On top of that, Hive Knight from the Lifeblood pack is worth 1 percent, and Troupe Master Grimm and Nightmare King Grimm from the Grimm Troupe pack are worth 1 percent each. The final bosses, the dream bosses like Lost Kin and White Defender, and everything in Godhome's Hall of Gods are excellent fights that give no completion percent at all.
Boss placement follows the critical path closely. False Knight and Gruz Mother are in the Crossroads, Hornet is in Greenpath, the Mantis Lords are in the Fungal Wastes, Soul Master and the Watcher Knights are in the City of Tears, Broken Vessel is in the Ancient Basin, and the optional ones like Nosk, Flukemarm and Brooding Mawlek sit off to the sides.
Which bosses count for 112%
Almost every boss is behind a door that seals when you enter. That means you commit with whatever charms and masks you brought, so the trip to a bench beforehand matters more than it feels like it should. Benches near boss arenas are worth finding for exactly this reason.
If a boss is beating you, the answer is usually more masks and a better nail rather than a different charm. Four Mask Shards is a full extra mask, and each nail upgrade is a large damage jump. Filter this map to the Boss category to see what is still standing in areas you have already been through, including the ones that are easy to walk past.
All 48 bosses by area
Dirtmouth
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Grimm's tent in Dirtmouth
A theatrical fire boss with teleports, a fire bat spread, a dive and an uppercut. Learn the tell for each teleport, dash through the pufferfish phase, and heal only after his cape flourish. He is fought once the Grimmchild has absorbed six flames.
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Dream of Grimm's tent, Dirtmouth
The hardest optional fight in the base game, with almost no healing windows worth taking. Collect the last three flames, Dream Nail the sleeping Grimm, then commit to dodging over healing. Beating him ends the ritual and the Troupe leaves Hallownest.
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Bretta's basement, Dirtmouth
Bretta's fantasy version of Zote, who slams the ground and drops damaging Zotelings. Rescue Zote in Greenpath and the Colosseum, rescue Bretta, then Dream Nail the statue in her basement. He gains 100 HP for each of the first four wins.
Forgotten Crossroads
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Storeroom hall, central Forgotten Crossroads
A maggot piloting the stolen armour of the Great Knight Hegemol, swinging a huge mace. Dodge under his slams and hit the exposed maggot when he stuns himself against the wall, then finish him through the floor he collapses.
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False Knight's corpse, Forgotten Crossroads
The dream version of False Knight, faster and with orange shockwaves that cover the floor. Stay mobile, punish only after his slam, and note that dying here costs you nothing because it happens inside the Dream Realm.
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Cocoon chamber, east Forgotten Crossroads
A bloated fly that charges in straight lines and bounces off walls. Stand still until she commits, then dash under her and hit as she passes, and kill the baby Gruz that hatches at the end.
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Hidden western cavern, Forgotten Crossroads
Spits arcs of orange infection and lunges across the arena. Hug the wall it is not facing, heal only after its triple spit, and hit its head while it recovers.
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Temple of the Black Egg
The final Vessel, fought after freeing all three Dreamers. Learn its slash and dash tells, punish the long lunge, and in the last phase it stabs itself, which is your window to Dream Nail it for the Dream No More ending.
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Dream within the Temple of the Black Egg
The true final boss, reached by Dream Nailing the Hollow Knight while wearing Void Heart. Expect sword walls, spike floors, homing beams and a falling platform climb, and unlike other dream fights losing here counts as a real death.
Greenpath
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Hornet's arena, central Greenpath
Fast, aggressive and heavy on the needle throw and aerial dash. Watch for the thread wind up before her dash, stay grounded, and heal only during her long needle recall animation.
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Moss corridor, south east Greenpath
Burrows through the moss and surfaces to charge at you. Jump the charge, hit it on the way past, and keep to the centre of the room so you always have space to dodge.
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Zote's cage room, north west Greenpath
A giant Vengefly that swoops and summons smaller flies. Clear the adds first, then hit it during the pause at the top of each swoop. Killing it frees Zote the Mighty, which you need for the Grey Prince Zote fight later.
Fungal Wastes
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Mantis Village arena, Fungal Wastes
One Lord, then two at once, throwing scythes and dive attacks. Fight from the centre, dash through the gaps in their scythe volleys, and beating them makes the whole Mantis tribe friendly.
