Guides Hollow Knight: Silksong — Full List of Story Bosses and How to Beat Them

Hollow Knight: Silksong — Full List of Story Bosses and How to Beat Them

September 14, 2025, 05:36 PM September 19, 2025, 01:17 AM

Contents

1. How to Fight Bosses
2. Moss Mother, Ruined Chapel
3. Bell Beast, The Marrow
4. Lace, Deep Docks
5. Fourth Chorus, Far Fields
6. Moorwing, Greymoor
7. Sister Splinter, Shellwood
8. Widow, Bellhart
9. Last Judge, Blasted Steps
10. Cogwork Dancers, Choral Chambers
11. Trobbio, Whispering Vaults
12. Lace, Second Act, The Cradle
13. Grand Mother Silk, The Cradle
14. Lost Lace, The Abyss

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a long-awaited platformer that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The game attracts millions of fans worldwide with its deeply developed story and captivating gameplay. In this guide, we will tell you how to find and defeat all the story bosses.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Guides

How to Fight Bosses

On the official website of the game, under the photo of game designer William Pellen, it says:

William designs the game together with Ari Gibson. He is responsible for creating enemies, bosses, and gameplay behavior in Hollow Knight. So if some enemy seems impossibly hard to you, and the challenge feels insurmountable, you know who to blame!

Game designers have developed realistic artificial intelligence for the bosses. Thanks to this, battles become challenging and unpredictable, so players will have to study the monsters' behavior and master the timing.

Despite the advanced intelligence of the bosses, several rules can still be outlined:

Study the battlefield. You will have to fight bosses in various conditions. Therefore, in the first minutes of the fight, carefully examine the battlefield and think about how you can use the environment.
Choose your equipment. In most cases, the Hornet will die in the first fight. So before going to the boss a second time, open your inventory, redistribute charms, skills, tools, and replenish your consumables.
Learn the boss's behavior. For the first few minutes, do not respond to the boss's attacks to observe how it behaves.
Try to stun the boss. The main goal in battle is to stun the boss, because only at this moment can it not harm you. Consequently, this is the best time to deal the most powerful blow or heal yourself. However, keep in mind that some monsters wake up after the first hit.
Heal less during the fight. Healing is dangerous, especially if you're in a confined space and the boss is near. When Hornet starts the regeneration process, the enemy will definitely attack—even interrupting its standard attack for this. If you decide to heal, do so only when the enemy is stunned or far away.

It should be noted that most monsters have several states, and some bosses have more than two phases. When the enemy has less than half health left, it changes its combinations and significantly increases the speed and damage of its attacks.

At the beginning of the game, Hornet has three basic attacks: left, right, and up. In addition, her arsenal includes a diagonal attack at a 45-degree angle, allowing her to strike from top to bottom to the left and right sides.

At the start, your equipment will include the main weapon Needle and Silk, which Hornet can use to heal or activate super abilities. As you progress through the game, you will be able to upgrade the needle, unlock new abilities, and learn new enhanced attacks.

As the story progresses, Hornet acquires acrobatic and combat abilities. The heroine will also gain throwing projectiles and traps, which are replenished by recycling shell fragments.

Hornet will also need tools, which can be found in the open world or purchased from merchants for beads. To use them, the heroine needs to wear various Crests, into which you can insert devices that enhance a certain characteristic or provide a specific effect.

In summary, to increase the chances of victory in a boss fight, you need to prepare Hornet by following this algorithm:

Obtain the best weapon.
Choose the right crest.
Distribute tools according to the boss.
Spend all the beads. While exploring the world, bosses appear suddenly, so be ready to lose your beads at any moment.
Repair all equipment.
Restore all consumables using a bench.
Save at the nearest bench.
Reach the boss's lair with full health and a full spool of silk.

Altogether, the factors listed above, plus the presence of acrobatic skills, form a build for Hornet that you need to constantly improve depending on your preferences. If something doesn't work, just try a new combination.

Moss Mother, Ruined Chapel

The first boss you will encounter upon exiting the Ruined Chapel in the starting location Moss Grotto.

Stinger Attack. The boss trembles for a couple of seconds and then points its stinger at the Hornet. To avoid damage, jump over the monster. If you have time, attack from behind or bounce off its head a few times. At the end of the move, she slowly flies upward—this is also a good moment to attack.
Rockfall. The Mother rises to the ceiling and hits it with her head, causing rocks to fall on Hornet. A distinctive dust cloud will appear where a boulder is about to fall.
Summoning Beetles. Like in the Rockfall attack, the boss summons enemies. The beetles themselves aren't dangerous, so if you see the boss is almost defeated, ignore them and finish her off. However, in most boss fights, summoned enemies should be killed first.

Reward: Pass to the location Bone Bottom.

