker is an enemy in Doom: The Dark Ages. The appearance of this enemy type is based on its classic counterpart. The monster has glowing orange claws. From the holes in its palms it generates projectiles that the Doom Slayer can parry with the shield saw. A nightmare version of the monster also exists.

Appearance

The foul imp stalker is a taller and more muscular demon than its lesser imp brethren, having more of a resemblance to its original Classic Doom depiction than the modern counterparts. The imp stalker's newer physical features include its arms, which are now riddled with holes from which the heat that generates their waves of hellfire escapes. On the palm of their right hand is a vent where the hellfire is ejected as a deadly projectile. The same heat is presumed to increase the temperature of their claws, causing them to sear through any surfaces that they cut through.

Tactical analysis

The imp stalker is a tougher but less agile imp, walking firmly towards the player rather than skittering across the battlefield, armed with homing projectiles and a deadlier melee attack that allows them to tighten the gap between it and the player.

This well-endowed hellbeast is essentially a stronger infantry demon meant to provide support for heavier demons using its own attacks, while being a quite decent challenge by itself, at least during the early game when the player has little upgrades.

• Swipe: At close range, the imp stalker either throws a swipe to the player's right or a backhand to the player's left. This can be blocked but not parried.
• Lunge: From far distances, the imp stalker will wind up an attack by stretching its hands out to dash towards the player and slash them with its right hand's claws. This attack is a hell surge that, when parried, falters the imp stalker. Sometimes, it may use this at close range.
• Dash: The imp stalker dashes a short distance. It can dash to its left and right while moving forward or backward, attempting to not cross the player's crosshair.

From afar, the imp stalker will rely on its smart waves of fire generated by its right arm to hunt down the player.

• Fire wave: The imp stalker points its right hand out to release a slow, homing, plus-shaped projectile. This can be blocked but not parried, plus it's performed faster than its hell surge version.
• Hell surge fire wave: The imp stalker generates hellfire between its hands and fires a slow, plus-shaped projectile that can home in on the player's position. This is a hell surge that will falter the imp stalker when parried.

Lore

The stalkers are predators of the Great Steppe, born in the searing chasms of Hell. Unlike other low-born demons, such as their imp brethren, they have more of a share of intelligence, tirelessly stalking their prey. They are also larger and more muscular. Stalkers emit Hell waves that can track and even anticipate their target's movement, as if they also have a element of intelligence like their owners. The stalkers are dangerous in close quarters, quickly and easily lashing out their searing-hot claws to rip through flesh and metal. Their general disregard for self-preservation makes them well-equipped to serve as frontline soldiers of Ahzrak's army.

Executions

Two executions against the imp stalker exist.^{[citation needed]}

• From above in front of the imp stalker, the Slayer lands on it to slam its back to the ground, before crushing the screaming imp's head with a stomp.
• From above behind the imp stalker, the Slayer lands on it to slam its face to the ground. It faces the Slayer to scream one last time before he stomps its head into gore.

Gallery

• 

  The imp stalker's collectible toy.

• 

  The codex entry image.

• 

  The size comparison of the Slayer and imp stalker in the Ripatorium's encounter manager.

• 

  Concept art by Alejandro Mirabal, with classic imp as reference.

Trivia

• One of the pain sounds made by the imp stalker is based on the classic arch-vile's death sound. This may be a reference to the lore of the imps of Doom (2016), who were stated to be related to the summoner, an arch-vile class monster.
• In the first encounter with this demon in Village of Khalim, the stalker holds the Sentinel by the head with one hand, but when the demon notices the player, it will throw the Sentinel away. A similar scene can be seen in Doom 2016, in Argent Energy Tower, where the revenant is also holding a worker's corpse until the creature would notice the Doom Slayer.