| “ | Tread no further. We are watching. | ” |
– Warning plaque | ||
The Gold Watchers are recurring enemies in Dark Deception and a playable monster in Monsters & Mortals.
They are among the many minions of the demon lord Malak and the guardians of The Manor, a realm housing the third of the ring pieces. The Watchers embody the souls of humans corrupted by greed and opulence, now encased in molten gold to burn for eternity. They viciously stalk and kill anyone who intrudes upon their realm, guarding the treasures of their lord.
Description[]
| “ | The cursed souls of men corrupted by greed are drawn to this place. In life, they valued only wealth. Now they are encased in the very gold that they so loved, burning in it for eternity. A fitting end for them. All that remains is a ruthless golden golem. Each one is driven to kill anyone that might enter and steal their lord's precious treasures. I have decided to refer to them as Gold Watchers. | ” |
– E's third note, detailing the creation of Gold Watchers | ||
The Gold Watchers were former humans that were drawn to an opulent manor, likely crafted by Malak. Fitting for their insatiable desire for wealth, these greedy humans were forever encased in gold, all of them taking on the form of aristocratic males wearing periwinkle grey 18th-century French uniforms, complete with a strap, bowtie, cravat, and tricorn hat, with intricate patterns of gold woven on them. A secret room implies that people literally get gold poured on them with a massive pail suspended from the ceiling, allowing the Watchers to then use the power of the ring to bring these new statues to life and attach to their faces one of the many golden masks on the room's walls. Scattered all over the manor are plaques that say things like "Peasants shall serve," and "He who has gold makes the rules," showing how, despite their new form, their insatiable avarice and their negative view of the less-wealthy remains constant, perhaps even amplified.
Initially appearing with empty eye sockets and broad smiles, Gold Watchers at first appear to be stationary (as long as they are not being looked at), stuck in saluting, pointing, waving, and shushing poses, at times taunting and laughing at whoever they are hunting. Occasionally, however, their façade slips, with their faces cracked, eye sockets widened, and mouths opened wide and extending downwards, revealing large, blocky teeth as they brandish a pair of axes that seemed to come out of nowhere. Upon catching an unfortunate soul, a Gold Watcher would also contort its face in this manner before chopping their victim with one or two axes, though others would relish the moment and grab their victim to laugh right in their face before killing them, showing off their gleeful, sadistic side.
Once enraged and provoked into "Nightmare Mode", their empty eye sockets gain red, glowing eyes, with their clothing changes to a dark slate and their skin becoming a darker shade of gold, at times appearing to glow turquoise in dark rooms.
Personality[]
The Gold Watchers do not seem to respect anyone other than their master and creator, Malak, as well as Malak's other servants, like the Reaper Nurses (who let them have a tea party in the lounge area of their hospital without any interference), and their larger counterparts, the Titan Watchers, who are implied to be their immediate superiors (and perhaps the greediest of mortals, assuming that they were once human like the other Watchers) given how the normal-sized Gold Watchers assist these giants in attacking intruders.
Everyone else, like those who dare to entered their manor and approach their hoarded riches, Doug Houser, and likely Bierce and others who oppose Malak, are viewed and treated as lowly "peasants" and intruders, enemies and potential threats to be hunted, toyed with, and killed, both for their master's desires and their own amusement. Their constant, unhinged laughter and taunting attempts to misdirect their victims indicate just how insane they are.
Abilities[]
Strength[]
The Gold Watchers can efficiently utilize and wield one or even two axes at the same time, as shown in their kill animations and a few of their poses.
Speed[]
When the player is not looking and is a fair distance away from them, Gold Watchers can move and respond incredibly quickly, being the fastest enemies in the game as of Chapter 4, outrunning both Lucky the Rabbit and the player even if they were to use their speed boosts. However, Gold Watchers slow down the closer they are to their intended victim, meaning that they can only use their speed to close the distance until they are just a few feet away from their target. Furthermore, the moment the player stares at them (regardless of how far they are or how many barriers are obstructing the player's view), the Watchers stop in their tracks for some reason, forced to freeze into the last position they were in. They resume their previous speed once the player stops looking.
Telepathy[]
The Gold Watchers are always aware of the player's general location, regardless of how far they are or how many barriers are between them. They share this trait with Murder Monkeys, the Clown Cars, Mama Bear, and Malak. However, they can be thwarted with the use of Vanish.
