Dark Forest Stronghold & Phantom Knights Guide – Twilight Forest

After defeating the Hydra in the Twilight Forest mod, your next major objective is to conquer the Dark Forest stronghold and face off against the Phantom Knights. This guide will walk you through locating the Dark Forest, bypassing the stronghold force field, and successfully defeating all six phantom knights to earn valuable rewards and progress toward the Ergast boss fight.

Locating the Dark Forest

The Dark Forest is one of the most recognizable biomes in the Twilight Forest mod. It’s immediately obvious due to the massive roof structure that covers the entire area, preventing entry from above. This distinctive canopy makes it impossible to miss once you’re in the right location.

Using your Magic Map, you can identify the Dark Forest by looking for the teepee-shaped structures that resemble gray anvils near the entrance. These serve as clear markers for the biome’s perimeter. Around the Dark Forest, you’ll also notice four small entrances distributed around its edges.

In the center of the Dark Forest on your map, you’ll see a pink icon—this represents the Ergast, the final boss you’ll face after completing the stronghold. The Narghar is located on the lower left side of the map if you need to reference your current position.

Bypassing the Stronghold Force Field

Upon reaching the Dark Forest stronghold entrance, you’ll encounter an impenetrable force field blocking access. To disable this barrier, you must place a trophy on the trophy pedestal located at the entrance.

The game recommends using a Narghar trophy since it’s the easiest boss trophy to obtain and therefore the least valuable. However, any trophy you’ve accumulated during your Twilight Forest progression will work.

Place your chosen trophy on top of the pedestal—not on the side, but directly on the upper surface. Once placed correctly, the stronghold force field will dissipate, granting you access to the interior.

Navigating the Stronghold Interior

Unlike the Minor Tower, the Dark Forest stronghold operates without a map to assist you. However, the layout is straightforward—the boss chamber is located only a short distance from the entrance. Simply proceed forward and look for the distinctive iron bars marking the way in.

Night vision is highly recommended for this stronghold, as the interior is quite dark. Watch for obsidian entrances as you navigate deeper into the structure—these will lead you directly to the boss arena.

Defeating the Six Phantom Knights

Identifying the Real Phantom Knight

The boss chamber contains six phantom knights, but only one is “real” at any given time. The others are illusions that will still attack you but cannot be permanently defeated.

The key to identifying the real phantom knight is simple: look for the one with a visible physical body. The illusions will appear as transparent or incomplete entities without solid forms.

Combat Tactics

Focus all your damage on the real phantom knight. Once you’ve eliminated it, a different phantom knight will gain its physical form, and you must defeat that one next. You’ll repeat this process six times in total.

The phantom knights are moderately difficult opponents that deal significant damage. Their primary attack pattern involves spinning around the room and throwing their tools at you. A shield is essential for this fight—it will block most of their projectile attacks and help reduce incoming damage.

The battle follows a straightforward cycle: identify the real knight, damage it until defeated, wait for the next real knight to appear, and repeat. While they can be annoying due to their constant tool-throwing, the tactics involved aren’t overly complex.

Collecting Your Rewards

As you defeat each phantom knight, they’ll drop valuable loot including phantom helmets and other phantom gear pieces. These drops represent some of the best equipment you can obtain at this stage of Twilight Forest progression.

Once you’ve successfully defeated all six phantom knights, a chest will appear in the middle of the boss chamber. Open it to claim the Iron Forged Night Phantom Trophy, which you’ll need for progression.

Additional rewards from this stronghold include iron forged pins, complete phantom gear sets, and night metal axes and tools. These items significantly boost your combat effectiveness for the challenges ahead.

Next Steps: The Ergast

With the Dark Forest stronghold cleared and the Iron Forged Night Phantom Trophy in your possession, you’re now ready to travel to the center of the Dark Forest and face the Ergast, the final boss of this biome. Equip your new phantom gear and prepare for the ultimate challenge ahead.

— Want to Support? —

If you would like to help us continue making these guides – please consider joining our patreon here – https://www.patreon.com/c/JaviHeals

Alternatively – we host a group of MC Servers you can join here – https://discord.gg/zD7Gjt6MHF