Soul Master – Tips & Strategy Guide – Hollow Knight Walkthrough
Soul Master – Tips & Strategy Guide – Hollow Knight Walkthrough
Soul Master is a major boss in Hollow Knight. He is the leader of the Soul Sanctum, a place where scholars study Soul energy. The battle with Soul Master is intense and happens in two phases. The Knight fights him inside the Soul Sanctum, located in the City of Tears.
Defeating Soul Master rewards players with the Desolate Dive spell. This spell allows the Knight to slam into the ground, damaging enemies and breaking weak floors. Once you win the fight, you can challenge his dream variant, Soul Tyrant, for an even tougher fight.
The Soul Master fight is tricky. In this Hollow Knight Walkthrough, you will learn how to find him, understand his moves, and defeat him.
Soul Master Location and Lore
Soul Master is inside the Soul Sanctum. The Soul Sanctum is part of the City of Tears. You need to explore the city to reach him. Use elevators and the Mantis Claw to move up the Sanctum.
Soul Master in Hollow Knight Mod APK leads the scholars of the Sanctum. They studied Soul energy. Soul energy was believed to give bugs great power. Soul Master wanted to use this power to stop the infection. He became obsessed. He collected Soul and used it to grow stronger.
The Pale King did not agree with him. Soul Master ignored the warnings. He thought his work was right. Over time, the Soul corrupted him. He lost control and became mad. Now, he waits at the top of the Sanctum.
Before Entering the Soul Sanctum
Before facing Soul Master, prepare by upgrading your Nail. Visit the Nailsmith in the City of Tears to make your weapon stronger. Equip useful charms like Spell Twister to reduce Soul costs, or Shaman Stone to boost spell power. Make sure you unlock the bench near Cornifer for a nearby save point, and get the shortcut to save time during retries.
In-game Events
As you explore the Soul Sanctum, you encounter several enemies that use attacks similar to Soul Master, like the Folly and Mistake. These enemies serve as a warm-up for what to expect in the boss fight. You will also find Soul Totems, which refill your Soul meter. Soul Master appears suddenly at the top of the Sanctum, ambushing the Knight in a grand boss arena.
Soul Master Health and Abilities
Soul Master has 400 health in the first phase. In the second phase, his health drops to 300. You will need to deal damage in both phases to defeat him.
Here are his main abilities:
- Slam
Soul Master hovers above the Knight. Then, he slams into the ground. This attack sends shockwaves in both directions. You must jump to avoid the shockwaves. - Orb
He shoots an orb of Soul energy. This orb homes in on the Knight. It follows until it hits the wall, the ground, or the Knight. You can dodge it by jumping or moving out of the way. - Clock
Soul Master floats across the screen. Four orbs rotate around him. These orbs spin as he moves from one side to the other. After crossing the screen, the orbs return without him. You need to jump between the gaps in the orbs to stay safe. - Teleport
Soul Master teleports around the arena. He does this to dodge your attacks or prepare for his next move. Be ready for sudden movements.
In Phase 2, he uses stronger versions of these attacks. The Slam creates a bigger explosion. The Orb summons more projectiles. He also moves faster and attacks more frequently.
How to Beat Soul Master: Tips and Strategies
The battle with Soul Master has two phases. Each phase has different attack patterns. Here are tips for both.
Phase 1: Attack Patterns and Tips
| Attack | Counter |
|---|---|
| Slam Attack When Soul Master floats above you, he will slam down. This creates shockwaves. | To avoid this, jump when he hits the ground. Stay calm and watch where he appears next. |
| Orb Attack He fires orbs that chase you. Move quickly to dodge them. | Jump or dash to avoid the orb hitting you. It helps if you stay close to a wall. This forces the orb to hit the wall faster. |
| Clock Attack Four orbs spin around him. He moves slowly across the screen. | Stay close to him, but avoid the orbs. Jump through the gap between the orbs. After he crosses, the orbs return. Be ready to dodge them again. |
| Teleportation He teleports often. This makes him hard to hit. | Be patient. Wait for him to stop and attack when he is close. Use spells like Vengeful Spirit when he teleports far away. |
Healing Tip:
After you deal enough damage, Soul Master will “deflate” for a moment. This is your chance to heal. If you need health, use this time to recover.
Phase 2: Attack Patterns and Tips
After defeating him in the first phase, Soul Master fakes his death. He will return, smashing through the floor, and the battle continues.
| Attacks | Counter |
|---|---|
| Altered Slam Attack In this phase, the slam attack is stronger. He creates a bigger explosion when he hits the ground. He also chains several slams together. | Keep moving and dashing to avoid the blasts. |
| Multiple Orb Attack He summons several orbs at once. These orbs appear randomly in the arena. | You need to stay mobile. Keep dodging and look for openings to attack. |
Final Tip:
In Phase 2, Soul Master is more predictable. His attacks are faster but easier to dodge. Focus on avoiding the slams and orbs. Attack when he is stationary.
Soul Master and the Knight – Dialogue
During the Game:
Soul Master does not speak much during the battle itself, but his appearance and movements reflect his obsession with Soul energy. His actions show how far he has fallen from sanity, driven by his lust for power.
After the Game:
After defeating Soul Master and using the Dream Nail on him, you enter his dream and face Soul Tyrant. In this dream form, Soul Master expresses regret but still blames the Pale King for stopping him from reaching true immortality. His dying words reveal his frustration, as he claims he could have lived forever if not for the interference of others.
Soul Master Shortcut
There is a shortcut that makes it easier to reach Soul Master. This shortcut is located near Cornifer, the mapmaker. Cornifer can be found in the Soul Sanctum. Look for the paper trail he leaves behind.