Bell Beast, The Marrow

First, you need to free the monster by acquiring the combat ability Silkspear. Head to the upper tier of the northwestern part of Mosshome and activate the totem.

Return to the monster on the upper tier of The Marrow and break the threads, after which the boss fight will begin.

First Phase

Dash. The beast bursts out from underground and quickly rushes to the other end of the arena. To avoid damage, jump over the boss. There are several opportunities to strike: the moment it emerges, you can bounce off it a few times as it passes under Hornet, and when the attack ends.
Jump. The boss leaps out from underground, flies over the heroine, and pauses briefly upon landing. You can hit with an upward attack while the beast is in the air, and several times when it lands.
Bell Throw. If you see a cloud of dust, it means the beast is about to emerge and throw two large bells to the sides. At this moment, you can hit it, but keep in mind you'll immediately need to dodge the projectiles.

Second Phase

Earthquake. When the screen starts shaking and the beast disappears from view, it means bells will fall from the ceiling. Dodge them and attack the monster when it furiously bursts to the surface.

Reward: Silk Heart: Increases silk capacity. Unlocks fast travel. The beast will carry Hornet through tunnels between bell stations, which must be unlocked as you progress through the story.

Lace, Deep Docks

You can find the boss in the middle of the Deep Docks location before entering the Far Fields. It is recommended to acquire the red tool Straight Pin, as well as the abilities Silkspear and Swift Step.

Double Strike. Swings her dagger twice while moving forward. At this moment, you have the opportunity to bounce off her head several times.
Thousand Stabs. The fencer raises her rapier above her head, then delivers multiple thrusting attacks at a single point. Try to get behind her during the swing; otherwise, hit her in the face as soon as the attack ends.
Dash. Raises her rapier to chest level, then makes a long dash forward with her blade. This is a good opportunity to perform a diving attack, and you can do this several times.
Diving Attack. Performs the same move as Hornet. In this case, simply step aside and attack when she lands.
Spherical Attack. If Lace crouches, it means a sphere will soon appear in the air, in which she will perform a combo and strike the ground. Try to be on her side at this moment—for example, the boss is on the left, the sphere is on the right—so you can hit twice. Otherwise, leave the danger zone, wait for the move to finish, and attack quickly.

Reward: The passage to Far Fields will open.

Fourth Chorus, Far Fields

A mandatory boss that appears when Hornet upgrades her cloak, allowing her to glide in the air. The encounter takes place in the lower part of the Far Fields level on the way back from the seamstress.

The head is the only vulnerable spot of the boss that can take damage.

First Phase

Lower Swipe. With one of its lower arms, the boss sweeps across the entire width of the platform. You need to jump over the hand, and if you try hard, you can land a couple of hits on the head.
Platform Slam. With its upper hand, the monster sinks part of the platform, which will recover over time. The main goal here is not to fall into the lava.

Second Phase

Fiery Rockfall. The boss raises its head and strikes the ceiling, causing burning rocks to fall on the heroine. While it causes the collapse, attack its head.

Towards the end of the fight, two air streams will appear at the edges of the arena. Use the cloak to rise to the ceiling and break the two red stones on both sides. As a result, a huge boulder will fall on the boss's head.

Reward: Exit from the Far Fields biome.

Moorwing, Greymoor

Head southwest in Greymoor, where you'll meet the boss at the passage to the city of Bellhart. It will be difficult to hit the flying creature, so we recommend equipping the red tool Sting Shard and the crest Reaper Crest.

Raid. The Moorwing flies close to the ground. You can either jump over it or perform a diving attack, after which the boss will fall.
Claw Attack. The boss flies up to Hornet and delivers scythe-like claw strikes. Move to the side or try to bounce off.
Saw Throw. Sends out rings along the ground resembling saw blades, which first roll, then fly upward and return to the boss. Try to get as close as possible, because at this moment the bird is very close to the ground. Dodge the projectiles and attack with an aerial dash.
Counter Disks. Moorwing flies into the background and sends two disks along the ground, which first move towards each other across the entire width of the arena, then meet and roll back in the opposite direction. Since the boss is out of reach, all you can do is dodge and set traps.

Reward: Pass to Bellhart.

Sister Splinter, Shellwood

Head to the northern part of Shellwood. Before the battle, find the totem near Craw Lake in the east of the Greymoor and obtain the combat ability Thread Storm, which deals damage over a large area. Then equip the Reaper crest and the blue tool Warding Bell.

Spikes. Releases piercing spikes that block the way and reduce space. Cut the trunks to free up room for yourself.
Claw Strikes. The creature hangs from the ceiling and alternately strikes the ground with its paws. Attack the boss, taking advantage of the long pauses between strikes.
Enemy Summon. Summons two flying enemies who will greatly interfere, so they should be killed first.

Reward: Access to the totem with the Cling Grip upgrade.

