8 hours ago
The world of Hollow Knight: Silksong is filled with relentless foes, but few inspire as much dread and respect as Lace. Ever since her first appearance in Deep Docks, she has served as Hornet's recurring rival, growing stronger with each encounter. Just when you think you've seen the last of her, she returns in The Cradle—the final stretch of the main story—with a ferocity that will test every ounce of your skill. This guide will walk you through locating this elusive boss and, more importantly, surviving her blistering assault.
Where to Find Lace in The Cradle
After defeating Lace in Deep Docks, many players assume her story is over. They couldn't be more wrong. To face her again, Hornet must push deep into the Citadel, navigating the treacherous Choral Chambers and overcoming the Cogwork Dancers at the very top. This victory opens three new objectives, each requiring you to retrieve a melody from a different corner of the Citadel. Once all three melodies are in hand, return to the arena where you fought the Cogwork Dancers and play them to activate the surrounding statues. This ancient mechanism awakens a giant elevator. Ride it to the top, and you'll step directly into Lace's waiting blade.
![[Image: 6a976a42c988e83036a8eba38tw3jHmD07]](https://seogc.fp.ps.netease.com/file/6a976a42c988e83036a8eba38tw3jHmD07)
How to Beat Lace in The Cradle
Most boss fights in Silksong reward patience—wait for an opening, strike, retreat. Lace shatters that rhythm. She is a whirlwind of needles and motion, and if you try to wait out her combos, you'll be dead before you can blink. Her attacks chain together with barely a second between them, and she has a nasty parry mechanic that punishes idle aggression. The key is to learn her tells, stay mobile, and weave your own attacks into the narrow gaps of her offense.
Here's a breakdown of every attack in her arsenal:
Attack
Wind-Up Tells & Description
Suggested Counters
Slash Attack
Lace charges her needle, barely visible in her hand. She then swings it three times while advancing.
Move backwards if you have space, or jump and land a downward strike on her.
Jump Attack
She bends down with her needle near the ground, then leaps diagonally and dashes toward your position.
Wait for her to jump, then walk toward her. If far, dash to her. She may dash backwards if near a boundary.
Dash Attack
Lace holds her needle horizontally straight before dashing through the arena, dealing double damage.
Jump over her, and time a downward strike for extra damage.
Parry Counter
When idle, she may parry your attack, triggering an AoE from the ground or after a jump.
Avoid attacking an idle Lace. If you trigger a parry, jump immediately to dodge both AoE variants.
AoE Attack
Only in the final phase, she takes the Jump Attack stance while laughing, then creates a giant circle at your location, slams the ground, and stays briefly.
Exit the circle and wait. Since it happens twice, move far from the first circle to avoid the second.
The fight unfolds across three distinct phases, each marked by a roar. Sometimes a stun can overlap with the roar, so always expect new attacks whenever she is stunned. Here's what to anticipate:
Phase
Approximate Health Left
Changes From Last Phase
1
100%
Starts with the first four attacks.
2
60%
Jump and Dash attacks are buffed; gaps between attacks shrink.
3
20%
Unlocks the AoE Attack.
In phase two, her Jump Attack now spawns three rings that explode simultaneously with her dash, severely limiting your movement. Her Dash Attack can also chain up to three back-and-forth dashes instead of one. These buffs make the arena feel even more claustrophobic, especially since the field has gaps on each side—no wall clinging, no free movement.
![[Image: 6ab31900f11352dfc43d341csQcygbJB07]](https://seogc.fp.ps.netease.com/file/6ab31900f11352dfc43d341csQcygbJB07)
Despite her relatively low HP compared to other late-game bosses, Lace remains the toughest battle due to the sheer agility required. Every action—attacking, healing—must happen mid-combo. The Jump Attack offers one of the best windows for a couple of hits. For healing, wait for the Dash Attack, jump as soon as she readies up, and immediately bind. This gives you enough time to finish the heal before her next move. You can also bait her parry: when she enters the stance after an attack, wait for it to end, then land a few hits before she recovers.
![[Image: 6ab3190d769e07a2d29a121bKp9aCXXP07]](https://seogc.fp.ps.netease.com/file/6ab3190d769e07a2d29a121bKp9aCXXP07)
With practice, Lace's dance becomes predictable. Stay aggressive, respect her parry, and never stop moving. The Cradle may be the final challenge, but Hornet has faced worse. Victory awaits those who can match Lace's pace—and surpass it. ?⚔️
That same mindset—learning a moveset, dying a few times, and coming back sharper—is what keeps this genre so rewarding, and it's also why players tend to build up a long wishlist of similar titles. If you find yourself wanting to chase that next difficult boss without paying full price, knowing where to buy cheap games makes it far easier to keep the backlog stocked.
