Ten Bosses That Will Test Hornet's Skills in Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong bosses challenge players with unique mechanics, testing Hornet's skills and patience in Pharloom's perilous arenas.
In the kingdom of Pharloom, every corner hides a challenge, and the road forward is never free of trouble. The bosses of Hollow Knight: Silksong are more than simple obstacles; they are tests of timing, patience, and mastery over Hornet's silk and needle. A traveler who steps into these arenas quickly learns that some fights can be skipped, while others must be faced with a steady hand. Below is a chronicle of ten bosses that stand out—not always because they are the hardest, but because they leave a lasting mark on the journey.
🕹️ 10. Trobbio – Clumsy And Slow Attacks
When Hornet found Trobbio beside the Choral Chambers after defeating the Cogwork Dancers, she quickly realized this boss was not about raw speed but about chaos. Trobbio uses fast, wild movements and becomes more aggressive as its health drops. It twirls and summons tornadoes that shoot up from both sides, and it throws bombs that explode in straight patterns across the floor. The fight rewards patience. A player should wait for Trobbio to begin a heavy swing, dodge out of the way, and punish during the recovery. Trading blows almost never works, because his hits out-damage Hornet's. Short combos of one or two quick strikes before retreating are the safest route. If Trobbio leaps into the air, a dash is essential, since the ground smash covers more space than it looks.
🕹️ 9. Bell Beast – Once You Get the Timing, It’s Not Threatening
The Bell Beast lives in The Marrow and serves as the second main boss. Hornet first encountered it trapped in silk near the entrance. To wake the beast, she had to retrieve the Silkspear from Mosshome and cut it free—an act that immediately triggers the fight. The Bell Beast uses ground moves that cover wide spaces: it dashes across the arena, jumps from one side to the other, and drops into the center with two large rolling bells that travel toward the edges. In its second phase, after losing about half its health, it digs underground and causes falling bells to rain down. Some attacks make the ground shake before they happen, providing crucial warnings. The move set is not super fast, but it covers large zones and can catch a player who stands still.
🕹️ 8. Savage Beastfly – Aggressive But Predictable
Found in Act 1 and completely optional, the Savage Beastfly is a fight that pressures Hornet with both direct attacks and summoned minions. It spawns waves of small flying bugs to distract, then rushes in to take advantage of the confusion. At certain moments, the Beastfly drops to the ground in a vulnerable state, but those windows pass quickly. The longer the fight drags on, the more minions appear, making dodging far harder. The main boss's strikes are not overly complicated, but the combined pressure of the swarm can overwhelm an unprepared player. The best strategy is to fight aggressively. Saving the strongest Silk Skills for when the Beastfly drops prone is essential—unload everything in those short openings, because burning its health quickly means fewer swarms to deal with.
🕹️ 7. Moorwing – The Swooping and Speed Make It Harder, the Patterns Are Readable
Depending on the choices Hornet makes, especially if she resolves the Lost Fleas side quest, she can actually skip the Moorwing boss fight. But if the fight is chosen, the first signature attack is a fast dive from the top of the screen that forces a quick reaction. A skilled player can pogo on Moorwing's back during the descent. The boss also has a forward drill rush with its legs, a move that deals heavy damage if caught unprepared. The other big threats are saw-blade hazards. In one version, rotating blades sweep across the arena floor. In another, a circular pattern of blades radiates outward, covering wide portions of the stage. These blade attacks often happen when Moorwing pulls back and rises into the air, so learning the windup animation helps predict what is coming.
🕹️ 6. First Sinner – Fast and Makes Hiding Difficult
The First Sinner is one of Silksong's secret Act 2 bosses, and it relies heavily on thread and needle constructs. During the first phase, it sets up straight-line silk needles across the arena while mixing in precise melee swipes. These attacks are dangerous because once the silk patterns are laid out, they restrict movement until they fade. The boss later summons more complex thread webs that block sections of the floor or ceiling, and it mixes in new binding moves. If Hornet is caught in a bind, she will be open to a follow-up hit unless she breaks free fast. The best time to land damage is when the boss is summoning threads. It pauses for a short moment while shaping the attack, and that is the perfect opening to strike.
