To successfully defeat Hornet in Hollow Knight, utilizing effective strategies can make a significant difference in the fight. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the tactics you’ll want to implement:

Understanding Attack Patterns
1. Learn Her Moves: Familiarize yourself with Hornet’s four primary attacks:
– Dash Strike: A swift melee attack.
– Jump Dash: A more aerial approach that covers ground quickly.
– Thrown Lance: A ranged attack that can come back at you.
– Spinning Thread Attack: A ranged strike with threads that can trap or damage you.

2. Audio Cues: Pay attention to the audio cues associated with her attacks. This auditory feedback can be vital in predicting whether she is launching a melee or ranged attack, allowing you to prepare an appropriate dodge or counter.

Positioning
3. Center Arena Positioning: Maintain a neutral stance near the center of the arena. This location gives you optimal positioning to react to her attacks since Hornet often strikes through the middle. It also provides you with space to dodge.

4. Close Proximity for Attack: Staying close enables you to consistently deliver hits after dodging her attacks. This not only inflicts damage but also fills your Soul meter quickly, allowing you to utilize Soul attacks like Vengeful Spirit to further stagger her.

Timing and Aggression
5. Dodge and Counter: Master the art of dodging effectively:
– For her Jump Dash attack, jump over it and counterattack immediately during her recovery.
– Be cautious of greed: After successfully landing hits, avoid the temptation to continue attacking; instead, hit once or twice and prepare to dodge her next move.

6. Healing Windows: Be strategic about healing, as it can be risky during her fast-paced assault:
– The best opportunities to heal are while she is repositioning (like after a jump dash or throwing her lance).
– Use corners in the arena to minimize the effectiveness of her ranged attacks when you need to heal.

Advanced Techniques
7. Awareness of Ranged Attacks: Maintain your distance when she throws her lance to avoid the damage upon rebound — jump away at the right moment.

8. Utilizing Soul Attacks: Make use of your Soul attacks to keep the pressure on Hornet. Vengeful Spirit can stagger her and deal considerable damage, efficiently speeding up the fight.

Summary
In summary, the key strategies for defeating Hornet involve:
– Consistently hitting her after dodging attacks.
– Positioning yourself in the center to enhance your reaction time.
– Learning her attack patterns and audio cues for better anticipation.
– Being aggressive yet patient, knowing when to land hits and when to dodge or heal.

By actively applying these strategies and maintaining a balance of aggression and caution, you’ll significantly increase your chances of overcoming Hornet in Hollow Knight. Good luck!