City of Tears
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Top of the Soul Sanctum, City of Tears
Teleports around the room, slams down from above and fires homing orbs. Stay under him only when the slam is on cooldown and be ready for the fake death, because he crashes through the floor for one more round.
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Soul Master's corpse, Soul Sanctum
The dream form of Soul Master with a far longer first phase and denser orb patterns. Keep moving between the pillars and save your Soul for Descending Dark punishes.
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Soul Sanctum, City of Tears
A sword wielding sorcerer that teleports behind you and fires soul orbs. Bait the teleport, immediately dash away, and strike while he raises his blade. A second, tougher Soul Warrior guards the Shade Soul room.
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Watcher's Spire, City of Tears
Six armoured knights that arrive two at a time and roll across the arena. Never stand between two of them, use the ceiling to reposition, and Descending Dark is excellent when both are grounded.
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Tower of Love, far east City of Tears
A lanky jar thrower that leaps around the room dropping caged enemies. Kill the spawns quickly or ignore them, and hit him when he lands after each jump.
Crystal Peak
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Mining hall, Crystal Peak
A miner who fires a sweeping crystal laser and flies across the arena. Duck under the beam, stay in the corners during his flight phase, and hit him while he lands.
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Upper mining chamber, Crystal Peak
The Crystal Guardian returns, now airborne for almost the whole fight and firing longer beams. Pogo on his head between beams and keep circling the small arena.
Fog Canyon
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Teacher's Archives, Fog Canyon
An electrified jellyfish that is immune to your nail. Wait for Quirrel to strike it, hit the exposed core, and stay off the floor during the lightning pillars.
Royal Waterways
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Dung arena, Royal Waterways
A cheerful knight who burrows through dung and launches balls at you. Watch the dung mounds for his surfacing spot, stay airborne between dives, and clear the projectiles with your nail.
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Dung Defender's secret room, Royal Waterways
Ogrim's dream self, far tougher and with extra dive and shockwave patterns. Dive into the dung wall beside his arena, then Dream Nail his sleeping body. He can be refought for extra dialogue, and a dung statue of the Knight appears after the fifth win.
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Flukemarm's nest, Royal Waterways
A stationary sack that endlessly spawns flukes from the ceiling. Pure damage race, so bring Fragile Strength or spells and clear the adds that block your swings.
Deepnest
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Mimic lair, east Deepnest
A shapeshifter that wears your own face and spits infection while charging across the room. Jump its charges, avoid the falling orange blobs, and hit it during the recovery at each wall.
Ancient Basin
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Infected arena, Ancient Basin
A ruined Vessel that leaps wildly and drops infection blobs. Stay under it during the jumps, punish the landing, and clear the blobs before healing.
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Broken Vessel's corpse, Ancient Basin
The dream form of Broken Vessel, quicker and constantly spawning balloons that fill the arena. Kill the balloons on sight and only heal when it is mid jump on the far side.
Kingdom's Edge
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Arena before the King's Brand cave, east Kingdom's Edge
Hornet returns with a wall cling dive, a spinning thread trap and much faster dashes. Stay near the ground, dodge into her rather than away, and punish after the thread trap ends.
The Hive
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Hive Knight's chamber, east end of the Hive
A fast bee guardian with a lance charge, a ceiling dive and bee swarms. Bait the lance, dash through it, and never heal while the bees are still in the air. Queen Vespa's enormous corpse hangs in the background of the arena.
Queen's Gardens
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Traitors' hall, upper Queen's Gardens
A huge Mantis traitor with enormous reach and a heavy jumping slam. Shade Cloak through his sweeps, attack from behind after the slam, and Sharp Shadow makes the fight much faster. His arena sits beyond a Shade Gate.
Colosseum of Fools
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Trial of the Conqueror, Colosseum of Fools
A pair of fat infected flies that fire homing orange blobs and explode on death. Killing one enrages the other, so back away the instant the first dies and use the ceiling to stay above the blobs.
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Colosseum of Fools trial boards
The first Colosseum trial, mostly husks, Vengeflies and Primal Aspids across several waves, finishing with Zote the Mighty. Bring a healing setup and use the platforms to break up crowds.
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Colosseum of Fools trial boards
A much harder trial with Oblobbles, Great Husk Sentries and spike floors. Save your Soul for emergencies and take the Oblobbles down one at a time.
