If you are struggling to beat Elder Hu in Hollow Knight, this guide will teach you how to beat him easily!
Hollow Knight, a Metroidvania action-adventure game from Team Cherry, follows the story of the Knight, a mysterious warrior who wanders through Hallownest. As a result of a strange infection, this kingdom is lying in ruins. One difficult task awaits brave travelers in the dangerous depths of this gorgeously frightening world. This is a boss named Elder Hu.
This relentless foe has perplexed and frustrated countless players. But don’t worry; with the appropriate strategy and a strong awareness of its patterns, the player will stand tall and defeat this devastating foe. This tutorial will cover how to beat the Elder Hu in Hollow Knight.
Here, we’ll review the fundamental methods and approaches for defeating this enemy. This guide will help you succeed in your quest through the intriguing and deadly land of Hollow Knight!
Elder Hu Hollow Knight
Elder Hu is one of the Warrior Dream Bosses in the game. Warrior Dreams are lingering recollections of especially powerful bugs. The Knight can only face them after they have obtained the Dream Nail. A substantial amount of Essence is awarded for defeating a Warrior Dream Boss.
According to in-game lore, Elder Hu was a roaming sage who sought to cleanse the Infection in the outer reaches of Hallownest. He arrived in the Mantis Village. However, his Infected mind caused him to regard the Mantis Lords and Tribe as infected. He was slain at the hands of Mantises after he confronted them. Over the gates to the City of Tears, a memorial in his honor was constructed, complete with his tunic and bead necklace.
Upon meeting Elder Hu, he will warn the Knight, still confused from his encounter with the Mantis Tribe. Following winning the battle, the spirit realizes his confusion because of his madness. Elder Hu will realize he has died and then explode into 100 Essence to be gathered using the Dream Nail.
Where to Find Elder Hu
The Knight can encounter Elder Hu in the easternmost part of the Fungal Wastes area. This room is above the exit to the City of Tears.
Requirements
To find Elder Hu, the Knight must use a specific ability. The Knight can use either the Mothwing Cloak or Monarch Wings ability. The former ability allows the Knight to execute a horizontal dash forward. The latter ability enables the Knight to execute another jump while in mid-air.
Enemies
On the way to the Mantis Lords, the Knight will face several enemies. Specifically, the Knight will encounter Fungoons, Funglings, Fungified Husks, Husk Hornhead, Sporgs, Shrumal Warriors, Shrumelings, and Shrumal Ogres.
Path to the Elder Hu
To find the Mantis Lords from the Queen’s Station, the Knight must do the following:
- Take the exit to the right from the Queen’s Station Stag Station. Climb the small platforms in the middle of the room. Head to the right at the top, then jump and dash (Mothwing Cloak ability) or jump again (Monarch Wings ability) to a platform on the right. Go right to exit the room.
- After that, the Knight will enter the Fungal Wastes. Turn right and jump over the pool of acid. Here, the Knight will run into a Fungoon. Continue to the right and jump over another pool of acid gap. Go to the right and jump to a small platform on the right beyond the gap. Above, the Knight will find two Funglings.
- Continue to the right after jumping to the platform above on the right. The Knight is going to find another Fungoon here. Drop down the gap, then drop down the small platform. Then, the Knight will encounter a Husk Hornhead and a Fungoon. Continue to the right to find a Fungified Husk. Head up the platform above, then jump to the right ledge above. Go to the right to exit the room.
- Following that, use the small platforms to head up this room. The Knight will run into three Sporgs and an Ambloom on the way up. Take the next exit that leads upwards.
- Next, head up the platforms, then head to the right. Here, the Knight will run into a Shrumal Ogre and a few Shrumelings. Continue heading to the right and take the exit.
- Then, head to the right while avoiding the pools of acid. Enter the exit at the end of the walkway. Hop over the gap on the right to reach a wide platform. The Knight will run into a Shrumal Warrior here. Go to the right and jump across the gap to encounter another Shrumal Warrior and several Shrumelings. Turn right, descend the gap, and exit the room on the right.
