Infected Balloon

"Single cell of infection. Has a simple mind and can float using internal gasses. The infection creeping through the Kingdom's dead veins... does it have a mind? Does it produce soul? Is it truly alive?"

Infected Balloons are enemies in Hollow Knight. They are single cells of Infection consisting of pus and light gasses.

Behaviour and Tactics
Spawns out of thin air, often catching the Knight off-guard. They float towards the Knight, dealing contact damage.

It is recommended to take them out first when fighting multiple enemies, as they can become a nuisance while attempting to dodge other attacks.

They regularly spawn during the Broken Vessel and Lost Kin boss fights, making healing very difficult. The Defender's Crest and/or Spore Shroom Charms are viable choices for these battles to deal with the Infected Balloons as soon as they get in range.

Two or three Infected Balloons can be summoned by Winged Nosk during its Summoning Screech attack. It is the easiest to kill these immediately as they appear before they have time to get in the way.

Location
Infected Balloons can be found in many locations throughout the west part of the Ancient Basin.

They are also summoned by Broken Vessel, Lost Kin, and Winged Nosk.