- Decaying Winter demons (Reikgon Shadows) are the deadliest hostile faction in the game
- Four demon types: Hidden, Sickler, Skinner, and Hanger, each with unique lethal mechanics
- Sickler has 700 HP, regenerates 50% on executions, and is immune to all stuns
- Hidden deals ~120 damage per charged thrust and can instantly kill unaware Agents
- Best counter: Use firearms, maintain distance, and exploit Safe Zone turrets when possible
What Are Decaying Winter Demons? (Reikgon Shadows)
In Decaying Winter, demons — officially known as Reikgon Shadows — are a faction of hostile NPCs that serve as some of the most dangerous obstacles in the game. Unlike Scavengers and Raiders, these entities possess supernatural abilities, massive damage output, and mechanics that can instantly end a run if handled incorrectly.
Reikgon Shadows are hostile to both players (Agents) and other NPC factions like Scavengers. However, they are allied with Reikgon Cultists and will not attack them. These enemies appear primarily during the Oblivion Waves and can spawn during looting phases, making certain areas of the map extremely dangerous to navigate.
Reikgon Shadows are hostile to Scavengers, Raiders, and Agents. They are friendly only to Reikgon Cultists. You can exploit this by luring Scavengers toward demons to create distractions while you escape or reposition.
The four main types of Reikgon Shadows each present completely different threats. Understanding their detection ranges, attack patterns, and weaknesses is essential for survival, especially on higher nights where resources are scarce and every engagement matters.
| Demon Type | HP | Key Threat | Spawn Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden | 120 | Instant-kill charged thrust (~120 dmg) | Looting/Oblivion |
| Sickler | 700 | Unstoppable, executes to heal 50% HP | Looting (1 per night) |
| Skinner | 250 | Disguises as Scavengers, immune to shoves | Looting/Oblivion |
| Hanger | 150 | Suicidal thoughts aura, immune to stuns | Mountain/Outpost |
The Hidden: Invisible Assassin Guide
The Hidden is an invisible Reikgon demon armed with a knife capable of instantly killing most Agents and enemies. It is arguably the most terrifying demon to encounter during looting phases because you cannot see it until it strikes.
Detection and Behavior
The Hidden has a large detection radius. When far from its target, it sprints at speeds comparable to a Specialist Knife Scavenger. Once within a set distance, it slows down considerably. The Hidden marks its presence with whispered voice lines such as "I see you" and "Look behind you" — but there is a delay between these audio cues and the attack, meaning an Agent caught too close may be hit before hearing anything.
Attack Pattern
The Hidden performs only charged thrust attacks dealing approximately 120 damage — enough to instantly kill most Agents. After attacking, it becomes semi-visible for about 2 seconds, appearing nearly transparent with bright red-white eyes. This is your only window to locate and kill it.
- Prophet can scan and track the Hidden for the entire team
- Hivemind can track it, and Caltrops will reveal its position
- AoE damage (Arbiter shells, Impact Grenades) causes crosshair indicators on hit
- NPC allies (Sovereign thralls, Apostle's Shadow Hunters) can detect Hiddens easily
- Cripple greatly reduces the Hidden's damage output — apply it if possible
Parrying the Hidden
While the Hidden can technically be parried, it is extremely impractical. A missed parry means certain death. Even a successful parry only briefly stuns the Hidden, and it recovers almost as fast as a shoved Sledge Queen. Parrying the Hidden does not reveal its location. Most experienced players recommend avoiding melee entirely and using firearms or abilities instead.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Health | 120 HP |
| Attack Damage | ~120 (Charged Thrust) |
| Visibility | Invisible until attack |
| Recovery After Parry | Near-instant |
| Voice Lines | "I see you", "Look behind you" |
The Sickler: Unstoppable Nightmare
The Sickler is the most feared demon in Decaying Winter. It appears as a chained shadow entity with glowing red eyes. When nearby, players hear pitched-down crying — an audio cue that should immediately trigger alarm.
