When you finally get to explore the Shellwood in Hollow Knight: Silksong, you will be greeted with some challenges that test your patience, such as some tricky flowery platforming sequences and common enemies that can easily defeat you if you’re not paying attention.
And there is a hidden boss around here that pretty much sums up the idea of having sharpened patience up to this point, the Sister Splinter.
You suddenly find the boss in the highest area of Shellwood and get practically stuck with it until you manage to defeat it – that is, if you value your Rosaries, since Hornet’s silk cocoon gets trapped inside the battle arena.
So, since you are reading this, I assume that you came here looking for a little hope of beating Sister Splinter, and fear not! We are here to help you with a foolproof guide, so let’s do this.
How To Find Sister Splinter & Best Prepare
The Sister Splinter is located on the top of the map of Shellwood, above the central area of the biome, and near the highest entrance to Bellhart.
You can reach there after activating the lift that leads to the main Bench of this place – which also leaves a nice path from the Bench to the boss to try defeating it multiple times if you are having a hard time.
From the Bench, you go up with the lift and head right. Simply follow the path until you have two options: right up to Bellhart or left throughout some platforms. Take the second route, jumping over the white flowers (hit them to get a little bounce) and keep running left.
You will know you have found the boss arena when some spiked vines appear blocking your way out of here – and soon the Sister Splinter will appear to greet you with a warm welcome.
For this fight, my only recommendation is to make sure you have unlocked and mastered the Swift Step ability (found in the Deep Docks area). However, since you are already exploring Shellwood, and dash is basically a requirement to have reached so far, you probably have it.
So I hope you already know how to use it properly to avoid quick enemy attacks.
How To Beat Sister Splinter
Phase One
The Sister Splinter may be scary at first, but the battle can be quite simple if you do not let the environment and her summoned minions get in your way.
Basically, the boss only has one move, which consists of three pounds on the ground with its hands – and that is repeated from beginning to end, increasing only in intensity and quantity (not velocity), which is excellent news.
With that in mind, the Sister Splinter immediately starts attacking you (with three sequential pounds) as soon as the first phase begins. These attacks actually follow Hornet, so always keep moving and use dash whenever necessary to avoid getting hit.
While dodging, jump to hit her at least two or three times every time you have the chance – the idea here is to be aggressive to make it quick; otherwise, you are going to have a bad time.
After her first attacks, she will disappear to summon some spiked vines to limit your movements in the battle arena, so immediately hit them to break them. You can also stay near the nearest spiked vine to make the boss break it herself with her own pounds.
Repeat that until the Sister Splinter starts screaming and falls on the ground – quickly use dash to get out from under her, or you will take damage. Now, you are entering Phase Two.
Phase Two
After she gets up and disappears once again, she will summon two common enemies from both sides. You can predict where they will appear (some dust on the ceiling starts appearing), so quickly position yourself under one of them and jump to attack as soon as they are summoned.
These minions need three attacks to be defeated, and your best bet is to deal with one first and then head to the other one – do not let them corner you!
As soon as you beat them, the Sister Splinter will reappear with more triple pounds and spiked vines to complicate your life. She will intensify the quantity of her strategies, but her agility is pretty much the same, so repeat what you did in the first phase.
Just remember: do not waste any opportunity of hitting her! While dodging her arms, you need to always attack her two or three times. She will scream and fall on the ground again before entering the third and final phase of this battle.
Phase Three
The Sister Splinter is going to be a little more ambitious this time and summon minions and spiked vines at the same time, while she is still pounding around. So get your dash and attention ready.
Get rid of the minion as soon as he enters the arena, keeping an eye on her movements (use dash whenever necessary to escape her arms). Now is the perfect time to make her destroy her own vines, since you need to pay attention to more than one threat.
Your strategy here is basically the same as before, but all at the same time. Again, do not get yourself cornered by any of her minions or spiked vines, or you are going to get Hornet killed.
Overall, this boss is not tricky if you get rid of the obstacles between you and her first – and then, focus on dealing with her damage.
Rewards For Defeating Sister Splinter
Many bosses from Hollow Knight: Silksong do not have immediate rewards after defeating them, other than granting you access to a new area or simply giving you that marvelous, rewarding feeling inside your heart.
And the Sister Splinter is basically this same case. After dealing with her, you can access the upper section of Shellwood, which eventually leads you to unlock the Cling Grip ability – whose utility is to grab and climb walls (so a super important one!).