- After that, drop down the gap on the right to find a Fungoon above. Head to the right and drop on the gap to land on a small platform. Drop down from this platform and drop down the gap on the left to land on another thin platform. Drop down the gap on the left and drop down the gap on the right. Here, the Knight will run into a Sporg. Head to the left and use the small platforms to head down. Here, the Knight will find another Sporg above. Head to the right, jump over the acid pool, then take the exit on the right.
- Finally, go to the right, and the Knight will find Elder Hu’s spirit here! Talk to Elder Hu, then, on the prompt, select “Yes” to start the battle!
How to Beat Elder Hu
To emerge victorious against Elder Hu, the player must understand this Warrior Dream Boss’s moves and behavior:
Moves
In battle, Elder Hu will perform the following moves:
- Teleport – Elder Hu will disappear and appear in different room parts. This boss will perform this to evade the Knight’s attacks or to prepare for executing another attack.
- Ring Slam – Elder Hu will call upon a row of rings in midair. These rings are separated with safe gaps. This boss will then quickly smash all the rings onto the ground simultaneously.
- Ring Curtain – Elder Hu will call upon pairs of rings that slam into the ground. These rings will start at the outskirts of the room. Then, they will head towards the center of the room.
Strategy
Elder Hu’s Ring Slam and Ring Curtain attacks, which come out swiftly, need incredibly precise moves to avoid. Although not entirely necessary, the Shade Cloak ability is highly recommended. This is the upgrade to the Mothwing Cloak ability. The Shade Cloak ability allows the Knight to dash through foes and their attacks. With this ability, the Knight can dash through Elder Hu and his Ring attacks.
Read: Hollow Knight: How To Beat Rolling Boss
Elder Hu stays in place when he performs his attacks. His hovering pattern is low enough to the ground, allowing Nail attacks. When he attacks, evade the rings while getting some hits in. The rhythm of the attacks will eventually become easy to follow. With that, the Knight should have no trouble timing dashes and attacks.
As Elder Hu is floating around, the Howling Wraiths Spell or its upgrade, the Abyss Shriek Spell, is very useful. These spells release a blast of Soul and Shadow if the Abyss Shriek Spell is used above and on both sides of the Knight. These spells can help deal large damage on the hovering Elder Hu.
Equipping Charms can help a ton when in the battle against Elder Hu. The following are the Charms recommended for this battle:
| Charm | Effect |
|---|---|
| Quick Focus Charm | Raises the speed of the Knight’s Focus to heal faster. |
| Longnail Charm | Improves the range of the Knight’s Nail by 15%. |
| Mark of Pride Charm | Improves the range of the Knight’s Nail by 25%. |
| Shaman Stone Charm | Raises the size and damage output of the Knight’s Spells |
| Grubsong Charm | The Knight will get Soul every time the Knight receives damage. |
| Spell Twister Charm | Decreases the amount of Soul the Knight needed to cast Spells. |
| Stalwart Shell Charm | Improves the invincibility time and decreases the recoil if the Knight takes damage. |
| Spore Shroom Charm | Creates a cloud of spores surrounding the Knight that deals damage to enemies. |
| Sharp Shadow Charm | If the Knight has learned the Shade Cloak ability, this Charm helps deal damage to enemies if the Knight dashes through them. |
| Dashmaster Charm | Reduces the cooldown to be able to execute the Mothwing Cloak ability again by 33%. When paired with the Sharp Shadow Charm, the Dashmaster Charm, also raises the damage when dashing through enemies. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, the battle against Elder Hu in Hollow Knight is a testament to the game’s challenging and rewarding nature. Players can triumph over this formidable foe with patience, practice, and a strategic approach.
Remember to be prepared to adapt to Elder Hu’s diverse attacks and maintain a cool head during the encounter. Mastery of these techniques will lead to victory and serve as a testament to the player’s growth and resilience in the face of the game’s demanding trials. So, gear up, ready your Nails, and confidently face the intriguing Elder Hu!