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Colosseum of Fools trial boards
The longest and hardest trial, ending with God Tamer. Expect Lesser Mawleks, Sharp Baldurs, Winged Sentries and a floorless spike section, so a full damage build is usually safer than a defensive one.
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End of the Trial of the Fool
A rider on a rolling beast that curls up and bounces around the arena. Attack the beast only when it uncurls, and the rider dies with it.
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End of the Trial of the Warrior
A comedy fight where Zote flails at you while Volatile Zotelings rain down. He cannot actually damage you, so clear the Zotelings and finish him. Beating him here is required before Grey Prince Zote becomes available.
Godhome
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Godhome, first pantheon
Ten early bosses back to back, ending with Brothers Oro and Mato. Pick a build you can hold for the whole gauntlet and use the Hall of Gods to practise individual fights.
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Godhome, second pantheon
Ten mid game bosses ending with Paintmaster Sheo. Oblobbles and Broken Vessel are the main run killers, so bring a healing charm you trust.
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Godhome, third pantheon
Ten late bosses ending with Great Nailsage Sly. Watch out for Enraged Guardian and God Tamer, which punish greedy healing hardest.
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Godhome, fourth pantheon
Ten of the hardest bosses ending with Pure Vessel, the uncorrupted Hollow Knight. Completing it opens the upper atrium and the Pantheon of Hallownest.
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Godhome, final pantheon
Every boss in one run, ending with Absolute Radiance and the hardest content in the game. Only one bench appears partway through, so route your charms for endurance. It gives no completion percentage of its own but unlocks the Embrace the Void ending.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of the Master
The two Nailmaster brothers fight together, Oro alone at first and then both at once. Keep one of them between you and the other, and punish Mato after his Cyclone Slash ends.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of the Artist
Sheo fights with paint, throwing brush strokes and slamming the ground with his palette. Stay at mid range, dodge through the paint splashes, and hit him between combos.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of the Sage
The shopkeeper's true form, chaining all three Nail Arts at high speed and gaining a giant nail in his second phase. Learn the wind up for each art and stay under him during the spinning phase.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of the Knight
The Hollow Knight before the infection took hold, with the same moves made far faster and a Void tentacle barrage. Widely considered the toughest fight in the game alongside Absolute Radiance.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of Hallownest
The Mantis Lords upgraded to three sisters at once in the second phase, with denser scythe volleys. Keep to the floor, dash through the gaps, and never get cornered.
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Hall of Gods and Pantheon of Hallownest
A flying version of Nosk that hangs from the ceiling and rains infection. Stay mobile on the ground, break the falling globs, and strike when it drops to lunge.
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End of the Pantheon of Hallownest
The final Godmaster boss, with extra sword phases, a longer platform climb and a pure Void finale. Beating her unlocks the Embrace the Void ending.
Warrior Dreams (7)
Dream bosses fought with the Dream Nail at their graves. They give Essence, not completion percentage.
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Howling Cliffs Cliff top in the north east Howling Cliffs
A floating head that fires expanding rings of spikes from the centre of the arena. Move in a circle and slip through the gaps in each ring, hitting him whenever you pass.
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Greenpath Stone Sanctuary, east Greenpath
A weeping ghost that summons homing spirit orbs while drifting across the room. Destroy the orbs with your nail as they close in and attack her between summons.
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Fungal Wastes North east Fungal Wastes, past the acid pools
A mantis sage who slams the ground to send shockwaves both ways. Jump the waves, stay at mid range, and punish the long recovery after his double slam.
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Queen's Gardens Sealed alcove west of the Stag Station, Queen's Gardens
A curled up ball that bounces around the room and picks up speed. Pogo on top of her to stay safe and control her bounce, and never stand under a rebound.
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Deepnest Hidden chamber, central Deepnest
Throws a giant scythe that boomerangs back and spawns smaller orbiting scythes. Track the big scythe rather than Galien himself and close in only when it is on the far side.
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Kingdom's Edge Above the Cast-Off Shell, Kingdom's Edge
The hardest Warrior Dream, with an orbiting shield, thrown nails and a shifting arena. Stay airborne, use the shield rotation to time your approach, and Descending Dark helps a lot.
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Resting Grounds Graveyard west of the Resting Grounds
A knight who launches up to four homing nails that circle back at you. Weave between the nails, attack after each volley returns, and keep to the wide part of the arena.
