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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo cheese Groal the Great in Hollow Knight: Silksong, use one of the lower corners of the arena’s poison-water pool as cover. When Groal begins Poison Spit, jump out, pogo on its body, then drop back into the corner. This can keep you clear of many attacks, but it is not a guaranteed safe spot: Groal can close in, and projectiles may threaten the water’s edge.
How to use the poison-pool corner strategy
- Arrive with health to spare. Groal is at the top of Bilewater in Bilehaven, after an enemy gauntlet. Preserve health as you make your way through the approach; the fight begins after that gauntlet.
- Move to a lower corner of the pool. When Groal attacks, settle into the lower-left or lower-right corner of the poison water. Guides report that many of its attacks pass overhead or fail to reach this position.
- Wait for Poison Spit. Once Groal is occupied spitting, jump out of the water and pogo on its body several times.
- Return to cover and reassess. Drop back into the corner after the opening. Keep track of Groal’s position and move if it approaches or attacks near the edge; do not treat the corner as invulnerable.
The approach is described by the Silksong Wiki boss guide and independently by PC Gamer. PC Gamer’s claim that the tactic avoids “3/4ths” of Groal’s attacks is an estimate, not a measured success rate.
Why the corner helps—and what can still hit you
From the pool’s lower corners, many attacks are reported to travel above Hornet or miss the position. The opening to deal damage is not simply “stay in the water”: the cheese relies on waiting until Poison Spit leaves Groal occupied, then jumping out to attack.
The main risks are Groal’s body collision and attacks that reach close to the water. If it closes in or the corner is threatened, move rather than waiting in place. The available guides do not establish that this tactic is guaranteed across every game build, so a major gameplay update could change how reliably it works.
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Groal’s attacks and conventional counters
The Hollow Knight Wiki’s attack overview describes five waves before Groal appears, followed by attacks including arcing acid orbs, an inhale that tries to swallow Hornet, a swinging spike-ball hazard, summoned Stilkin, and a soul projectile attack in the second phase. The wiki cautions that some names used for these attacks are descriptive, non-canon labels rather than official in-game names.
- Great Inhale: A Voltvessel thrown into Groal’s mouth can interrupt the vacuum attack. The Hollow Knight Wiki also lists Pimpillo as an option.
- Poison Spit: Attack from above or pogo while Groal is committed to spitting. This is the key damage opening for the corner strategy.
- Other attacks: In a conventional fight, respond to each attack with its own dodge or counter instead of relying on the pool corner to avoid it.
Is defensive equipment required?
No. The corner-and-pogo tactic is described without Wreath of Purity, so the charm is optional rather than a requirement. The Hollow Knight Wiki says Wreath of Purity prevents Muckmaggot infestation; PC Gamer describes it as a buffer that breaks after enough contact. It may help defensively, but it does not make the corner strategy risk-free.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cheese strategy or conventional fight?
| Approach | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Pool-corner cheese | Use a lower corner to avoid many attacks, then pogo during Poison Spit. | Reduces exposure to many attacks, but Groal can still approach and close projectiles can threaten the edge. |
| Conventional counters | Dodge attacks individually and use counters such as a Voltvessel during Great Inhale. | Requires responding to Groal’s attack patterns rather than relying on one repeated position. |
Choose the corner tactic if you want to limit exposure and are comfortable watching for close approaches. Fight conventionally if the corner is being pressured or you prefer to answer each attack directly.
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