October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run ScanOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
VGSources
Blog

How to Defeat Phantom in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Wait out Phantom’s longpin guard, dodge its pin throws and marked slams, and punish short recovery windows. Find the fight in the Exhaust Organ in Bilewater.
WorldHollow Knight: Silksong Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

To defeat Phantom, wait out its longpin guard, dodge the pin throws and dash, then take short hits during recovery. Dash clear of the marked slam, and focus on evasion during the five rapid slams near the end. After the final exchange, use the finishing prompt. Phantom is in the Exhaust Organ in Bilewater and drops the Cross Stitch ability.

Where to find Phantom and what you get

Phantom is encountered in the Exhaust Organ in Bilewater. One route approaches from Sinner’s Road through the western part of the Mist; this route can lead into Act 2 without first fighting the Last Judge, according to Nintendo Life’s boss and progression guide. Phantom is therefore optional for that progression route, rather than a universal Act 1 requirement.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Defeating Phantom grants Cross Stitch. The Exhaust Organ also stops functioning after the fight, changing steam hazards in parts of the Underworks and Bilewater, as described by the Hollow Knight Wiki’s Phantom entry.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

How to handle Phantom’s attacks

Longpin guard

When Phantom holds the longpin defensively, stop attacking and wait for the guard to end. Hitting into it can trigger a fast multi-hit counter. Use this pause to reposition rather than trying to force damage.

#1 Best Overall
Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
  • Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
  • Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
  • Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
  • Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
  • Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!

Pin throws and dash

After a horizontal or aerial pin throw, avoid the projectile and watch for Phantom’s dash toward it. Jump over the dash, or move underneath when your spacing allows. A pogo can deal damage during the maneuver, but only take it when Phantom’s position makes the landing safe.

Quick jabs

Phantom can make three quick forward jabs. Avoid standing directly in front of the sequence; wait for the attack to pass before taking a brief opening. Attack names vary between guides and are not necessarily official move names; the practical cues are the movement and timing.

Rank #2
Hollow Knight: Silksong | Standard Edition | Xbox Digital
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure.
  • Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.

Marked slam

A light column marks the area Phantom is about to strike. Dash out of that column as soon as it appears. The recovery afterward can provide a chance for a short attack, healing, or setting a trap, depending on your resources and position.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Five rapid slams near the end

Later in the fight, Phantom performs five rapid slams. Keep moving to evade the sequence until all five are finished; trying to heal or attack during it is risky. Take the next opening only after the last slam has passed.

Rank #3
Hollow Knight (Nintendo Switch)
  • Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
  • Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
  • Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities.
  • Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
  • 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 favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..

Turn openings into a safe win

  1. Wait out the guard. Do not strike Phantom while the longpin is held defensively.
  2. Dodge first, punish second. Avoid the pin and dash, then land a brief hit or a safe pogo during recovery.
  3. Clear the slam marker. Dash out of the light column, then use the recovery window if it is safe.
  4. Prioritize survival in the late sequence. Evade all five rapid slams before resuming attacks or healing.
  5. Finish when prompted. After the final exchange, the game presents a parry/skill prompt to end the encounter.

These counters align with the practical advice in the Silksong Wiki Phantom Boss Guide and the Hollow Knight Wiki’s account of Phantom’s attacks.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Should you fight Phantom before the Last Judge?

The sources describe two routes into Act 2: the Mist/Sinner’s Road approach that reaches Phantom, and a route involving the Last Judge. Choose based on whether you want Cross Stitch and which boss you would rather face first. The available route descriptions do not establish a reliable difficulty ranking, so there is no evidence-based answer that one route is easier.

Rank #4
Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
  • Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
  • Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
  • 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.

Move lists and walkthrough claims are not fully consistent across community guides. In particular, the claims of invisibility, orbs, and clones in the Silksong.codes Exhaust Organ walkthrough conflict with the Phantom fight described by the Hollow Knight Wiki, so they are not a sound basis for planning this encounter.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 3
Hollow Knight (Nintendo Switch)
Hollow Knight (Nintendo Switch)
Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
$38.49
Bestseller No. 4
Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
$14.99

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More quests from Patch Notes

  1. How to Set Up a RedM (RDR2) Server in 2026: License Key, txAdmin and server.cfg, Step by StepBlog11min
  2. Best RedM (RDR2) Server Hosting in 2026: Comparing Four Hosts on Slots, Memory and PriceBlog10min
  3. How to Host a Mindustry Server in 2026: server-release.jar, Port 6567 and the Commands That MatterBlog7min
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.