To unlock the shortcut, you need to open a wall to the right of Cornifer. You can only open this wall from the other side. Once unlocked, it creates a fast path from the bench near Cornifer to the Soul Master arena. This bench costs 150 Geo to unlock, but it is worth it. The bench gives you a place to rest and recover before the fight.
Using this shortcut saves time. You avoid many enemies and can reach Soul Master quickly after resting. Always unlock the shortcut before facing him. It will help if you need to retry the fight.
Soul Master Dream Boss: Soul Tyrant
After defeating Soul Master, you can challenge his dream variant, Soul Tyrant. You need the Dream Nail to access this battle. Use the Dream Nail on Soul Master’s body to enter his dream. Soul Tyrant is faster and more dangerous than Soul Master.
Here are the key differences:
- Increased Speed
Soul Tyrant moves much faster than Soul Master. His attacks are quicker, and his teleportation is more frequent. You will need to react faster and stay on the move. - Clock Attack (Upgraded)
The rotating orbs now appear in two rows. This reduces the space you can use to dodge. You need to time your jumps carefully. Jump between the gaps or dash away to avoid getting hit. - Slam Attack (Upgraded)
The slam attack creates a bigger explosion. It also reaches a greater height. You have less time to dodge. Keep moving and dash when he starts the attack. - No Fake-Out
Unlike Soul Master, Soul Tyrant does not fake his slam attack. This makes it easier to predict, but it is still fast.
How to Beat Soul Tyrant
Healing Opportunities
Healing is harder in this fight. You can heal after dodging the Clock attack if you find a safe spot. Make sure the area is clear of orbs before trying to heal.
Stay Mobile
His increased speed means you must keep moving. Always be ready to dash or jump to avoid his attacks. Never stay in one spot for too long.
Attack After Orbs
Soul Tyrant is vulnerable after his orb attack. This is the best time to hit him. Stay close and deal as much damage as you can when the orbs are returning.
Reward for Beating Soul Tyrant
Defeating Soul Tyrant gives you 300 Essence. This is needed to upgrade the Dream Nail. The Soul Tyrant fight is tough but rewarding. It also adds more depth to the story of Soul Master. In his dream, Soul Tyrant regrets his choices but still blames the Pale King.
Defeating the Soul Master and Rewards
When you finally defeat Soul Master, he drops the Desolate Dive Spell. This spell allows you to slam into the ground, damaging enemies and breaking weak floors. It’s a useful spell for both combat and exploration. The fight with Soul Master also opens up new areas in the Soul Sanctum, allowing you to explore further and find hidden items.
Desolate Dive Spell
- The Desolate Dive lets you attack enemies by smashing down on them. It also helps you break through certain breakable floors. You can use it in many places around Hallownest to reveal hidden areas.
- The spell costs 33 Soul to cast. This means you will need to collect Soul from enemies or totems to use it.
- You can upgrade this spell later to Descending Dark, making it stronger.
Additional Rewards
- Geo: You earn a good amount of Geo after the fight, which can be used to buy items or upgrades.
- Access to new rooms: After defeating Soul Master, you can explore new rooms in the Soul Sanctum. These rooms contain more enemies, but also items like Soul Totems that refill your Soul meter.
Final Tip:
Save Your Soul: After the fight, you may need Soul to heal. Avoid using too much during the last phase so you have enough left to heal or use Desolate Dive right away.
Explore after the fight: Check out the areas unlocked after defeating Soul Master. There are often hidden secrets and useful items in the new rooms.
With the Soul Master defeated, you can now continue exploring the City of Tears and beyond with your new ability, unlocking more secrets along the way.
Achievements
Defeating Soul Master and his dream variant, Soul Tyrant, unlocks important achievements in Hollow Knight. Here are the key ones you can earn:
1. Spellmaster Achievement
You earn this achievement after defeating Soul Master and obtaining the Desolate Dive Spell. This achievement marks the completion of your first encounter with a powerful spell-casting boss in the game.
2. Attunement
After defeating Soul Tyrant (the dream variant of Soul Master), you receive 300 Essence. Gathering Essence from this and other sources helps you reach Attunement, which is the first milestone for upgrading the Dream Nail.
3. Ascension
As you continue to collect more Essence, including from the Soul Tyrant, you’ll unlock the Ascension achievement. This requires a higher number of Essence, and beating the Soul Tyrant brings you closer to it.
4. Awakening
For fully upgrading the Dream Nail by collecting Essence, the Awakening achievement unlocks. Defeating Soul Tyrant gives you a significant amount of Essence, bringing you closer to this goal.
5. Focus Achievement (Optional)
If you manage to defeat Soul Tyrant without getting hit or by following a specific challenge run, you might also unlock player-specific achievements or goals set by the community. This varies based on difficulty and gameplay mode.
Conclusion
Soul Master is one of the more challenging bosses in Hollow Knight, but defeating him is a rewarding experience. You encounter him at the top of the Soul Sanctum in the City of Tears, and the battle tests your ability to dodge, attack, and manage spells. He uses a variety of powerful moves, like the Slam and Orb attacks, which require careful timing to avoid.
After defeating him, you earn the Desolate Dive Spell, a useful ability that helps in both combat and exploration. His dream variant, Soul Tyrant, offers an even harder fight, but defeating him gives you 300 Essence—an important resource for upgrading the Dream Nail.
By using the shortcuts, healing at the right moments, and keeping a steady focus on his attacks, you can overcome both phases of the fight. The achievements and rewards you unlock make this battle worth the effort, and with the Desolate Dive spell, you can unlock even more secrets across Hallownest.