Hollow Knight Silksong Boss Guides: Your Complete Combat Playbook

You thought the original Hollow Knight was tough? Silksong’s boss roster is here to humble you all over again. With over 40 unique encounters scattered across Pharloom, this isn’t your average walk in the park – it’s more like a sprint through a gauntlet of beautifully animated pain.

The Big Bad Bosses You Need to Know

Moss Mother: Your Training Wheels Boss

Difficulty: 2/10

Think of Moss Mother_Walkthrough) as Silksong’s way of saying “welcome to the club.” This opening encounter in Moss Grotto teaches you the fundamentals – combat spacing, timing, and how to not die immediately. She’s your gentle introduction to Hornet’s combat flow, so don’t get cocky when you beat her.

Strategy: Focus on learning Hornet’s diagonal pogo attacks here. The Moss Mother telegraphs her moves clearly, giving you time to practice positioning and understand how Silk consumption works with the new Bind healing system.

Bell Beast: The Unlikely Ally

Difficulty: 4/10

Located in The Marrow, Bell Beast starts as your enemy but becomes something much more valuable – a fast travel ally. This fight teaches you about timing and patience, two things you’ll need in spades later.

Strategy: Don’t rush this one. Bell Beast punishes aggressive players who try to button-mash their way to victory. Learn to read its patterns and strike during openings.

Lace: Your Recurring Nightmare

Difficulty: 9/10

Here’s where Silksong stops playing nice. Lace is your rival boss with evolving movesets across multiple encounters – think of her as your personal tormentor who gets stronger each time you meet. Beating Lace requires mastering every combat mechanic the game has taught you.

Strategy: Each Lace encounter demands different approaches. Early fights focus on learning her baseline patterns, but later encounters throw curveballs with new attacks and increased aggression. Master your parrying timing and don’t get greedy with attacks.

Last Judge: Size Meets Speed

Difficulty: 9/10

The most physically imposing boss revealed so far, Last Judge breaks the usual “big = slow” rule. This massive enemy combines surprising agility with devastating attacks, creating encounters that feel like dodging a freight train with rocket boosters.

Strategy: Movement is life here. Use Hornet’s mantling abilities and aerial combat superiority to stay mobile. The Last Judge’s size means longer attack windows, but those attacks hit like trucks.

The Secret Sauce: Combat System Changes

Silk vs Soul: The Game Changer

Forget everything you knew about the Soul system. Silksong’s Silk-based combat creates entirely different risk-reward calculations. The new Bind healing system allows for 34 health restoration but requires full Silk consumption and can be interrupted.

Translation: healing is now a high-stakes poker game where timing is everything.

Crest System: Your Loadout Game

The charm system is dead – long live the Crest system. These loadout-defining pieces of equipment replace Hollow Knight’s charms with something more dynamic. Advanced Crests like the Reaper’s Crest provide additional tool slots and transform basic attacks.

Pro tip: The Wanderer Crest offers balanced capabilities for beginners, while the Reaper Crest provides advanced offensive options for players who like living dangerously.

Boss-Specific Strategies That Actually Work

Movement Mastery

Hornet’s angled downward slash attack is your bread and butter, but it’s also your potential downfall. While useful in combat, this mechanic creates difficulty with red pod bouncing sequences where players frequently overshoot platforms.

Tool Resource Management

Shell Shard-powered tools add another strategic layer. Red tools provide offensive capabilities, Blue tools offer passive bonuses, and Yellow tools provide utility changes. Managing these resources during extended boss encounters separates good players from great ones.

Learning Resources That Don’t Suck

Video Guides

• Fextralife’s “10 Must-Know Gameplay Tips & Tricks” covers pogo mechanics, healing strategies, and parrying techniques
• Boomstick Gaming’s “12 Tips That’ll Make Your Life Easier” offers advanced combat techniques

Written Resources

• IGN’s wiki provides detailed boss guides and walkthrough sections
• GameSpot’s boss guide collection organizes encounters by progression order with difficulty ratings

The Bottom Line

Silksong’s bosses aren’t just harder – they’re smarter. With sophisticated AI that includes feinting, backstepping, and defensive tactics, these encounters demand more than memorizing attack patterns. You need to think, adapt, and master Hornet’s flowing combat style.

The good news? The community is building an incredible knowledge base with comprehensive strategies for every encounter. Whether you’re stuck on Lace or getting demolished by the Last Judge, there’s help available.

Ready to git gud? Your journey through Pharloom’s gauntlet of bosses awaits.

Also Read: Hollow Knight Silksong Gameplay Guides: Everything You Need to Know