Conquering Pharloom: Your Ultimate Guide to All Hollow Knight Silksong Bosses

Curious about all the bosses in Silksong? Pharloom, the captivating new kingdom, is teeming with creatures both grand and grotesque. Much like its predecessor, Hollow Knight, Silksong promises deceptively challenging combat. But don’t worry, we’ve compiled the ultimate strategies to help you conquer every main and optional boss without losing your precious life!

Boss battles are a cornerstone of the Metroidvania genre, and Hollow Knight Silksong delivers plenty of formidable challenges for our heroine, Hornet. In total, you’ll face 48 bosses across the expansive Silksong map—18 main encounters and 30 optional ones (including rematches!). While some can be bypassed or even swapped for alternative paths, be warned: major spoilers lie ahead as we delve into each.

Every Silksong Boss: Locations and Rewards Revealed

To make your journey smoother, we’ve organized our comprehensive list of Silksong bosses into two clear categories: main bosses, which are crucial for story progression, and optional bosses, which you can choose to challenge (or avoid!) at your leisure.

Here’s the definitive list of every Silksong boss, presented in the order you’ll likely encounter them:

Mandatory Challenges: All Main Silksong Bosses

Beyond the Main Path: All Optional Silksong Bosses

Mastering the Fights: How to Conquer Silksong’s Bosses

Locating every boss in Silksong is one thing, but defeating them is an entirely different beast! To aid you in your quest, we’ve put together a selection of battle-tested strategies for some of Pharloom’s most formidable adversaries.

Boss Strategy: Moss Mother

The Moss Mother serves as your very first skill check in Silksong, gently introducing you to essential platforming and combat mechanics. She typically hovers across the arena, staying just within reach of Hornet’s needle if you time your jump perfectly. Be vigilant for her swift stinger swoops, easily dodged with a basic jump. She also has a habit of slamming the ceiling, causing rocks to cascade down – watch your head!

Land enough hits, and you can stun the Moss Mother – keep an eye out for the spinning halo above her head, signaling a prime opportunity for extra damage. As the battle progresses, she trades falling rocks for her own offspring (talk about tough love!). Fortunately, these smaller, crawling nuisances are easily dealt with with two quick needle strikes, allowing you to refocus on the Moss Mother without distraction.

Boss Strategy: Bell Beast

Initially ensnared in a silken web, the Bell Beast isn’t exactly grateful once freed by your Silkspear. In fact, she’ll unleash all her pent-up fury directly upon you! She submerges into the bells scattered across the arena, erupting from the ground with surprising speed to either charge or leap at Hornet.

While her attack patterns might seem simple, the Bell Beast’s sheer aggression can quickly overwhelm you, especially when she starts flinging bells everywhere. Fear not! With the right approach, taming this feisty foe can become manageable. Defeating the Bell Beast transforms her into your personal fast travel mount, reminiscent of The Last Stag from Hollow Knight.

Boss Strategy: Lace

Lace presents another crucial skill check, specifically testing your command of Hornet’s dash ability. This nimble and somewhat haughty fencer utilizes her pin with lethal accuracy, executing a series of forward thrusts, sweeping attacks, and a stationary flurry.

Hornet’s first clash with Lace mirrors the iconic encounters between The Knight and Hornet in Hollow Knight, promising multiple rematches throughout your journey. Prepare for this initial battle, set on a singular platform with dangerous lava on either side. Our strategies will help you emerge victorious, or at least minimally singed!

Expect to face Lace several more times during your adventure, and our comprehensive guide covers effective tactics for each of her subsequent forms.

Boss Strategy: Fourth Chorus

Fourth Chorus stands as one of the most colossal bosses in the Hollow Knight universe, requiring a distinctly defensive strategy to overcome his multi-limbed assault. You’ll initially find him dormant on your path to the Seamstress, but he’ll only awaken once you’ve gathered enough Silksong Hokers and acquired the Drifter’s Cloak. Your sole vulnerable target is his face, which Hornet can comfortably reach with a well-timed jump.

Similar to the Lace encounter, this battle unfolds on a platform above a lava pit, but this time, the ground is far less stable. Fourth Chorus continuously plunges his limbs into the molten rock, shattering sections of the platform. He also executes a massive horizontal swipe across the entire arena, frequently necessitating a jump-dash to avoid both the attack and a fiery demise.

