What are the Silksong bosses? Pharloom is teeming with bugs of all shapes and sizes, but some are undoubtedly creepier and crawlier than others. Like Hollow Knight before it, Silksong's combat is deceptively punishing, but we've got the boss strategies you need to beat all the main and optional bosses without losing all your masks.

Bosses are a staple of Metroidvania games, and we know that Hollow Knight Silksong will have its fair share of challenges for Hornet. According to Team Cherry, there are over 40 bosses to beat in Silksong, which isn't far off from the 47 bosses that appeared in Hollow Knight. On that basis, we expect Silksong to feature around 15 main bosses and at least 25 optional bosses to find and beat across the Hollow Knight Silksong map.

Here are all the Silksong bosses revealed so far:

  • Moss Mother
  • Bell Beast
  • Trobbio
  • Seth
  • Lace
  • Sharpe
  • Carmelita
  • Last Judge

Moss Mother

Location: Moss Grotto

Moss Mother is the very first Silksong boss fight, and serves as a gentle skill check for basic platform game mechanics. She tends to hover on either side of the battlefield but remains just within reach of Hornet's needle at the apex of her jump. Watch out for when she swoops down to attack with her stinger, which you can avoid with a simple jump. She also slams the ceiling, dislodging rocks that rain down from above.

Successive hits can stun Moss Mother, so look out for the spinning halo effect that appears above her head to sneak in a bonus hit or two. In the latter half of the fight, Moss Mother swaps out falling rocks for her own children - so much for gentle parenting. Thankfully, these crawling creatures are easily dispatched with a couple of swift hits of your needle, leaving the battlefield free and clear for you to finish off Moss Mother unimpeded.

Bell Beast

Location: The Marrow

The Bell Beast is trapped in a silk cocoon, but don't expect her to be grateful once you free her. She resembles a Deepnest Dirtcarver with her plated carapace, masked face, and five pairs of legs she uses to scuttle around the battlefield. Despite her massive bulk, she appears to have a similar movement style to Hollow Knight's Massive Moss Charger, bursting out of the ground to rush or leap at Hornet with startling speed. Thankfully, both of these attacks can be countered with a quick dodge and follow-up attack.

Upon defeat, the Bell Beast becomes Silksong's fast travel mount, similar to The Last Stag in Hollow Knight. Fast travel is typically a mid-game feature in Metroidvanias, only available once the player has explored enough of the map that it becomes tedious to trek from one side to the other, and we expect this to carry over in Silksong.

Trobbio

Known as the "Master of the Stage, the Brush, and the Voice," Trobbio is a fame-hungry thespian who roams Pharloom looking for a new audience. Hornet has a front-row seat for his show, as he summons a line of fireworks with an explosive flap of his butterfly wings. Given his lighthearted nature, Trobbio is likely to become an NPC after we defeat him - or at least a recurring boss that's more of a friendly rival than a deadly foe, much like Grimm in the Hollow Knight DLC.

Seth

Seth is an ancient guardian who claims to have been chosen by the Voice. He's also fast, imbued with incredible strength and stamina that lets him absorb attacks with his shield, then lunge forward to strike with his pin. This makes him particularly dangerous in close quarters. It's better to dodge his aggressive assault than try to break his guard; just wait for him to finish his animation before you retaliate, since his pin has enough range to inflict damage from behind. Occasionally, Seth positions himself on one side of Hornet as he leaps into the air and throws his shield at her, then zips to the other side to catch it after it bounces.

Like Trobbio, it appears likely that Seth is an NPC outside of battle, and Hornet might even have a chance to encounter and befriend him in an optional quest. Seth also has a heartfelt backstory outside of Silksong. He's a fan-created character designed by Seth Goldman, a Hollow Knight fan who passed away several years ago from Ewing Sarcoma. In Goldman's own words, "[Seth's] really cool."

Lace

Lace is another skill check boss, but this fight demands that you prove your mastery over Hornet's unique movements. This lithe fencer follows the Hollow Knight tradition of the smallest bosses as the deadliest challenges. She wields her pin with deadly precision in a sequence of forward thrusts, swipes, and a stationary flurry attack.

She can quickly move to Hornet's position by leaping into the air before performing a diagonal downward dash attack. Lace can block successive attacks, but like Moss Mother, she can also be stunned after taking enough damage, so take the chance to mete out punishment. In the latter portion of the fight, avoid the light circle that periodically appears - this is the split-second tell you get before she teleports into it and unleashes a devastating combo finisher, culminating in a downward strike.

We expect Hornet's encounter with Lace to mirror the Knight's own encounter with Hornet in Hollow Knight, complete with multiple rematches. In the first encounter, watch out for the lava on either side of the boss room platform, it's very easy to accidentally fall in while you're busy dodging Lace's assault.

Sharpe

Steel Assassin Sharpe is a bona fide bug hunter, and Hornet is his next target. He has an elongating proboscis that he can use like a whip, flicking it around and ahead of him. This attack animation is surprisingly formidable; not only does it have long range, but it's also got enough height on the backstroke that it's not easy to dodge over it. Thankfully, it also has a long wind-up, so you should be able to get out of the way. Ideally, you want to get behind Sharpe while he's locked in this animation, but this requires you to hop over him as early as possible.

Like Lace, Sharpe is a recurring Silksong boss who will likely have a big role to play in Pharloom's lore. He's also brought back-up to help him subdue Hornet, which we expect to appear during their encounters. Notably, one of Sharpe's companions bears a close resemblance to Steel Soul Jinn, a Dirtmouth merchant with unknown masters. No doubt we'll uncover the Sharpe's true motivations as Hornet continues her quest.

Carmelita

Hunter Queen Carmelita is a graceful ant monarch who dances to her own tune, so interrupt it at your peril. She twirls her twin dual-bladed daggers and flips through the air, which makes her difficult to pin down. When she leaps to either side of the stage, a line of sharp spikes erupts from the earth directly ahead of her position, so resist the urge to dash in for a quick hit. It's not the first time we've battled deadly bosses in front of an audience in Hollow Knight, and Hornet's dance with Carmelita is a performance to remember. Don't get stage fright.

Last Judge

The Last Judge is that rare breed of Silksong boss that's both fast and large, which makes him particularly difficult to beat. His sheer size makes it near-impossible to dodge him when he stands at full height, though Hornet can just about clear his forward charge with a well-timed jump - don't forget to squeeze in a free downward strike as you go. Typically, equidistant plumes of fire burst from below the battlefield at the culmination of his charge, so don't be tempted to chase after him.

The Last Judge wields a war thurible, which he tosses at Hornet's position; its wind-up animation looks similar to his forward charge, so don't let him bait you into leaping into the thurible's path. Last but not least, he occasionally leaps into the air to initiate a ground slam, a move that's easily avoided with a basic horizontal dash. Ultimately, the Last Judge boss fight is all about positioning.

Now that you're familiar with all the Silksong bosses we know so far, prepare for your trek through Pharloom with the Hollow Knight Silksong system requirements. We've also got full confirmation on the Silksong release times, so you can scuttle your way into Team Cherry's long-awaited indie game sequel as early as possible.