DealNest gathers current discounts and key offers in one place, so instead of bouncing between storefronts you can compare prices and pick up the games that match the kind of challenge you just conquered. When the next patch or DLC drops, having a reliable source for deals means you can jump back in without waiting for a major sale.
Where to Find Lace in The Cradle
After defeating Lace in Deep Docks, many players assume her story is over. They couldn't be more wrong. To face her again, Hornet must push deep into the Citadel, navigating the treacherous Choral Chambers and overcoming the Cogwork Dancers at the very top. This victory opens three new objectives, each requiring you to retrieve a melody from a different corner of the Citadel. Once all three melodies are in hand, return to the arena where you fought the Cogwork Dancers and play them to activate the surrounding statues. This ancient mechanism awakens a giant elevator. Ride it to the top, and you'll step directly into Lace's waiting blade.
How to Beat Lace in The Cradle
Most boss fights in Silksong reward patience—wait for an opening, strike, retreat. Lace shatters that rhythm. She is a whirlwind of needles and motion, and if you try to wait out her combos, you'll be dead before you can blink. Her attacks chain together with barely a second between them, and she has a nasty parry mechanic that punishes idle aggression. The key is to learn her tells, stay mobile, and weave your own attacks into the narrow gaps of her offense.
Here's a breakdown of every attack in her arsenal:
Attack
Wind-Up Tells & Description
Suggested Counters
Slash Attack
Lace charges her needle, barely visible in her hand. She then swings it three times while advancing.
Move backwards if you have space, or jump and land a downward strike on her.
Jump Attack
She bends down with her needle near the ground, then leaps diagonally and dashes toward your position.
Wait for her to jump, then walk toward her. If far, dash to her. She may dash backwards if near a boundary.
Dash Attack
Lace holds her needle horizontally straight before dashing through the arena, dealing double damage.
Jump over her, and time a downward strike for extra damage.
Parry Counter
When idle, she may parry your attack, triggering an AoE from the ground or after a jump.
Avoid attacking an idle Lace. If you trigger a parry, jump immediately to dodge both AoE variants.
AoE Attack
Only in the final phase, she takes the Jump Attack stance while laughing, then creates a giant circle at your location, slams the ground, and stays briefly.
Exit the circle and wait. Since it happens twice, move far from the first circle to avoid the second.
The fight unfolds across three distinct phases, each marked by a roar. Sometimes a stun can overlap with the roar, so always expect new attacks whenever she is stunned. Here's what to anticipate:
Phase
Approximate Health Left
Changes From Last Phase
1
100%
Starts with the first four attacks.
2
60%
Jump and Dash attacks are buffed; gaps between attacks shrink.
3
20%
Unlocks the AoE Attack.
In phase two, her Jump Attack now spawns three rings that explode simultaneously with her dash, severely limiting your movement. Her Dash Attack can also chain up to three back-and-forth dashes instead of one. These buffs make the arena feel even more claustrophobic, especially since the field has gaps on each side—no wall clinging, no free movement.
Despite her relatively low HP compared to other late-game bosses, Lace remains the toughest battle due to the sheer agility required. Every action—attacking, healing—must happen mid-combo. The Jump Attack offers one of the best windows for a couple of hits. For healing, wait for the Dash Attack, jump as soon as she readies up, and immediately bind. This gives you enough time to finish the heal before her next move. You can also bait her parry: when she enters the stance after an attack, wait for it to end, then land a few hits before she recovers.
With practice, Lace's dance becomes predictable. Stay aggressive, respect her parry, and never stop moving. The Cradle may be the final challenge, but Hornet has faced worse. Victory awaits those who can match Lace's pace—and surpass it. ?⚔️
That same mindset—learning a moveset, dying a few times, and coming back sharper—is what keeps this genre so rewarding, and it's also why players tend to build up a long wishlist of similar titles. If you find yourself wanting to chase that next difficult boss without paying full price, knowing where to buy cheap games makes it far easier to keep the backlog stocked.
DealNest gathers current discounts and key offers in one place, so instead of bouncing between storefronts you can compare prices and pick up the games that match the kind of challenge you just conquered. When the next patch or DLC drops, having a reliable source for deals means you can jump back in without waiting for a major sale.