Hollow Knight: Silksong – All Bosses Ranked (Easiest to Hardest)
Hollow Knight: Silksong – All Bosses Ranked (Easiest to Hardest)
Hollow Knight: Silksong features an impressive array of boss encounters that test your skills, reflexes, and mastery of Hornet's abilities. From relatively straightforward encounters to mind-bendingly difficult challenges, each boss offers a unique experience. In this comprehensive ranking, we've evaluated all 25 bosses based on multiple factors including attack patterns, difficulty of execution, required preparation, and overall challenge level.
Whether you're preparing for your journey through Pharloom or looking to see how your favorite boss ranks, this guide will help you understand what challenges await and how to overcome them. Let's dive into our complete boss ranking, from easiest to most difficult.
25. Weaverling Swarm
Location: Silkfall
Difficulty: 2/10
The Weaverling Swarm is less of a traditional boss and more of an environmental hazard. These tiny creatures appear in groups and follow basic patterns that are easily predictable. They have minimal health and can be defeated with just a few attacks.
Tips for Victory: Use wide-reaching attacks like the Cyclone Weave to hit multiple Weaverlings at once. Focus on staying mobile rather than trying to dodge individual attacks, as their damage output is minimal.
24. Moss Prophet
Location: Verdant Gardens
Difficulty: 3/10
The Moss Prophet is one of the first major bosses you'll encounter in Silksong. This stationary enemy summons plant-based minions and launches predictable projectile attacks. The fight serves as an introduction to boss mechanics without being overly punishing.
Tips for Victory: Focus on defeating the minions quickly to reduce screen clutter, then attack the Moss Prophet between its projectile attacks. The attack patterns are highly telegraphed, giving you plenty of time to react.
23. Glimmerback
Location: Crystal Caverns
Difficulty: 3.5/10
Glimmerback is a massive crystal-backed creature that moves slowly and attacks with predictable slams and crystal shard projectiles. Its size makes it an easy target, but it can deal significant damage if you're caught in its attacks.
Tips for Victory: Stay close to Glimmerback's body rather than at a distance. This avoids most of its projectile attacks and allows you to attack more frequently. When it prepares for a slam, Silk Dash away and then back in to continue your assault.
22. Hive Queen
Location: Honeycomb Heights
Difficulty: 4/10
The Hive Queen is a stationary boss that summons bee-like minions and occasionally launches area-denial honey attacks. The fight is more about managing the minions than dealing with the queen herself.
Tips for Victory: Prioritize eliminating minions as soon as they appear. The Hive Queen's attacks are slow and easily dodged, giving you ample opportunity to attack between minion waves. Use silk-based area attacks to clear multiple minions at once.
21. Lurker in the Deep
Location: Abyssal Chasm
Difficulty: 4.5/10
This underwater boss moves slowly but hits hard with tentacle attacks and ink clouds. The fight is complicated by the underwater movement mechanics, which slow Hornet's actions.
Tips for Victory: Use your Silk Dash to quickly close distances between tentacle attacks. The ink clouds can be avoided by staying near the surface of the water. Focus on attacking the main body rather than the tentacles for maximum damage.
20. Brass Sentinel
Location: Clockwork City
Difficulty: 5/10
The Brass Sentinel is a mechanical boss with predictable but damaging attacks. It features a second phase where it gains additional attacks and increased speed.
Tips for Victory: Parry is extremely effective against this boss, as many of its attacks are clearly telegraphed melee strikes. In the second phase, focus on dodging the new projectile attacks while continuing to parry melee moves.
19. Root Mother
Location: Verdant Gardens
Difficulty: 5.5/10
The Root Mother is an elevated boss that attacks with vine whips and summons thorny barriers. The fight requires vertical movement and careful positioning to avoid damage.
Tips for Victory: Use wall climbing to reach the Root Mother's level and attack directly. When she summons thorny barriers, Silk Dash through them to avoid damage and create openings for attack. The vine whip attacks have a clear wind-up animation, giving you time to react.
18. Ashen Warden
Location: Ashen Wastes
Difficulty: 6/10
This fire-based boss uses flame projectiles and area-denial attacks to control the battlefield. The fight is complicated by environmental hazards that limit movement.
Tips for Victory: Keep moving to avoid the lingering flame attacks. Use your Silk Dash to quickly close distances and avoid projectiles. Focus on attacking during the brief cooldown periods between the Ashen Warden's attack sequences.
