DOOM: The Dark Ages – All Health, Armor & Ammo Upgrade Locations
Want to boost your health, armor, and ammo in DOOM: The Dark Ages? Here’s where to find every Demonic Essence and unlock all upgrade-related Trophies/Achievements.
When you first jump into DOOM: The Dark Ages, the Slayer starts with pretty modest stats—100 health and 50 armor. Early on, especially on easier difficulty settings, that’s usually enough to survive. But if you’re planning to take on Nightmare, Pandemonium, or Ultra-Nightmare? That base-level survivability just won’t cut it.
Thankfully, you can upgrade the Slayer’s maximum health, armor, and ammo, and it makes a big difference—especially when you’re deep into tougher chapters or aiming for a clean run. This guide will walk you through how upgrades work and where to find every Demonic Essence tied to those upgrades. Also check all difficulty settings.
🩸 How to Upgrade Health, Armor & Ammo
To increase your health, armor, and ammo caps, you’ll need to collect Demonic Essences, which are awarded after defeating Leader demons—tougher variants found throughout the game.
🔥 Quick Facts:
- Most Leaders are unmissable as part of the main story.
- A handful are optional, often tied to Gore Nests or bonus encounters.
- Each Demonic Essence increases Health or Armor by +10, or adds to your ammo pool.
- Completing all upgrades nets you Trophies/Achievements.
🧠 Tips for Finding Demonic Essences
- Check Challenges: Some optional encounters are flagged in the challenge list. If something says “clear all Gore Nests,” it’s worth investigating.
- Explore dragon levels: Dragon-riding chapters (like 5, 13, and 14) have some sneaky side areas—look for landing zones.
- Look for icons: The game usually marks Leader fights with unique icons on the map once you’re nearby.
- Revisit chapters: If you miss something, don’t stress. You can replay chapters anytime from the menu.
📍 All Upgrade Locations by Chapter
| Chapter | Health | Armor | Ammo |
| 1 – Village of Khalim | — | — | — |
| 2 – Hebeth | ✅ x1 | — | — |
| 3 – Barrier Core | — | — | — |
| 4 – Sentinel Barracks | — | ✅ x1 | — |
| 5 – The Holy City of Aratum | ✅ x1 | — | ✅ x1 |
| 6 – Siege – Part 1 | — | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 |
| 7 – Siege – Part 2 | ✅ x1 | — | — |
| 8 – Abyssal Forest | — | ✅ x1 | — |
| 9 – Ancestral Forge | ✅ x1 | — | ✅ x1 |
| 10 – The Forsaken Plains | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 |
| 11 – Hellbreaker | — | ✅ x1 | — |
| 12 – Sentinel Command Station | ✅ x1 | — | — |
| 13 – From Beyond | — | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 |
| 14 – Spire of Nerathul | ✅ x1 | — | ✅ x1 |
| 15 – City of Ry’uul | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 | — |
| 16 – The Kar’Thul Marshes | — | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 |
| 17 – Temple of Lomarith | — | — | ✅ x2 |
| 18 – Belly of the Beast | — | ✅ x1 | — |
| 19 – Harbor of Souls | ✅ x1 | — | ✅ x1 |
| 20 – Resurrection | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 | ✅ x1 |
| 21 – Final Battle | — | — | — |
| 22 – Reckoning | — | — | ✅ x1 |
❤️ All Health Upgrade Locations
There are 10 Demonic Essences tied to health upgrades. Find them in:
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
🏆 Trophy/Achievement Unlocked: Essential Health
🛡️ All Armor Upgrade Locations
Another 10 Demonic Essences are tied to armor capacity. These appear in:
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 20
🏆 Trophy/Achievement Unlocked: Essential Armor
💥 All Ammo Upgrade Locations
There are 12 total ammo upgrades, with each of the four primary ammo types getting three increases. These can be found in:
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17 (x2)
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 22
🏆 Trophy/Achievement Unlocked: Essential Ammo
🧠 Bonus: 100% Upgrade Completion
If you grab all 32 Demonic Essences—covering health, armor, and ammo—you’ll earn the final bonus:
🏆 Trophy/Achievement Unlocked: Essentially Unstoppable
Upgrading the Slayer isn’t just about making him tankier—it’s about making higher difficulties actually manageable. Whether you’re going for a completionist run or just want to crush Nightmare with confidence, collecting every Demonic Essence is absolutely worth your time.
Related Article:
- Full Weapon Guide with Locations & Upgrades
- Beginner Tips to Help You Rip and Tear Like a Pro
- The Dark Ages – Controls, Unlocks, and Tips
- Weapon Tier List – The Best Guns Ranked
For more Games Guide follow us
