Highlights
- Hollow Knight is a celebrated Metroidvania game with fantastic level design, unique visuals, and challenging gameplay centered around boss fights.
- Lost Kin is a hidden dream boss in the Ancient Basin, requiring players to learn attack patterns and react quickly as smaller enemies continuously spawn.
- Hornet is a memorable boss fight with fast attacks and spawning hazards, serving as a true test of player skills.
Hollow Knight has become one of the most celebrated games in modern gaming. A landmark Metroidvania, it is recognized as a classic of the genre. Its lifespan extends even further with world-record speed runs and mods that take the gameplay to a whole new level.
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Hollow Knight is renowned for its fantastic level design, unique visual style, and rewarding difficulty. At the core of its gameplay are the boss fights. There are 47 bosses in total, ranging from the very simple to the downright grueling. Each has a unique set of moves and attacks that players will need to learn to achieve victory. With the addition of the Godmaster DLC, these bosses have even tougher variations to face off against.
Updated May 26th, 2024, by Andy Chapman: While fans eagerly await news of the upcoming sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, the original Hollow Knight continues to be a favorite among Metroidvania fans worldwide. With its high degree of challenge, strong online presence, and excellent gameplay, Hollow Knight is a title fans return to year after year. As the hype around Silksong grows, more players than ever are discovering one of the best Metroidvanias on the market. Players are eager to put their skills to the test against a whole new array of memorable and challenging boss fights in a game that is sure to please fans old and new. This article has been updated to show the wider variety of difficult bosses that players have come to love within the original game.
16 Brooding Mawlek
Big AOE Attacks
- Location: Forgotten Crossroads/Colosseum Of Fools (Trial of the Fool)
- Health: 1050
- Reward: Continue to the next fight
The Brooding Mawlek is a hidden boss that can be accessed after the player receives the Mantis Claw. The boss is fought in a small room and has a large AOE attack that is tough to avoid. In addition to the spitting attacks are leaps and slashes that make maneuvering difficult.
An additional Brooding Mawlek is encountered during the grueling Trial of the Fool, where the player takes on different waves of enemies. The Brooding Mawlek can quickly trap the player underneath its spitting attack, causing a lot of damage. This boss fight is all about switching from each side of the room, learning the ideal time to switch and attack.
15 Uumuu
Tough Platforming Boss Challenge
- Location: Teacher’s Archives
- Health: 300
- Reward: Access to Monomon The Teacher
Uumuu is a large electric jellyfish-type creature that guards one of the three Dreamers, all of which are needed to complete Hollow Knight’s story. The difficulty of this boss isn’t in its speed or its devastating attacks, but in the tricky platforming challenge it poses.
Players can only dodge its various attacks for much of the fight, as Uumuu is immune to all damage until the NPC Quirrel appears to help the Knight. The boss summons electrical bursts that follow the player around, so constant movement is required. Players must react quickly to this fight, dealing as much damage as possible when Uumuu is open to attack. Players can reach the Teacher's Archive through Fog Canyon, but will require the Shade Cloak beforehand. It is also recommended to acquire Irma’s Tear before taking on Uumuu.
14 Lost Kin
Fast Attacks & Spawns More Enemies
- Location: Ancient Basin
- Health: 1200
- Reward: 400 Essence
Lost Kin is a hidden dream boss found in the Ancient Basin area of the game. This encounter is a harder version of the Broken Vessel boss fight that players must defeat before taking on Lost Kin.
Like many of the fights in Hollow Knight, the key to Lost Kin is in the timing. Learning the signs of each attack and reacting fast enough. As the fight progresses, smaller enemies will spawn continuously, making it difficult to stay calm and focused as the pressure increases. Lost Kin is a tricky battle, but one that will improve the player for tough fights later on.
13 Failed Champion
High Damage & Falling Rocks
- Location: Forgotten Crossroads
- Health: 1260
- Reward: 300 Essence
Failed Champion is another of the hidden dream bosses in Hollow Knight and can only be fought after defeating False Knight and acquiring the Dream Nail. Found in the Forgotten Crossroads, behind a hidden wall in the False Knight's arena, this boss is a much harder encounter than the first time around.