17. Twin Sentries
Location: Bloom Palace
Difficulty: 6.5/10
This boss fight features two enemies that must be defeated simultaneously. They coordinate their attacks to create challenging patterns that can trap unwary players.
Tips for Victory: Try to keep both sentries on screen at the same time to avoid surprise attacks. Focus on dealing damage to whichever sentry is currently more vulnerable, but switch targets frequently to prevent one from being left at low health for too long.
16. Void Walker
Location: Forgotten Archives
Difficulty: 7/10
The Void Walker is a shadowy boss that teleports around the arena and attacks with dark energy projectiles. Its unpredictable movement patterns make it challenging to track and hit consistently.
Tips for Victory: Listen for audio cues that indicate where the Void Walker will appear next. Use your Silk Dash to quickly reach its location and land a few hits before it teleports away. Avoid standing still for too long, as the dark energy projectiles track your position.
15. Storm Lord
Location: Skyward Spire
Difficulty: 7.5/10
This aerial boss attacks with lightning strikes and gusts of wind that can push Hornet around the arena. The fight requires precise movement and timing to avoid damage.
Tips for Victory: Watch for the visual cues that indicate lightning strikes, and move away from those areas immediately. Use wall climbing to reach higher ground when the Storm Lord uses wind attacks, as this can reduce their effectiveness.
14. Weaver's Champion
Location: Silkfall
Difficulty: 8/10
The Weaver's Champion is a highly mobile boss that uses silk-based attacks and acrobatic movements. The fight requires quick reflexes and mastery of Hornet's movement abilities.
Tips for Victory: Parry is essential against this boss, as many of its attacks are rapid melee strikes. Use your own Silk Dash to keep up with the Weaver's Champion's movements. Focus on attacking during the brief pauses between its attack combinations.
13. Clockwork Knight
Location: Clockwork City
Difficulty: 8.5/10
This mechanical boss features multiple phases with different attack patterns. It requires quick adaptation and precise timing to defeat.
Tips for Victory: Learn the attack patterns for each phase separately, as they differ significantly. In the final phase, focus on dodging the rapid sword strikes and look for openings after the knight's combo attacks.
12. Deep One
Location: Abyssal Chasm
Difficulty: 9/10
The Deep One is a massive underwater boss with devastating area-of-effect attacks. The fight is complicated by limited visibility and the underwater movement mechanics.
Tips for Victory: Use the environmental light sources to track the Deep One's movements. Focus on attacking the glowing weak points on its body. When it prepares for its massive area attack, Silk Dash to the far edge of the arena to minimize damage.
11. Luminous Watcher
Location: Crystal Caverns
Difficulty: 9.5/10
This optional boss features complex light-based attacks that can blind Hornet and create challenging visual effects. The fight requires precise positioning and quick reactions.
Tips for Victory: Keep moving to avoid the light beams that can cause blindness. When blinded, focus on dodging until your vision returns. The Luminous Watcher is vulnerable immediately after its laser attack, providing a window for offense.
10. Bloom Tyrant
Location: Bloom Palace
Difficulty: 10/10
The Bloom Tyrant is a massive plant-based boss with multiple phases and devastating area-denial attacks. The fight requires excellent positioning and resource management.
Tips for Victory: Focus on destroying the smaller bloom minions first, as they can overwhelm you if left unchecked. Use your silk abilities to quickly move around the arena and avoid the Tyrant's area attacks. The boss is most vulnerable after its massive pollen explosion attack.
9. Ashen King
Location: Ashen Wastes
Difficulty: 10.5/10
The Ashen King is an enhanced version of the Ashen Warden with additional attacks and greater speed. This boss fight is known for its difficulty and punishing attack patterns.
Tips for Victory: Master the parry timing for the Ashen King's sword attacks, as this is essential for survival. Keep moving to avoid the lingering fire attacks, and use your Silk Dash to quickly close distances when opportunities arise.
8. Soul Master
Location: Forgotten Archives
Difficulty: 11/10
This returning boss from Hollow Knight has been enhanced for Silksong, featuring new attacks and faster movement. The fight is a nostalgic challenge for veterans and a difficult obstacle for newcomers.
Tips for Victory: The Soul Master's attack patterns are similar to the original game but with additional projectiles and faster execution. Focus on parrying the physical attacks and dodging the soul projectiles. The boss is vulnerable after its teleport attack.
