The wait for Toby Fox to drop new content feels like an eternity. Honestly, the community has been dissecting every single frame of the 2024 and 2025 progress updates just to get a glimpse of what Deltarune Chapter 4 enemies might look like. We aren't just talking about shadowy silhouettes anymore. We have actual, concrete footage of how these encounters flow, and it’s clear Toby is leaning hard into the "Green Room" and "Church" themes that have been teased since the end of Chapter 2.
Darkners in Chapter 4 seem to follow a very specific design philosophy. While Chapter 3 is clearly the "TV World" or the "Entertainment District," Chapter 4 looks like it’s shifting gears into something a bit more organic and perhaps a little more... cozy? Or maybe "stifling" is the better word.
The Shadowy Figures of the Green Room
If you've been following the Undertale/Deltarune newsletters, you’ve seen the screenshots of the "Green Room." It looks like a backstage area, filled with vanity mirrors and floral arrangements. This is where the first batch of Deltarune Chapter 4 enemies likely resides.
One of the most prominent designs we’ve seen is a creature that looks suspiciously like a humanoid flower arrangement or a fancy topiary. It’s got that classic Toby Fox charm—slightly unsettling but mostly just goofy. In the footage shown during the 2024 status update, we see Kris and Susie facing off against enemies that use "light-based" attacks. This makes sense if the Dark World is centered around a theater or a filming set. You’ve got the spotlights, the stage fright, and the literal "limelight" acting as a hazard.
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Wait, let's talk about the mechanics for a second. In previous chapters, enemies usually reflected the objects in the room. If Chapter 4 takes place in the school or the church area—as many fans speculate based on the "Don't Forget" lyrics and the pacing of the days—the enemies are going to be based on things like hymnals, pews, or maybe even those little communion cups. But the "Green Room" footage throws a wrench in that. It suggests a more sophisticated, "showbiz" vibe.
Why the "Pawn" Theory Matters
There’s a lot of chatter about the "Pawn" enemies. You remember the Chess Theory? It’s the idea that every major boss or enemy group follows a chess piece hierarchy. King was the King (obviously). Queen was the Queen. Many believe Chapter 3 or 4 will introduce the Bishop.
If Chapter 4 is the "Church" Dark World, the enemies might not be aggressive in the traditional sense. They might be "preachy." Imagine an enemy that heals you but also drains your TP, forcing you to play by their "rules." That’s the kind of subversion Toby loves. It’s not just about hitting "Fight" or "Act"; it’s about navigating the weird social anxiety of the Darkners themselves.
The Return of the Addyls?
Probably not. But we might see a variation. The "Ads" from Chapter 2 were localized to the Cyber World. In Chapter 4, the "enemies" might be more like stagehands or "extras."
Think about it.
If you're in a theater-themed Dark World, the enemies aren't villains; they're just people trying to do their jobs while you ruin the set. This would fit the narrative arc of Kris and Susie becoming more "notorious" in the Dark World. The enemies in Chapter 4 might actually be afraid of you, which changes the "Act" requirements significantly.
Breaking Down the Battle Sprites
We’ve seen a few leaked (well, officially "teased") sprites that look like little walking cameras or perhaps tripod-creatures. These Deltarune Chapter 4 enemies seem to have a gimmick involving "frames." You have to keep your soul within a certain part of the box, or the "camera" catches you.
It’s clever.
Instead of just dodging bullets, you're dodging the gaze of the enemy. It's a mechanical evolution of the "blue soul" or "yellow soul" fights from Undertale, but applied to the entire enemy roster.
The color palette has shifted, too. We’re seeing a lot of deep purples, teals, and gold. This isn't the neon-soaked streets of the Cyber World. This is something older. More "theatrical."
The Difficulty Spike
Let's be real: Chapter 2 was a bit of a breeze if you weren't fighting Spamton NEO. Toby Fox has explicitly stated that the difficulty will ramp up as the chapters progress. For Chapter 4, expect enemies to have more complex "Mercy" conditions.
Gone are the days of just "Check" and "Flirt."
You might need to use specific items or even swap party members mid-turn (if that mechanic ever gets fully realized) to satisfy a Darkner's needs. There’s a rumor—and I stress, this is just a very well-supported theory based on the "S_Action" code found in the files—that some enemies in Chapter 4 will require "S-Actions" (Susie Actions) to be performed specifically while Kris is "Downed."
It adds a layer of strategy. You can't just rely on Kris to lead every time.
Misconceptions About the "Shadowmen"
Some people think the "Shadowmen" from the Chapter 3 teasers will carry over into Chapter 4.
That's unlikely.
Toby tends to keep the "mook" enemies localized to their specific Dark World. While the Shadowmen fit the "noir/detective" vibe of the Chapter 3 TV world, Chapter 4’s roster will be distinct. If the leak regarding the "Weather Trio" is true, we might see weather-based enemies. Imagine fighting a literal "light drizzle" that makes the battle box slippery. It sounds annoying, but it’s exactly the kind of environmental storytelling that makes these games work.
What About the Secret Boss?
Every chapter has one. Jevil. Spamton. Who’s next?
If the enemies in Chapter 4 are based on "Performers" or "Churchgoers," the secret boss is likely someone who has been "cast out" or "excommunicated." There’s a lot of speculation about a character related to the "Discarded Vessel" from the beginning of Chapter 1. If that vessel returns as an enemy in Chapter 4, it won't just be a fight; it’ll be an existential crisis for the player.
The secret boss usually uses a warped version of the main chapter's mechanics. If Chapter 4 enemies use "limelight" and "cameras," the secret boss might use "void" or "static."
Preparing for the Encounter
When you finally get your hands on Chapter 4, don't just mash through the dialogue. The enemies often give hints about how to spare them in their first three lines of flavor text.
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- Watch the eyes: Many new sprites have directional cues.
- Save your TP: Chapter 4 enemies appear to have higher HP pools, meaning you'll need those "Rude Busters" or "Heal Prayers" more than ever.
- Experiment with Noelle: If Noelle is in your party (which is a big "if" depending on which route you took), her "Sleep Mist" might be the most efficient way to clear encounters.
The transition from the Cyber World to whatever Chapter 4 holds is going to be jarring. We’ve gone from high-tech internet memes to what looks like a mix of a botanical garden and a cathedral. The Deltarune Chapter 4 enemies will reflect that shift. They’ll be more "traditional" in a fantasy sense, but with that weird, modern twist that only Toby Fox can pull off.
Honestly, the best thing you can do right now is brush up on your bullet-hell skills. If the patterns we’ve seen in the development logs are any indication, the "theatrical" attacks of Chapter 4 are going to be some of the most visually dense and mechanically challenging ones yet.
Keep an eye on the official Undertale/Deltarune newsletter. That’s where the real "enemy reveals" happen first. We’re looking at a release window that feels closer than ever, and those sprites are ready to kick our collective butts.
Next Steps for Players
To stay ahead of the curve, you should go back and finish your "Snowgrave" or "Weird Route" saves if you haven't already. The way enemies interact with you in Chapter 4 will likely change based on your "Violence" rating from previous chapters. Collect every Shadow Crystal you can find. Those crystals often provide a "hint" or a "view" into the next world, and they might just give you a tactical advantage against the new roster of Darkners. Also, make sure your gear is optimized; the jump in stats from Chapter 2 to Chapter 4 is expected to be significant to account for the players who have spent years "grinding" the demo.