Dark Deception[]
Chapter 2: Into Madness[]
The Gold Watchers are the primary enemies of the game's third level, Deadly Decadence.
The first Gold Watcher Doug encounters poses as a saluting statue before the hedge maze. Once Doug passes the statue and towards the gate, he can be heard laughing. If Doug turns around, the Watcher is seen staring at him. Once the gate is opened, the Watcher disappears. Upon entering the maze, a cackling sound can be heard. Three Watchers will then chase Doug throughout the hedge maze.
Unlike other enemies, the Gold Watchers will only move if Doug isn't looking in their direction, requiring him to be careful with how often he looks away. They move extremely quickly when not seen but always slow down near Doug, meaning he can outrun them at sprinting speed. Depending on their proximity to Doug, they laugh or growl when moving. Doug's best chance to survive is to keep a safe distance, group them, and always keep them in his sight.
Further compounding the difficulty is the presence of spike traps, which periodically activate across the maze. These spikes give a distinctive sound cue before protruding. Doug must be wary of these traps as he navigates the maze and keeps the Watchers in sight.
Upon collecting all the shards, the Watchers will disappear, and Doug will be free to enter the Manor.
Seven Watchers will stalk Doug around the Manor. Among them are three 'fake' Gold Watchers, who will stop after getting close enough to Doug but will still kill him if he approaches them. The narrow corridors and corners of the manor also make it easier for them to corner Doug. Several rooms in the mansion also feature pendulum traps, forcing Doug to be even more wary of the environment while contending with the Watchers.
After Doug collects all the soul shards, Malak and three Gold Watchers will spawn at the entrance foyer of the Manor, guarding the ring altar. The original seven will despawn if Doug is killed.
After Doug reaches the courtyard, a large number of Watchers in Nightmare Mode (approximately 10) will be waiting for him alongside Malak and a Titan Watcher. One Gold Watcher guarding the secret file in the northern part of the hedge maze will also aid in catching Doug even if he doesn't go for the secret. Once he reaches the portal at the entrance, four more watchers will appear while a Titan Watcher emerges from behind the wall to throw its axes at Doug, but he manages to bypass them all.
Chapter 3: Retribution[]
While Gold Watchers themselves do not appear in Chapter 3, the level "Crazy Carnevil" features numerous cutouts of Gold Watchers, Murder Monkeys, Agatha, and Clown Gremlins. Later on, in The Funhouse section of that same level, plush toy Watchers can be seen.
Chapter 4: Mortal Ramifications[]
Three Watchers make a minor, harmless appearances in "Torment Therapy", casually drinking tea in the Hospital lounge.
When Malak invades the ballroom after Mascot Mayhem, he spawns several clones from the previous nightmares. His clones then turn one by one into the enemies encountered up to that point, with the clone by the third portal (which leads to Deadly Decadence) turning into a Gold Watcher.
Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals[]
 "Are you not aware that she offers only lies?" This article contains information on a subject that isn't considered canon in Dark Deception franchise.
|
The Gold Watcher appears as a Power class monster in Monsters & Mortals. This means that he has 360 hit points, the second-largest health of any playable character in the game except for monsters of the Ranged class (which have 400 hit points), as well as high attack power, able to do 40 damage with one axe swing and 80 damage when bringing down two axes at the same time. However, he has a long attack cooldown, and is fittingly slow overall, humorously stepping lightly with his feet while the rest of his body remains stationary, keeping true to how Gold Watchers acted in the original game.
When using his ultimate ability, "Golden Demise", the Gold Watcher laughs hysterically as he throws 20 axes ahead of him, with each axe dealing 25 damage for a total of 500 damage.
Tactics against Gold Watchers[]
- Unless they are using a Speed Boost, Gold Watchers usually move slowly when chasing enemies, so they can be easily evaded unless the player is also another Power class character, which would mean that they are as slow as the Gold Watchers.
- The best way for players to evade Gold Watchers when they are using their Golden Demise ability is to stay away from their front and let them waste all 20 of their axes. If the player is willing to take the risk, they can try repeatedly getting behind a Gold Watcher to deliver hits even when the Watcher is still throwing axes.
Tactics for Gold Watchers[]
- As with all Power class monsters, Gold Watchers have 360 hit points. Those playing as a Gold Watcher can use their great amount of health to their advantage in order to more confidently engage in direct combat with other players, as Gold Watchers can withstand several attacks from weaker characters and outlive them in a straight fight.
