I still remember the first time I faced the Last Judge in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was 2026, and I thought I was ready. But that runback? That endless platforming gauntlet filled with sandworms and bell pogos? It nearly made me quit. Have you ever spent more time dying on the way to a boss than actually fighting it? If so, you know exactly what I mean. The Last Judge is the grand finale of Act 1, and it's a wall. But with the right approach, that wall crumbles.

The Runback: My 30-Second Sprint

The most intimidating part isn't the boss—it's getting there. I used to fight every enemy, losing health and patience. Then I optimized. Here's what I do now:

• Keep moving. Dash and jump across the first sandworm gaps. Don't stop to fight.

• Leap left, wall jump up. After a couple of platforms, don't go right immediately. Go left and wall jump to skip tricky sections.

• Pogo the bell. I use the Wanderer crest for easy pogo jumps. Run, jump, dash, and float over the next gap to avoid an enemy.

• Wall jump, pogo, repeat. Hit the far wall, wall jump up, move left for another pogo. Then jump, float, dash to the final platform.

With practice, I can do this in roughly 30 seconds without fighting a single enemy. 🏃‍♂️💨

The Fight: Aggression and Preparation

For the Last Judge, I found the Wanderer crest to be the best. You can find it in the far left of Bone Bottom, but you'll need to go through the Wormways. It lets me land fast, constant hits. The other must-have is the Magma Bell, sold by the smith in Deep Docks. It reduces fire damage, which is huge because the Last Judge loves flames. For other slots, I recommend anything that makes you faster or gives extra masks—some of its attacks block tools, so flasks are safe.

Phase 1: Dash Toward Danger

Who says you have to play defense? The first phase is surprisingly forgiving. I dash toward the Last Judge to score hits. The easiest opening is when it leaps and slams the ground. I also dodge toward it when it throws its flail, then leap backward as the flail is pulled in. The spin attack? With the Wanderer crest, I can parry it, but if I'm not confident, I back away. The key is constant pressure.

Phase 2: Fire and Flames

Then the fire comes. The Last Judge's second phase adds flame waves, flame pillars, and explosive flail attacks. Here's how I handle each:

I still play aggressively, but I dial it back as the fight drags on. The phase transition is a free window for quick hits. 🔥⚔️

The Final Explosion: Run!

When the Last Judge falls, you'll see a flash freeze. The flail starts to hiss. Do not celebrate yet. I learned this the hard way. Immediately move as far away as you can. Once it explodes, you're safe to return. Trust me—getting blown up after a perfect fight is heartbreaking. 💥

So, is the Last Judge impossible? No. It just demands respect. Master the runback, bring the Wanderer crest and Magma Bell, stay aggressive but not greedy, and when that judge hits the ground, get the hell out of Dodge. You'll be surprised how manageable it becomes. And isn't that the best feeling in a Soulslike? 🛡️

Beating a boss like the Last Judge has a way of doing something unexpected: it makes you want more. The satisfaction of finally reading a moveset, dying a dozen times, and then dismantling it in under a minute is exactly why this genre keeps pulling players back. Before long you're eyeing the other Soulslikes you never finished, or the ones you skipped because the launch price felt steep for a game you weren't sure you'd survive.

That's where a little patience pays off. Rather than buying on impulse the moment a title catches your eye, it's worth seeing how the price has moved across storefronts and whether a sale is right around the corner. Sites like DealNest make that easy with a straightforward game price comparison that shows what's actually available right now, so you can pick up your next brutal challenge without overpaying for it. After all, the boss fight should be the hard part—not the shopping.