Should the platform disappear, your Drifter’s Cloak can be used to ride the wind currents on either side of the room – though this emergency maneuver is rarely needed. Later in the fight, Fourth Chorus will strike the ceiling, raining down molten rocks. While these are simple to dodge, remain focused on the boss, as he maintains his regular attack patterns even during the rockfall.

Boss Strategy: Moorwing (Optional)

Moorwing is a cleverly hidden boss, so much so that even the most thorough explorers of Pharloom might overlook him. Yet, finding him is perhaps the easiest part; once you do, you might regret it! This formidable moth, seemingly forged from blades and malice, launches an unyielding assault that can put you on the defensive from the very start.

With knives on his feet and an unending barrage of boomerang blades, staying defensive and patiently seeking openings is crucial when facing Moorwing. Our specialized strategies can help you gain the upper hand against this challenging foe, even if it means embracing a bit of ‘cheese’!

Boss Strategy: Sister Splinter

As Shellwood’s area boss, Sister Splinter can be particularly vexing without a solid game plan. She hangs from the ceiling for the entire battle, sweeping her massive claws at Hornet. If you’re not careful, she’ll quickly ensnare you with a torrent of prickly vines, trapping you amidst her summoned swarm of spinning leaf insects. Luckily, our dedicated strategies for Sister Splinter will help you navigate the chaos and bring this tricky foe to the ground.

Boss Strategy: Skull Tyrant (Optional)

The Skull Tyrant is an enormous iteration of the skull scuttlers and brutes you’ll find throughout the Marrow. While his size might be intimidating, he’s surprisingly not much tougher than his smaller kin. Our strategies will guide you through the perilous underground lair of this skeletal brute.

Though he lurks in an early game area, the Skull Tyrant is only accessible once you acquire Hornet’s wall jump ability. Remember to revisit Bone Bottom later to complete the ‘Terrible Tyrant’ wish for a generous reward of rosaries. A word of caution: defeating this Tyrant may provoke another of its kind to seek vengeance in Bone Bottom!

Boss Strategy: Widow

The Widow has ensnared the townsfolk of Bellhart in her intricate silken web, and she won’t release them without a formidable fight. This is where Hornet and her trusty Needle step in! As the next major boss, Widow presents a significant escalation in difficulty compared to Fourth Chorus. Her relentless fury swipes, combined with a constant shower of bells from above, leave minimal breathing room, let alone opportunities to land a hit. Our detailed strategies for the Silksong Widow will guide you through her perilous final phase. Be prepared for a test of pure patience, not cheap tricks!

Boss Strategy: Savage Beastfly (Optional)

An optional foe, the Savage Beastfly can be found within the Chapel of the Beast, a location only reachable by riding a wind current with your Drifter’s Cloak. Much like its smaller cousins across Pharloom, this Beastfly unleashes furious horizontal charges once it locks onto Hornet.

The true difficulty of this battle lies in managing the overwhelming number of smaller flies the Savage Beastfly summons with each piercing scream. If you find yourself swarmed and struggling to focus on the main threat, our strategies for the Savage Beastfly will help you clear the battlefield and squash this nasty bug for good.

Boss Strategy: Great Conchflies (Optional)

The Great Conchflies serve as a stepping stone on your journey towards the Citadel Gate. These enormous coneflies relentlessly drill through the arena’s floor, ceiling, and walls, emerging on the opposite side. Their erratic speed and movement can be tricky to track, but keep an eye out for the tell-tale dust clouds that precede their emergence.

This particular encounter isn’t overly challenging, especially with precise positioning. However, be wary when they momentarily cease drilling to launch a diagonal projectile dart that ricochets off the room’s boundaries. The fight concludes after you defeat one of them and the other retreats – but is it truly the last you’ll see of them?

Boss Strategy: Last Judge

Serving as the formidable finale to Act 1, the Last Judge will push your reflexes and muscle memory to their absolute limits. She embodies a rare and challenging combination in Silksong: both incredibly fast and immensely large. Wielding a war thurible with lethal proficiency, she tosses, spins, and drags it across the arena, demanding nimble evasion. In the later phases, the Last Judge ignites her thurible, engulfing the room in waves of deadly fire. Our Last Judge strategies are essential for mastering your positioning and surviving this intense battle.

