In Deltarune Chapter 3, players can encounter a hidden boss that is both narratively important and mechanically challenging—the Roaring Knight. Unlike standard battles, this boss is locked behind a layered set of minigames and S-rank achievements. This guide explains exactly how to unlock the fight, prepare for it, and finally defeat the Roaring Knight with minimal risk of missing key steps.
How to Access the Roaring Knight Secret Boss
To access the Roaring Knight, you must complete a sequence of specific tasks tied to Tenna’s game show boards and a hidden set of minigames accessible only through achieving S-Ranks.
Step 1: Achieve an S-Rank on Round 1
After completing the first board, you’ll need to earn an S-Rank. To do this:
- Avoid taking damage.
- Fully charge your TP gauge before finishing fights.
- Explore all areas and complete every objective.
- Collect all four keys to earn bonus points.
- Alternatively, if achieving S-Rank proves too difficult, you can pay 1,500 points to a merchant south of the Green Room to artificially upgrade your rank.
Once you meet the S-Rank condition, the “S” door in the Green Room becomes accessible.
Step 2: Play the First Hidden Minigame
Upon entering the S-Rank room, locate the Odd Controller and use it to activate a hidden minigame. You’ll play solo as Kris on a familiar map.
- Objective: Level up Kris by defeating all enemies.
- Catch: You must first find a sword. Travel south, then navigate west and south to find the staircase leading to it.
- Progression: Reach level 3 to cut cacti, then chop down trees to reach the forest.
- Reward: Locate the treasure chest in the forest to obtain the Ice Key.
Step 3: Achieve an S-Rank on Round 2
Repeat the same process for the second board. Earning another S-Rank allows you to revisit the S-Rank room and play the second hidden minigame.
- Requirements for S-Rank: Collect all four photos, eat the moss, and complete the concert mini-game without error.
- Alternate Option: As with Round 1, use 1,500 points to buy the rank if needed.
Step 4: Play the Second Hidden Minigame
This minigame is more complex and requires precise exploration.
- Goal: Reach level 4 to gain plant-clearing ability.
- Navigation: Use rafts to access upper icy areas.
- Puzzle: Use an ice mage to freeze enemies and activate blue buttons to open paths.
- Key Mechanic: In the maze section, only proceed down the path where the ice mage follows you.
- Reward: At the end of the maze, you’ll find the Shelter Key.
Step 5: Unlock the Final Minigame and Obtain the Shadow Mantle
With both the Ice and Shelter Keys, return to the S-Rank room and initiate the third hidden minigame.
- Objective: Navigate through a dark cityscape and descend into a manhole.
- Encounter: You’ll meet Toriel, who guides you to the Shelter.
- Boss Battle: Defeat the mini-boss guarding the Shadow Mantle.
- Reward: Upon victory, you acquire the Shadow Mantle, a critical armor required to survive the Roaring Knight’s attacks.
Preparing to Fight the Roaring Knight
After defeating Tenna and reaching the end of Chapter 3, the Roaring Knight will appear. This fight will happen regardless of your actions—but you can only survive and win if the Shadow Mantle is equipped.
Equip the Shadow Mantle
- Best Use Case: Equip it on Susie, who has the highest attack potential and can survive longer.
- If equipped on Kris, you benefit from balance and survivability.
- Avoid placing it on Ralsei, whose main role is healing and defense.
Roaring Knight Secret Boss Battle Strategy Deltarune Chapter 3
The Roaring Knight employs several attacks with varying levels of difficulty and threat:
| Attack Name | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ice Crystal Barrage | Moderate damage, manageable patterns. |
| Gaster Sword Blasters | Very high damage, requires quick reflexes to survive. |
| Lemonbread Slash | Rapid and heavy-hitting; difficult to dodge. |
| Swords’ Dance | Wide, sweeping area-of-effect slashes; near-impossible to avoid. |
| Slash | Low damage and easiest to handle. |
Tactics
- Survivability is Key: With the Shadow Mantle equipped, you can withstand powerful attacks that would normally one-shot you.
- Dealing Damage: You must reduce the Roaring Knight’s HP by roughly 20–25% to trigger a final attack.