- The Gold Watcher's great strength is balanced out by its slow default movement, hence, it is recommended for those playing as Gold Watchers to rely on ambush tactics in order to get the drop on prey before they could properly distance themselves from the Watcher.
- The Gold Watcher's low speed can also be remedied with a "Speed Boost" item, which makes the user faster for four seconds and renders them immune to banana peels, which can stun those who slip on them for two seconds.
- Gold Watchers can also greatly benefit from stunning and slowing items like "Speed Drain", banana peels, and "Primal Fear" to compensate for their low average speed, both for the purposes of escaping a losing or battle or restraining a retreating enemy. As Primal Fear covers a considerable range around the user, Gold Watchers can use this item to completely paralyze all players close to it for four seconds, providing them just enough time to kill whoever they choose.
- Both speed boosts and stuns are worth reserving for times when the Gold Watcher unleashes its ultimate attack, Golden Demise, in order to better increase their chances of throwing all 20 axes (500 damage) right on their target.
- In Maze Escape, monsters would not be attacked during Boss Time (though Boss Brutes are an exception since their fireballs can still hurt monsters in Maze Escape mode), so it is best to summon the bosses of the specific nightmare the Gold Watcher is on as much as possible to help assist in hunting down mortal players.
| Team | Monsters |
| Class | Power |
| Weapon | Axe |
| Health | 360 |
| Speed | Slow |
| Light Attack Damage | 40 |
| Heavy Attack Damage | 80 |
| Ultimate Ability |  Golden Demise
|
| UA Description | The Gold Watcher rapidly throws axes in a straight line toward his intended target, dealing massive damage. |
| UA Duration | 10 seconds |
| UA Damage | 25 (per axe) 500 (maximum potential damage) |
Skins[]
| Image | Name | Rarity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Nightmare Mode |  Common
|
Nightmare Mode Collection
The Gold Watcher enters his Nightmare Mode like in the original game. |
 |
Red Coat | Common
|
The Gold Watcher's outfit is replaced by a red coat with black buttons, white stripes, and gold round buttons. He now wears a white bow tie, cravat, strap, shirt, and pants. He also wears a black tricorn, white gloves, and black shoes. |
 |
Golden Boy | Common
|
Halloween Collection
The Gold Watcher's body (including his clothes) turns entirely into gold. |
 |
Silver Raider | Common
|
Halloween Collection
The Gold Watcher's body (including his clothes) turns entirely into silver. |
Themes[]
- This is for the monster character. For the themes of the opulent area they guard, see The Manor.
Symbolism[]
With each nightmare portal being tied to one of the Nine Layers of Hell from Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, the Gold Watchers are the representation of Greed; being the souls of those who pursued wealth and fortune to the exclusion of all else. So much so that in the afterlife they sacrificed their humanity to a demonic smelter only leaving the hollow gold shell as a statue while their souls burn eternally in the wealth they coveted. Alternatively, considering how every single monster in Dark Deception are manifestations of Doug Houser's various fears and repressed memories, the Gold Watchers also represent how Doug loved his wealth more than his family and would spoil his mistress with expensive gifts and other worldly possessions (namely a new car) while also viewing his family as nothing more than a financial drain. It is possible that their leaders, the Titan Watchers, are either the biggest offenders when it comes to this sin, or each Titan Watcher is an amalgamation of several greedy souls rather than a single person.
A secret room found at the manor in Deadly Decadence is filled with graffiti written on the wall justify Doug's awful actions to his wife and daughter. Since the Gold Watchers are axe-wielding aristocrats who wish to become immortal in some way, shape, or form, this implies that this room is showing Doug's thoughts at the time, either talking himself into carrying out his actions, or following the crooked ideas of his rich new friends when he received a position of wealth to be among them.
The Gold Watchers may also represent Doug's friends, rich and powerful men that put bad ideas into his head, with the words "Libera Tutemet" (Free Yourself), "THEY HELD YOU BACK", "DON'T CHANGE EVERYTHING", "YOU DESERVE BETTER", and "LET THEM GO" representing how Doug's peers manipulated and convinced him into believing that he does not need his wife and daughter, since their poor mental stability makes them not only useless, but also a burden to Doug's riches and overall life. Fittingly, just like the Gold Watchers, which are likely to kill the player when they do not expect it, Doug's friends are most likely the type of people that would stab their supposed friend in the back and axe all connections with him soon afterward, potentially in the same way they convinced him to axe his connections with his family. When Doug was eventually exposed for having allegedly harassed women on five separate occasions (something that his backstabbing friends may or may not have publicly leaked for reasons like entertainment or possibly even competition, as is expected for the power-hungry upper class), he was ostracized, marked as a pariah by the entire legal community that once considered him one of their own, with his so-called peers not only being conspicuously absent in his time of trouble, but also severing all ties to him without a second thought, since their former association with Doug will likely cause them to lose their riches and their reputations as well.
