The Bell Beast stands as the first true skill check in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Its hard-hitting attacks and relentless pressure can make the fight feel overwhelming, especially if you rush in unprepared. But have no fear, this guide will walk you through where to find the power-up needed to free it, and the strategies you’ll need to finally bring the beast down.
Freeing the Bell Beast
When you first stumble upon the Bell Beast, it’s trapped in a silk strong enough to withstand any attack. To break through, you’ll need a special power-up.
Head in the opposite direction from the Bell Beast until you reach a small area with crazed pilgrims. Jump onto the platforms and start moving left, where you’ll find a hole in the ceiling that leads to the next area. Just to the right of the hole, you’ll spot some hidden Rosemary Beads; grab them if you like before moving upward.
Jump through the hole and continue heading right. Be careful of traps that can shoot spikes up through the floor. When you hear the rope snap, make sure to jump to avoid damage. You’ll encounter a couple of crazed pilgrims along the way, but they’re manageable.
Once you’ve gone as far right as possible, head up and left to reach a Spider Effigy. Here, you’ll obtain the Silkspear, a charged ranged attack that recharges with your Bind. There’s also an area where you can test it out, which opens the path to a druid you can talk to and get a quest, though this isn’t required for the Bell Beast fight.
With the Silkspear in hand, it’s time to head back and face the Bell Beast.
The Bell Beast Fight
Using the Silkspear to free the Bell Beast immediately triggers the fight. Make sure to attack the silk first to restore some resources and Bind, then charge up a Silkspear attack to break it and start the battle.
The first phase is fairly straightforward. The Bell Beast has a few key attack patterns. It will sometimes shoot across the ground, giving you the chance to pogo attack as it passes beneath you. It can also jump, and when it does, head towards it to avoid getting squashed before running in for a few quick attacks. Occasionally, it will burrow in the middle of the area and throw giant bells. Simply jump over the bells when this happens.
Phase two begins once you have whittled the Bell Beast down to 50 per cent health, and this is where the fight becomes more challenging. It will drop a lot of bells from the ceiling that bounce once before disappearing. Do your best to dodge them and use your Bind to restore health when needed. After this, the Bell Beast returns to its phase one attacks, but now with the added hazard of random bells dropping from above. Focus on landing attacks while keeping an eye on your health. I personally avoided using the Silkspear for damage in this phase, prioritising health restoration with Bind instead. Eventually, you will defeat the Bell Beast.
Once defeated, you will awaken in a white room to receive a Silk Heart. Hit the platforms to raise them and reach the top. When you awaken again, the Bell Beast will be available for fast travel.
There you have it. The Bell Beast is a tough first real test, but with the right strategy, you can come out on top. Silksong is full of surprises like this, and mastering these fights is part of the journey. If this guide helped, don’t forget to hit like and subscribe for more boss strategies and tips. Stay tuned, because there are plenty more tough fights ahead.
