Winged Nosk

"Mimics the shape of other creatures to lure prey to its lair. In the deepest darkness, there are beasts who wear faces stolen from your memories and pluck at the strings in your heart. Know yourself, and stay strong."

Winged Nosk is a quest boss in Hollow Knight introduced in Godmaster. It is the flying form of Nosk, assuming Hornet's shape at first instead of the Knight's. It can be encountered in the Pantheon of Hallownest.

Behaviour and Tactics Winged Nosk has four attacks, they are similar to both Nosk's and Vengefly King's attacks:
 * Swoop: The Swoop attack is similar to Vengefly King's Swipe, with Winged Nosk starting high at one end of the arena, flying down to the middle with its face low, and then back up to the other side.
 * Summoning Screech: Its Summoning Screech attack is also similar to Vengefly King's Summoning Scream, but instead of summoning Vengeflies, Winged Nosk summons Infected Balloons. This attack typically involves summoning 2 Infected Balloons but can summon 3 on rare occasions. There can be a maximum of 6 Infected Balloons in the arena. Once there are, Winged Nosk can still use this attack, but no more Infected Balloons are summoned.
 * Outbreak: Blobs of Infection spew from Winged Nosk: 2 at steep arcs down and 2 sets of 10 in wide arcs up. The blobs spread out across the arena floor with space between pairs of blobs. The blobs persist on the floor for about 2 seconds, so they are still there when Winged Nosk Swoops at the Knight, which is how it always attacks after an Outbreak.
 * Downpour: Downpour is similar to Nosk's Rain attack in that it flies into the ceiling to drop blobs onto the arena. Winged Nosk only uses this attack when reduced to 50% health. After going into the ceiling, Winged Nosk drops several blobs down almost simultaneously. There are gaps between the blobs and the blobs persist on the floor for about 2 seconds. Winged Nosk does not begin another attack until about the time the blobs start disappearing. Winged Nosk exits the ceiling from the same side of the arena it entered the ceiling.

Winged Nosk produces a different sound before performing each attack (with the exception of Downpour, though this attack is preceded by a quick fluttering animation). Memorizing these makes Winged Nosk's attacks much easier to react to.

The Monarch Wings are very beneficial in this fight, as they allow one more chance to escape one of Winged Nosk's many Swoop attacks if a jump is miscalculated.

Jumping over Winged Nosk's Swoop attacks, instead of dashing through it with the Shade Cloak, is the optimal strategy as jumping allows for a few Nail strikes to the top of Winged Nosk as it whizzes by, similar to the strategy for fighting the Vengefly King. Various Nail-lengthening Charms such as Longnail and Mark of Pride can aid with hitting Winged Nosk while it is using its Swoop attack. This both damages Winged Nosk and puts the Knight out of harm's way. Caution should be taken though, as Winged Nosk's wings can still damage the Knight, and can be difficult to get over.

The Infected Balloons should be killed immediately as they appear before they have time to get in the way. This gives some much-needed SOUL, as Winged Nosk is never open to attacks for very long.

Vengeful Spirit/Shade Soul and Desolate Dive/Descending Dark are very useful Spells to use in this encounter, as both allow for significant damage to Winged Nosk in a short period of time. Vengeful Spirit/Shade Soul should be used when Winged Nosk finishes a Swoop attack, while Desolate Dive/Descending Dark should be used while Winged Nosk is Swooping underneath the Knight.

When Winged Nosk releases the infected blobs from the ceiling, the Dreamshield Charm, if positioned correctly, can block the blobs before they can touch the floor or fall on the Knight.

Variations

Trivia
 * When it dies, Winged Nosk drops Hornet's shell which can be hit around.
 * Winged Nosk references Nosk's original concept design where it had wings and a longer tail.

Nosk Alato Skrzydlaty Nosk Nosk ailé