Widow, Bellhart

The Widow can be found above Bellhart. You can access the location once Hornet learns to wall-jump. In battle, use the Reaper crest and the blue tool Warding Bell.

First Phase

Bell Drop #1. The Widow, standing still, pulls on a rope, then threads hang from the ceiling, showing the trajectory of falling bells. While she spins the line, she is at her most vulnerable, so deal your strongest blows at this moment.
Diagonal Attack. She appears at the edge of the arena and attacks with a diagonal strike, then raises her blade overhead and moves to the other end of the hall. To deal damage, you'll need to get behind her; otherwise, perform a bounce.
Spike Wave. If a series of thread clusters appears above, it means that bells will emerge from the ground in the same sequence. Jump and dodge using your cloak. When the Widow runs from one end of the arena to the other, you can bounce several times.

Second Phase

Bell Drop #2. Just like in the first version, the boss pauses briefly and drops bells. However, this time she drops all of them at once toward Hornet, and their trajectories are also shown by threads.
Dash. Immediately after summoning the bells, the Widow dashes sharply toward the heroine and swings her blades. To avoid the hit, jump over her, or better yet, perform a bounce—just keep in mind that projectiles may be falling at this time.

Reward: Needolin, which can be used to open thread doors. Also, if you use it near characters, you can learn additional information about the world of bugs.

Last Judge, Blasted Steps

Head northeast in the Blasted Steps biome towards the gates of the citadel. Remember, you need to reach it with full health and a spool of silk, so try not to engage in any fights.

Upgrade your needle and take the following items with you:

Blue tool Fractured Mask.
Yellow tool Magnetite Dice.
Red tool Straight Pin.

First Phase

Ground Slam #1. The guardian jumps up, raises his stake, and slams it into the ground. Attack right after the strike, when he lands.
Enhanced Ground Slam. The same ground slam, but the boss jumps higher, and when he lands, a shockwave emanates from him.
Bell Throw #1. Throws a bell above Hornet's head and pulls it back to himself. Leave the area between the boss and the projectile, then rush in when he pulls the ball back and attack.
Fireball Spin #1. Spins a fireball around himself for three seconds; attack when the ball goes out.

Second Phase

Ground Slam #2. Same attack as in the first version, but now, when he strikes, waves of fire shoot out from beneath the boss. So, when he lands, jump and bounce off several times.
Bell Throw #2. When the projectile lands, flames shoot out from it, and then it explodes.
Fireball Spin #2. While spinning the chain, the guardian creates fiery arcs that head toward the Hornet. Stay between the arcs to avoid damage.
Flame Dash. The boss bends down, raises his elbow, strikes the ground, and dashes to the other end of the arena, leaving three pillars of flame behind. When jumping over the guardian, perform a bounce. Note that smoke will appear before the fire jets emerge. When the judge lands, you can jump behind him and hit several times.
Self-Destruct. When the boss's health drops to zero, a cloud of smoke appears around him. This means he's about to explode, so you must urgently leave the blast zone.

Reward: Completion of the first act and opening of the great gates to the citadel.

Cogwork Dancers, Choral Chambers

You can find the mechanoids at the junction of the Cogwork Core and Choral Chambers biomes.

The following will help in battle:

Blue tool Warding Bell.
Blue tool Pollip Pouch.
Red tool Flea Brew.
Silk ability Thread Storm.

First Phase

Silk Dance. The mechanoids take aim and perform multidirectional attacks, pointing their blades forward. A white beam comes from the bosses' eyes, indicating the direction of the attack. Every other turn, one of the bugs lands in the center—hit it while it's aiming.
Meeting in the Middle. The bosses face the center of the arena and embrace, after which a damage circle appears, and at the end, they fly off in different directions. It's difficult to hit them in this situation, but it gives you time to heal.
Web. The enemies leave the arena, then many threads appear, along which they briefly move. In this situation, you can only dodge and wait for the next attack.

In the second phase, attack speed and damage dealt increase.

Tip: The bosses are mechanical dancers, so they move to the rhythm of the music. Listen carefully to the melody to predict their attacks.

Reward: Access to the core lift.

Trobbio, Whispering Vaults

The boss scene is located in the west of the Whispering Vaults. The following may help in this battle:

Red tool Delver's Drill.
Blue tool Pollip Pouch.
Red tool Flea Brew.
Yellow tool Magnetite Dice.
Silk ability Thread Storm.

