The Tool Desk
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Where to find Nyleth
Nyleth appears in a memory at a hidden shrine in Grand Gate during The Old Hearts wish. Nintendo Life places the hidden passage west of the Underworks; PC Gamer describes the Heart of the Woods route through the left side of the Grand Gate lift shaft. At the shrine, play Elegy of the Deep to begin the memory encounter.
Those route descriptions do not establish one universal prerequisite chain. PC Gamer places Nyleth alongside Shrine Guardian Seth in the Heart of the Woods objective, but that does not mean every ability needed to traverse the broader area is necessarily required to enter Nyleth’s fight.
What to expect in the fight
Hollow Knight Wiki lists Nyleth at 1,250 HP. Its encounter description divides the battle into two phases, with the transition at 875 HP. Use the attack tells to keep room to move rather than staying close to Nyleth without an escape route.
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Phase one: learn the attack patterns
Nyleth uses pollen projectile waves, a large pollen explosion, thorn balls, and close-range Petal Blades, as well as movement and contact attacks. Watch for the attack cue, then prioritize getting clear of the danger area. If you remain near the boss, be ready to disengage when Petal Blades threaten the space around Hornet.
Phase two: avoid the floor
At 875 HP, Nyleth pauses and destroys the floor. The arena becomes taller, with thorns covering the bottom, so switch to wall-based movement and cling to a safe section of wall. In this phase Nyleth moves up and down the wall and adds two more Thorn Balls after the first three.
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Touching the thorn vines displaces Hornet to a temporary platform that soon disappears. Treat that platform as a brief recovery point, not a safe place to wait. Reposition to the wall before it gives way.
Choose a strategy that fits your tools
The following options are suggestions from Hollow Knight Wiki’s strategy guidance, not guarantees or a universally best build. Pick according to the tools you have unlocked and how comfortably you can manage wall movement.
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Wall control for a steadier approach
Ascendant’s Grip is suggested for maintaining a wall position while aiming tools. This can make the second phase more manageable by reducing unnecessary movement near the thorn-covered floor. Spear-form Volt Vessels are another suggested option against a boss that clings to walls.
Mobility for escapes and repositioning
Clawline is suggested for closing distance or escaping Pollen Screech. It suits a more mobile approach, but frequent movement still needs to account for the floor hazard and temporary platform in phase two.
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- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Damage options and Silk trade-offs
The strategy page also names Cogfly, Conchcutter, Pimpillo, and Silkshot as possible tools, and recommends Thread Storm as a damage option against a large, often stationary target. These are alternatives rather than a required loadout. The same guidance cautions that spending Silk aggressively can leave less flexibility for healing, so weigh damage output against the Silk you may need to recover.
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Defeating Nyleth grants the Pollen Heart. Nintendo Life lists Nyleth among the Old Hearts encounters at Grand Gate; PC Gamer situates the fight within the Heart of the Woods objective.
Quick Recap
Sources and scope
- Hollow Knight Wiki: Nyleth — encounter values, attacks, phase change, and strategy suggestions. The listed HP and mechanics are community-reference details and may not describe every game version.
- Nintendo Life: boss list — shrine route and Pollen Heart reward.
- PC Gamer: Heart of the Woods route — route through Grand Gate’s lift shaft and objective context.
- Team Cherry — official game site; it describes Silksong as a hand-crafted 2D adventure starring Hornet.
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