Stuck on the Chapter 3 secret boss? You aren’t alone. Discover the exact loadout, party setup, and dodging strategies you need to beat the Knight in Deltarune.
If you’re experiencing endless game-overs against the Chapter 3 secret boss, you are definitely not alone. When Deltarune Chapter 3 dropped, it brought one of the most brutal difficulty spikes we’ve seen in the game so far. The Roaring Knight requires precise timing, intense memorization, and a very specific party setup to survive.
Whether you’ve been scouring Reddit threads for advice—like the fantastic community strategies shared in this r/Deltarune strategy thread which serves as a major source for this guide—watching Shayy’s no-hit speedruns on YouTube, or even tracking your damage in a Google Sheets document, you are likely looking for a straightforward way to clear this encounter. If you want to know how to beat knight deltarune, this guide will give you the exact strategy you need to finally claim victory and walk away with your rewards.
Gear Up or Get Wiped: The Ultimate Loadout Setup
In this battle, your inventory and loadout will make or break the fight before you even reach the bullet board. The Knight has incredibly high damage output and specific targeting priorities, so you need to gear up smartly.
Susie’s Loadout (The Heavy Hitter)
Susie is going to carry your team’s damage. You absolutely must equip the Shadow Mantle in her first armor slot. Because of how the game’s code works, the Knight will prioritize targeting whoever is wearing the mantle, and you want that to be your tankiest character.
To maximize her damage output with Rude Buster, pair the mantle with the ToxicAxe (or the Devilsknife if you defeated Jevil violently in Chapter 1) and an accessory like the Jevilstail.
Kris and Ralsei (The Support Duo)
Do not give the Shadow Mantle to Kris! Their job is to stay alive, use items, and manage the team’s Tension Points (TP). Equip Kris with defensive items like the Bounce Blade, Tenna Tie, or Twin Ribbon.
For Ralsei, your focus should be on pure TP generation and survivability. The Flex Scarf, combined with the Dealmaker and a Lode Stone, will help him generate the TP you need to keep Susie swinging.
Tracking the Shadow Mantle: The Mandatory Detour
If you are reading this and realizing you don’t have the Shadow Mantle, you will need to do a little backtracking. It is practically impossible to defeat the Knight without it, as it reduces incoming Dark and Star damage by a massive 66%.
To find it, you need to:
- Achieve an S Rank on both TV Time boards during the chapter.
- Visit the S Rank changing room and talk to the NPC in the top-left corner to access a secret backstage mini-game.
- Complete the mini-game three separate times.
- On your third visit, you will face the Shadow Mantle Holder mini-boss. Defeat them to claim the mantle and your Chapter 3 Shadow Crystal.
Master the Early Flow: Your Turn-by-Turn Blueprint
Getting off to a strong start dictates the rhythm of the entire battle. People dealing with the same problem often find that establishing a solid loop in the first three turns changes everything. Try the following sequence:
- Turn 1 – Instant TP: Start by having Kris use a Tension Gem from your item menu, while Ralsei uses a Tension Bit. This instantly fills your meter, allowing Susie to immediately cast a Rude Buster. Remember to press the confirm button right before the attack hits for bonus damage!
- Turn 2 – The Speed Buff: Have Kris use the Hold Breath act. This grants a permanent speed boost to your SOUL for the rest of the fight, making the hitbox significantly easier to control during the fast bullet hell phases.
- Turn 3 and Beyond – The Loop: From here on out, Kris and Ralsei should primarily be guarding to build TP and reduce incoming damage. Susie should continuously spam Rude Buster.
Pro-Tip: If Ralsei goes down during the fight, leave him down! Many players recommend saving your precious Revive Mints and DeluxeDinners exclusively for Kris and Susie until you are nearing the end of the battle.
Cracking the Attack Code: Pixel-Perfect Dodging Tips
Even with the best gear, you need to survive the Knight’s aggressive bullet board phases. Here is how to dodge the most notorious attacks (strategies largely sourced from the Reddit community thread mentioned above):
How to Dodge Knife Dance (Box Slices)
During this attack, the Knight summons knives that instantly slash across the board. The best strategy here is to hug the middle of the left wall. Do not get trapped in the corners! Staying centered on the left wall keeps you out of the path of the fastest horizontal and diagonal slices.
Surviving the Sword Tunnel (Ring of Swords)
When the Knight sends rows of swords inward that form a twisting tunnel, you want to stay directly in the center and rotate in a small circle. Watch the gaps between the blades as they grow and shrink. If you keep your eyes focused on where the swords are spawning rather than your SOUL, you can easily adjust your circular movement to slip through the gaps.
Dodging the Teeth (Board Rend)
When the board splits and spits out rapid-fire projectiles, you want to stay as centered as possible to give yourself maximum reaction time. Because you used the “Hold Breath” act earlier, your increased speed means you can often dodge the tricky diagonal projectiles using simple, quick horizontal or vertical movements.
Beyond the Battle: Deep-Dive Lore and Fan Theories
Once you finally land that last hit and the dust settles, you might find yourself falling down a massive lore rabbit hole. Now that you know how to defeat the roaring knight, it’s time to wonder who they actually are.
The community is currently buzzing with Deltarune Chapter 5 knight lore and Roaring Knight true identity theories. Is the Knight actually Mayor Carol Holiday secretly pulling the strings? Is it Father Alvin using the Dark Fountains for a religious purpose? Or does the antler-like helmet design point to it being December “Dess” Holiday? The clues dropped in this boss fight have only fueled the fire on Reddit and social media.
Over to You
Beating the Chapter 3 secret boss requires patience, but if you keep the Shadow Mantle on Susie, use the Hold Breath act early, and stay calm during the Knife Dance, you will get through it.
Have you finally managed to dodge the Knife Dance phase? Or do you have your own theory about the Knight’s true identity? Share your loadout, your strategies, and your lore theories in the comments below!
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