The Nether Kraken is the very first boss you encounter in Mina the Hollower, and it has a reputation for catching new players completely off guard. The fight is entirely optional since the game moves on whether you win or lose, but beating it rewards you with the Uranium Bracelet trinket before you even set foot on Tenebrous Isle. The trick is knowing what to do in the seconds before the battle officially starts.
Is the Nether Kraken actually beatable on a first run?
Yes, and more easily than most players expect. The encounter takes place on the deck of a sinking ship, right after you pick your starting weapon. The game never explicitly tells you that you can deal damage before the arena locks in, which is why so many players struggle or assume it's a scripted loss.
The fight ends automatically if your health drops too low, so you are not locked into a traditional game-over state. That said, getting the Uranium Bracelet requires you to fully deplete the Kraken's health bar, which means playing aggressively from the very first second.
Nether Kraken ship deck fight
What weapon should you pick before the fight?
The Nightstar is the strongest choice for this encounter. Its range is generous and its attack speed lets you land hits on tentacles without committing to a long wind-up animation, which keeps you mobile when the Kraken starts varying its attack speed. The Maul is the hardest weapon to succeed with here because its slower swing timing makes it difficult to get hits in and still dodge cleanly.
How to deal free damage before the battle begins
This is the most important part of the whole fight. After grabbing your weapon and walking through the wooden door onto the deck, position yourself just north of the hatch. A tentacle will reach in from the right side and grab a passenger. Hit it.
A second tentacle grabs a passenger from the left side shortly after. Ignore that one. Once the first tentacle disappears, move to just south of the hatch and watch the right side again. A third tentacle appears from that direction. Hit that one too.
After those two hits land, the camera shifts to the right side of the ship where the rest of the fight plays out. Before the Kraken launches its first real attack, it lifts both claws and pauses for a moment. Hit the left claw twice during that window.
If you land all of these pre-fight hits cleanly, the Nether Kraken enters the proper battle phase at roughly 65% HP. That head start makes the rest of the fight significantly more manageable.
Pre-fight tentacle damage window
Nether Kraken attack breakdown
Understanding all three of the Kraken's attack patterns is what separates a clean win from a chaotic scramble.
Tentacle Slam and Tentacle Slide
The Slam is the Kraken's bread-and-butter move. After the tentacle lands, you have a window to get in 2 hits before moving away. The temptation is to squeeze in a third or fourth strike, but the risk is not worth it. Two hits and reposition.
The Slide is the most dangerous attack in the fight. The tentacle that is about to sweep will shake briefly before moving, which gives you a fraction of a second to react. The problem is that the Kraken can occasionally stop the tentacle short, meaning you might think you have cleared it only to walk into the hitbox. Stay conservative and give yourself extra clearance.
Tentacle Barrage (the special fast attack)
Once the Kraken drops to around 50% HP, it shakes and lets out a roar. This signals the Tentacle Barrage. It will alternate slamming each tentacle for a total of 7 strikes in rapid succession. Do not try to attack during this sequence. Count the slams, burrow and jump to survive, and wait for the seventh tentacle to stay planted on the deck. That final tentacle lingers for a brief moment before being retracted, and that is your window to land hits.
The roar is a reliable tell. The moment you see it, stop attacking entirely and shift into pure evasion mode.
Roar signals the fast barrage
How to use Burrow to survive
Burrow is one of Mina's core movement mechanics and it is your best tool in this fight. By holding the jump button, Mina dives underground and can pass through tentacles without taking damage. One burrow covers nearly the full width of the arena.
When tentacles are spread far apart (one near the top of the screen, one near the bottom), a single burrow may not carry you far enough. In those cases, burrow and then jump, or burrow twice in sequence.
One thing to keep in mind: there is a brief delay between pressing the button and Mina actually going underground. Reacting too late means you surface right into a tentacle. Start the burrow slightly earlier than feels natural until you have the timing down.
Where to position yourself during the fight
Stick to the left side of the arena throughout the main battle phase. This gives you more time to read incoming attacks and react before tentacles reach you. The right side puts you closer to the Kraken's body, which compresses your reaction window considerably.
You cannot hit the Nether Kraken directly in the face. All damage has to go through the tentacles while they are on deck.
What do you get for beating the Nether Kraken?
Defeating the Kraken drops the Uranium Bracelet trinket. It is stored in a small chest on the shipwreck, and you need to pick it up before leaving the area or you will miss it permanently on that playthrough.
The Uranium Bracelet is a double-edged trinket: it increases the damage you deal, but also increases the damage you receive. Whether that trade-off suits your playstyle depends on how aggressively you want to play through the rest of the game. For players who want to check out the best trinkets to equip and weigh your options, it is worth knowing this one is only available from this single optional encounter.
Quick reference: Nether Kraken fight checklist
- Pick the Nightstar for the best range and speed advantage
- Hit the tentacle north of the hatch when it grabs the first passenger
- Ignore the left-side tentacle, hit the third one from the right after repositioning south
- Hit the left claw twice before the first real attack launches
- Enter the main fight at approximately 65% Kraken HP
- Stay on the left side of the arena
- Hit tentacles a maximum of twice per slam before repositioning
- Watch for the shake before Tentacle Slide attacks
- When the Kraken roars, stop attacking and survive all 7 Barrage slams
- Collect the Uranium Bracelet from the small chest before leaving
For more on surviving Tenebrous Isle's tougher encounters, the Mina the Hollower beginner's guide covers weapons, bones, and trinket fundamentals that carry you past the prologue. Once you are past the opening, the Duchess boss guide is the next major challenge worth preparing for. The full Mina the Hollower strategy guides collection has phase breakdowns for every boss you will face on the island.