Signal → what to do
- Grumbling and footsteps coming your way mean you're standing on the grass and he's spotted you. Get off it now.
- He shouts "Hey" or lets out a yell and starts running—that means you've been on the grass too long. You only have a few seconds.
- He stops and waves his arms threateningly—that means you managed to get off the grass. But don't stand nearby: he can still hit you for a short time.
- He turns toward you while moving—he's just watching you while you're nearby. It's not an attack yet.
- His scythe is leaning against the outhouse—Groundskeeper is inside and will soon come out to wander around.
How to avoid his scythe
Stay off the grass. Groundskeeper is usually harmless and only chases you when he sees you on the lawn. If you don't get away in time, he'll hit you with his scythe, then kill you. Getting off the grass in time is the main—and almost only—way to stay safe.
This is how I handle The Outdoors, and I stick to it even when I'm in a hurry: 1. I enter a new area and look for him right away. He's either wandering around or sitting in the outhouse. 2. I stick to the paths and don't cut across the lawn. He notices anyone who steps on the grass, even if you're above or below it. 3. If I hear "Hey," I get back on the path right away and move farther away. 4. If I can't get away in time, I dive into the toolshed. He won't attack inside it.
There are times when you can't make him angry: while he's cutting weeds, planting bugleweeds, gesturing threateningly, or killing someone. That doesn't mean you should wander across the lawn, but if you have to cut across the grass, do it while he's busy. I only do this when something behind me is worse than Groundskeeper.
Where Groundskeeper lives
Only on The Outdoors. Starlight says Groundskeeper looks after most of the gardens on The Outdoors and attacks anyone he sees as a threat. When you open a door, he may appear wandering around or sitting in the outhouse. If there aren't any weeds nearby, he'll wander around for a bit, then go back to the outhouse.
The Outdoors is huge, and Groundskeeper isn't the only thing to worry about there. He also has a connection to Surge: Surge won't appear if Groundskeeper showed up in the last room you opened, unless there was a lightning strike just before that.
Common ways to get caught
- Cut across the lawn to save time. Groundskeeper sees every step on the grass.
- Get off the grass, then stand next to him to catch your breath. He can still hit you for a short time.
- Step into a Snare by the lawn. The trap holds you long enough for Groundskeeper to catch up.
- Grab Mandrake just as Groundskeeper swings at it. You'll pick up a dead plant.
- Assume a wall will protect you. Sometimes he can kill you through walls.
Who is Groundskeeper?
Groundskeeper has a big family. He's Grampy's son and Sally's father. Grampy calls him "Sonny," and calls him "papa" when talking about Sally's dad.
He didn't choose his current appearance. The World Lotus's vines grabbed him, tore off his arms, and threw him into the bushes. Falling onto a Lotus Flower brought Groundskeeper back to life and made him look the way he does now. When he returned, Sally was scared and ran away from The Mill. One theory is that he plants bugleweeds to fight the World Lotus's vines unconfirmed.
How much Damage does Groundskeeper deal?
Groundskeeper has two scythe attacks and one deadly stomp. The first deals 35 Damage and knocks you down. The second pierces you with his scythe and deals 60 Damage. Neither attack is deadly on its own, but his stomp kills you instantly.
In short: the scythe is a warning that costs you health. The next hit will be worse. One scythe hit was enough for me to remember where the path ends. If you're still standing after getting hit, get off the grass right away. One more thing: Groundskeeper can use his scary attacks even on players with God Mode.
An unlikely ally: Mandrake, Eyestalk, and Bramble
Groundskeeper is dangerous, but sometimes he works in your favor. If he spots an active Mandrake, he runs over and kills it with a scythe swing. If Mandrake is screaming at you and Groundskeeper is nearby, stay close to the path and let him do his thing. Sometimes, though, he gets stuck and ignores attacking Mandrakes.
At the end of an Eyestalk chase, Groundskeeper chops the entity in half before it can hit you, carries one half away, looks at you, and leaves. He can also point things out: he directs players toward Monuments.
He has a separate battle with Bramble. At the start, Bramble sets an ambush and drags Groundskeeper into the bushes. In Hedge Maze, Groundskeeper yells at you for being on the grass, but as soon as he gets close, Bramble attacks and drags him away. At the end of The Outdoors, Groundskeeper kicks Bramble away before it can kill a player. You can also use Groundskeeper's traps that are already set against Bramble.
Crucifix and special events
I've only seen the Crucifix used against Groundskeeper during an event. During Halloween 2025, the Crucifix worked against some entities on The Outdoors, including Groundskeeper and Mandrake. Groundskeeper has his own banishment animation.
During the Trick or Treat 2025 event, Grampy ran the "Grampy, Sonny, n' Sally's" shop. The name makes it clear the whole family was involved.
Fun facts
- Groundskeeper was added on August 10, 2025, with The Great Outdoors Update.
- He's one of the few who speaks actual words. He can shout "Hey".
- After your third death to him, Starlight points out that he's not actually supposed to attack players.
- He wraps the bodies of players he kills in a sack.
- According to Starlight, he made the guillotines in Hedge Maze, and an unfinished guillotine in The Mill backs that up.
- The update trailer shows that he sees the world with a yellow tint.
- The doors of the outhouses he visits have a Starlight symbol painted on them.
- In early concept art, he had a murky green body with no legs, like a ghost in older versions.
- Another early model had blue eyes in older versions.
- RediblesQW showed a sketch of the future Groundskeeper before The Mines Update in older versions.
- As of June 8, 2026, he was the only entity with clear voice lines.
Where it appears
all locationsFrequently asked questions
How do you counter Groundskeeper in DOORS?
How much Damage does Groundskeeper deal?
What is the Groundskeeper in DOORS called?
Is Groundskeeper a monster?
Where does Groundskeeper appear?
Who is Groundskeeper's father in DOORS?
See also
What’s Still Unconfirmed (4)
This information comes from announcements and rumors, or is outdated. The label will disappear once it’s confirmed.
- 1Based on Grampy's dialogue, The Groundskeeper may plant bugleweeds to destroy the World Lotus's vines.
rumor, unconfirmed · source - 2An early version of The Groundskeeper had a murky green body, no legs, and looked like a ghost.
outdated; this was in older versions · source - 3Another early model of The Groundskeeper had blue eyes.
outdated; this was in older versions · source - 4Before The Mines Update, RediblesQW posted a sketch of what The Groundskeeper would look like.
outdated; this was in older versions · source
Discussion
No one's written anything yet. Be the first to share a tip, ask a question, or tell us how you got through this part.