The air is thick with the unsettling presence of bugs, caught in an agonizing stasis that sets the tone for your next challenge. As the protagonist, it is your mission to confront and eliminate the mastermind pulling the strings – quite literally!
High above in the shadows looms The Widow, a formidable opponent whose battle will push your skills to the limits. This encounter is not just a test of strength but also an exciting opportunity to refine your tactics. So, sharpen your needle, gather your tools, and prepare for a life-or-death struggle.
Locating The Widow
Your quest to face this boss begins with navigating through the Shellwood, where you must acquire the Cling Grip ability after besting Sister Splinter. This ability will grant you the power to scale walls effectively.
After the boss encounter, continue your journey eastward into Upper Bellhart, where a labyrinth of tunnels awaits. Proceed south until you reach a fork in your path.
One route veers left through a lengthy corridor.This is the ideal location to set your respawn point. A bench lies just to the west of this corridor, enabling swift access back to the boss’s chamber.
The alternative path leads you straight into the heart of the boss’s lair.
Strategies for the Battle
Prior to engaging in battle, it is highly advisable to equip the Crest of the Wanderer. While I initially attempted the fight with the Crest of the Reaper, the sluggish attacks were not effective. The Crest of the Wanderer provides significantly quicker attacks, akin to utilizing the Quick Slash charm from Hollow Knight.
Moreover, increase your health by acquiring at least six masks before the fight; many of The Widow’s attacks can inflict damage equivalent to two masks.
Your choice of tools is vital, but mastering your movement is paramount.Charms and tools will be of no use if you cannot evade effectively.
Understanding The Widow’s Moveset
Phase 1
This initial phase presents ample opportunities to inflict damage. When The Widow pulls on the threads to summon bells from above, seize that moment as it occurs frequently.
Additionally, if she dashes across the floor to perform spike summons or her slash attack, you can strike her while she’s vulnerable beneath you. Though it’s only a single hit, every contribution adds up.
Keep in mind that the bells will bounce before disappearing, providing another avenue to damage her by performing a bounce attack.
Finally, during moments when she becomes dazed on the ground, unleash as many strikes as possible. This is an excellent time to exploit the benefits of the Crest of the Wanderer.
|
Attack Name |
Description |
How To Avoid |
|---|---|---|
|
Thread Pull |
The Widow pulls a thread, sending a bell crashing towards you, either vertically or diagonally. |
Stand in the golden thread momentarily before the bell descends. Use this time to attack and quickly dash aside when the bell appears. |
|
Ground Spikes |
The boss will sprint along the stage and summon spikes in her wake. Watch for the threads to predict where they will emerge. |
Utilize a jump with your glide ability to stay airborne, or perform a down attack to pogo off the spikes. |
|
Slice and Dice |
She will suspend in midair momentarily before executing a diagonal slash towards you, followed by claw strikes that can deal two masks of damage. Timing your parry can reduce this to one mask. |
Dodge to the side during her air attack, and then jump over her as she approaches. |
|
Bell Shower |
After her initial defeat in this phase, The Widow will summon multiple bells to fall simultaneously. This attack may occur at any point in the arena. |
Simply dash aside to avoid this move, as you won’t be able to inflict damage during the summon. |
Phase 2
In Phase 2, while The Widow’s attack repertoire does not change, her assault becomes faster and more chaotic. Make sure to heal during transitions, as it’s common to suffer significant damage. Avoiding all her attacks becomes increasingly challenging, and opportunities to recover health are scarce.
At the start of this phase, launching a few spike traps can yield easy damage.
The tempo of her attacks increases with the following changes:
- The Thread Pull can now occur twice in rapid succession, sending multiple bells hurtling diagonally towards you.
- The cross-room slash attack has minimal telegraphing, requiring you to predict her moves closely.
- Bells will fall much quicker during the Bell Shower, and her shout announcing the attack is much shorter.
Rewards for Victory
Upon successfully defeating The Widow in Phase 2, activate your bind ability on her to enter a surreal platforming section, leading you to the reward.
Ascend to obtain the Needolin ability, which allows you to play your needle like a violin (a clever pun!) and unlocks certain doors across the game world. You’ll need this ability later to access a significant bell door before the Judge Fight.
Additionally, freeing the city of Bellhart transforms it into a charming town full of helpful shops and resources.
- A new Wish Board becomes available for completing nearby tasks.
- Shops selling trinkets and useful items open up in the vibrant town.
- You can trade relics for a valuable collection of rosary beads.
- Lastly, visit the highest shop to enhance your needle, increasing its damage output. Generally, enemies that previously required four hits will now be vanquished in three.
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