Failed Champion has a higher aggression than False Knight, and each attack causes more damage. Like with False Knight, there are clear moments that allow healing and shouldn’t cause too much trouble for players at this point in the game.
12 Nosk
A Fast And Deadly Mimic Waiting In The Dark
- Location: Deepnest
- Health: 680
- Reward: Pale Ore
Players looking to fully upgrade the Knight's weapon must take on one of Hollow Knight’s creepiest bosses. Nosk is an infected shapeshifting monster that hunts the Deepnest region. Once players find the hidden wall that leads to the boss room, they will find another identical Knight haunting their way. Once approached, it will transform into Nosk and immediately attack the player.
Nosk is a tough fight, as it is fast, aggressive, and fires infected blobs at the player. There is very little space to avoid the large enemy, so timing is important in this battle. The boss room is filled with Nosk’s prey, which hangs from the ceiling, and it makes for one of the most memorable fights in the game. The entire region of Deepnest is the closest Hollow Knight comes to a horror game, and this fight is the perfect ending to the area.
11 Soul Tyrant
A Tough Challenge Comes Back Even Harder
- Location: Soul Sanctum
- Health: 1250
- Reward: 300 Essence
Another of the tough Dream boss variants, Soul Tyrant is a challenging encounter for players old and new. When first playing through Hollow Knight, one of the toughest mid-game boss fights players will face, after making their way through the Soul Sanctum, is the Soul Master. This fast-paced fight can be a wall for some players and requires strong concentration to learn the boss's move set.
Once defeated, players with the Dream Nail will have access to an even harder version of the boss. Soul Tyrant is essentially the same fight but with faster attacks and a higher health bar. The fight requires quick reflexes, well-timed attacks, and most of all, patience.
10 Traitor Lord
High Damage & Fast Attacks
- Location: Queen’s Gardens
- Health: 800
- Reward: Access To The White Lady
Traitor Lord is one of the toughest main story bosses found in the base game and is a large enemy that attacks with swiping claws. Located in the Queen’s Garden in a small room, the boss deals heavy damage, with most attacks taking away two health masks. The battle is fast and brutal and can be over very quickly if players make a mistake.
The Traitor Lord is one of the leaders of the Mantis Tribe that players would have encountered earlier in the game. During the fight, it is possible to have assistance from Cloth, making the battle a little easier. Cloth is found in the Ancient Basin, where the Knight can save her from Lesser Mawleks and Aspid Hunters.
9 Hornet (Sentinel)
Fast Attacks & Spawning Hazards
- Location: Kingdom’s Edge
- Health: 700
- Reward: Hunter’s Notes
One of the most iconic boss fights in Hollow Knight, and the star of the follow-up, Silksong,Hornet is a memorable clash that will test the player's reactions. The first time Hornet is encountered is in the Green Path area of the game. Here the player is tested with a tough fight, but this is only a primer for the real battle.
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Found in Kingdom’s Edge, the second fight with Hornet is a true test of the player's skills at this point in the game. Repeating many of the same attacks as before, the fight is faster and introduces parrying mechanics and spiked balls into the mix.
8 Markoth
Teleporting, Projectile Nails.
- Location: Kingdom’s Edge
- Health: 705 (With fully upgraded Nail)
- Reward: Hunter’s Notes
Markoth is one of the Warrior Dream bosses, found scattered around Hallownest, and is one of the toughest enemies in Hollow Knight. Markoth uses a variety of attacks on the player that are quick and can be very hard to dodge.
Found within the Kingdom’s Edge area of the game, players will have come up against many difficult enemies and platforming sections by this point, but Markoth can still pose a great challenge. With his teleportation, spinning dream shield, and relentless firing nails, players will need to concentrate to achieve victory.
7 Brothers Oro and Mato
Double Boss With Fast Attacks
- Location: Pantheon Of The Master
- Health: 2100
- Reward: Brotherhood Achievement
This dual boss fight is a part of the Godmaster DLC and can be accessed through Godhome and attempting the Pantheon of the Master. Players would have met these characters within the base game and gained additional nail attacks from them.
