Hollow Knight: Silksong has plenty of areas that can test the patience of players in more ways than one, but Bilewater is easily near the top of the list for its incredibly hostile environments. Thankfully, once you’ve made it through Bilewater, there isn’t much incentive to go back aside from a few side quests, with defeating Graol setting you free from its rotten waste.
Bilewater’s traps and pools of Muckmaggots also make the time between each attempt incredibly frustrating, but unlocking a hidden bench will cut the time required by over half. Rather than suffering all the way from the Bell Beast fast-travel station, you can unlock a hidden bench in one of the lower caverns of Bilewater.
The Best Path For Groal’s Runback
Given the windup and annoying ranged attacks used by the inhabitants of Bilewater, your best bet is to focus on getting to Graol as fast as possible so they don’t have time to pile up on you, while slowing down during the pogo parkour at the halfway mark and final hallway just before the boss to avoid surprise attacks.
It’s also entirely possible to reach Groal without getting infected with Muckroaches, but the precise timing required and presence in the boss arena make the Wreath of Purity found in the Putrified Ducts a worthy investment. While it’s not the most useful tool outside of specific zones like Bilewater, the added layer of safety is more than a welcome addition, especially if you have an extra universal tool slot to spare.
When it comes to preparing for the fight itself, piercing tools that can hit multiple times, like the Threefold Pin, Conchcutter, and Sting Shard, are excellent choices for both regular enemies and Groal himself. Given Groal’s large size, you’ll be able to hit him several times with a single ranged tool or long-reaching attack, which is great when you need to keep distance during his heavy hitting moves.
How To Beat Groal The Great
One of the more frustrating aspects of Silksong’s Bilewater boss is the fact that the first half of the fight requires you to face off against waves of enemies prior to the fight. While you’ll already have encountered the majority of these enemies, using AoE-capable tools and the Thread Storm ability and a bit of patience can make quick work of this first phase.
Aside from the smaller enemies thrown at you during the fight, Groal’s encounter room also has several environmental hazards, like its maggot-filled water and swinging spike traps. Thankfully, the latter can easily be avoided by simply jumping above it or standing on or below the elevated platforms on either side of the room.
When it comes to actually beating Groal The Great himself, you’ll need to pay close attention to which attack type he’s preparing to use. The most easily avoided one involves spitting explosive acid blobs at you from a distance that act as a delayed explosive, but you can utilize the wide arcs to get in close and deal as much damage as possible in the meantime.
Defensive tools can go a long way when fighting Groal as well, with the Warding Bell’s temporary invulnerability when healing and the Plasmium Vial’s extra masks being great options.
The biggest hazard to the fight definitely comes from Groal’s large size and inhaling ability, making it essential not to be greedy for attacks and dash away if he stops launching projectiles at you for too long. While it’s an easy habit to quickly float away while jumping, it does make you more susceptible to being sucked in for extra damage while wasting the chance to counterattack or launch projectiles of your own.
Another great chance for damage is Groal’s spirit blast attack, which, while highly damaging on its own, can be easily avoided by guiding the attack into a more manageable position low to the ground so you can land some well-placed pogo attacks out of reach.