Boss Strategy: Cogwork Dancers

While many Silksong bosses test your strategic prowess, the Cogwork Dancers challenge you on an emotional level. This identical duo of automaton performers gracefully dance in perfect synchronicity around the boss room, making their movements surprisingly predictable. They clearly telegraph their attacks and occasionally converge for a powerful, embracing strike at center stage.

The fight unfolds in four escalating phases, becoming progressively faster and less synchronized until you inevitably destroy one of the dancers at the close of the third phase. What follows is a final phase that is both heartbreaking and straightforward, as the sole remaining dancer sorrowfully completes their performance alone. Brace yourself for an emotional moment.

Boss Strategy: Trobbio (Optional)

Dubbed the “Master of the Stage, the Brush, and the Voice,” Trobbio is a flamboyant, fame-seeking performer wandering Pharloom in search of new admirers. Hornet gets a front-row seat to his spectacle as he summons explosive fireworks with an elaborate flap of his butterfly wings. These projectiles detonate into vertical and diagonal cross patterns, so it’s wise to stay low when he unleashes them across the stage.

Don’t underestimate Trobbio’s spin attack; while his initial charge is simple to evade, the twin cyclones that ripple outwards as he slows can inflict significant damage. Despite his theatrical challenge, Trobbio is one of Silksong’s more amicable bosses, serving as a friendly rival rather than a purely deadly foe. Maintain consistent pressure, and you’ll likely conclude his performance swiftly.

Boss Strategy: Shrine Guardian Seth

Seth, an ancient guardian who proclaims to be chosen by the Voice, possesses immense strength and stamina. He can effortlessly absorb attacks with his shield before lunging forward with his pin, making him exceptionally dangerous up close. Instead of attempting to break his guard, focus on dodging his aggressive attacks and wait for him to complete his animations before striking back.

Periodically, Seth will leap into the air, positioning himself to one side of Hornet, hurl his shield, and then instantly zip to the other side to retrieve it mid-bounce. He’s also capable of tossing his shield across the entire arena and even teleporting to its location to rapidly bridge distances. His most perilous attack, however, is the devastating AoE shockwave he generates after impaling his shield into the floor.

Beyond the game, Seth carries a touching backstory. He is a fan-created character, conceptualized by Seth Goldman, a dedicated Hollow Knight fan who sadly passed away from Ewing Sarcoma several years ago. In Goldman’s own words, “[Seth’s] really cool.” After defeating him, you can find Seth appearing as a wandering NPC across Pharloom, a fitting tribute.

Boss Strategy: Skarrsinger Karmelita

Skarrsinger Karmelita is an elegant ant monarch who orchestrates her battles like a dance – disrupt her rhythm at your own risk! She gracefully twirls her dual-bladed daggers and flips through the air, making her incredibly hard to corner. When she springs to either side of the arena, a rapid line of sharp spikes erupts from the ground in her path, so resist the temptation to rush in for an easy strike.

Before engaging Karmelita herself, you’ll first contend with her relentless horde of red ant minions. This initial gauntlet can significantly deplete your health before the main event, so ensure you have sufficient close-range AoE attacks to clear them out swiftly. Karmelita’s true challenge emerges in her second phase, where she cycles through her attacks with blistering speed. This isn’t Hornet’s first time battling a deadly foe before a captivated audience, and her dance with Karmelita promises a memorable performance. Stay focused, and don’t let stage fright get the better of you!

Potential Boss: Sharpe (DLC?)

The formidable Steel Assassin Sharpe is not present in the base game, but we anticipate his grand debut in a future Silksong DLC. A seasoned bug hunter, Sharpe has set his sights on Hornet as his next quarry. He is poised to play a significant role in Pharloom’s rich lore, and is expected to be accompanied by two allies in his encounters to aid in subduing Hornet. Notably, one of his companions bears a striking resemblance to Steel Soul Jinn, the enigmatic merchant from Dirtmouth with unknown allegiances. Hornet’s journey will undoubtedly unveil Sharpe’s true motivations and connections.

With this knowledge of Silksong’s bosses, you’re now better equipped to face them head-on! As you traverse Pharloom, we highly recommend seeking out Mask Shards and Pale Oil to enhance your health and damage. Additionally, a strong selection of Silksong Tools can be invaluable for navigating even the trickiest and most perilous situations.