Inspirations and Parallels[]
The process of how Gold Watchers are made mirrors the poetic death of the Roman general and statesman Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of the richest men of ancient times. Like the Gold Watchers, Crassus is obsessed with wealth, which he gained by the usual means of the ancient world (slave trafficking, forcing slaves to work in silver mines, speculative real estate purchases), but also in ways controversial even during his time; he set up a fire brigade in Rome (since fires were common, and Rome had no fire department), but he would only put out the fire if the owner of the burning building sold the property to him for a low price. Once the building is sold to him, Crassus would have the burnt building rebuilt by slaves, then sold at several times the price he got the property for. Crassus was overall willing to bend every possible law to increase his fortune, which rivals the entire annual income of the Roman treasury (totaling around 14 billion U.S. dollars in today's money). In 53 BC, Crassus headed out to conquer the Parthian Empire (an ancient Iranian cultural power) to gain not only riches, but also glory. He was utterly defeated near the ancient town of Carrhae (thus, while known for his riches, he also gained fame in the opposite way, being remembered throughout history as the cause of one of the most catastrophic losses of the Romans), then executed by the Parthians with molten gold poured down his throat to satiate his thirst for wealth (this is unproven, however, as all that is known is that the Parthians beheaded him and used his head as a prop in a play).[1] In a similar way, the Gold Watchers were covered in burning gold so that they could be excruciatingly and eternally bonded to what they wanted the most in life. It is very much possible that Crassus, along with other similar people, were used to form Titan Watchers, as they were the most avaricious people in history, willing to increase their own wealth by any means necessary, even if it means sacrificing the lives of many and risking the integrity of an entire nation.
The behavior of the Gold Watchers is heavily inspired by the Boo from the Super Mario franchise, ghosts that only move when the player is not looking at them.[2] The Gold Watchers differ in that their speed varies more than the average Boo, being faster the further they are from the player, and slower the closer they are to the player. Other notable enemies that used what is called the "red light, green light" behavior prior to the Gold Watchers are Mumbies from the Kirby franchise, Weeping Angels from Doctor Who, SCP-173 from the SCP Foundation universe, and Specimen 6 from Spooky's House of Jumpscares. Like most game enemies who move when not in the player's line of sight, the Gold Watchers are not animated walking or running since they are not meant to be seen moving, instead simply immediately changing poses and sliding. They are, however, given moving animations in Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, since they are not restrained by their usual mechanic in that game.
According to Vince in one of the Q&A videos, the Gold Watchers were inspired by a colonial-looking character who appeared on an old show.
Phobias[]
As with most monsters in Dark Deception, Gold Watchers also likely represent various phobias.
