Boss Guide · Dark Forest · 1.21.1 & 26.1.2
Knight Phantoms in Twilight Forest: Stronghold, Fight and Loot
The Knight Phantoms in Twilight Forest are six ghost knights under the Dark Forest. Learn how to open the stronghold, read their attack patterns, and turn the loot into Knightmetal.
Last checked: October 31, 2026 · Works for 1.21.1 and 26.1.2 builds
Quick Answer
Here is the short version of the Knight Phantoms Twilight Forest fight. Six armored ghosts with 35 health each guard the boss room of the Goblin Knight Stronghold, an underground ruin in the Dark Forest. To get in, place any boss trophy on the Trophy Pedestal at the entrance after you have beaten the Lich. Kill all six to unlock the Dark Tower, and loot their chest for Phantom armor and Knightmetal tools.
This boss is a group fight, not a single big mob. That changes how you prepare. You need a way to see in the dark, a strong sword, and patience while the knights circle you. The stronghold itself is also your only steady source of Knightmetal, so plan to stay a while after the fight. If you are unsure where this boss sits in the run, check the full boss order first.
Finding the Goblin Knight Stronghold
The Knight Phantoms guard the Goblin Knight Stronghold, which only generates in the Dark Forest biome. Almost all of it is buried. On the surface you will see a small patch of stone brick ruins, sometimes sunk into the ground like a trench. The Dark Forest canopy blocks most light, so walk the ground with a torch in your off hand and look for those bricks.
Before you beat the Lich, the Dark Forest puts a heavy darkness effect on you and the stronghold is protected, so you cannot break its blocks. If the screen keeps going dark, go back and finish the Lich Tower first. A Magic Map can help you spot the Dark Forest from a distance; see our Magic Map guide.
Opening the door: Trophy Pedestal and shield blocks
Before you can face the Knight Phantoms, you have to get inside. The way in is sealed by Stronghold Shield blocks: grey blocks with red squares. You cannot dig through them from the outside. Next to them stands the Trophy Pedestal.
- Bring any boss trophy. The Naga or Lich trophy is what most players have. The Questing Ram trophy also counts.
- Place the trophy on top of the pedestal.
- If a player within 16 blocks has the Lich advancement, the pedestal activates, plays a sound and removes every shield block within 5 blocks of it.
- If nobody nearby has beaten the Lich, you get the message “You are unworthy.” and nothing opens.
- Once active, the pedestal can be mined and taken home as a trophy stand. Before that it is unbreakable.
Multiplayer tip. Only one eligible player has to stand near the pedestal. A friend who has not beaten the Lich can come in with you, but the Dark Forest darkness still applies to them.
What lives inside the stronghold
The inside is a dark maze of similar rooms and stairways that loop back on each other. The Knight Phantoms wait in the boss room at the end. Mark your path with torches on one wall only so you can find the way out.
| Mob | What it does | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Goblin Knight | A small goblin carrying an armored rider. Knock off the upper knight first, then the lower one. | Main source of Armor Shards. Farm them. |
| Block and Chain Goblin | Swings a spiked block on a chain from range. | Close the gap fast. Do not trade hits at mid range. |
| Helmet Crab | Low, armored crab that nips at your legs. | Easy to miss in the dark. Light the floor. |
| Redcap Sapper | Redcap that carries explosives. | Kill it before it reaches walls near you. |
| Slime Beetle, Kobold, Creeper, Slime | Filler mobs from dark rooms. | Light rooms as you clear them to stop respawns. |
How the Knight Phantoms fight in Twilight Forest
When you reach the boss room, all six Knight Phantoms appear together and share one boss bar. Each one holds a Knightmetal sword, axe or pickaxe. They move as a group in formations, and each formation gives you a different opening.
Hover and circle
The knights float around the room in large or small rings. In this state their armor is several times higher, so your hits barely land. Use this time to heal and reposition.
