DOOM ETERNAL CRUCIBLE SWORD - Pop-culture Weapons Analysed

Let's have a detailed look at Doom Eternal's CRUCIBLE SWORD to see how well it's designed from a functional standpoint.

My novel, Shadow of the Conqueror Audio Book affiliate links:

Awesome shadiversity chainmail T-shirts:

Ebook, Paperback and Hardcover available from most major book retailers, here are a few of the main ones:
Amazon affiliate link (be sure to navigate to your country's amazon site):
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:

[alfredzanini]

"Well, it wouldn't hurt"
I have a feeling it would hurt very much actually

[backonlazer]

"The perfect size for slicing a demon in half."

- Doomslayer, probably

[svensorensen]

Me: Yeah, another one of these. I bet it's topheavy, too many spikes, etc.

Shad: Well, what you've basically got here is an inverse curve sword, and the spike on the end actually helps if you meet resistance. The handle being overbuilt actually makes sense if it's an energy sword

Me: *looks outside to make sure Hell hasn't frozen over*

[inkblotCrisis]

Shad has The Crucible, there are no demons on earth.
COINCIDENCE? *I THINK NOT*

[Curry-tan-]

The disadvantage in thrusting attacks is overcome by carrying around an energy ballista.

Also two shotguns. And two rifles. And a chaingun. And a rocket launcher. And the equivalent of a tactical nuke.

[WhichDoctor]

I like the idea of one of the Doom devs watching this and thinking "wow, I just made it that way because I thought it looked cool" :p

[chaotixthefox]

This is very interesting Shad, but the longer the Icon of Sin is on Earth, the stronger it will become.

[awakenedpersona]

Shad, "Do these spikes things have a functional purpose in this design?"
Doomguy, "Rip and tear."

[cosmicmelon]

"RIP and TEAR until it is done!"
Shad: "Form and function, until it is real!"

[ToasterCatOfficial]

So what you’re telling me is this sword is unironically and scientifically perfect for ripping and tearing?

[matthewsnow]

I'm kind of surprised you didn't talk more about the intended targets (basically enemies sized as large as cavalry or larger), or its similarities to warpicks and blade breakers.

[EnbyNomad]

Anyone else notice that post surgery shad just seems so much more lively and in much better health? It's really nice to see our lad living his best life!

[PatrickRatman]

"does it need more weight on the top? well it wouldnt hurt"
Doomslayer: i am the weight.

[FallenPears]

On the function of the blade, you've also got to keep in mind it isn't only a sword. The Crucible is also used to kill and keep dead massive, immortal demons like Titans and the Icon of Sin.


It does this by, after being stabbed into the demon, spreading out some sort of seal across the body which keeps it functionally dead so long as the blade remains inside the demon, in which case you want to keep the sword inside the demon and make it as hard to remove as possible (even Doomguy didn't rip the blade out, merely removed his crucible and presumably deliberately dismissing the blade as removing the handle doesn't cause the energy blade to disappear in the Icon of Sin).


Viewed this way, the extra spikes on the blade at the end and in the middle could serve a similar purpose to say the barbs on an arrow, digging into the flesh of the demon and making it harder for the blade to be removed, either from just falling out as the massive demon collapses or resisting deliberate removal by enemies trying to resurrect the demon.


Which is all really impressive because now you've got an actually effective energy sword (which from the appearance of the thing is shocking, never would have guessed), an effective immortal sealing weapon plus it looks absolutely badass, all at once. Talk about multitasking. Damn, what a weapon.

[TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

Hayden: "You can't just shoot a hole into the surface of mars"


Doomslayer: *Watch me*


Hayden: "You can't just make an exact replica of The Crucible Sword"


Shad: *Watch me*

[eh]

Shad fact of the day: shad is so powerful he doesn't need swords to demolish demons, but he uses swords for their aesthetics.

[HisRoyalMajestyKingofWeedshire]

Shad: “Does it serve a purpose?”
Slayer: “Yes, it hurts.”

[hellnaw]

So this is why doom slayer is always angry his base doesn't have

[Doom_Guy__]

Looks like someone has done his research, well done...




Now give it back.

[sparklepawz]

For the weight portion: the blade itself is argent energy, a sort of superheated plasma that defies previous laws of physics on other forms of plasma. It's stable at higher than thought possible temperatures and can energize objects it comes into contact with so it could be like a lightsaber in terms of "nothing really can resist it so it cuts through anything." You also have to consider Doomguy's own strength. Demons in lore have insanely tough bodies due to their muscles and skeletons but Doomguy can easily rip them apart with his bare hands. His own body defies physics as super powerful demons like Barons of Hell have a tough time ripping him apart as well (in Doom 2016 you can see on certain death screens that the Barons struggle to pull apart Doomguy's body). Considering he can decapitate a priest with just one hand by squeezing hard enough it's safe to say any additional weight on the blade won't make too much of a difference for him.