The Bestiary
The game features at least 12 distinct enemies and NPCs, each with its own behavior and counter. The Old Man grabs downed gnomes and stuffs them into appliances, Red Caps hunt you and go down to the Smacker or any other weapon you own, and the Sealman screams before a sneak attack that you can repel by turning to face it. Robot vacuums, bees, cockroaches, and cabinet rats round out the threats.
The game features at least a dozen distinct entities. Players count 12 to 14 hostile types, and closer to 17 entries once friendly NPCs are counted. Each one has its own behavior and requires a different response.
The game includes helper NPCs alongside its threats. Bob is friendly: he retrieves items thrown outside the house and returns them to your hut. Players who hear "Bob" in a stream and assume it means the homeowner are conflating two very different characters.
The Old Man
The primary homeowner antagonist, called the Old Man in-game and Grandpa by much of the community. He operates on direct line-of-sight and auditory triggers.
He does not simply kill you. He picks up downed gnomes and stuffs them somewhere: the microwave, the fridge, or the oven, and also the toilet, the dog pen, or straight out a window. A teammate has to come free you, which turns one player's mistake into a two-player detour.
Red Caps
Hostile, rival NPC gnomes. Unlike the homeowner, who protects property, Red Caps actively hunt players.
New players find them difficult because early runs give you so little to fight back with. The Smacker is the usual first answer, but it is not the only one. Boxing gloves, pickaxes, the flashlight, and the Marble Gun all work as counters, so use whatever you have instead of waiting to craft one specific stick.
You also meet fewer of them than launch players did. A hotfix on 2026-06-11 reduced Red Cap spawn rates.
The Sealman
The Sealman announces itself. It screams before attempting a sneak attack, and that scream is your cue: turn and face it, and the attempt can be repelled.
Two caveats matter. The counter is known to bug out, so do not bet a run on it. And a successful Sealman slap knocks you down instead of killing you outright, which means a teammate can still retrieve the situation. Explosives and heavy melee also work if you would rather remove it than dodge it.
Bibi
A large grab-type threat. Bibi watches from a distance, then charges. Instead of killing you, it captures you and ties you up somewhere else on the map.
Hotfix 3 (June 13, 2026) reduced Bibi's spawn rate.
Automated Hazards (Robot Vacuums)
Non-sentient mechanical threats that patrol set routes. While predictable, they are highly disruptive, capable of incapacitating gnomes and dragging them across the map, ruining stealth setups and separating teams.
Swarm Threats (Bees & Cockroaches)
Bees offer the game's best improvised weapon. Once a bee has stung someone, you can pick it up and throw it at another target, turning a hazard into ammunition. Collect it promptly, though, since a hotfix made bees despawn a while after stinging if nobody picks them up. Cockroaches appear both as pests and as targets for certain tasks.
Rats
Rats are cabinet ambushers. They wait inside kitchen cabinets and cupboards and hit players who open storage without expecting anything to be in it. There is one rat type, not several distinct species.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you beat the Sealman in Burglin' Gnomes?
Listen for its scream, which precedes a sneak attack, then turn to face it. Facing it can repel the attempt, though the counter is known to bug out. A successful slap knocks you down instead of killing you, and explosives or heavy melee also work.
How do you deal with Red Caps?
Hit them with whatever weapon you have. The Smacker is the usual answer, but boxing gloves, pickaxes, the flashlight, and the Marble Gun all work, so you do not need to wait on one specific craft.
Can you use bees as a weapon in Burglin' Gnomes?
Yes. Once a bee has stung someone you can pick it up and throw it at another target, turning a hazard into ammunition. Collect it promptly, since a hotfix made bees despawn a while after stinging if nobody picks them up.
What does The Old Man do when he catches you?
He picks up downed gnomes and stuffs them into the microwave, fridge, or oven, and sometimes the toilet, the dog pen, or out a window. A teammate has to come free you.
Is Bob the homeowner in Burglin' Gnomes?
No. Bob is a friendly NPC who retrieves items thrown outside the house and returns them to your hut. The homeowner antagonist is the Old Man, whom the community also calls Grandpa.
What to Read Next
- Stealth and Crouching. Detection rules these threats run on.
- Environments and Biomes. Spawn tables per environment.
- Solo Operative Guide. Evasion when nobody can revive you.
- Tips and Tricks. Which resident is friendly, and every weapon that counters a Smacker fight.