Paintmaster Sheo

"Skilled and respected master of the nail. Always eager to learn new things. "O God inspired, master of arts, Whose works shall eternal endure, Peer beyond Our minds and hearts, Reveal to Us the God most pure!""

- Prayer to the Artist

Paintmaster Sheo is a quest boss in Hollow Knight, introduced in Godmaster. He sits at the top of the Pantheon of the Artist in Godhome.

Behaviour and Tactics
During his battle, Paintmaster Sheo uses the following attacks/manoeuvres:
 * Great Slash: Paintmaster Sheo holds his brush over his head, charging this attack while a white aura flares around him. Sheo will then slash downward with his paintbrush, slamming the ground, and creating a damaging column of paint. Finally, blobs of paint will start falling in random locations around the arena. This attack is indicated by his paintbrush turning magenta.
 * Paint Spear: Paintmaster Sheo raises his brush behind his head, and then lunges a small distance forwards while creating a long javelin-like paint slash that reaches 70-80% of the arena. This attack is indicated by his paintbrush turning yellow.
 * Paint Stomp: Paintmaster Sheo leaps into the air, freezing at the apex of his jump to swipe his paintbrush downwards creating six paint blobs that fall in parabolic arcs. He then stomps downward, following a linear path from his jump's apex to the floor below, creating a small paint-splash. This attack is indicated by his paintbrush turning red.
 * Paint Splash: Paintmaster Sheo slashes the ground with his paintbrush, creating three paint blobs that travel in parabolic arcs, each landing at different increments of space away from Sheo. This attack is indicated by his paintbrush turning blue.
 * Roll: Paintmaster Sheo will roll backwards or forwards, covering around 40% of the arena. Sheo usually uses this between attacks as to re-position himself away from the Knight.
 * Leap: Paintmaster Sheo Leaps a short distance to navigate the arena.

Paintmaster Sheo is the final boss of the Pantheon of the Artist, the second of five pantheons located in Godhome. He uses different colour paint blobs to attack, his signature Nail Art being the Great Slash, performed in the Great Slash attack. Unlike Oro and Mato, he does not use a great nail and he can be staggered after 12 hits.

Paintmaster Sheo rarely stays still. He will move before attacking; he will roll away from the Knight if they get too close (within one Knight's height of him) after an attack (and then he still may move before attacking again); if the Knight gets too close and Sheo is near the edge of the arena, he will jump out of the corner before attacking. And Paintmaster Sheo moves during every attack.

A well-timed Shade Cloak means the player can always dash through incoming paint in every attack, including the Paint Spear. Shadow dashing is best to do when the player is just about to get hit by paint. Due to Sheo's size, Sharp Shadow is a useful Charm, especially if the player gets stuck in the corner.

Spells such as Abyss Shriek can deal massive damage to Sheo when he is in the air. Descending Dark can be used for invincibility and damage Sheo when he's close. Shade Soul is a great way to damage Sheo from a distance.

Nail Arts (especially Great Slash and Dash Slash) are a fantastic response to all of Sheo's attacks, especially if using the Charm, Nailmaster's Glory, the player can have a Nail Art ready after every attack.

It's best to stay on the ground for every attack except to dodge the Paint Spear.

Paintmaster Sheo's attacks happen quickly, so Quick Focus is highly recommended. Healing is even easier when Quick Focus is combined with Shape of Unn, as the player can heal by moving around and dodging paint blobs. This combo allows safe healing during any of the Paintmaster's attacks except the Paint Spear attack.

However, there are always opportunities to heal without the help of Quick Focus. The player can heal during every attack: while Sheo charges and during the explosion of the Great Slash; during the Paint Stomp attack (this does require proper spacing within the gaps between blobs or dashing through Sheo when the attack starts); during the Paint Splash (again requires proper spacing in the gaps between the blobs, do NOT stand under Sheo); and during the Paint Spear (by shadow dashing through Sheo first). The player can heal 2+ Masks when Sheo is staggered.

Trivia

 * Sheo loses all paint stains on his apron the moment he engages the fight.
 * Sheo's arena will be slowly covered by splatters of the different coloured paint released from his attacks.
 * At the beginning of the fight, Sheo can be seen painting the Godseeker's mask.

Мастер кисти Шео Maestro Artista Sheo Mistrz Pędzla Sheo