Hollow Knight Silksong Last Judge Boss Guide

Once all five Citadel Bells have been collected in Hollow Knight Silksong, it may seem as though your quest is all but over, but climbing the Shellwood and fighting through the Blasted Steps shows otherwise. This region serves as a prelude to one of the hardest battles in the game: the Last Judge. The Blasted Steps' foes are already a big enough challenge in terms of skill, with aggressive foes, environmental dangers, and vertical platforming that will take some skill when utilizing the Drifter's Cloak and pogo mechanics. If it is too challenging here, rewind and go obtain upgrades, tools, or other masks prior to attempting to venture against the boss. It is well worth preparing ahead of time before fighting the Last Judge. Ensure that you are weapons forge-upgraded, have spares of masks to use for survivability boosts, Silk Spool upgrades, and an acute needle. These are not always necessary, but not having them when you go into battle will make the fight all the more brutal. Even small enhancements in mobility, heal value, or tool quality can be a huge assist to your ability to cope with the different stages of the fight. In this, the Last Judge boss guide, you will learn the ins and outs of the fight.

Gear Loadout and Preparation

A thoughtful loadout is essential to this battle. Sting Shards are extremely valuable, as they allow you to maintain steady damage from a distance without getting caught in Last Judge's maximum damage-take attacks. Attaching the default Hunter Crest is also recommended; its range and speed make it possible to maintain distance while still having an opening offense. The Warding Bell is great for damage mitigation when returning from healing, and it has a buffer by which you will be saved from being punished in aggro modes. Optional gears, such as knives or Flea Brew, can be equipped based on how you play. Knives for constant ranged damage, and Flea Brew for burst damage if you have faith in dodging. The Last Judge boss fight rewards patience, defensive spacing, and judicious use of ranged gear over simple maniacal attacking, so doling out some Toolkits can come a long way towards seeing you through the combat.

The Climb All attempts at the Last Judge begin with a punishing climb up the Blasted Steps. The player must contend with a combination of enemies, platforms, and environmental hazards from bench to Bell Beast. These range from gliding across floating bells, avoiding flying monsters that assault, and battling through small vertical shafts.

Smooth movement is crucial: dash jumps, gliding, and carefully timed wall jumps will see you atop the citadel in a flash. An opportunity to jump attack onto bells to gain additional speed and height enables you to bridge larger gaps without sustained unnecessary damage. Although this climb can be exhausting, it is a warm-up rehearsal for the actual boss battle in terms of accuracy and timing. Arriving at the top unscathed and ready makes the first half of The Last Judge significantly easier.

Phase One: Setting the Rhythm The moment the Last Judge boss Silksong arrives, the fight is on. The entire section is movement, range, and careful observing. The most lethal of attacks is the whip swing. The Last Judge sweeps around in an arc so tight it could slice your life apart in an instant. The secret to it is dashing well: dash forward if close to easily span across, or dash back to maintain distance if it's far away.

Occasionally, the boss jumps up in the air to whip. The assault is slow, and it has limited horizontal distance, so it's a perfect opportunity to squeeze out a couple of ranged attacks with Sting Shards or actually do a dive kick for a second's worth of melee damage. Avoid getting pinned by Last Judge; if necessary, take the hit and dash from an ambushed spot to space your positioning.

The second, throw, is another boss attack where it throws something at you. Typically not threatening alone, it's good to retaliate with whip attacks to knock or overwhelm you. Paying attention to wind-up motions and the boss's stance is important for maintaining space and avoiding damage.

Fire Phase: Higher Risk

Having caused enough harm in Phase One, the Last Judge's whip ignites at the start of the Fire Phase. Almost all assaults now deal bonus area-of-effect damage. Whipslash sweeps have fire AoE explosions, and new risks like ground shockwaves and columns of fire appear. The whip spin now shoots out strands of fire particles, and you must aim them accurately in order to make it through safely. Jumping or sliding through the holes in the fire lines allows you to skip damage and set yourself up for a counterattack. Ground slams now launch shockwaves that you'll be jumping or dodging out of the way from, and pillars of flame make permanent walls in the arena. The same rules of the first half remain: patience, spacing, and attacking only in safe intervals.

Sting Shards are still a worthwhile action to take here, preventing you from being in the AoE. Ranged attacks can also be used to chip the Last Judge down while evading, especially in chains where the whip continues to swing around and there are a few fire hazards on the ground simultaneously.

Fire Phase Finale: Precision and Patience Throughout the course of the battle, the Last Judge has an increasingly vengeful conclusion in the Fire Phase. The whip is wildly flailing about, generating enormous waves of fire that you'll have to make your way through. There are not many damage opportunities present here in this cycle, so remain alert, paying attention to patterns and attacking responsively. After this extended attack, the boss reverts to its standard behaviors, with the possibility of striking additional damage without being aggressive. Dive kicks, Sting Shards, and sound positioning allow you to erode the Last Judge gradually without taking ginormous damage. The leader also screams occasionally, which executes a heavy AoE attack, so keep your head on a swivel, step aside when necessary, and don't be greedy with positioning that may result in consecutive attacks in a single turn.

The whole battle revolves around offense, patience, and defense quickness. For other bosses, raw aggression might suffice, but the Last Judge penalizes overexertion and likes the use of players who are respectful of dodging, watching, and careful application of tools.

Rewards for Defeating the Last Judge Defeating the Last Judge rewards one of the game's payoff climaxes: progression and not immediate material reward. Beating this boss reveals areas you could not access previously and allows you to continue the story towards the final set of Silksong sequences. While you do not receive new Crests or abilities directly as a prize for the fight, victory with the Last Judge is evidence that you have mastered everything thus far: pogoing, gliding, cautious dashing, tool use, and area awareness in complex arenas.

The actual test is a practice. When you've conquered the Last Judge, you've essentially practiced your abilities at handling multiple threats, reading complex attack animations, and executing defense and offense moves under pressure. It prepares you for the endgame, where these abilities would be utilized against more aggressive bosses and level challenges.

Summary of Strategy Preparation is key: Max out masks, level out tools, sharpen your needle, and equip your Crests and Tools for offense and defense playstyles. Good climb: Sustainably check the Blasted Steps, using dashes, glides, wall jumps, and dive attacks to minimize damage and travel efficiently to the citadel. Phase One: Prioritize avoiding whip, spacing correctly, and catching dive kick or ranged attack opportunities. Avoid corners and block throw attacks. Fire Phase: Be aware of AoE hazards like whip explosions, shockwaves, and walls of fire. Stay mobile, use Sting Shards where applicable, and avoid where not necessary. Last Sequence: Make steady progress through the whips and flames. Play best while opportunities are available, fall back when threats compound, and save for a potential comeback. By adhering to these principles, the Last Judge becomes a challenging yet manageable encounter. The fight rewards precision, timing, and patience, culminating in a satisfying victory that tests everything you’ve learned in Silksong.