First Phase

Tornado. Briefly takes off and turns into a tornado, releasing two whirlwinds in different directions at the end of the attack. Hit with a downward attack when the boss is spinning on the ground—at this moment, its head is vulnerable.
Bombs. Pink bombs fly out from under the stage or from the boss's paws, emitting smoke horizontally and vertically before detonating. Dodge the explosions; usually, the projectiles are quite close to each other.
Fireworks. The boss floats slightly above the stage and creates pink circles all over the arena, which explode after a second. If you are nearby at this moment, you can land a couple of hits before he disappears.
Trapdoor. Periodically, the performer descends under the stage and jumps out at a random spot. Two jets of smoke will appear before he emerges, and you can track his movement by the shifting boards. This is a good moment to plan a powerful attack.

Second Phase

Lasers. The opponent moves to a corner, kneels, and raises her paw upward. Then, burning lasers appear randomly from under the stage all across the arena. From the last trapdoor, the performer jumps out and performs a Tornado attack. The best opportunity to land multiple hits is when the boss summons the Lasers.

Reward: Blue tool Claw Mirror.

Lace, Second Act, The Cradle

The second battle with Lace takes place in the highest location of the game world, The Cradle. To win on your first try, use these items:

Blue tool Fractured Mask.
Blue tool Weavelight.
Red tool Flintslate.
Red tool Threefold Pin.
Yellow tool Magnetite Dice.
Silk ability Rune Rage.

First Phase

Lace performs the same combos as in the first act, but this time her attacks are much faster and stronger. Don’t rush and take advantage of her large head, which is very easy to bounce off.

Second Phase

Enhanced Spherical Attack. The fencer jumps diagonally, leaving behind three white circles, and then rushes to the other end of the arena. Try not to get in her way and especially avoid crossing the circles. At the moment of landing, you can land several hits if you are close by.

Reward: Silk Heart.

Grand Mother Silk, The Cradle

The final boss encounter takes place in the upper level of The Cradle. Upgrade your equipment to the maximum and bring these items with you:

Red tool Flintslate.
Red tool Cogfly.
Blue tool Injector Band.
Blue tool Claw Mirror.
Yellow tool Magnetite Dice.
Silk ability Thread Storm.

First Phase

Needles. Throughout the fight, six needles will levitate above Hornet’s head. The Mother’s main attacks involve throwing pins in different directions. When a needle flies horizontally, you can bounce off it. Also, before this move, the projectiles flash with a white gleam. Dodge them and try to attack the boss at the same time.
Silk Grab #1. The boss randomly releases threads all over the arena. If Hornet gets caught in the web, she will take a hit that removes three lives.

Second Phase

Rockfall. During the transition to the second phase, a rockfall begins. Before this, you will see streams of sand and a cloud of dust. Additionally, the Mother uses this move in combination with the Needle attack. In this case, you will have to stay in the safe zone and jump over the pins. Try to stay in the air to deal as many hits to the enemy as possible.
Silk Grab #2. The web is created twice in a row. Each time, the Mother weaves a new one.
Spears. Pairs of threads descend from above, then rows of spears emerge from the ground, which you need to jump over.

Reward: The third act is unlocked.

Lost Lace, The Abyss

To reach the toughest boss in the game, descend to the bottom of The Abyss. Prepare thoroughly for the battle; you will need to survive three phases. Unlock all possible abilities, maximize your health and silk spool, and upgrade your needle to the maximum. The following will be useful in battle:

Red tool Cogfly.
Red tool Plasmium Phial.
Blue tool Spool Extender.
Blue tool Sawtooth Circlet.
Yellow tool Scuttlebrace.
Yellow tool Magnetite Dice.
Silk ability Pale Nails.
Architect crest.

This version of Lace possesses enhanced versions of all attacks from the first and second acts. However, in addition, she gains six new moves.

First Phase

Dive #1: Dives into the void and jumps out next to Hornet. She can jump onto the ground or into the air. Attack at the moment she appears.
Tentacles: Summons a long tentacle from her arm, covering about a quarter of the arena. Try to get behind her or jump up to bounce off.

Second Phase

Dive #2: Tentacles appear from the spot where she dives in and then emerges.
Dark Spheres: The boss raises her arms up, and three clumps of energy appear in the center of the arena, which fire projectiles at Hornet. At this moment, the fencer is vulnerable.

Third Phase

Waves of Tentacles: On both sides of the arena, a large wave of circular blades appears, covering the entire battlefield. Jump when it approaches you, then use a double jump and cloak.
White Stars: Several white spheres suddenly appear in the air, then turn into beams, the area of effect of which is marked by translucent circles around each star. If Hornet gets caught in the danger zone, she will lose three health cells.

Reward: Ending of the third act.

Other guides

PC Xbox Series X/S PS5 Guides and tutorials for Hollow Knight: Silksong Guides

About the author

Vladislav Sham

Editor of the "Secrets" section, author of articles

Professional activity in gaming journalism began in 2017 with writing guides and articles. In 2020, I joined the VGTimes team as a staff writer. Since 2022, I have held the position of editor of the "Secrets" section, continuing to work as a writing author.

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