Whether you like the parrying mechanism or not, you’ll certainly fall in love with the act after you experience the powers that get imbued into your shield about midway through the game. Here’s our Doom: The Dark Ages Shield Rune Tier List.
Heaven Splitter (S Tier) – The last Rune you unlock is the best in the game because of its insane crowd control. The lightning strike plus AoE stun completely shuts down packs of enemies and gives you breathing room.
Auto Turret (A Tier) – The Auto Turret provides consistent, free damage output. It follows your aim and helps mow down fodder while you focus elsewhere.
Ground Fissure (A Tier) – It deals damage, staggers, and gives armor if upgraded right. The Ground Fissure is a great balance of offense, utility, and sustainability.
Holy Swarm (B Tier) – The Holy Swarm has decent spread damage, but is too passive. The auto-targeting daggers are flashy but unreliable when it comes to hitting priority targets.