Nosk is one of the most memorable bosses in Hollow Knight. Not only is the boss fight itself incredible and challenging, but the path leading up to it produces some of the eeriest moments in the game. For many players, Nosk is one of the tougher bosses of Hollow Knight; some players, however, find the boss easy.
In truth, any player can beat Nosk easily for as long as they employ the perfect strategy. Like every single boss in the game, Nosk has distinct patterns and movements the player can take advantage of. For those who are struggling with this petrifying boss, here are things they need to keep in mind to finally defeat Nosk.
Updated October 28th, 2021 by Russ Boswell: Hollow Knight features a wide array of amazing bosses, with some of them hidden or locked behind certain conditions. Nosk is possibly the first true hidden boss players will find, as it sits patiently, waiting at the end of a long and mysterious hallway behind a hidden wall. Those who encounter him without warning are surely in for a painful surprise as Nosk's odd mechanics make him a bit of a hassle for some. Thankfully, the imposing boss isn't too difficult to take down once players learn how it operates. To better help those just starting out, or those struggling with the creepy crawler, the following list has been updated with more information, including Nosk's DLC form.
How To Defeat Nosk
To defeat Nosk with ease, the player must first familiarize themselves with the boss' move sets. Nosk only has four different moves that he uses during the battle. Here they are, how to avoid them, and how to take advantage of them:
- Charge Attack – With this attack, Nosk charges across the arena. The boss telegraphs the move by raising its head up for a few moments before charging forward. This can be easily avoided by jumping upwards or by dashing through to him with the Shade Cloak. The player can also inflict damage when dashing through him by equipping the Sharp Shadow Charm.
- Leap – Throughout the entirety of the fight, Nosk will leap around the arena either once, twice, or three times consecutively. Oftentimes, Nosk will leap around and land on random spots, in others, it will target the player directly. Whenever Nosk leaps, the player must dash away to avoid being damaged. The Shade Cloak is also extremely helpful here as it will activate an invisibility frame which will render any attack ineffective in case Nosk lands on the player.
- Infection Eruption – This is when Nosk runs to the middle of the arena and spews blobs of infection around him. The best way to avoid being hit by this is by standing just beside the base of the middle platform on either side. The blobs will never reach this specific area, making the player safe from them.
- Rain Attack – At certain moments during the fight, Nosk will leap into the ceiling and drops blobs of infection on the ground. The blobs will consecutively drop as Nosk moves around the ceiling. Each blob will have an interval of about a second of dropping after another and Nosk will stay on the ceiling for about six seconds. While it's difficult to determine exactly where Nosk will drop the blobs, there is a puff of dust that will indicate Nosk's location, thus also allowing the player to determine where the blobs will drop from. The best way to avoid being damaged by this attack is by simply anticipating where the blobs will drop using the aforementioned tactic and continuously moving away.
Nosk is a very nimble opponent. This boss will spend most of the time moving around, performing moves, and targeting the player. With this in mind, it will serve the player best to always keep an eye on Nosk. A moment's hesitation will mean a life lost, and giving Nosk momentum can make it more difficult for the player to regain the advantage.
One of the handiest tips the player can take note of when fighting Nosk is to stand on the corner at the base of the center platform. Most of Nosk's attacks won't reach this area, like his Infection Eruption and Leap. However, that doesn't mean the player should just linger on this position throughout the fight.
Nosk will still damage the player here with his Charge and Rain Attacks. Only stand here when Nosk is spewing his infection from the center of the arena, leaping around, or when charging from the opposite side of the room. The player can inflict damage on Nosk from here with their Nail or with Abyss Shriek whenever it crosses from above.
Recommended Spells & Abilities For The Nosk Fight
Here are the recommended Spells and Abilities the player must already have before fighting Nosk:
- Shade Cloak – This will allow the player to dash through the boss without getting damaged.
- Mothwing Cloak – Gives the ability to double jump. This is helpful when the player has to avoid Nosk's Charge Attacks.
- Shade Soul – A powerful spell needed to inflict high damage on Nosk.
- Abyss Shriek – Useful for damaging Nosk when the player is on the base corner of the center platform.
Recommended Charms For The Nosk Fight
Here are the recommended Charms when fighting Nosk and why they're useful:
- Sharp Shadow – This will weaponize the Shade Cloak ability.
- Quick Slash – This will allow the player to attack Nosk much faster, which is essential when considering the boss' speed.
- Shaman Stone – This makes the player's spells more powerful.
- Quick Focus – In the event the player needs to heal, this charm will enable them to do it faster.
Using these exact charms is optional and completely depends on someone's preferences, but all of these take up 11 Charm Notches, the most a player can acquire in the game.
Where To Find Nosk
Nosk is an optional boss, meaning the player won't need to defeat him to finish the game. However, Nosk drops a Pale Ore upon defeat, which is essential in upgrading the player's Nail. Those who haven't fought Nosk yet but want to can find him in Deepnest.
From the Hot Spring in Deepnest, players should head left until they reach a room filled with spiky worms. On the left of this room is a hidden platform with a wall that can be broken. Break the wall and navigate forward to reach Nosk.
Information And Stats For Nosk
In his base form, Nosk has approximately 680 health points, making him a middle-tier nuisance depending on how strong players are when facing him and how many upgrades they've given the Knight's nail. It shouldn't be too much of a problem to down the creepy-crawly beast but it's a much different scenario when players face Nosk in the Godmaster content.
Although it's possible to tangle with the base form again in this DLC, players looking for a true test will want to take on its Pantheon form. This battle sees a spike in difficulty, with Nosk taking on a slightly different appearance. Rather than wearing a "normal husk" as its faceplate, it will instead take on the appearance of Hornet.
During this fight, Winged Nosk has upwards of 980 Health points and will also grow wings during the fight, making it even more difficult to attack and avoid its speedy abilities.