Shielded Fool

"Warrior fighting for glory in the Colosseum of Fools. Warily approaches opponents with shell held high. That 'Colosseum' is a strange place where some bugs fight each other to the death and others watch. I don't understand such obscure rituals. If you venture in, stay on guard at all times."

Shielded Fools are enemies in Hollow Knight. They are shielded combatants who fight for glory in the Colosseum of Fools.

Behaviour and Tactics
Cautiously walks towards the Knight, raising its shield when they come close, which blocks any damage from the front (except for Spells). If the Knight moves too close, they may back off a few steps.

After taking a hit to the shield, or waiting long enough with the Knight in front of them, they lunge forward followed by a slash. Occasionally they lunge and slash a second time. Their attacks are very telegraphed and can be dodged easily; the second swing is only slightly faster than the first one. Bait them into attacking, then counter-attack while they recover or jump over/dash through them and hit them from behind. When the Knight jumps above them while they are not attacking, they use their shield to protect themselves from above.

Alternatively, since they only raise their shield at a certain distance, ranged attacks such as Vengeful Spirit/Shade Soul, the Grubberfly's Elegy Charm, and even the Dash Slash Nail Art can be used to dispose of them easily.

Using the Dream Nail on the Shielded Fool is a good way to gain full SOUL, especially when combined with the Dream Wielder Charm. This is especially useful in the Trial of the Fool, where it is easy to take lots of damage. This is good for reaching God Tamer with full SOUL and full health. It is recommended to save the Shielded Fool as the last enemy alive to attempt this.

Location
This enemy is only found in the Colosseum of Fools, in all of the three trials.