| Phobia | Relevance |
|---|---|
| Automatonophobia Fear of Humanoids and/or Robots |
The Gold Watchers and their larger counterparts, the Titan Watchers, are living statues with the intent to kill "peasants" with their axes. They share their status as a symbol of automatonophobia with members of the Joy Joy Gang (Lucky, Hangry, Penny, Joy Kill) and the Red Stalkers. |
| Aurophobia Fear of Gold |
The Watchers are golden golems with gold-trimmed clothes guarding a manor full of gold. It is reasonable to assume that the Gold Watchers themselves have or are Doug Houser's greed, as shown by several plaques scattered throughout the walls of the manor. Clearly living the same lavish, opulent, and decadent existence prior to their transformation into statues, the Gold Watchers refer to those who enter their manor as peasants, which not only shows their disregard for the poor, but could also reflect how Doug lived an underprivileged life as a child, and consequently grew to fear and envy the upper class, who, ironic for those who supposedly do not care for the impoverished, may at times like to watch, spy, and jeer at the misfortunes of the lower class for entertainment (just like how the Gold Watchers use their telepathy to know where the player is at all times, no matter how far they are or how many barriers are between them, laughing constantly as they do so), their espionage being yet another thing that they can easily afford. All these could also represent the protagonist's fear of what he has become; having earned success as a member of a prestigious law firm, Doug likely covered up his other sins with his job as a lawyer, his money, connections, and/or overall status (in essence becoming one of the upperclassmen he once despised and envied), something that, at first, allowed him to revel in his perceived superiority (thus, "He who has gold makes the rules"), but eventually ended up haunting him in his later years. |
| Chrometophobia Fear of Money | |
| Plutophobia Fear of Wealth | |
| Scopophobia Fear of Being Watched or Stared At | |
| Thanatophobia Fear of Dying |
Like all monsters in Dark Deception, Gold Watchers brings with them the threat of death due to their abilities and murderous intent. In their specific case, Gold Watchers may represent the fear of losing one's life to the wealthy (either for their amusement or due to the injustices that they can afford to maintain with their power at the expense of the lower class), or the fear of dying because of wealth itself (along with the greed, decadence, and other problems associated with it), which could change individuals for better or worse, something that could potentially harm not only themselves, but also those around them. The Gold Watchers also resemble executioners given their weapon of choice, axes, commonly associated with decapitation. |
Trivia[]
- All the Gold Watchers were initially made of stone in 2014.
- Even though they wear predominantly periwinkle grey uniforms in the standard look and dark slate ones in their Nightmare mode, their plushies, cardboard cutouts in Crazy Carnevil and most of their promotional material portrays them with a dark blue uniform.
- Although the Gold Watchers are supposed to be 18th-century aristocrats, it is not uncommon for them to be mistaken for pirates at first glance, likely because of their tricorn hats.
- They have an unused line where they say, "Over there."[3] Vince Livings confirmed that the line was cut because there was too much stuff in the game.[4]
- Although they occasionally kill the player without the use of their axes, Gold Watchers are the first enemies to use a weapon that is not a part of their body to kill the player. They are followed by the Titan Watchers, the Reaper Nurses, The Matron, and Joy Kill. As with most of these examples, the Gold Watchers materialize their weapon out of nowhere.
- Because of the presence of three Gold Watchers in the hospital lounge, " Torment Therapy" is the second level to feature physical appearances of other enemies from the previous nightmares, with the first being "Crazy Carnevil", which features Murder Monkeys and Dread Duckies in a cage.
- The Gold Watcher is tied with Bierce, Murder Monkey, and Clown Gremlin for the most alternative skins (four variations, not counting default) in Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals.
- The Gold Watcher's ultimate ability, "Golden Demise", may or may not be a possible reference to King Ghidorah, who is referred to as "The Golden Demise" in the 2018 film "Godzilla: The Planet Eater"
Voicelines[]
The Gold Watchers (and their larger counterparts, the Titan Watchers) are voiced by Christopher Corey Smith, who also voices Malak, the Clown Gremlins (and their larger counterparts, the Goliath Clowns), and the protagonist, Doug Houser.
| Voiceline | Used | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| *Laughing* | Right before the start of each Zone and when the Watchers are close by. |
|
| *Growling* | When near Doug. |
|
| *Eerie blowing noise* | When near Doug. |
|
| "Psst..." | When the Watchers are close to Doug, and right before they jumpscare Doug. |
Gallery[]
In-game[]
Dark Deception[]
Monsters & Mortals[]
Super Dark Deception[]
Related Items[]
.png "Gold Watcher (Marble).png (4.04 MB)")
.png "Gold Watcher Cutout (From Crazy Carnevil).png (263 KB)")
.png "Gold Watcher (Tea).png (4.93 MB)")
.png "Gold Watcher (Statue).png (4.94 MB)")
Jumpscares[]
Models[]
.png "Static Gold Watchers (Nightmare).png (3.01 MB)")
Artwork[]
Miscellaneous[]
.jpg "Chapter 2 Cover (DLC).jpg (79 KB)")
Concept Arts
Merchandise[]
References[]
- ↑ Richest People in History Ancient Roman Crassus
- ↑ Vince Livings brings up the Boos of the Mario games as the oldest-known example and inspiration for the behavior of the Gold Watchers in "Dark Deception Devlog #4: Fool's Gold".
- ↑ Several Gold Watcher lines, including "Over there", are heard in "Dark Deception Devlog #4: Fool's Gold".
- ↑ Dark Deception Q&A Live with Vince Livings: Episode 7
[]
