Silksong has over 40 bosses, and not every one of them must be battled — at least, not every single one of the optional ones are among the most difficult in the game. Savage Beastfly is one of them. It was found reasonably early on, and this fight takes your patience, movement, and aim, and it’s a tough but rewarding fight.
This guide covers where to find the Savage Beastfly, how to prepare for the fight, strategies for handling its moveset, and the unique reward you’ll gain for victory.
Where to Find the Savage Beastfly
It is here, towards the far right of Hunter’s March, that you can find the Savage Beastfly. To access it, you must first slay the Skarrguard in The Marrow above the gaol building of Grindle. Continue through Hunter’s March, through Skarr Ant enemy gauntlets, spike-trap platforming areas, and various traps until you reach the Chapel.
Although this boss is not needed at all, the reward that comes with it makes the fight worthwhile. If you think it’s too much for you, you can shell mark the Chapel on your map and return later when you’re healthier, have a better needle, and more skills at your disposal.
Closest Bench and Runback
There is a bench close to you at the top of the high room where the air vent is located in Hunter’s March. You discover this bench initially trapped, but you can disable the trap by proceeding through the hidden room on its left and flipping a lever backward. After activating, it is a secure checkpoint prior to reaching the Chapel.
From there, the quickest route involves falling back into the air vent chamber, gliding with the Drifter’s Cloak through the lower-right entrance, then taking a quick sprint down a long hallway by using Swift Step to evade ambush by a Skarr. Continue upwards in the air vent to find the Chapel entrance.
Boss Fight Overview
The fight against Savage Beastfly unfolds in two stages.
- Phase One: The boss alternates between low ground charges and targeted aerial charges that track the altitude of Hornet.
- Phase Two: Upon having taken enough damage, the Beastfly bellows, summoning flying and ground minions. It also gets a lethal Triple Slam attack, impacting three consecutive times.
The field isn’t that big, so players must handle boss and summons carefully together. Healing is limited, but following a Low Charge there is generally long enough of a wait to safely bind.
One of the sneaky tactics is to let the Beastfly’s own Triple Slam backfire. By standing in a way that its minions are covered by the slams, the boss will kill its own minions, giving you room.
The best damage windows are at the Triple Slam, the charged aerial charge, and the roar animation. With precise timing, you can land multiple hits before backing out to safety.
Attacks and Counters
Savage Beastfly’s attack is fast but has a setup once you learn the tells:
Low Charge: The boss gets down to the ground, then attempts an across dash. Just jump over and punish as it passes.
- Targeted Charge: The Beastfly charges a short distance, leading on your level before dashing. Lead it slightly above you, then slash as it over shoots.
- Triple Slam: A Phase Two attack in which it hovers above and slams three times. Swift Step to avoid each slam, then strike during its brief recovery.
- Roar and Summon: The boss pauses to call in reinforcements, leaving a moment of opportunity to strike. Look up at the ceiling as cages fall, and avoid the reinforcements as they arrive.
Reward for Victory
Defeating the Savage Beastfly rewards Beast Crest, one of three unique Crests connected to the Chapel bosses in Silksong. Crests change Hornet’s moveset and remap the slots accessible for Tool and skill equipping.
The Beast Crest is distinct in that it has aggressive utility. While it offers fewer Tool slots than all but a few Crests, it remakes Hornet’s Bind ability. Instead of simply recovering HP, Binding puts Hornet into a rage mode in which her attacks give bonus damage and recover HP per hit. Her moveset is also altered in some ways, trading in her needle slash for a claw swipe and shifting her downward strike to a horizontal spin slash.