The encounter is the final stage in the Pantheon of the Master and is a grueling battle. Set over two phases, the first phase involves Nailmaster Oro, who attacks with various plunging and slash attacks. Once the player has taken 500 points of health away, the second phase begins with Nailmaster Mato joining the fight. The encounter is fast and frenetic, and it will take practice to master the double onslaught of the two Nailmasters.
6 Sisters Of Battle
Multiple Enemies, Fast Attacks, & Spinning Boomerangs
- Location: Pantheon Of Hallownest (15th Boss)
- Health: 2750
- Rewards: Continue to the next fight
One of the most memorable boss encounters within the early base game is the Mantis Lords. Fighting these three enemies one after the other is hard enough. With the Godmaster DLC, The Sisters Of Battle were introduced within the Pantheon of Hallownest.
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In this version of the Mantis Lords encounter, the player must contend with all three enemies at once. With an arena that is smaller than most and facing extremely fast attacks, players will need to be on their A-game to beat these bugs.
5 Nightmare King Grimm
High Damage & Complex Attacks
- Location: Dirtmouth
- Health: 1500
- Rewards: Hunter’s Notes, Grimmchild Charm Fully Upgraded
Encountered as the final boss of The Grimm Troupe DLC, Nightmare King Grimm is the dream version of Troupe Master Grimm. Using many of the same attacks as the previous boss, this dream version unleashes a relentless barrage of attacks that deal double the damage of his former version.
One of the most dramatic and memorable fights in the game, this will test players’ reactions and patience. Found in the tent in Dirtmouth, players must complete all the tasks set by Grimm. Once completed, they’ll find the Troupe Master asleep in his tent and can begin the fight.
4 Grey Prince Zote
Relentless Attacks & Difficult To Dodge
- Location: Dirtmouth
- Health: 1200-1500
- Rewards: Hunter’s Notes, 300 Essence
Another of the Dream bosses, and this time an unlikely challenger. Zote, the grumpy warrior found stuck in various places throughout the base game, becomes one of the most challenging boss fights in Hollow Knight.
Found in his home in Dirtmouth, this boss is the dream warrior that Zote believes he is. Grey Prince Zote is fast, aggressive, and doesn’t let up. There are few moments to heal in this fight, as well as attacks that require quick thinking to avoid. This boss can also be challenged up to ten times, each time gaining more health.
3 Great Nailsage Sly
Longer Ranger With Plunging & Spinning Attacks
- Location: Pantheon Of The Sage (Final Boss)
- Health: 1050
- Rewards: Achievement: Focus, Hunter’s Notes.
Introduced in the Godmaster DLC, Great Nailsage Sly is another unassuming resident of Dirtmouth, changed to become one of the toughest bosses in the game. With his oversized nail, getting in close to attack Sly is hard. With his quick movement and fast spinning and plunging attacks, this boss will take some time to perfect.
Found at the very end of the Pantheon Of The Sage, there are a possible nine other boss fights to get through before encountering Sly, making this even more difficult to learn, as each loss means starting again.
2 Pure Vessel
Long Range, AOE Attacks, Fast & Aggressive.
- Location: Pantheon Of The Knight (Final Boss)
- Health: 1600
- Rewards: Achievement: Soul & Shade, Hunter’s Note.
The Pure Vessel boss fight is another of the Godmaster DLC encounters, this time a stronger version of the final boss from the base game, the Hollow Knight itself. Here, the boss is unaffected by the infection that ravages the world of Hallownest.
Players will need to have fast reactions and a lot of patience to learn the myriad of attacks Pure Vessel unleashes. From AOE-type attacks to fast strikes and projected tentacles, the Pure Vessel will push Hollow Knight players to the limit.
1 Absolute Radiance
Platforming, Fast Attacks, Multiple Projectiles, Spiked Floors, & Rising Arena
- Location: Pantheon Of The Knight (Final Boss)
- Health: 1600
- Rewards: Achievement: Soul & Shade, Hunter’s Note.
The true final boss of Hollow Knight is one of the toughest encounters in gaming, and this version of that fight is even harder. Absolute Radiance is a fast-paced test of the player's abilities.
Found at the very top of the Pantheon of Hallownest, defeating Absolute Radiance isn’t as simple as one fight, as the entire Pantheon contains 42 bosses, all of which will need defeating before an attempt on the game's toughest boss can even be made.
