How to beat Skarrgard in Hollow Knight Silksong

Are you being repeatedly smashed into the dirt by the Skarrgard in Hollow Knight Silksong? Then you're a member of a very large and welcoming club. This ant miniboss can (and will) pancake Hornet every chance it gets, and even with upgraded weapons, it'll likely get more than a few chances.

In this guide, you'll learn how to deal with the Skarrgard in Silksong by learning its full list attack patterns, as well as strategies for dealing with everything the giant ant can throw at you.

How to beat Skarrgard in Hollow Knight Silksong

The Skarrgard can feel like a full-on boss if you aren't prepared for it, especially the first time you face it at the intersection of The Marrow and Hunter's March.

As a miniboss, however, the Skarrgard's attack list is incredibly short. The main issues are its larger health pool and the fact that touching it or being hit by one of its attacks deals two masks of damage. That the second one in the upper reaches of the Hunter's March also summons a few trash mob friends to spice things up further.

All Skarrgard attacks

The Skarrgard has three attacks, each of them fairly easy to deal with once you know what to look for. You absolutely should have the Swift Step ability to sprint and dodge more quickly, as while it is possible to beat Skarrgard without it, higher mobility drastically decreases this fight's difficulty.

• Jumping slam: The Skarrgard will jump forward at you, slamming both its bulk and its bone-club down. The instant you see the miniboss hop into the air, dash underneath it and get a few hits in from behind. Note that the Skarrgard can vary the distance it jumps to cover more ground.
• Double swipe: Here, the Skarrgard swings its weapon in a wide arc twice. The attack has a modest amount of backward momentum. You can either dash away or jump over the swipes to get in a down slash of your own.
• Burrow: In what is less an attack and more of a move, the Skarrgard dives underground and pops up either beneath or right behind you. As touching the miniboss also does two masks of damage, you should still dash away to avoid getting hit.

Speed and aggression are the keys to beating the Skarrgard, as is staying relatively close to it. Keeping near it gives you more space to dash beneath its jumps while still allowing time to avoid the double swipe. Having the fast attacks of the Wanderer's Crest is also a huge help, though the Beast Crest can be useful if you prefer an even faster playstyle.

Don't worry too much if you die to the Skarrgard a few times. The fight is something of a rite of passage and a test of your mobility, but pretty straightforward once you have a handle on things. You might consider checking out our beginner's tips guide and our walkthrough of the Deep Docks, where you can pick up some handy tools that can make the early game easier.