Moss Mother
Motherhood is an instinct that can push creatures beyond what seems their normal limits. It turns even weaker beasts like these into formidable foes.
Moss Mother is a main boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It is an adult Mossmir with a fully developed stinger found throughout the Moss Grotto.[1]
Background
Moss Mothers are adult Mossmirs,[2] and are native to the Moss Grotto. Their motherhood instinct pushes them to defend their offspring beyond what seems to be their normal limits.[3]
In-game Events
Moss Mother is encountered in the Ruined Chapel as the first boss of the game. Another two Moss Mothers can be encountered together in Weavenest Atla as an optional boss, giving the Weavelight Tool as a reward.
In Act 3, another Moss Mother can be encountered in Moss Grotto beneath the Ruined Chapel. This one is Black-Threaded and much more aggressive.
Behaviour and Tactics
Most attack names used by the wiki are non-canon.
After destroying one of her eggs or walking to the end of the arena, she explodes out of a plant-like cocoon in the middle of the arena and lets out a screech, signalling the start of the fight. Moss Mother has two attacks:
- Swoop: Moss Mother flies down in a short dive with her stinger pointed in Hornet's direction. She skids horizontally across the ground, covering roughly half of the arena.
- Headbutt: Moss Mother quickly swoops up and slams her head into the ceiling of the arena, causing either 1–2 Mossgrubs or 3 stalactites to fall from above. The position of falling objects is indicated by a small puff of dust that lasts half a second before they fall. The objects may fall at slightly different times.
All of Moss Mother's attacks deal 
.
Weavenest Atla
In Weavenest Atla, the battle starts with one Moss Mother. However, after she does her first Headbutt attack, she summons a second Moss Mother instead of stalactites or Mossgrubs. In this fight, both Moss Mothers have more HP and summon 4 stalactites instead of 3, with the fourth stalactite falling shortly after the first 3.
If this fight is encountered in Act 3, then both Moss Mothers are Black-Threaded, gaining more HP and dealing double damage. Each gains an attack common to other black-threaded enemies: one gains the Void Projectiles attack and the other gains the Void Tendrils attack. All their physical and Void attacks now deal 
.
Act 3 Moss Grotto
In Act 3, a single Black-Threaded Moss Mother can be found flying around in Moss Grotto and roaring when Hornet gets close. She is encountered in a large, open room as opposed to the smaller arenas of the previous fights, has doubled HP, and chains attacks together with much shorter intervals.
When she uses the Headbutt attack, 6 stalactites always fall from above, and Mossgrubs are no longer spawned. Additionally, she gains the Void Blades attack. All her physical and Void attacks now deal .
As Hornet is not locked into the room for this fight, she can escape at any time. Unlike the other Moss Mother encounters, this one does not have a title card nor boss music.
| Stagger Values | |
| Description: Moss Mother floats in place, looking up, and slightly shaking. | |
| Hits: 11 | |
When Mossgrubs appear, it is best to kill them as quickly as possible, as they complicate the fight, making it hard to focus on Moss Mother. Additionally, they are a great source of Silk.
When Moss Mother swoops, the attack can be dodged by jumping over her or by correctly timing a Needle bounce.
In Weavenest Atla, if the Moss Mother is hit immediately after a Swoop attack, she immediately goes for another Swoop attack. This can be used to prevent the Moss Mother from summoning another Moss Mother until her second stagger.
Needolin Dialogue
- My young, my young...
- See my form, now!
- See what you'll become!
- Follow creeping green...
- Eat... grow... hide away...
- For none but us...
Location
Moss Mother can be first found in the Ruined Chapel of the Moss Grotto. A pair of Moss Mothers can be found in a western section of Weavenest Atla. In Act 3, a Black-Threaded Moss Mother can be found within Moss Grotto itself.
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Location in Moss Grotto
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Location in Weavenest Atla
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Location in Moss Grotto in Act 3
Gallery
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Idle
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Swoop
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Headbutt
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Falling Rocks
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Falling Mossgrub
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Stagger
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Singing
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Arena in Moss Grotto
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Arena in Weavenest Atla
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Arena in Moss Grotto in Act 3
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Moss Mother inside her cocoon
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Moss Mothers in Weavenest Atla
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Black-Threaded Moss Mother in Act 3
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Silksong reveal trailer
Trivia
- Moss Mother had a different theme in the 2019 Silksong demo.[4]
Names in Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
 Brazilian Portuguese
|
Musgo-Mãe | Moss Mother |
 French
|
Mère Forestière | Forest Mother |
 German
|
Moos-Mutter | Moss Mother |
 Italian
|
Madre Muschio | Mother Moss |
 Japanese
|
コケママ Kokemama? |
Combination of 苔 koke (moss) and mama. |
 Korean
|
이끼 어미 Ikki eomi |
Moss Mom |
 Russian
|
Матерь Мхов Materʹ Mxov |
Mother of Mosses |
 Simplified Chinese
|
苔藓之母 Táixiǎn zhī mǔ? |
Mother of Moss |
 Spanish
|
Madre Musgo | Moss Mother |
 Internal name
|
MOSSBONE_MOTHER
|
MOSSBONE interally refers to Mossmir enemies.
|
References
- ↑ Moss Mother Hunter's Jounal entry: "Adult Mossmir with fully developed stinger and hardened hide."
- ↑ Moss Mother Hunter's Journal entry: "Adult Mossmir with fully developed stinger and hardened hide."
- ↑ Moss Mother Hunter's Journal entry: "Motherhood is an instinct that can push creatures beyond what seems their normal limits. It turns even weaker beasts like these into formidable foes."
- ↑ Hollow Knight: Silksong Gameplay - Nintendo Treehouse: Live | E3 2019