Chain State and Enrage
While chained, the Sickler roams slowly around its spawn point. When any Scavenger or Agent approaches, it enters a screaming state for approximately 5 seconds before breaking free. During this window, you can deal free damage — but once loose, the Sickler goes berserk and attacks everything in its path except other Reikgons and Cultists.
Why the Sickler Is So Dangerous
The Sickler is immune to all stuns — it cannot be parried, shoved, or slowed by any conventional means. Only perks with the "Fearless" trait (such as Damned) or the Apostle perk can parry or shove it. Additionally, the Sickler is immune to Cripple, meaning you cannot reduce its damage output through debuffs.
If the Sickler's attack brings a target below 15 HP, it performs an execution that kills the victim and heals 50% of the Sickler's maximum HP. This means a Sickler at 1 HP can instantly recover to 350 HP by killing a nearby Scavenger or Agent. Never let it near low-health allies or NPCs.
Killing the Sickler
Despite its terrifying kit, the Sickler can be killed with the right approach:
Firearms
- High-capacity magazines preferred
- Aim for the head
- All shots must land
- Best overall method
Safe Zone Turrets
- Lure Sickler to Safe Zone
- Turrets will shoot it
- Never let it execute anything nearby
- Buy time while turrets fire
Tree Exploit
- Sickler AI struggles near trees
- Stand on tree positions
- Attack with Spear weapons
- Certain perks work well
Killing a Sickler for the first time grants the Apostle perk and the Seeker title — a significant reward that makes the risk worthwhile for well-equipped teams.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Health | 700 HP |
| Light Damage | 15 |
| Stun Immunity | Yes (all types) |
| Cripple Immunity | Yes |
| Execution Heal | 50% of max HP |
| Spawn Limit | 1 per night |
| Weapon | Shadow Claws (unobtainable) |
Skinner and Hanger: Lesser Demons
The Skinner: Identity Fraud
The Skinner is a Reikgon demon that disguises itself as a Scavenger — including gun-wielding variants — and sheds its disguise upon contact with an Agent or aggressive enemy. Once revealed, it sprints toward the nearest target with devastating melee attacks.
Key identifying trait: Skinners disguised as melee Scavengers never have hair. If you spot a bald Scavenger acting suspiciously, treat it with extreme caution.
- Skinners are immune to shoves (except from Fearless perks like Damned/Apostle)
- They can be parried — brief stun window follows
- Treat them as enhanced Sledgehammer Scavengers
- Throwing knives reveal the disguise (two hits kill both forms)
- Lead Scavengers toward a Skinner to divert aggro and escape
The Skinner has a small delay between attacks. If you cannot parry, expect constant light swings every second followed by a charged hit or grapple. After being stunned, it recovers at a speed similar to a Sledgehammer Scavenger, giving you time for 1-2 light attacks.
The Hanger: Suicidal Influence
The Hanger is a hanging shadow that spawns inside the Mountain and at Outpost during looting phases. While it deals relatively low melee damage, its true threat lies in its suicidal thoughts aura, which inflicts a debuff that slows you down and prevents interaction — and if you fail to resist the influence, you die instantly.
| Stat | Skinner | Hanger |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 250 HP | 150 HP |
| Light Damage | 15 | 10 |
| Heavy Damage | 60 | Instant Death (failed resist) |
| Shove Immunity | Yes | Yes |
| Stun Immunity | No (can parry) | Yes (all stuns) |
| Special | Disguises as Scavengers | Suicidal thoughts aura |
| Spawn Location | Anywhere | Mountain, Outpost |
Apostle Agents are completely immune to the Hanger's influence — the Hanger will call them a traitor instead. Damned Agents are also immune because they have "seen too much." If you hear the Hanger's garbled breathing and screeching, retreat or bring an immune teammate.
The Hanger's knife attacks cannot be parried. Keep your distance and use melee weapons with decent range. While it is more of an annoyance than a lethal threat, its ability to slow your looting speed can cost valuable time during the scavenging phase.
