DOOM: The Dark Ages Guide | The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges

Complete every objective, uncover all secrets, and dominate every hell carrier in Mission 5 of DOOM: The Dark Ages.

Game Guide by Monarch on Jun 04, 2025

In Mission 5 (The Holy City of Aratum) of DOOM: The Dark Ages, you experience your first dragon mission. While the dragon mechanic may not be your favorite, it definitely adds something different and helps mix things up. If you're an inverted controls player, you may need to adjust settings, as the dragon has a separate set of inversion options.

You'll move with the left stick, aim with the right stick, ascend and descend with the bumpers, and shoot with the right trigger. Use the left trigger to activate assault mode. Perfect dodges empower your weapon, and dodging in the correct direction is vital for bypassing energy shields.

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Dragon Combat and Flying Mechanics

You'll quickly come across your first turret. Use perfect dodges to avoid shots and charge up your weapon. The second encounter is a tower of turrets, where perfect dodges are needed to get through energy shielding.

Dodge in the direction that matches the incoming projectile pattern—either up, down, left, or right. Once you destroy the tanks, fly through blue rings to regain health and use your autocannon to take down enemy ships.

You'll also use the right stick to land at designated zones. These landing zones are used throughout the mission.

Doom: The Dark Ages, PC, Gameplay, The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Landing and Starting the Ground Objectives

Once off the dragon, use your shield saw to break a seal, allowing you to connect to another landing area. This mission is long and packed with collectibles: nine secrets, 240 gold, two rubies, and two demonic essence upgrades.

You'll also have challenges like destroying all three cultist circles, landing at two secret zones, and chasing and destroying three hell fighters. The mission takes place in an open area with objectives you can tackle in any order.

Doom: The Dark Ages, PC, Gameplay, The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Hell Carrier 1: Boarding and Exploring

Start with the closest hell carrier to your entry point. Destroy small shield turrets around it until the central eye opens. Then, fire at the eye to bring down the ship. Once landed, you're locked in until you finish that section.

Inside, fight shielded enemies—using the shredder can be effective here. These mini-levels vary in length and complexity. After defeating the enemies, turn right from the cultish shrine to find gold leading into a well.

Drop into the well and follow the path to a cultist circle. Afterward, check the side room for armor, ammo, and more gold. Swim out, find a golden chest worth 50 gold, and use the shield saw to link back to the shrine.

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Using Gold for Upgrades

Use the gold at the Sentinel Shrine to unlock upgrades. For instance, you can upgrade the combat shotgun with incendiary bursts that do massive damage and generate health.

Rejoin the main path, and after defeating some enemies, take a detour to the right for a secret area that leads to a blue keycard. Use it to open a door nearby, revealing more gold, a life sigil, and a shortcut back to the shrine.

End of Hell Carrier 1

Before the final fight in the first carrier, collect armor and health. Fight a tough enemy using parries and shield saw combos. Once defeated, earn a demonic essence upgrade and exit. You should have two of nine secrets, 72 gold, and one demonic essence.

Doom: The Dark Ages, PC, Gameplay, The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Hell Carrier 2 and Secret Landing Spot 1

Approach the second hell carrier, destroy the wall monster in assault mode, and enter through a hole. Boost through, destroy a flying ship, and land on the carrier.

Clear the first arena, collect gold, and grab the Cycler, a second plasma weapon variant. Proceed, and just before the point of no return, collect gold and a codex page. Exit to your dragon.

From the map's center, fly to a tower guarded by a large demon. Defeat it and land on the tower to trigger a big fight. Destroy the gore nest and defeat the mini-boss to increase max health to 120.

Do not leave immediately. Instead, explore the balcony, collect gold, and enter a secret area with a large gold chest. Use your shield saw to break a chain and return to the dragon.

Hell Carrier 3 and the Final Collectibles

Take out another flying ship for the side mission. In Hell Carrier 3, land, clear the first arena, and after the point of no return, look under the platform for more gold.

Fight a powerful enemy—likely a Baron—and use strong weapons to take it down. Exit and destroy a turret enemy outside. Fly toward the final hell carrier.

Doom: The Dark Ages, PC, Gameplay, The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Hell Carrier 4 and the Last Landing Spot

Destroy another wall monster and chase a flying ship to complete the cat-and-mouse mission. Inside the carrier, defeat new enforcers and empowered enemies. Use the super shotgun, which now does heavy damage but lacks mobility.

Clear the hallways and activate a chandelier trap to open a path. In the shaft, collect a life sigil and ammo. Climb out to find a ruby knight and collect the ruby.

Find a small hidden path with gold and more enemies. After another fight, clamber back into a previously inaccessible area and pick up a Serrat toy. Smash through a gate to find another secret area and a cultist circle.

Collect more gold and weapon skin, then use the red keycard to open a final room with gold and another ruby. This triggers a cutscene that returns you to your dragon.

Doom: The Dark Ages, PC, Gameplay, The Holy City of Aratum - All Collectibles, Secrets, Upgrades & Challenges, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Heart Chamber and Mission Completion

Return to the center of the map and head toward the final landing pad. Visit the shrine to spend your collected gold and rubies on upgrades. Recommended upgrades include impaler, cycler, and shield enhancements. Enter the final combat arena and defeat Pinky Riders, mancubi, and a spider-type mini-boss. Use your upgraded shotgun and melee attacks to stay alive and deal damage.

After clearing the area, sweep up remaining ammo and armor, then exit to complete the mission. A cutscene will follow, and you'll get the mission completion screen confirming 100% progress.

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