Pinky

The demon is a pink, bulky monster with a large mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, nicknamed pinky after its coloration. Introduced in the original Doom (1993) by id Software, the creature is a close-quarters threat that can quickly close the distance to the player.

Names and nomenclature

The enemy’s naming history is layered. The Doom Bible referred to it as the demon sergeant, a designation reflected in the original game’s MT_SERGEANT source-code identifier and SARG sprite name. The monster was called demon in the classic game, while id Software staff later frequently used the nickname pinky in reference to its coloration, particularly during the development of Doom 3.

The name pinky also became an official designation in later games. Doom RPG and Doom II RPG identify it as a class of monster, while Doom (2016) uses the name in its in-game lore. The Doom 64 manual instead refers to the creature as the bull demon.

Classic Doom design

In the original Doom and Doom II, the demon functions as a melee-only hazard. It has no ranged attack, relying entirely on its bite to deal damage. This makes it no threat at long range, but its high speed lets it close distances very quickly and help corner the player.

In the original Doom, demons are generally encountered alone or in small groups. Doom II frequently places them in larger packs, allowing several to approach the player simultaneously.

Combat characteristics

The classic demon has 150 hit points, moves at 175 map units per second, and deals between 4 and 40 damage with each successful bite. Its attacks require the player to be within melee range.

At normal speed, the demon can outrun every other monster except the charging lost soul, cyberdemon, revenant, and arch-vile. It frequently approaches in a zig-zag pattern, making it harder to hit and allowing it to close the distance quickly.

On Nightmare! difficulty or with the -fast setting, demons move and attack twice as fast. Under these conditions, the demon becomes the fastest monster in the game and the second quickest to attack, behind the cyberdemon. This significantly reduces the time available to react when it approaches.

The demon’s attack also changed in a later update of the original game. Before version 1.5, its bite used a limited-range hitscan attack rather than a true melee attack. As a result, demons could initiate infighting with other demons, and their attacks could miss players affected by partial invisibility. These behaviors were changed when the attack became a true melee attack.

Tactics: how to defeat the pinky

The following strategies apply primarily to the classic demon in Doom and Doom II, with separate considerations for the modern versions.

• Keep your distance whenever you have room to move. The classic demon has no ranged attack, so it cannot damage the player until it reaches melee range. Open areas allow you to maintain that separation while attacking.
• Use the shotgun at close range, then retreat while reloading. Two well-aimed, point-blank shotgun blasts can kill a demon. Moving away between shots helps prevent it from closing in and biting during the reload.
• Use the super shotgun for a one-blast kill at close range. In Doom II, a well-placed super shotgun blast can kill a demon immediately, making it particularly effective against approaching groups.
• Use the chainsaw against an isolated demon at normal speed. Continuous chainsaw damage can prevent it from attacking, allowing you to kill it without spending ammunition. A narrow corridor can also prevent additional demons from surrounding you, although this technique is not recommended on Nightmare! or with -fast enabled.
• Use hit-and-run berserk punches to conserve ammunition. A demon generally takes one to three berserk punches to kill. Strike and move away rather than remaining within biting range, since a mistimed punch can expose you to damage.
• Avoid close-range melee tactics on Nightmare! or with -fast enabled. The demon’s doubled movement and attack speed makes chainsaw and berserk strategies much riskier than at normal speed.
• Exploit monster infighting when demons are surrounded by other enemies. A demon can retaliate against another monster that attacks it, distracting it from the player. Its melee-only attack means it may struggle to reach an enemy positioned on an inaccessible ledge.
• Bait the pinky into charging into a wall in Doom (2016). The impact temporarily stuns it, creating an opening to move behind the armored head and attack its vulnerable rear.
• Use a blood punch or attack the tail in Doom Eternal. A direct blood punch instantly kills a pinky, while attacks against its unarmored tail deal increased damage. Dashing or double-jumping can help avoid its charge.

For more information on selecting the appropriate weapon for different enemies, visit our Doom weapons database.

Doom (2016) reimagining

id Software’s 2016 reboot substantially reimagined the pinky’s threat profile. According to the Doom Wiki, the 2016 incarnation is much tougher than its older game counterparts. It has 1,000 health and 2,000 armor, with thick bony plating protecting the front of its head.

The pinky uses its armored head as a battering ram, charging toward the player before attempting to bite. Although it accelerates quickly, it has difficulty changing direction during a charge. Its flanks have thinner skin, leaving its sides and rear vulnerable to attacks.

The key counter is to evade its charge and maneuver behind it. Baiting the pinky into a wall temporarily stuns it, giving the player an opportunity to attack its exposed rear. Explosive barrels and the Gauss cannon’s Siege Mode can also remove its frontal armor, allowing subsequent attacks to damage it from the front.

The game’s lore identifies the pinky as a demonic animal that was unnamed by the inhabitants of Hell. The UAC assigned its name based on its predominantly pink coloration. According to UAC research, the creature has limited vision and relies primarily on its sense of smell.

The spectre variant

The spectre deserves mention in any discussion of the demon because the two are mechanically identical — same health pool, same melee attack, same movement speed. The spectre’s distinguishing feature is its fuzz/partial-invisibility render effect, which obscures its outline in the original software renderer and can make it harder to see against the environment.

Explore more related monsters in our Doom enemies database, which includes the spectre and other creatures encountered throughout the series.

Appearances across the franchise

The demon, or pinky, has appeared in multiple Doom games, including the original Doom, Doom II, Doom 64, Doom 3, Doom (2016), and Doom Eternal. It also appears in the Doom RPG games, where pinky is the name of a monster class.

In Doom 64, the demon has black horns, smaller red eyes, and more pronounced teeth and claws. It also has a slightly greater melee range than its classic PC counterpart.

In Doom Eternal, the pinky retains the heavily armored frontal design introduced in Doom (2016). However, sustained attacks can eventually penetrate its frontal defenses, while a direct blood punch can kill it instantly. Its unarmored tail remains a particularly vulnerable target.