Silksong: How to Beat the Hunter's March Guardian

Location, Attack Patterns, Counters, and Rewards

Boss fights are the beating heart of any Metroidvania, and Hollow Knight: Silksong continues the tradition with a roster of challenging, beautifully animated encounters. One of the earliest—and deceptively tough—bosses you’ll face is the Hunter’s March Guardian, officially named Skarrgard, though his name never appears during the fight. This hulking sentinel blocks access to the Hunter’s March and serves as a skill check for players still mastering Hornet’s mobility and timing. Here’s a complete guide to finding Skarrgard, understanding his attack patterns, and defeating him to unlock the next stage of your journey.

🧭 Where to Find the Hunter’s March Guardian

To reach Skarrgard, start from The Marrow, a sprawling early-game zone filled with vertical shafts and aggressive flying enemies. Head far right, navigating through falling platforms and swarms of bugs. Eventually, you’ll reach a room filled with red bouncy objects—use downward slashes to bounce across and reach the other side. Beyond this room lies the entrance to Hunter’s March, and standing between you and the rest of the zone is the Guardian himself.

🛏️ Closest Bench and Runback Route

The nearest Bench is located directly below the boss arena, in the same area where you’ll meet Grindle, a caged NPC. Freeing Grindle rewards you with the Straight Pin, a projectile Tool that can be extremely useful during the fight.

Tip: Activate this Bench before engaging the boss. It shortens your runback and gives you a chance to swap Tools if needed.

⚔️ Hunter’s March Guardian – Attack Patterns and Counters

Skarrgard has a compact but punishing moveset. Each attack deals two mask damage, so precision and patience are key.

1. Double Slash

• Visual Cue: Skarrgard extends his weapon and slashes twice in quick succession.
• Counter: Dash backward as soon as you see the wind-up. After the second slash, dash back in for a quick hit.

2. Aerial Slam

• Visual Cue: The Guardian leaps high into the air.
• Counter: Dash through him as he jumps to reposition. This gives you time to land a few hits while he recovers.

3. Burrowing Relocate

• Visual Cue: Skarrgard digs into the ground, and smoke appears at his re-emergence point.
• Counter: This isn’t an attack, but standing where he pops out will damage you. Watch for the smoke and move away quickly.

Note: The boss doesn’t telegraph his underground movement well,so keep your eyes on the floor and avoid standing still for too long.

🧠 Tips to Beat the Hunter’s March Guardian

• Unlock Swift Step First: This dash ability is found in the Deep Docks, located below the boss arena. It allows Hornet to dash and sprint, making it much easier to avoid Skarrgard’s attacks.
• Use Single Hits: Don’t get greedy. Every attack from Skarrgard hits hard, so stick to one strike after each dodge.
• Watch the Ground: His burrowing move can catch you off guard. Always be ready to reposition.
• Heal Safely: Use Bind only when you’ve created distance. Healing mid-combat is risky without the Warding Bell Tool, which shields Hornet during Bind.

Bonus Tip: Equip the Straight Pin for ranged damage. It’sespecially useful when Skarrgard is recovering from a slam or burrowing.

🎁 Reward for Defeating Skarrgard

While Skarrgard doesn’t drop a specific item, defeating him unlocks full access to Hunter’s March, a rich biome filled with:

• Multiple Benches
• A vendor selling unique Tools
• A challenging boss fight on the right side of the zone (requires the Drifter’s Cloak from Far Fields)

This area also contains lore-heavy NPCs and environmental puzzlesthat deepen the game’s narrative and expand Hornet’s traversal options.

🧭 What’s Next After Hunter’s March?

Once you’ve cleared the Guardian, consider heading to:

• Far Fields – To acquire the Drifter’s Cloak, which allows Hornet to ride wind currents and reach new zones.
• Chapel of the Beast – A hidden sub-area within Hunter’s March that contains rare Tools and a miniboss encounter.

Skarrgard is a classic Silksong boss: deceptively simple,brutally punishing, and deeply satisfying to defeat. With the rightpreparation and a dash of patience, you’ll carve your way through theHunter’s March and unlock a whole new layer of Pharloom’s mysteries.

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