Hollow Knight Silksong Boss Guides – My Rollercoaster Ride From Hell to Unstoppable

Last updated on November 18th, 2025 at 11:05 am

I acquired Hollow Knight: Silksong on a Tuesday and the third boss bodied me. Not a tough boss, mind you the third. Sitting there with the controller in my hand, I recall thinking at one point, am I just really bad at this game? I was just bad at picking up these bosses. How I went from rage-quitting under a hail of fruit to actually knowing what I was doing.

Week 1: The Blind One (It’s a Mess)

I just wanted to experience Silksong for myself, blind. Big mistake. I died to the first early game boss 47 times before I realized there are attack patterns. I was just panic-rolling and crossing my fingers. My friend texted me: “Dude, are you running guides?” I declined, thinking I was being hardcore. Spoiler: I was simply refusing to give up my sobriety and misery.

By day three of trying, I buckled and googled “Hollow Knight Silksong boss guides” on YouTube. It was then I stumbled upon Elbethium’s channel and felt like another Michael. This fucking guy had just uncovered the precise pattern I was lacking.

He said he literally slowed the footage down so I could see where the boss was telegraphing its attack. I watched one video, tried again and won in two tries. That was when I learned that guides weren’t cheating, they were just instructional tools.

Week 2: Finding My Resources

With 20-minute videos for every boss, I didn’t want to watch that, so instead I went looking. That’s when I found the Fextralife Wiki and Game8 guide. These were my lifelines.

Fextralife Wiki was my guide. I’d pull it up on my phone before every fight, scroll through their description of the boss, and see what moves they had. It’s such simple gameplay. Knowing what’s coming at you changes everything. It’s no longer just sudden. And the wiki updates all the time people keep posting new strategies and refinements.

Game8 felt different. Their interactive map and crest recommendations actually helped me optimize my loadout for different fights. I realized I’d been running the wrong crest setup for like ten bosses. Reaper Crest for heavy damage phases? Game changed. All of a sudden I wasn’t just surviving I was actually dealing damage.

Week 3 The Reddit Breakthrough

I had hit a wall. A particular boss kept destroying me, and the basic guides didn’t seem to connect. So I did something I’ve never done. I posted on Reddit’s r/HollowKnight community asking for advice for that specific phase.

Within a single hour, three different players responded with videos showing how they did it. One person explained a pogo trick that I didn’t even know existed. Another shared a build I had forgotten. I had options instead of one correct way to win. I tried the pogo thing and it worked. That felt earned. Guides weren’t about winning they were about the community. Real players helping each other. The pattern emerges.

Week 4 :The Pattern Emerges

By week 4, I wasn’t panicking anymore. I had learned how to learn. Before every fight, this is what I did:

1. Watch one ELBethium video to see the pattern once. Only once.

2. Check the Fextralife wiki for quick reference during the fight.

Try solo. Just die a couple of times, try to apply what I learn.”

If I was really trying and still stuck, post on Reddit or Google some alternative strategies.

It took about four or five attempts each for the bosses, but I felt like I knew why I was winning rather than just that I won. That’s the distinction between following instructions and learning.

Week 5: Confidence

At the end of Week 4, something did. I stopped looking at guides before each and every boss. If I really got stuck, I’d pull them up. New bosses that appeared in patches? I’d make them blind and then go look. Sometimes I’d figure them out. Other times I didn’t, and needed assistance. But I no longer relied on guides. I was using them.

I did defeat an optional boss with zero help. Not because it was simple, but because I’d learned the rhythm. Now I knew how to read attack patterns. I was also thrifty with resources. I spoke the language of Silksong boss fights.

The Resources Behind It

Here’s what did matter in my journey:

YouTube (Elbethium specifically) taught me the visual patterns. Videos work for casual players since you don’t need to remember text.

There was no shortage of “souls sites,” but the Fextralife Wiki was my litmus test. Quick reference without overwhelming detail.

Game8 really helped me to min-max my builds, which went a long way in transforming previously brutal encounters into manageable ones.

Reddit reminded me I wasn’t alone and that other players were working out the same shit.

The Real Lesson

I went from being annoyed and quitting after 30 minutes to playing for hours because I was actually getting better. Not because I suddenly became amazing at gaming, but simply because I’ve discovered the right solution and learned to use it.

If you’re currently stuck on a Hollow Knight: Silksong boss, you ain’t bad. You simply haven’t mastered that particular boss yet. And honestly? We are living in an age where incredible guides are available for free. Use them. Watch the videos. Read the wikis. If you’re confused, post on Reddit. That’s not quitting — that’s smart learning.

My trip spanned a month, though it didn’t have to hurt along the way. I just had to quit trying too hard to prove something and play the game. Now I am.

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