How to Defeat Cogwork Dancers in Hollow Knight Silksong

The Cogwork Dancers are a challenging duo that will test your ability to read patterns and react quickly. Their synchronized and, later, alternating attacks require sharp reflexes and a deep understanding of their unique movements.Here is a full guide to finding and defeating the Cogwork Dancers in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Silksong: How to Defeat Cogwork Dancers

Where To Find The Cogwork Dancers

The Cogwork Dancers are not an early-game boss. To even reach their arena, you must first complete a significant portion of the game's story and successfully enter the Citadel.

• Enter the Citadel: The path to the Citadel opens up after you defeat the Last Judge in Blasted Steps. This boss is a major milestone in the game's first act.
• Navigate the Citadel: Upon entering the Citadel, you will be directed through a treacherous area known as the Underworks, a labyrinth filled with various hostiles. You must fight your way through these enemies to proceed.
• Reach the Songclave: After escaping the Underworks, you will return to the Coral Chambers. From here, you must head to the top-right edge to reach the Songclave, where you can activate a dormant shrine and rest at a bench.
• Enter the Boss Arena: From the Songclave's bench, take the exit on the top-left side. This path leads through a corridor guarded by three elite guards. You must defeat all three of these guards to proceed. Once they are down, you can enter the Cogwork Dancers' boss room.

It is important to note that if you are defeated by the Cogwork Dancers, you will respawn at the Songclave bench, and the three elite guards will have respawned as well. You must defeat them again for every attempt at the boss fight.

Cogwork Dancers Boss Fight Guide

The Cogwork Dancers are a unique fight that is split into fourdistinct phases, each identifiable by a brief moment when the dancersreturn to their respective slots before the next phase begins. Theirprimary attack consists of a simple charge, but they execute it in avariety of complex patterns.

Phase One Guide: Synchronized Dancers

In the first phase, both Cogwork Dancers will charge their attacks anddash simultaneously. Their movements are dictated by their startingpositions, and learning these combinations is key to survival.

• Top Middle & Top Corner: When one dancer is in the top middle and the other is in a top corner(right or left), they follow a specific routine. The middle dancer willmove in a series of: down -> right/left -> up. Meanwhile, thecorner dancer moves as follows: top middle -> down -> left/right.The final movement of the second dancer will always be in the oppositedirection of the middle dancer's second movement.
• Diagonally Opposite Dancers: When the dancers are on opposite corners of the screen, they willperform complementary movements to cover a large area. They may move tothe upper and lower middle parts of the screen, or they may simply dashhorizontally or vertically across the battlefield.
  • If they move horizontally, you can dodge by jumping and gliding in the middle of the arena.
  • If they move vertically on the edges, you can simply stand in the middle to avoid their paths.
• Criss-Cross Attacks (Both Dancers in the Air): When both dancers are midair, they will perform various criss-cross attacks.
  • If they are in the upper-left and upper-right corners, their beams oflight will not meet. They will instead charge towards the middle of thefield, creating an open space for you to dodge.
  • If they are both in the upper middle section, their beams will meet and cross, and they will fall to the corners of the ground.
• Other Combinations:
  • If the dancers are in the upper corners, one might follow the other forthree attacks before they reverse their last attack. The other dancerwill then follow the first one's movements.
  • If they areon the ground on one side of the map, one will charge horizontally while the other bows. This is usually followed by both going to the uppermiddle of the arena.
  • If they are beside each othermidair, they can either dash to the ground beside each other and go inopposite directions (if not in a corner) or dash on a slight slant tothe ground if one of them is in a corner.

Inaddition to their primary charge attacks, the dancers can also performspecial attacks where they meet in the middle to unleash a large AoEattack, or they can go off-screen to spawn a barrage of lasers thatcriss-cross the field.

After each charge attack, you can typically get in two to three hits on the dancers. It is crucial to positionyourself near a dancer who will land on the ground after its charge, but be careful to stay out of the small AoE created by their stomp attack.

Phase Two Guide: Increased Speed

When you have dealt enough damage, the dancers will retreat to their slotsand the cogs behind them will begin turning. They will then return forthe second phase, which is identical to the first in terms of attackpatterns, but with a significant increase in speed.

The chargetime for each attack will be nearly halved, forcing you to react muchfaster. You will only have time to get in one or, at best, two hits on a dancer between each charge. Your knowledge of their positions andmovements becomes even more critical in this phase.

Phase Three Guide: Alternating Attacks

The third phase marks a major shift in the boss fight. The dancers will nolonger attack in unison. Instead, they will begin to alternate theirattacks. The right dancer will charge first, and a second later, theleft dancer will follow with its own charge. While the overall frequency of attacks remains the same as phase two, the staggered timing makesthe phase feel less frantic.

There are no specific positionalcombinations to anticipate here, but the core strategy remains the same: maintain your patience, stay aware of both dancers' positions, and donot put yourself in a position where the next dancer's charge will leave you with nowhere to go. Only attack when you are completely safe.

Phase Four Guide: A Sad Ending

The final phase of the Cogwork Dancers fight is a somber one, triggeredafter you have defeated one of the two dancing partners. The remainingdancer will continue to attack, but with a much lower frequency. Itsattacks are slower and far easier to dodge, making this phase more of asad conclusion to the battle than a difficult final challenge.

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