7. Radiant Sentinel
Location: Bloom Palace (Post-Game)
Difficulty: 11.5/10
This enhanced version of the Brass Sentinel features new attacks and increased speed. The fight is designed for post-game content and requires mastery of all game mechanics.
Tips for Victory: The Radiant Sentinel's attacks are faster and more complex than the original. Focus on learning the new attack patterns before attempting to deal significant damage. Parry is essential for surviving the rapid melee combinations.
6. Nightmare Weaver
Location: Silkfall (Nightmare Realm)
Difficulty: 12/10
The Nightmare Weaver is a dream version of a regular boss, featuring surreal attack patterns and visual effects that can disorient players. The fight takes place in a special realm with unique mechanics.
Tips for Victory: The visual effects can be confusing, so focus on the boss's core movements rather than the background effects. Use your silk abilities to quickly navigate the arena and avoid the nightmare projectiles. The boss is vulnerable after its nightmare wave attack.
5. Hollow Knight
Location: Abyssal Chasm (Secret Area)
Difficulty: 12.5/10
This secret boss fight against the protagonist from the original Hollow Knight is a nostalgic challenge for veterans. The fight features many familiar attack patterns with enhanced speed and complexity.
Tips for Victory: The Hollow Knight moves faster and attacks more aggressively than in the original game. Focus on dodging the nail attacks and parrying when possible. The boss is vulnerable after its dash attack and during the healing animation.
4. The Unseen Weaver
Location: Bloom Palace (Secret)
Difficulty: 13/10
This secret boss is one of the most challenging encounters in Silksong, featuring complex silk-based attacks and multiple phases. The fight requires perfect execution and mastery of all game mechanics.
Tips for Victory: The Unseen Weaver can turn invisible, requiring you to track its movements through visual disturbances in the environment. Focus on parrying the silk attacks and using your own Silk Dash to avoid area-denial moves. The boss is most vulnerable after its massive silk explosion attack.
3. Pure Vessel
Location: Abyssal Chasm (Post-Game)
Difficulty: 13.5/10
This enhanced version of the Hollow Knight boss features new attacks and relentless aggression. The fight is considered one of the most challenging in the game and requires perfect execution.
Tips for Victory: The Pure Vessel attacks with incredible speed and precision, leaving little room for error. Focus on learning the attack patterns through repeated attempts. Parry is essential for survival, and you'll need to make every attack count during the brief openings.
2. Radiance
Location: Temple of the Radiant (Final Area)
Difficulty: 14/10
The Radiance is the final boss of the main story, featuring multiple phases with dramatically different attack patterns. The fight is a culmination of all the skills you've developed throughout the game.
Tips for Victory: Each phase of the fight requires different strategies. In the first phase, focus on dodging the light beams and attacking during the cooldown periods. In the second phase, use your Silk Dash to avoid the area attacks and create openings. The final phase requires perfect parry timing and aggressive offense to defeat before being overwhelmed.
1. Absolute Radiance
Location: Temple of the Radiant (True Ending)
Difficulty: 15/10
The Absolute Radiance is the true final boss, unlocked only after achieving 100% completion and collecting specific items. This boss features five phases with increasingly complex and punishing attack patterns. It's widely considered one of the most challenging boss fights in any metroidvania game.
Tips for Victory: This fight requires absolute mastery of all game mechanics. Each phase has specific strategies that must be executed perfectly. Focus on learning one phase at a time rather than trying to conquer the entire fight at once. Use every tool at your disposal, including silk abilities, parries, and environmental positioning. The fight is a test of endurance as much as skill, so patience and persistence are essential.
Conclusion
Hollow Knight: Silksong offers an impressive variety of boss encounters that test every aspect of your gameplay skills. From the straightforward Weaverling Swarm to the mind-bending complexity of Absolute Radiance, each boss provides a unique challenge that contributes to the game's overall experience.
Remember that difficulty rankings are somewhat subjective—what one player finds easy, another might struggle with. Your personal experience may vary based on your playstyle, the upgrades you've collected, and which bosses you encounter first.
Regardless of where each boss ranks on our list, all of them offer memorable encounters that showcase the incredible design and artistry of Team Cherry. Whether you're a casual player looking to experience the story or a hardcore gamer seeking the ultimate challenge, Silksong's boss roster has something for everyone.
Good luck on your journey through Pharloom, and may your needle be swift and your silk be true!