How to Defeat the Mantis Lords in Hollow Knight

Learn how to defeat the Mantis Lords in Hollow Knight!

In Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight, the Knight will encounter one of the most challenging optional bosses early on in the game, the Mantis Lords. Located within the Fungal Wastes, the Mantis Lords are three sisters who lead the Mantis Tribe.

The Mantis Lords are challenging when fought early on in the game unless you have the right strategy that comes from knowing their moves and the right Charms. In this guide, you’ll learn how to beat the Mantis Lords.

Location

The Mantis Lords are located in Fungal Wastes at the bottom of the Village. This area can be accessed by striking the lever in the northeast part of the Mantis Village, which can only be reached if you have the Mantis Claw.

Moves

The battle with the Mantis Lords can be divided into two parts. In part 1, only one of the three Mantis Lords will drop down to fight the Knight, and these will be her moves:

• Lance Dash – The Mantis Lord will drop into the arena from either side and charge across with her lance. The attack’s range spans the whole arena.
  
• Lance Drop – The Mantis Lord will briefly appear above the Knight’s current position, then drop straight down using her lance.
  
• Blade Boomerang – Holding onto a wall, the Mantis Lord will throw a blade like a boomerang. The spinning blade may travel in either of two possible patterns:
  • If the Mantis Lord is situated at the lower part of the wall, the blade’s arc will start low and rise towards the opposite side of the arena, then curve back.
  • If the Mantis Lord is situated at the higher part of the wall, the blade’s arc will start high, glide down towards the opposite side of the arena, and curve back.

In part 2 of the battle, the last two Mantis Lords will drop down to fight the Knight, and these will be their moves:

• Dash – The same as Lance Dash, but two Mantis Lords may use this attack simultaneously from both ends of the arena instead of one at a time.
  
• Drop – The same as Lance Drop, but the Mantis Lords use this attack with the Dash attack.
  
• Boomerang – The two Mantis Lords will hold onto walls on opposite sides of the arena and throw a blade like a boomerang. The spinning blade may travel in either of two possible patterns:
  • The spinning blades will have a wide arc reaching the other end of the arena and then coming back to meet at the center just above the ground.
  • The spinning blades will have a shorter arc, meet in the middle of the arena, and stay locked together, all while gliding down for a short moment. They then separate just above the ground.

Battle Flow

After the Knight challenges the Mantis Lords, a steel cage drops down with spikes on each side, and the battle starts. Having at least one Nail upgrade before trying to beat the Mantis Lords would be beneficial.

As mentioned above, only one Mantis Lords will drop down to fight the Knight. She will attack with one of the attacks mentioned and then disappear after each attack. To inflict damage, quickly dodge the attack and strike before the Mantis Lord disappears. As the Knight starts to deplete the Mantis Lord’s HP, her attacks will become faster each time.

The Mantis Lord’s Blade Boomerang attack is easy to dodge and takes a while. This can be a window to heal. Having the Quick Focus Charm can be beneficial as this helps the Knight heal faster.

After defeating the first Mantis Lord, she will return to her throne, and part 2 will start. As mentioned, the remaining Mantis Lords will simultaneously drop down to battle the Knight. The flow of the battle is the same, but the attacks are more frequent, and the Boomerang attack changes patterns. When the Mantis Lords do a Boomerang attack with a shorter arc, it can be avoided by standing in the middle. This can be a window to heal.

After defeating one of the two Mantis Lords, the battle will be easier with the only remaining Mantis Lord and will be like part 1. 

Final Thoughts

The battle with the Mantis Lords will require the player to have a quick reaction time and an understanding of the Mantis Lords’ moves. Attacking once at a time can help to decrease the chances of getting hit. The battle may get long and frustrating, but remember, you’ll be better after each attempt to defeat the Mantis Lords.