Summary
- Cyberdemon is the most iconic boss in Doom history, half-demon, half-machine.
- Icon of Sin offers the hardest boss fight, requiring puzzle-solving skills.
- Though a mini-boss, the Marauder puts players' skills to the test with quick reflexes and patience.
Doom is considered by many to be the most iconic FPS and one of the most iconic game franchises. Many of the hallmarks of the series have become synonymous with FPS games and gaming as a whole. There are good reasons for this, as the franchise has gone from strength to strength over four decades. The Doomslayer is a legendary character supported by an equally legendary arsenal.
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However, a hero is only as good as their rogues' gallery. Luckily for the Doomslayer, the Doom franchise features some great bosses, giving the hero plenty of worthy adversaries to go toe to toe with. Here are the best bosses in the series.
11 Marauder
A Mini-Boss Tougher Than Most Bosses
DOOM Eternal
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Marauder is an outlier on this list as he is not a full boss. He doesn't get a health bar, but does get an introductory cutscene. And then the fight begins, and fans immediately realize that this is no normal enemy.
The Marauder puts all the skills the players have learned up until this point in Doom Eternal to the test. It is a difficult fight that requires lightning-quick reflexes and patience. Not to mention his design, which is extremely cool. Therefore, the Marauder deserves an honorable mention.
10 Komodo Champion
The First Great Challenge In Doom: The Dark Ages
DOOM: The Dark Ages
- Released
- May 15, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5
Doom: The Dark Ages has a lot of expectations to live up to as it is following up on two great entries into the modern Doom series. Any apprehension fans may feel about the game will quickly be put to rest when they fight the Komodo Champion.
This boss fight showcases the full potential of The Dark Ages' combat. The Komodo Champion's mix of reptilian and demonic design feels fresh for the series as it tests the players' skill by launching multiple projectiles to dodge and closing the distance with melee attacks that can be parried.
9 Khan Maykr
A Devilishly Difficult Encounter
- Appears in Doom Eternal
The difficulty level in Doom Eternal has been a contentious point among fans since its release, and no boss fight in the base game encapsulates that as well as the leader of the Maykrs and the ruler of Urdak.
Despite some fans accusing id Software of artificially inflating the difficulty of the encounter, there is no denying the iconic lore and presentation of the Khan Maykr. Even the difficulty feels justified as she is the penultimate boss of Eternal, a notoriously difficult game, and there is no denying the rush of satisfaction on finally beating her.
8 Hell Guards
Triple The Trouble
- Appears in Doom Eternal
The Hell Guards are three bosses wrapped up in two phases of one boss fight in Doom (2016). Players must first defeat a single Hell Guard before being confronted by two immediately after. The only reprieve in the second phase is that the two new Guards don't have a shield, unlike the first one.
The Hell Guards are faster and more aggressive than other enemies, with the in-game description labeling them as "the most ferocious demons yet found". This forces players to adapt their playstyle and adds variety to the game.
7 The Old One
Mech Vs Kaiju
- Appears in Doom: The Dark Ages
The mech introduced in Doom: The Dark Ages is put to great use. Riding around in the giant machine and punching giant demons feels extremely satisfying. The mech gameplay is at its most satisfying in the boss fight against The Old One as the mech and the kaiju duke it out.
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This fight against the Cthulu-inspired boss feels extremely epic. It is a challenging encounter preceded by an epic build-up and followed by an equally epic ending. Being in the shoes of the Doomslayer has never felt more powerful.
6 Davoth
Slaying The Dark Lord
- Appears in Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods
Davoth is the final boss of Doom Eternal's The Ancient Gods DLC and the overarching main antagonist of the series as a whole. Expectations were high following the decades-long set-up, and with expectations that high, it is impossible to satisfy everyone.
However, Davoth still presents an epic and challenging encounter. He takes the visage of the Doomslayer and drops some major plot revelations throughout the fight. While the combat matches the mechanics of the Marauder encounter, the difficulty is raised significantly here, making it befitting of the final encounter against the series' main antagonist.
5 Spider Mastermind
An Enduring Antagonist
Doom (1993)
- Released
- December 10, 1993
WHERE TO PLAY
- Appears in Doom 2 RPG and Doom (2016)
The Spider Mastermind is among the oldest and longest-running bosses in the franchise. First appearing as the final boss of the original Doom in 1993, this demon has made many subsequent appearances, serving as the final boss yet again in the 2016 reboot, and is even linked to the creation of the Arachnotrons, a high-level enemy.
With a legacy as enduring as the Spider Mastermind's, it is impossible to mention Doom bosses without this demon coming up in the conversation. Moreover, the Spider Mastermind's design is brilliant and instantly recognizable.
4 The Gladiator
As Epic As It Sounds
- Appears in Doom Eternal
The Gladiator is found in the coliseum in Sentinel Prime. He is a hell knight clad in impressive armor and carrying a shield that holds the soul of his master, and a mace that allows him to attack both at close quarters and at a distance.
This boss has one of the most tragic and simultaneously cool backstories of any boss in the series. His appearance as an armored hell knight carrying a terrifying shield adds to his majesty. The fight is tough too, with his mix of ranged mace attacks and shield-based defense presenting quite a challenge.
3 Icon Of Sin
Hardest Boss Fight In The Series
Doom 2
- Released
- October 10, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, PC, Sega Saturn, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation (Original), Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Appears in Final Doom, Doom 2 RPG, Doom (2016), and Doom Eternal
Icon of Sin is an ancient titan. It appears throughout the series, making its first appearance in 1994's Doom 2. It simply served as a gatekeeper in the second and third games, albeit a tough one. It wasn't until Doom Eternal that players saw this titan in motion.
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Icon of Sin fights are notorious for their overwhelming difficulty. They serve more as a level-wide puzzle than a standard boss fight. Add to that the fact that the Icon never shows up alone, and it becomes the hardest boss in the franchise.
2 Ahzrak
An Excellent Antagonist For Doom: The Dark Ages
- Appears in Doom: The Dark Ages
Ahzrak is the main antagonist of the new Doom: The Dark Ages. He is a prince of hell who convinces the Elder Council to give him dominion over hell's forces in the battle against the Doomslayer. With the Witch by his side, Ahzrak is a formidable enemy.
Ahzrak has already established his place in the pantheon of Doom bosses despite being a new addition. He is a driving force for the story of The Dark Ages, and pushes the Doomslayer to his limits with multiphase boss fights. Getting to battle and finally defeating him for all that he does during the story feels extremely satisfying.