Mantis Lords - Hollow Knight Guide - IGN (2024)

This page includes a wiki guide on Hollow Knight's Mantis Lords boss encounter. For information on other sections, be sure to check out our Walkthrough.

To learn how to obtain the various Collectibles Hollow Knight has to offer, visit our pages on Charms, Spells, Mask Shards, and more.

The Mantis Lords are a multi-phase, multi-enemy boss encounter located in the southernmost part of the Fungal Wastes region.

The Mantis Lords represent a significant difficulty hurdle when engaged early in the game, especially when first traveling through the Fungal Wastes, but with the right combination of Charms, proper spacing, and a familiarity with their attacks, they can be defeated at any level.

The Mantis Lords only employ three attacks, and each is easily countered. For the first section of the fight, you'll only engage with one of the Mantis Lords, so use this phase to learn the attacks and become familiar with them, and how to counter them, and it won't be long until you can finish phase one without taking damage.

The first attack the Mantis Lords will use is an aerial attack which begins when the boss appears in the air and slashes downwards, ending when the Mantis Lord reaches the ground. They will then linger a moment before vanishing and beginning another attack.

To counter this attack, sidestep or dash out of the way, then slash the Mantis Lord. You may only get one attack in, but this is a battle of attrition, so each strike or spell counts.

NOTE: If you can avoid this attack early enough, this provides an excellent opportunity to heal, especially if you have the Quick Focus Charm equipped.

The second attack is a grounded lunging attack. The Mantis Lord will appear on one side of the arena, ready an attack, then dash to the other side of the arena, lingering a moment before vanishing.

To counter this attack, jump while the boss is dashing, slashing when you are above them. If you find timing that style of attack difficult, jump slightly as they dash and land beside them, slashing before they vanish again.

The final attack is an area denial attack where the boss will project a zig-zagging energy attack which either begins low, then crosses the arena and returns at an upward angle, or begins high and crosses the arena and returns at a downward angle.

To counter this attack, duck under the high projectile or jump and dash over the low projectile, then either close the gap and slash with the Nail, or cast Vengeful Spirit while in the air.

If you find yourself with an excess of Soul during this phase and don't need healing, cast Vengeful Spirit. The spell is best used during the boss' boomerang attack, when it is most difficult to land hits with the Nail. Otherwise, save your Soul for the far more challenging second phase.

After you defeat the first of the Mantis Lords, they will withdraw and the encounter will enter Phase Two, where things become much more challenging.

In Phase Two, both of the remaining Mantis Lords will enter the arena and, while they use all of the same attacks from the first phase, you'll now need to move more quickly to avoid twice the attacks.

While attacks come in rapid succession, and you'll have to dash more often than sidestep attacks to avoid taking damage (due to potential followup attacks by the other Lord), the only attack which needs to be dealt with differently is the double boomerang attack.

During this attack both bosses will launch identical, mirrored attacks which will deny the player access to a large swath of the screen real estate. If the attack begins high, quickly run to the right, then pause as the attacks reach the center of the screen, then jump and dash towards the center of the screen to avoid damage.

If the attacks begin low, go to the middle of the screen, then jump and dash left or right to avoid damage.

NOTE: If you have mastered avoiding attacks and are looking for ways to increase your damage output, wait until both Mantis Lords are on the ground (such as after lunging/aerial attacks) then cast Vengeful Spirit. Since the spell travels through enemies, you'll deal double damage for the price of one cast.

Exercise patience and practice and you'll soon dispatch the formidable Mantis Lords.

Once you'll defeated the Mantis Lords, you'll gain the respect of the tribe, and Mantis enemies in the area will no longer attack you. You will also gain access to the Mantis Village treasure stores, accessible from the upper right exit. The newly unlocked area includes a significant hoard of Geo, a Bench, and the powerful Mark of Pride Charm.