Gloomwood Enemy Guide — All Enemies, Behaviors & How to Deal With Them

Enemy Philosophy — Avoid, Don't Fight

Before we get into specific enemies, let's talk about the most important rule of Gloomwood: you are not a warrior. You are a survivor. Every fight you get into is a risk, and most fights are avoidable. The best strategy is almost always to sneak past enemies rather than engage them.

That said, sometimes you have no choice. Maybe a guard is blocking the only path forward. Maybe you need a key that an enemy is carrying. In those cases, you need to know how to take them down quickly and quietly. That's what this guide is for.

Prison Guards — The Basics

Locations: Prison, Streets District, Cathedral grounds
Health: Low (1 headshot / 2-3 melee hits)
Danger Level: Low (individually), High (in groups)

Prison guards are the most common enemy in Gloomwood. They patrol set routes, investigate noises, and raise the alarm if they spot you or find a body. They're not particularly tough, but they're almost always in groups.

Behavior Patterns:

• Guards follow fixed patrol routes. Watch them for a full cycle before moving.
• They have a cone of vision about 45 degrees wide. Stay outside it.
• If they hear a noise, they'll say something like "What was that?" and investigate the source.
• If they find a dead body, they'll sound an alarm, bringing nearby guards to the area.
• Guards can be distracted by thrown objects. A coin toss will make them look in that direction for about 5 seconds.

How to Deal With Them:

• Stealth Kill: Approach from behind while crouching. Use the shiv or lead pipe for a silent kill. Hide the body afterward.
• Distract & Bypass: Throw a coin to one side, then sneak past while they investigate.
• Headshot: If you have the crossbow or revolver, a headshot kills them instantly. Only use this if you're sure no other enemies are nearby.

Hounds — Fast and Relentless

Locations: Prison courtyard, Streets District (night), Sewers
Health: Low (1 headshot / 2 melee hits)
Danger Level: Medium

Hounds are faster than guards and harder to shake once they're onto you. They track by scent — if one catches your trail, it will follow you through multiple rooms. They can also alert guards by barking.

Behavior Patterns:

• Hounds patrol specific areas but have wider patrol zones than guards.
• They sniff the ground as they walk. If they cross your scent trail, they'll start tracking you.
• Hounds are attracted to meat. Throwing meat in a direction will make them investigate and eat it, giving you a window to move.
• They are not affected by thrown coins or bottles (they don't care about random noises).

How to Deal With Them:

• Meat Distraction: Always carry meat when entering areas with hounds. Throw it away from your path.
• Stealth Kill: Hounds can be backstabbed like guards. One hit with a sharp weapon kills them.
• Avoid Scent Trails: If a hound is tracking you, backtrack and take a different route. They lose the trail after about 30 seconds.
• High Ground: Hounds can't climb ladders or jump. Use verticality to escape.

Crow Men — Blind but Deadly Listeners

Locations: Manor Estate, Cathedral
Health: Medium (2 headshots / 4-5 melee hits)
Danger Level: High

Crow Men are tall, gaunt humanoids with bird-like features. They are completely blind but have exceptional hearing. They patrol dark areas and are triggered by sound more than any other enemy.

Behavior Patterns:

• Crow Men cannot see you at all. Light and shadow don't matter to them.
• They react to sound. Walking on gravel, opening doors quickly, or running will attract them.
• They emit a clicking sound as they move. The clicking speeds up when they're alerted.
• If they detect you, they'll rush to your location and attack with their clawed hands. Their attacks deal high damage.
• They cannot be distracted by coins or bottles (they know the difference between random noise and footsteps).

How to Deal With Them:

• Move Silently: Crouch-walk on carpet or dirt. Avoid gravel and creaky floorboards.
• Slow Door Opening: Hold the interact key to open doors slowly. Crow Men won't hear it.
• Ranged Kill: The crossbow is silent enough to kill a Crow Man without alerting others. One headshot kills them.
• Avoidance: Learn their patrol routes. They're predictable. Wait for them to pass, then move.

Clockwork Sentries — Unkillable Machines

Locations: Cathedral, Sewer pump room
Health: Invulnerable (cannot be killed by normal means)
Danger Level: Very High

Clockwork Sentries are mechanical enemies with searchlights. They cannot be damaged by any weapon in the game. Your only option is to avoid them or deactivate them.

Behavior Patterns:

• Sentries patrol fixed routes with a bright searchlight cone.
• If the searchlight hits you, the sentry will lock onto you and fire a projectile. Two hits will kill you.
• They are immune to all damage types. Don't waste ammo on them.
• Each sentry has a control panel somewhere in the same area. Find and interact with it to deactivate the sentry permanently.

How to Deal With Them:

• Find the Panel: Control panels are usually in a nearby room or behind a locked door. Look for electrical wires leading from the sentry to the panel.
• Sneak Past: If you can't find the panel, you can sneak past by staying in the dark spots between searchlight sweeps. Time your movement carefully.
• Smoke Bomb: A smoke bomb blocks the searchlight. Use it to cross open areas.

Special Enemies — Mini-Bosses & Unique Threats

These enemies appear only once or in very specific locations. They're tougher than regular enemies and often guard important items.

The Rat King (Sewers)

A massive aggregation of rats that blocks a narrow passage. It cannot be killed by normal means. Throw meat to distract it — while it's eating, you can slip past. If you don't have meat, you'll need to find an alternate route.

The Bishop's Confessor (Cathedral)

A unique enemy that guards the Bishop's Key. He's faster and tougher than regular guards. He wields a mace that deals heavy damage. Use the environment to your advantage — lead him into the crypts and use the narrow corridors to limit his movement. The crossbow is effective here.

Elite Crow Men (Cathedral Crypts)

Larger, tougher versions of regular Crow Men. They have more health and their attacks deal more damage. They also have a wider sound detection range. Avoid them if possible. If you must fight, use the crossbow from maximum range.

Alarm Bells

Not an enemy, but worth mentioning. Some rooms have alarm bells on the walls. If a guard reaches one, they'll ring it, summoning every enemy in the district to your location. Always check for alarm bells before engaging in a room.

Combat Tactics — When You Can't Avoid a Fight

Sometimes stealth fails and you have to fight. Here's how to handle it:

• Isolate and Eliminate: If multiple enemies are chasing you, break line of sight and hide. They'll search for a bit, then return to their patrols. Pick them off one by one as they separate.
• Use Chokepoints: Narrow corridors and doorways limit enemy numbers. Fight in doorways so only one enemy can reach you at a time.
• Run Away: There's no shame in running. If a fight goes bad, retreat to a safe house and come back later.
• Smoke Bomb Escape: If you're surrounded, drop a smoke bomb and run. Enemies can't see through the smoke.
• Hide Bodies: After a fight, hide the bodies. If patrols find corpses, they'll raise the alarm and more enemies will spawn.