The Bell Beast boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the toughest creatures you’ll face in the early game. However, as devastating and unpredictable as its jumping attacks may seem, there’s a way to foretell them. And although it may seem hard to get better equipment before taking on this early boss, there’s a special item that may give you an advantage. You’ll actually want to find and take down this boss as soon as you can, as it’ll unlock fast traveling between areas once you beat it.
From attack pattern to battle prep, this guide will show you how to defeat the Bell Beast in Hollow Knight: Silksong. If you haven’t found this boss yet, we’ll show you the Bell Beast’s location, too.
Where to find the Bell Beast in Hollow Knight: Silksong
The Bell Beast will likely be the second boss you’ll encounter in Hollow Knight: Silksong, following the Moss Mother. The Bell Beast is located in the northwestern region of The Marrow. This is the boss’s location on the map:
As you won’t obtain a map until you’re very close to the Bell Beast (it’s right above Shakra’s first location), here’s how to reach it from the start of the game:
- Find your way from Moss Grotto to Bone Bottom, the village.
- Go east into The Marrow region.
- When you find the large open area with the platforms (including disappearing platforms), jump to the top and go left.
- Keep going left until you find Shakra, the singing bug who sells maps. Jump the slightly higher platform to her left, then go upwards.
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The Bell Beast is to the right, but since he’s entangled in silky strings, you must collect the Silkspear ability first. To do so, move towards the left and jump across the platforms to the higher area, then go right, up, and to the left within that same map section. Inspect the large nail-like structure to obtain the Silkspear. It’s right here on your map:
- With the Silkspear in your pocket, go back down. You might want to make a small detour by dropping down one level further than the boss’s level, and moving to the right, as this will lead you to a bench.
- Use the Silkspear ability to free the Bell Beast, but beware that it will attack you immediately after!
Bell Beast’s moveset
Here’s an overview of the Bell Beast’s attacks and how to avoid them:
- Moving underground. The Bell Beast will hide underground before suddenly jumping up again. You can tell where it’ll appear as the ground will tremble for a brief moment. Be sure to move out of the way!
- Sprinting left or right. The Bell Beast will try to run you over, so try to jump over it in the opposite direction.
- Jumping attack. The Bell Beast will jump across the room. This is actually a great opportunity to attack: Try to run underneath it and slash upwards, hitting it in the belly. To tell the jumps apart from the sprints, listen carefully, as the jumping attacks are preceded by a roar.
- Throwing two bells. While the Bell Beast seems to rely on the running and jumping attacks initially, it’ll add the bell-throwing attack after a while. Like before, it’ll move underground and jump up, but instead of attacking you directly, it’ll throw two bells upwards before disappearing. If you keep your distance from the trembling ground, you’ll have enough time to jump across the bells.
- Summoning falling bells. After you’ve hit the boss a few times, the Bell Beast will disappear underground, reappear while yelling loudly (see picture below), and disappear again. Immediately after, the room will start shaking, and you’ll see thick streams of dust falling from the ceiling. This is where the bells will fall from, so be sure to avoid the dust! This seems to be a one-time-only attack.
How to prepare for the Bell Beast boss fight
Before you start this fight, rest at the nearby bench. In case you haven’t found it yet; move left (away from the Bell Beast’s lair) and jump down at the end of the room. Go straight to the right and into the next room to find the bench.
When you fight the Bell Beast for the first time, you’ve no choice but to use your Silkspear ability to cut the strings. Should you fall in battle, there’s a silver lining: as you won’t have to cut the strings again, you can defeat some minor enemies to stack up on Silk before jumping back in. That way, it’ll be easier to heal yourself or use the Silkspear as a combat move.
Finally, consider doing the “Berry Picking” side quest before taking on the Bell Beast, as this will grant you the Druid’s Eye. With this item equipped, you’ll gain a bit of Silk whenever you take damage. You can receive the “Berry Picking” quest from the Moss Druid, who’s in the northeastern corner of Mosshome, right above the Bell Beast.
Bell Beast rewards
Defeating the Bell Beast unlocks the fast travel system in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Right after the battle, you’ll be transported to a gloomy, mysterious area. Use the platforms to move upwards and leave through the door, leading you back to the boss arena, where the Bell Beast awaits. But don’t worry, it’s cute now! You can interact with the Bell Station to its right to travel between Bone Bottom and The Marrow. More stations will be added as you advance through the game.
