Complete Hollow Knight Boss List Guide (Including DLCs)

Hollow Knight is a challenging and immersive Metroidvania game with a vast array of bosses to defeat. This guide provides a comprehensive list of all the bosses in the game, including their locations and alternate versions introduced through DLCs and updates. Whether you’re new to the game or revisiting it, this list will help you track your progress and ensure you don’t miss any epic encounters.

Main Areas and Their Bosses

1. Forgotten Crossroads

• False Knight: A massive knight wielding a mace. Early in the game, this boss is a key introduction to Hollow Knight‘s combat system.
• Gruz Mother: A large, flying insect that spawns smaller enemies. It’s a relatively easy boss but still provides a challenge for newer players.
• Vengefly King: A giant vengefly that swoops and attacks aggressively. Found in the Forgotten Crossroads, this boss is one of the first larger-than-life challenges.

2. Greenpath

• Hornet: The first encounter with Hornet introduces a fast and agile combat style. You’ll fight Hornet multiple times throughout the game.
• Mantis Lords: A trio of skilled warriors who test your agility and combat abilities. This fight is a fan favorite for its challenging mechanics.

3. Fungal Wastes

• Brooding Mawlek: This optional boss can be accessed after obtaining the Mantis Claw ability. It’s a challenge due to its spawning of additional enemies.
• Mantis Lords: Once again, you face the Mantis Lords, but this time with an even more intense fight.

4. Fog Canyon

• Uumuu: A jellyfish-like boss that requires the player to use the power of an ally to defeat. It’s a tricky encounter due to its fluid movement.

5. City of Tears

• Soul Master: A magical, flying boss that attacks with powerful magic. This boss appears within the Soul Sanctum.
• Watcher Knights: A duo of knights that attack in sync, requiring great attention and skill to defeat.
• The Collector: This optional boss is found in Lover’s Tower after acquiring the Love Key. It’s an important battle for players aiming for a 100% completion.

6. Royal Waterways

• Dung Defender: A quirky and humorous boss who attacks by throwing dung balls. Despite its silliness, this fight can be challenging.
• Flukemarm: A massive and aggressive boss that spawns numerous flying enemies, making it a particularly chaotic fight.

7. Ancient Basin

• Broken Vessel: An agile and aggressive boss that challenges your combat skills. Expect multiple attacks from all angles.

8. Deepnest

• Nosk: This optional boss guards a Pale Ore and is found in the dark and eerie Deepnest area. Nosk uses deceptive attacks, mimicking the player’s movements.

9. Kingdom’s Edge

• Hornet (Again): Hornet makes a return with new abilities, making the rematch more intense than the first.
• God Tamer: A boss fight that concludes the third challenge of the Coliseum, testing your endurance and strategy.

10. Queen’s Garden

• Traitor Lord: A challenging boss found after defeating two other enemies in an arena. It’s an interesting and difficult encounter.

Dream and Nightmare Versions

Some bosses in Hollow Knight can be revisited in their Dream/Nightmare versions, which are stronger and more aggressive than their normal forms. These enhanced versions provide extra challenges for those seeking the ultimate test.

• Failed Champion: A stronger version of False Knight.
• Soul Tyrant: An enhanced version of the Soul Master, featuring additional attacks.
• Lost Kin: An enhanced version of the Broken Vessel, now with more attacks and faster movements.
• White Defender: An enhanced version of the Dung Defender, who now uses more complex dung attacks.
• Grey Prince Zote: An enhanced version of Zote, who has learned new skills to challenge the player further.

Warrior’s Graves Mini-Bosses

The Warrior’s Graves in Hollow Knight contain numerous mini-bosses scattered throughout the game. These bosses are optional, but many drop valuable rewards, such as upgrades and charms.

• No Eyes: Found in Greenpath, this mini-boss uses vision-blocking attacks.
• Elder Hu: Found in Fungal Wastes, it’s a tricky mini-boss with rapid, darting attacks.
• Gorb: A mini-boss encountered in Howling Cliffs that requires precise movement.
• Xero: A mini-boss found in Resting Grounds, known for its teleporting abilities.
• Galien: A mini-boss found in Deepnest, offering another challenging encounter.
• Markoth: A mini-boss located in Kingdom’s Edge, a strategic battle that requires patience.
• Marmu: A mini-boss found in Queen’s Garden, testing your stamina.

Final Bosses

• Hollow Knight: The true final boss of the game, located in the Temple of the Black Egg. It is a significant encounter, marking the conclusion of the game’s main storyline. The battle involves intense combat with the Hollow Knight, featuring powerful attacks and requiring precise dodging.
• The Radiance: The ultimate antagonist in Hollow Knight. After defeating the Hollow Knight, you’ll engage in a final battle against The Radiance in the Dream No More sequence. This phase requires expert movement and understanding of the boss’s devastating attacks. Defeating The Radiance concludes the story and unlocks the true ending.

Mini-Bosses

These bosses are often encountered throughout the world of Hollow Knight and represent smaller, yet still difficult, challenges. While they don’t have as significant an impact on the overall story, they are vital for gaining experience and rewards.

• Gruz Mother: Found early in Forgotten Crossroads, this boss can be considered a warm-up.
• Massive Moss Charger: A recurring mini-boss across multiple areas, including Greenpath and Fungal Wastes.
• Crystal Guardian (1 & 2): These mini-bosses in Crystal Peak are quick and powerful, requiring swift movement.
• Zote: A humorous mini-boss who appears in Kingdom’s Edge. While not as difficult as others, his persistence is memorable.

DLC Bosses

Hollow Knight has expanded its roster of bosses through DLCs, adding even more challenges for players to tackle.

1. The Grimm Troupe DLC

• Grimm: The leader of the Grimm Troupe, this challenging fight takes place in the Hidden Dreams arena. He uses fire-based attacks and has multiple phases.
• Nightmare King Grimm: A more difficult, alternate version of Grimm, unlocked after completing the main Grimm Troupe quest. This fight is much harder and requires precise dodging and timing.

2. The Godmaster DLC

• God Tamer: This boss is located in the Coliseum of Fools and requires you to face off against three tough foes. After defeating the first three bosses in the Coliseum, God Tamer is the fourth and final challenge.
• The Radiance: The final, true boss of Hollow Knight, found after completing the Dream No More sequence. It’s a massive, glowing entity that attacks with radiant energy and waves of damage. Defeating The Radiance ends the game’s true storyline and unlocks the true ending.

3. The Voidheart DLC

• Zote the Mighty: While not an official boss, Zote the Mighty becomes a key character during the final battle with The Radiance. His inclusion in the Voidheart DLC adds new elements to the game’s ending and ties into the lore.

4. The Hidden Dreams DLC

• Grey Prince Zote: After unlocking the Hidden Dreams DLC, Zote becomes a new boss who is an enhanced version of the previous mini-boss Zote. You can find him in the Colosseum after meeting specific conditions.

Hollow Knight is a sprawling adventure filled with intricate boss fights that challenge your combat skills and puzzle-solving abilities. Whether you’re battling through the main areas, taking on the tough bosses in the DLCs, or revisiting Nightmare versions of bosses, there’s always something to keep you on your toes.

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