Hell Knight

The Hell Knight is a type of demon that appears in the DOOM video game series. Introduced in DOOM II, it serves as a sort of shock trooper in Hell's armies.

Classic Series
In both DOOM II and DOOM 64, the Hell Knights are depicted as the weaker cousins of the Barons of Hell. Their sprites are recoloured versions of the Barons, sporting Caucasian skin and brown fur covering their bovine legs. They possess the same movement speed and attack power as a Baron, but have half as much health, making them easier to kill. As such, they can be more easily managed using the Shotgun or Chaingun as opposed to the more powerful weapons in the player's arsenal.

DOOM 3
Like most of the creatures in DOOM 3, the Hell Knight has been given a significant redesign. It no longer resembles a satyr or minotaur, having a more alien appearance. Its body is covered in deathly white skin, save for around the mouth which has no skin or lips, revealing its teeth and slick, red gums. The creature has no nose, shriveled ears and tiny black eyes that are difficult to see. Its body is made up of very dense musculature and it walks about on digitigrade legs. It stands at ten feet tall.

Hell Knights attack in a similar manner to Imps. They will rush towards the player whilst hurling flaming balls of green plasma. When they get in close, they will switch to melee attacks, clawing and biting at the player. They are not as agile as Imps, however, and cannot leap.

The Hell Knights of DOOM 3 are significantly more difficult to kill than their predecessors from DOOM II, sharing a health pool comparable to the Baron of Hell (which does not appear in DOOM 3). Attacking from a distance with either the Rocket Launcher or Plasma Gun is the recommended strategy for dispatching these demons, although more experienced players may be able to do more damage by getting in close and using the Shotgun.

Modern Series
According to the in-game codex for DOOM (2016), Hell Knights are hailed as mighty gladiators from the bowels of Hell. The overlords of the infernal realm would watch them tear apart and devour any victims thrown to them as sport. Recognized for their brute strength and unwaivering loyalty to their highborne masters, Hell Knights keep lesser demons in line by way of domineering brutality.

The Hell Knight's design in both DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal is a modified version of its DOOM 3 incarnation. Its appearance is very similar, albeit with more raw, red muscle tissue, and it moves much faster than before. While it no longer casts fireballs, its increased speed, resilience and jumping ability make up for this shortcoming. It attacks by leaping and charging at the Doom Slayer, battering him with its fists. When landing after a jump, the Hell Knight may also produce a powerful shockwave that inflicts great damage.

Since a Hell Knight is bound to get in close anyway, the Super Shotgun is the weapon of choice for dispatching these beasts. Four shots should be enough to kill it, or the Chainsaw will insta-kill it so long as the player has enough fuel cells.