The new Knell boss in Deepwoken is honestly one of the coolest fights the game has added in a long time. Between the arena design, the bell-based attacks, the soundtrack, and the weird chaotic animations, the entire fight feels completely different from most bosses in Deepwoken.
But at the same time, this boss can absolutely destroy you if you panic.
The biggest issue with Knell is not necessarily raw difficulty. It’s visual overload. There are bells flying everywhere, delayed attacks, strange telegraphs, posture pressure, insanity buildup, and move stacking happening constantly.
Once you understand what each attack actually wants you to do, though, the fight becomes way more manageable.
How to Start the Knell Boss Fight
To interact with Knell, you apparently need:
- A Bell (Resonance)
- Or very high Resonance progress
After reaching the island of Symphoria and following the bell sounds deeper into the area, you’ll eventually find Knell inside his arena surrounded by piles of ruined bells.
Once dialogue starts, the fight begins immediately.
The Biggest Mistake Players Make
Most players try to play aggressively too early.
That gets them killed fast.
Knell’s animations are intentionally chaotic. Even his idle stance constantly jerks around and throws visual clutter across the screen.
Instead of trying to predict attacks, react carefully and prioritize defense first.
This fight rewards patience way more than aggression.
Understanding Knell’s Bell Effects
One thing that confuses new players is the falling bell visuals.
Almost every attack causes bells to rain around the screen, but most of those are just visual effects and not actual hitboxes.
The problem is they make reading real attacks much harder.
The best thing you can do is focus on:
- Telegraph colors
- Audio cues
- Arm movements
- Timing patterns
Trying to watch the entire screen usually makes the fight harder.
Bell Slam Attacks
These are Knell’s main basic attacks.
Fast Bell Slam
- Comes down quickly
- Best countered with parry
- Can also be dodged
Delayed Bell Slam
- Knell raises both arms first
- Slight delay before impact
- Easier to mistime if you panic
Important Tip
You really want to parry these whenever possible instead of only dodging.
Why?
Because Knell constantly pressures your posture, and successful parries help stabilize the fight.
The Blue Bell Ring Attack
This is probably the most hated move in the fight.
When Knell triggers the blue telegraph Bell Ring:
- Hold block immediately
- Stay close to him
- Accept the posture damage
Trying to run away usually makes things worse because he can repeat the attack and force guard breaks.
This attack is basically unavoidable posture pressure.
If your posture is already high before this move happens, you’re probably getting punished hard.
Slash Barrage Combo
This attack looks messy because the animation is weird and blends into all the visual effects.
Technically:
- Every hit can be parried
- But it’s extremely inconsistent visually
Most players handle it by:
- Parrying the early hits
- Dodge canceling near the end
Trying to fully parry the entire combo consistently is honestly pretty difficult during real fights.
Knell’s Grab Attack
This move is dangerous mainly because of insanity buildup.
How It Works
- Green telegraph
- Large leap forward
- Grab attack on hit
The raw damage isn’t even the scariest part.
The real issue is:
- Massive insanity buildup
- Potential stun setups
- Follow-up combo danger
If insanity procs during later attacks, things can spiral out of control fast.
Always stay ready for this leap.
The Jump-Only Slam
This move catches people constantly because instinct tells players to dodge or parry.
Wrong answer.
The correct counter is:
- Jump over it
That’s it.
The telegraph looks similar to another move later in the fight, which makes it confusing at first.
But once you recognize it, this becomes one of the easier mechanics.
Phase 2 Changes
At around half HP, Knell enters Phase 2.
The boss keeps most earlier mechanics but gains several extremely dangerous new attacks.
This is where the fight gets significantly deadlier.
Pin Bell Attack
Knell summons multiple bell pins that:
- Can be parried
- Stay on the ground briefly
- Create dangerous collision zones
The damage is surprisingly high if several hits connect.
Important Warning
The pins themselves are not the only danger.
Knell can begin stacking another attack while the pins are still active, which creates extremely chaotic situations.
Avoid getting trapped between the pin hitboxes.
White Telegraph Spin Attack
This move confuses many players.
When Knell spins with falling bells around him:
Do NOT jump
Instead:
- Stand still inside the radius
- Or fully leave the range
This mechanic works similarly to certain Lord Regent-style attacks where movement is actually the mistake.
A lot of players accidentally mix this move up with the jumpable slam attack because the telegraphs look similar.
The Unblockable Bell Throw
This is probably Knell’s hardest-hitting move.
He launches a giant bell projectile directly at the player.
Counterplay
- Dodge with timing
- Or sidestep completely
If it lands:
- Huge damage
- Hard knockdown
- Often removes half your HP
This attack becomes terrifying when combined with pin collision zones or move stacking.
Never tunnel vision during Phase 2.
Best Strategy for Beating Knell
The safest overall approach is:
Prioritize Defense First
- Keep posture low
- Parry basic attacks
- Stay calm during visual clutter
Don’t Panic Roll Everything
Many attacks are designed around specific counters:
- Some require blocking
- Some require jumping
- Some require standing still
- Some require dodging
Recognizing the correct response matters more than pure reaction speed.
Watch For Move Stacking
This is what kills most players.
Knell frequently chains attacks together while previous effects are still active.
The arena can become chaotic very quickly if you lose positioning.
Knell Rewards
Defeating Knell gives access to:
- Exclusive weapons
- Unique outfits
- Bell-themed cosmetics
- Materials for future summons
After your first kill, Knell no longer respawns automatically.
To fight him again, you’ll need to use the Idol of Yun’Shul near the arena.
Knell is honestly one of Deepwoken’s most creative bosses mechanically and visually.
The fight definitely has readability issues sometimes, especially with all the overlapping effects and strange animations, but the atmosphere and design work are genuinely impressive.
Once you stop trying to brute force the fight and start reacting carefully to each mechanic, the boss becomes much more consistent.
The main thing to remember is simple:
- Keep posture low
- Respect the Bell Ring
- Learn which attacks need jumping
- Don’t get trapped by pins
- Stay calm during visual clutter
That alone makes the fight dramatically easier.