Part 22

Learn how to defeat Kratos in this special PSN exclusive boss fight in Shovel Knight Dig! This guide covers his attacks and strategies for all three phases.

Alright, welcome to Part 22! If you're on PS4, get ready for a special treat – a boss fight that's exclusive to the PlayStation Network. If you're not on PS4, you can totally skip this section, no biggie. For everyone else, let's dive in!

You're about to face Kratos, the God of War himself! Apparently, he's not too happy about us being here, and he's challenging us to a fight, even though we're unarmed. Yikes! But hey, we're Shovel Knight, we can handle this!

ENCOUNTER: KRATOS

Stats / Weaknesses

• Boss: Kratos
• Weak Point: Head (ideal for shovel-bouncing)
• Special Note: Kratos absorbs health orbs from background pots to heal.

Phases

1. Phase 1 & 2: Standard Arena Fight

   In these first two phases, you'll face Kratos in a relatively safe arena. He has two health bars here. While he looks tough, he's actually pretty slow, making him vulnerable to repeated shovel-bounces to the head. Be careful though, as he'll break pots in the background to absorb health orbs and heal himself. Try to conserve any healing items you have left, just in case.

2. Phase 3: Collapsing Pillars

   Once you deplete his second health bar, the ground gives way, and you'll enter the third and final phase! This is where things get truly epic. The arena starts to crumble, with pillars falling around you. You'll need to constantly jump upwards to higher pillars to avoid falling to your death below. Thankfully, your jump height is significantly increased in this phase, giving you more time to react. You get a brief grace period when pillars go off-screen, but don't get too comfortable – falling means instant death and failing the fight. Kratos can fall too, but he'll just reappear at the top.

Strategy

• General Approach: Stay slightly away from Kratos and be quick on your feet. Punish his attacks whenever possible.
• Blades of Chaos Combo: This is his standard three-hit sword attack. Because he always completes all three hits, you can often jump and bounce on his head twice during this combo. Be aware that he can turn around mid-combo, so attacking his head is safer than getting behind him.
• Olympic Ascension: If you're too close or approaching him head-on, he might use this. He swings his blades upward, launching you into the air. He'll then jump up and slam you across the screen, taking a big chunk of your health. Try to dodge this by staying mobile.
• Blade Whirlwind: This is one of his flashier moves. He leaps slightly and performs a whirlwind attack with his blades. It has good range, but the area directly above him is unguarded. This is a prime opportunity to get in a lot of shovel-bounces while he's spinning.
• Cestus Punch: Kratos pulls out some powerful fist weapons and dashes across the screen quickly to punch you. This is one of his faster moves, but with quick reflexes, you can dodge it and even get in some hits afterward.
• Conserve Health: Especially in the first two phases, try to play it safe and conserve any healing items you might have. You'll need them for the final, more challenging phase.

Feat Unlocked: After clearing this area, you should earn the