Charge across the room
The group dashes in a straight line along one axis of the room. Step out of the lane. Knights that are charging drop their armor bonus, so this is the time to hit any that pass close.
Attack the player
The knights wind up and rush you directly, and they can throw their weapons. Block with a shield, then swing at the knight that just reached you.
Gear checklist for this fight
- Best sword you have. Fiery or Ironwood gear from earlier bosses works well.
- A shield for the direct rush and thrown weapons.
- Night Vision potions or lots of torches. The room is dark.
- Healing food and a Charm of Life if you found one. A Charm of Keeping protects your armor if things go wrong.
- Blocks to seal the room entrance so stronghold mobs do not join from behind.
Loot: Phantom armor and Knightmetal
The Knight Phantoms drop nothing one by one. When the last of the six dies, their combined loot goes into a single chest in the boss room, along with the Knight Phantom Trophy. The chest can hold enchanted Knightmetal swords, pickaxes and axes, plus Phantom Helmets and Phantom Chestplates. The rolls are random, and more players nearby means more rolls.
Phantom armor has one big perk: it is never lost on death. It stays on you when you respawn, even without a charm.
Making Knightmetal from Armor Shards
Goblin Knights drop 0 to 2 Armor Shards each (Looting adds more). This is the only reliable source, so clear the stronghold more than once.
| Item | How you get it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Armor Shard Cluster | 9 Armor Shards, shapeless crafting | The raw form of Knightmetal |
| Knightmetal Ingot | Smelt a cluster in a furnace or blast furnace | Used for every Knightmetal item |
| Knightmetal Sword / Pickaxe | Standard tool shapes | Extra damage to armored targets |
| Knightmetal Axe | Standard axe shape | Extra damage to unarmored targets |
| Knightmetal Loop | 4 ingots in a ring shape | Part for the shield and Block and Chain |
| Knightmetal Shield | Ingots, Towerwood and a Loop | Towerwood comes from the Dark Tower |
| Block and Chain | Block of Knightmetal, 3 ingots and a Loop | Thrown weapon that pulls back |
| Block of Knightmetal | 9 ingots | Deals contact damage to mobs that touch it |
Mistakes that cost players this fight
- Swinging at circling knights. Their armor is boosted while they hover and circle. Save your hits for the charge and the direct rush.
- Fighting in the dark. Black knights in a black room are hard to track. Drink Night Vision before you open the boss room.
- Leaving the door open. Goblins and sappers wander in mid fight. Block the entrance behind you.
- Grabbing loot and leaving. You need Knightmetal later. Farm Goblin Knights for shards before you head to the Dark Tower.
- Using the Naga trophy you wanted to display. Any trophy works, and you can mine the pedestal back afterward, so nothing is lost.
With the phantoms gone, the Dark Forest Center opens up and the Dark Tower’s machines start to work for you. Read the Ur-Ghast and Dark Tower guide next, or check the Twilight Forest progression guide to see the other branches. New to the mod? Start on the Twilight Forest homepage. Get the mod from its official CurseForge page.
Common Questions
Why does the Trophy Pedestal say "You are unworthy"?
Nobody within 16 blocks of the pedestal has the Lich advancement. Kill the Lich, then place the trophy again while standing next to the pedestal.
Do I need a specific trophy for the Knight Stronghold?
No. Any boss trophy works, including the Naga, Lich, Minoshroom and Hydra trophies, and even the Questing Ram trophy. You can mine the pedestal afterward and keep the trophy.
Can I dig into the stronghold instead of using the pedestal?
No. The shield blocks cannot be mined from the outside, and the whole structure is protected until you meet its progression requirement.
Is Phantom armor better than Knightmetal armor?
Phantom armor is only a helmet and chestplate, but it is never lost on death. Many players wear the Phantom pieces with Knightmetal greaves and boots.
Can I farm the Knight Phantoms again?
The boss spawns once per stronghold. Goblin Knights keep spawning in the dark rooms, so Armor Shards stay farmable, and other strongholds in other Dark Forests have their own phantoms.