How to beat Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong: Location, tips and tricks, and more

Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong is a mid-game boss located deep inside the Marrow. This boss is an integral part of the Terrible Tyrant questline, and it's not like some of the game's other unpredictable battles; this one uses a small handful of telegraphed attacks, meaning you need patience and timing instead of just raw aggression.

Traveling to the boss and the fight itself requires Hornet to use her mobility, spacing, and a few tricks. On that note, here is a guide on defeating the Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong and its location.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the author's views.

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How to defeat Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong

Location of Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong

Duel with the Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong (Image via Team Cherry || YouTuber@ChickenSoup)

You’ll find the Skull Tyrant deep in the eastern side of the Marrow. You need to deal with a lava lake. The catch is that it only becomes crossable if you approach it from the right side. With wall jump and the Cling Grip in hand, Hornet can scale the passages above, clear out a few enemies, and smash through a breakable wall that hides the route further inside.

Keep pushing right past a Skull Brute, then drop through a hole and head left where a Skull Scuttler waits. From there, turn right again and you’ll finally walk straight into the Skull Tyrant’s chamber.

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Skull Tyrant breakdown and moveset

The Skull Tyrant has a simple but punishing set of moves. Understanding when they happen makes the fight feel a lot smoother:

• Charge attack – The Tyrant shakes its legs before rushing forward. Jumping over it is the safest option, and once it passes, you’ve got a short window to reposition or heal.
• Roar into leap – The boss lets out a loud scream, then starts jumping. Most of the time it’s a straight up-and-down slam, but if it’s stuck near a wall, it can leap outward instead. Each slam also shakes rocks loose from the ceiling, so don’t just focus on the boss; keep an eye on the falling debris.
• Body slam chain – Sometimes the leap comes in threes. This is when spacing becomes key. Step aside each time it lands, strike when safe, and if needed, use the downtime to heal.

The fight is basically rinse and repeat, but the falling rocks are what make it tricky.

Recommended tools

Certain tools and crests make this fight much easier. Silkspear is ideal here since the boss spends most of its time grounded, allowing you to poke safely. Longpin excels in this fight because it pierces through the Skull Tyrant’s armor, dealing full damage from a safer distance.

Reaper Crest is also valuable to equip. It spawns silk bundles after healing, which helps you maintain momentum and recover mid-fight without losing tempo. Using these tools, you’ll find consistent damage to windows after each charge and during the boss’s stationary leap phase.

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Tips and tricks to beat Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong

Time your jump when the boss is about to charge (Image via Team Cherry || YouTuber@ChickenSoup)

The fight is less about speed and more about patience. To defeat the boss:

• Jump the charge, wait for the roar to cue his leap, and punish him when rocks aren’t falling too close.
• The leap phase is actually the best damage window, provided you don’t get greedy and stand under incoming debris.
• He also gives small heal opportunities right after a charge or during his recovery animation. Even a quick heal or two can swing the fight in your favor, so don’t ignore them.
• Stick with the cycle (charge, leap, rocks, and punish), and you’ll notice his health dropping quickly.

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Rewards for defeating Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong

Beating the Skull Tyrant rewards you with a Crown Fragment, a key quest item. Take it back to the Bone Bottom quest board, where turning in the Terrible Tyrant quest earns you the Heavy Rosary Necklace, a useful reward for the effort.

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That concludes our guide on defeating Skull Tyrant in Hollow Knight Silksong. For more news and updates on the game, follow Sportskeeda.

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