- Team Strategy:
- Susie: Focus on Rude Buster for high single-target damage.
- Kris: Attack or defend based on team status. If left alone, their damage output increases significantly.
- Ralsei: Heal frequently and use barrier skills to minimize teamwide damage.
Recommended Loadouts
Here’s a suggested equipment layout to prepare for the battle:
| Character | Weapons & Gear | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Susie | Toxic Axe (weapon), Shadow Mantle (armor), Jevilstail (accessory) | Maximum offensive output and survivability. |
| Kris | Saber10 (weapon), Spikeband (armor), Twin Ribbon (accessory) | Balanced offense and defense. |
| Ralsei | Dealmaker (weapon), Twin Ribbon (armor), Flex Scarf (accessory) | Buffs and healing focus; flexible utility in hard phases. |
Rewards for Defeating the Roaring Knight
Defeating the Roaring Knight yields important rewards:
- Shadow Crystal: A recurring item tied to each secret boss fight in Deltarune. Collecting these may impact future chapters.
- Black Shard: A powerful new weapon for Kris. This item excels in combat against dark-element enemies and will help in future battles.
Defeating the Roaring Knight is one of the most challenging tasks in Chapter 3, demanding careful preparation, mastery of minigames, and tactical combat. While not required for completing the story, conquering this boss adds depth and significance to your journey through Deltarune.
FAQ: Roaring Knight Secret Boss
Q. Do I need to get S-Rank in both rounds to unlock the Shadow Mantle?
- Yes. You must either earn an S-Rank in both Board 1 and Board 2 or pay 1,500 points per round to artificially upgrade your score via the Point Merchant. Failing to do this locks you out of the minigames needed to acquire the Ice Key, Shelter Key, and eventually the Shadow Mantle.
Q. What if I only got S-Rank in the second round but not the first?
- Unfortunately, if you missed S-Rank in Round 1 and didn’t buy the upgrade before progressing, you cannot access the minigames tied to that board, which means you’ll be permanently locked out of the Shadow Mantle for that playthrough. You’ll need to restart the chapter from an earlier save.
Q. Is the Roaring Knight fight skippable or missable?
- No. The encounter is unavoidable. However, you cannot win unless you have the Shadow Mantle equipped on one of your characters—typically Susie for best results.
Q. Can I win the fight without the Shadow Mantle?
- Technically yes, but it’s extremely difficult. Without the Shadow Mantle, the Roaring Knight’s attacks deal near-instant knockout damage, and surviving long enough to trigger the win condition becomes impractical for most players.
Q. What exactly triggers the Roaring Knight’s defeat—surviving or dealing damage?
- You must deal approximately 20–25% of the Roaring Knight’s total HP to progress the battle to its final phase. Merely defending or healing will cause the fight to loop indefinitely. Active offense is required.
Q. Does it matter who wears the Shadow Mantle?
- Yes. While Kris benefits from added defense, Susie is the best candidate due to her high damage output with Rude Buster. This strategy helps push the damage threshold faster and increases your chances of surviving the Roaring Knight’s hardest phases.
Q. Is there a non-violent way to finish the fight?
- As of now, no pacifist or act-based ending has been confirmed for the Roaring Knight. Unlike other bosses in Deltarune, this encounter requires direct combat and damage output to succeed.
Q. Will I get the Shadow Crystal even if I didn’t have the Mantle equipped?
- No. To receive the Shadow Crystal and Black Shard, you must defeat the Roaring Knight. Without the Shadow Mantle, this is highly unlikely, and you’ll lose the opportunity to carry those items into Chapter 4.
Q. Can I transfer rewards from one save to another?
- No official save-transfer feature exists. If you miss the Shadow Crystal or Black Shard on one file, you’ll need to repeat the process on another save file to retain the items for future chapters.
Q. Why does the game feel like a “weird route” when doing these minigames?
- Some players have noted the darker tone, forced combat, and unusual mechanics during the S-Rank minigames. However, this is not officially the Weird Route. It’s more accurate to describe it as a secret side path needed to unlock the hidden boss and bonus items.
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