🕹️ 5. Forebrothers Signis and Gron – Keeping Track of Both Brothers Is the Challenge
These two brothers appear together in Act 2 as an optional fight. Each brother has a distinct style, but both throw fiery arrows at Hornet. One is slower and covers more area, while the other attacks faster with quicker combos. On their own, neither is too overwhelming, but when they attack together, it is easy to get cornered. The safest plan is to focus on one brother first. Taking him out early reduces the chaos and makes the fight much easier. Keeping both in the line of sight prevents blindsiding, and using wide attacks when they are close together can deal damage to both at once. Standing between them is a fatal mistake.
🕹️ 4. Sister Splinter – Fast and Relentless
In Shellwood, Hornet meets Sister Splinter in a tight arena filled with obstacles, which makes the fight stressful before the boss even attacks. This boss blocks the way forward and must be defeated to obtain the Cling Grip ancestral art that enables wall-jumping. Sister Splinter spends most of the battle clinging to the ceiling, punishing Hornet with overhead strikes. Her main move is a sequence of claw slams, often three in a row, that cover a wide part of the stage. She also calls down thorn walls from above—barbed roots that rise up and split the arena into smaller spaces. After some damage, she summons small flying bugs that swarm around while she keeps pounding from above. The second half of the fight is faster and more crowded, with more vines and minions. The best time to damage her is during her claw combos. Jump and strike upward, but do not linger. Tools like the Threadstorm excel here, shredding both vines and minions while also tagging the boss.
🕹️ 3. Last Judge – Requires Patience and Good Timing to Defeat
Unlike some chaotic fights with minions, the battle against the Last Judge is controlled and focuses on spacing. He uses wide swings that take a while to charge up. If a player ignores the telegraph, they will take massive damage. Some attacks also create small shockwaves that punish anyone standing too close. Patience wins this fight. A traveler should not rush him. Instead, watch his windups, wait for the strike to finish, then step in for one or two hits before backing away. Pushing too much results in eating a heavy swing. Healing is easier here than in faster boss fights, since there are longer gaps between attacks.
🕹️ 2. Lace (Act 2) – Moveset Expands with Faster Combos and Relentless Pressure
Lace appears multiple times in Silksong, and the Act 2 fight gives her a stronger moveset than in Act 1. The arena is slightly larger this time, allowing her to make full use of her acrobatics. Her core moves carry over: slashing combos and sudden leaps. In Act 2, she adds a charged leap where she pauses, channels energy, then launches into the air and slams down in a wide AoE circle. The key to surviving this fight is recognizing the channel. As soon as the channel begins, the player should move out of the marked zone. Once she lands, that is the opening to punish. Attacking during the channel is a mistake—staying safe and patient is better. Defeating Lace rewards Hornet with a Silk Heart.
🕹️ 1. Grand Mother Silk – Tests Endurance with Multi-Phase, Overwhelming Attacks
At the top of the list stands Grand Mother Silk, a boss that tests endurance like no other. She fights with scissor-like arrows that chase Hornet around the arena. She can cover large areas with threads, summon extra enemies, and mix sweeping slashes with ranged strikes. She also has multiple stages, with each shift adding speed or layering new hazards on top of the old ones. As the battle progresses, more silk webs clog the arena, reducing the safe spaces where Hornet can move. This means movement skills are just as important as damage. A traveler must remain calm, dodge the chasing arrows, break the threads when possible, and find windows to strike. Grand Mother Silk is a fitting final challenge for any journey through Pharloom.
These ten bosses are only a sample of what Pharloom has to offer, but each one stands out for how it forces Hornet to adapt. Whether she is dodging bombs, tracking two brothers at once, or weaving through silk webs, every victory teaches something new. The best travelers are not the ones who swing hardest, but the ones who learn fastest.
Every boss in Silksong rewards preparation as much as reaction time. Travelers who clear Pharloom’s toughest fights are often the ones who studied the arena, planned their approach, and stocked up on the right tools long before the first swing. That same resourceful mindset carries over outside the game itself. Knowing where to get quality gear, accessories, or even the game at a fair price gives a player a quiet advantage before the challenge even begins. When the time comes to add to a collection or upgrade a setup, it pays to [find the best deal]( rather than settle for the first price that appears.
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