Hollow Knight: Silksong is known for tough boss fights, and many players lose to the same few enemies again and again. This guide lists the 18 main bosses by act, shows where each one is, and gives the one habit or tool that helps most. The list follows PCGamesN's boss guide, checked on October 10, 2026. Optional and late-game fights may exist beyond this list, so treat it as the main path.
Key takeaways
- Most bosses are beaten by learning the pattern, not by a stronger build. Watch two or three attempts before changing gear.
- Dash is your main defensive tool. Good dash timing solves Lace, Karmelita and many others.
- Lost Lace in Act 3 is described as the hardest main boss, with Last Judge and Widow as big spikes.
- Several fights have passive damage options (tacks, trip mines, cogflies) that help when you cannot stay close.
Images are provided by Steam and belong to their publishers.
Act 1 bosses
| Boss | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Moss Mother | Moss Grotto | Jump the stinger swoops. Hit her when she is stunned and kill the crawlers fast. |
| Bell Beast | The Marrow | She burrows and lunges, so stay mobile. Winning unlocks fast travel. |
| Lace | Deep Docks | One platform surrounded by lava. Learn the dash. |
| Fourth Chorus | Far Fields | Only his face takes damage. Strike at the top of your jump. |
| Sister Splinter | Shellwood | She hangs from the ceiling. Cut the vines and minions. |
| Widow | Bellhart | Little room to move, and the last phase is the danger. Stay patient. |
| Last Judge | Blasted Steps / Bilewater | Big and fast. Position and muscle memory matter most. |
Act 1 teaches you the basics: dash, pogo (bouncing off enemies with a downward strike) and healing only when safe. Do not rush Widow and Last Judge. If you lose over and over, go explore, find upgrades, and come back.
Act 2 bosses
| Boss | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Cogwork Dancers | Cogwork Core | Four phases of synchronized dances that get faster and less in sync. Moves are predictable. |
| Lace (rematch) | The Cradle | Faster versions of old attacks. Use the side walls to reposition. |
| Grand Mother Silk | The Cradle | Silk webs hurt a lot, so react fast. Scatter tacks for poison in phase two. |
| Groal the Great | Bilehaven, Bilewater | Stand in the maggot water to block the suction and soul attacks. Required for Act 3. |
The Lace rematch is a real test of what you learned in Act 1. Rely on cogflies and tacks in the final phase when it is hard to land hits. Against Groal, remember that silk powers do not work in the water, so bring curveclaw, trip mines or cogflies.
Act 3 bosses
| Boss | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Shrine Guardian Seth | Shellwood | Dodge instead of breaking his guard. Strike after his animations end. |
| Nyleth | Shellwood | Jump to the opposite wall to avoid danger zones. Phase two collapses the platform. |
| Palestag | Verdania | Boomerangs aim at your past position, so move behind them. Heal between summons. |
| Clover Dancers | Verdania | Like the Cogwork Dancers but faster. Dash under the tornado. |
| Skarrsinger Karmelita | Far Fields | Clear the ant minions with close-range area damage. Do not dash into spikes. |
| Crust King Khann | Sands of Karak | Avoid corners, wall jump, and pogo after horizontal coral attacks. |
| Lost Lace | The Abyss | Step under the somersault slash instead of jumping. Pogo after she parries. |
Nyleth and Palestag are often described as the easier Act 3 fights, so do not skip them if you are stuck elsewhere. Lost Lace is the big one. Her triple dash, somersault slash and Void waves mix speed with tricky timing. Sprint and double-jump the waves, and be patient between attacks.
Habits that win boss fights
- Fight with full health and a full tool set. Run back to the bench if you are low.
- Learn one attack at a time. Do not try to memorize the whole fight in one run.
- Heal only in the safe windows after a big attack.
- Use passive damage (tacks, trip mines, cogflies) when a boss has no safe opening.
- Take breaks. Fatigue causes silly mistakes.
Common mistakes
- Greedy extra hits. One more swing is the most common cause of death.
- Dashing on reflex. Dash with a plan, because some attacks punish you after it.
- Ignoring the arena. Walls, platforms and lava often show where a boss wants you to stand.
Live now: Hollow Knight: Silksong
See all →
LIVE
Twitch
143
[MARATHON] 🔴JOUR 3 : Cap ou pas Cap??🤩 ❗QWERTEE ❗MARBLE ❗DON
MissDadoufr
LIVE
Twitch
52
bugs are cool #8 | lv1 nail first playthru
Valricaien
LIVE
Twitch
27
Little Act 3 time | First playthrough, no spoils please!
Mafalia_en
LIVE
Twitch
26
🪡OMG du Speedrun sur Silksong en prévision de la Gods Cup ! 🪡 [Any% NMG Cloakless] 🪡 !godscup
LamichefrNext steps: read our tips on the hardest Silksong bosses, open the Silksong hub, or see how fans handle fights on live streams.