How to Fight Demons: Step-by-Step Survival
Encountering a Reikgon demon unprepared is one of the fastest ways to end a run. Follow this systematic approach to maximize your chances of survival when you hear those terrifying audio cues.
Identify the Threat Type
Listen for audio cues: whispering indicates a Hidden, pitched-down crying means a Sickler is near, and garbled breathing signals a Hanger. If a Scavenger looks unusual (no hair, odd behavior), suspect a Skinner. Proper identification determines your entire response strategy.
Assess Your Equipment
Check your loadout before engaging. Do you have firearms with enough ammo? Are there Safe Zone turrets nearby? Do you have Fearless-tier perks for parrying? If the answer to all is no, retreat immediately. Demons punish unprepared Agents with instant death.
Choose Engagement or Evasion
For Hiddens and Skinners, firearms at range are effective. For Sicklers, only engage with high-damage headshots or Safe Zone turret support. For Hangers, simply maintain distance and loot around them. Never engage any demon in melee unless you have the proper perks.
Exploit Faction Hostility
Reikgon demons are hostile to Scavengers and Raiders. Lure demons toward enemy NPCs to create chaos and distract them. A Sickler released near the Castle can eliminate most Raiders before reaching Sledge Queen, potentially clearing the area for your team.
Execute and Collect Rewards
Demons drop significant EXP and Odens. The Sickler is especially rewarding, and first-time kills grant the Apostle perk. After killing a demon, immediately collect any dropped rations and reposition — the noise may attract additional threats.
One of the most effective strategies is luring a Sickler toward the Castle Raiders. The Sickler's healing-on-execution mechanic makes it a one-demon army that can wipe out most Raiders, including MCX Virtus Raiders, before falling to Sledge Queen. This clears the Castle approach while you watch from safety.
Demon Hunting Checklist and FAQ
Before attempting to hunt Reikgon demons, ensure you and your team are fully prepared. Use this checklist to verify readiness.
Pre-Engagement Checklist:
- Firearm with full magazine and reserve ammo
- Team communication established (Prophet scan ready)
- Safe Zone location known for emergency retreat
- Fearless perk equipped (Damned/Apostle) for melee parrying
- Cripple-dealing weapons available for Hidden/Skinner
- Escape route planned before initiating combat
Demon Comparison Table
| Demon | HP | Difficulty | Best Counter | Reward Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden | 120 | Hard (invisible) | Prophet scan + firearms | Moderate |
| Sickler | 700 | Very Hard | Headshot firearms / turrets | Very High (Apostle perk) |
| Skinner | 250 | Medium | Parry + light attacks | Moderate |
| Hanger | 150 | Low-Medium | Keep distance, immune teammate | Low |
Q: What are Decaying Winter demons called in the game files?
Demons are officially classified as Reikgon Shadows. The four types are the Hidden, Sickler, Skinner, and Hanger. They belong to the Reikgon faction alongside Reikgon Cultists, who worship them and are not attacked by them.
Q: Can you parry the Sickler in Decaying Winter?
Only perks with the Fearless trait (such as Damned) or the Apostle perk can parry or shove the Sickler. For all other Agents, the Sickler is completely immune to stuns, parries, shoves, and the Cripple debuff. Firearms and Safe Zone turrets are the most reliable counter.
Q: How much damage does the Hidden demon deal?
The Hidden deals approximately 120 damage per charged thrust attack, which is enough to instantly kill most Agents. The attack can only be survived in specific scenarios, such as having I4S-DS effects, being a Zealot, or having certain Traits that reduce damage.
Q: Do Reikgon demons attack Scavengers and Raiders?
Yes, Reikgon Shadows are hostile to Scavengers, Raiders, and most other NPCs. They are only friendly toward Reikgon Cultists. You can exploit this faction hostility by luring demons toward enemy groups to create distractions or weaken defenses before you engage.
When in doubt, run away. Decaying Winter demons are designed to be terrifying obstacles, not mandatory fights. If you lack the proper equipment, perks, or team coordination, avoiding these enemies entirely is always a valid strategy. Survive the night first — hunt demons when you are ready.