---
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase
type: mechanic
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase
lang: en
title: Active phase
summary: The attack's damaging component is active during this interval.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Boss fights
- Structure and readability
sourceIds:
- source-79f0ea05eb650ed0
- source-aa7ffd96ad1a22e8
- source-b8b3642c9d7ab75c
- source-f11ef1d99a1763be
- source-66de608faedfd362
- source-493d43d294a92bc2
- source-baf38070a8989361
- source-9afad7c96fda6ea2
- source-55f562c92995b281
sources:
- id: source-79f0ea05eb650ed0
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Active phase (RU)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/active-phase/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-aa7ffd96ad1a22e8
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Active phase (EN)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/active-phase/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-b8b3642c9d7ab75c
title: Mantis Lords · Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=19s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-f11ef1d99a1763be
title: Dancer of the Boreal Valley · Dark Souls III
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWh1bhHNKo&t=38s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-66de608faedfd362
title: 'Corrupted Monk · Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice'
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSI6RWT8WUw&t=5s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-493d43d294a92bc2
title: 'SF Seminar · Capcom — startup, active frames, and recovery'
url: 'https://game.capcom.com/cfn/sfv/column/131432?lang=en'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-baf38070a8989361
title: Designer article · Mike Stout — readable pre-attack communication
url: 'https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-9afad7c96fda6ea2
title: 'Developer talk · Rebecca Vessal — telegraph, attack, and recovery chains'
url: 'https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1028927/AI-Summit-Crafting-Epic-Boss'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-55f562c92995b281
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: boss-fight-atlas
id: boss-active-phase
title: Boss fights
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-active-phase'
categoryIds:
- catalog-part-9
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Active phase
description: The attack's damaging component is active during this interval.
image:
src: images/mechanics/boss-frame-vg3h6uvtwyy-29.webp
width: 640
height: 360
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s'
originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY'
sourceFrameSeconds: 29
credit: Team Cherry; gameplay capture by FeelTheDango
rights: >-
Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by FeelTheDango. Visible
source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC
BY 4.0.
caption: The boss’s spear points into the area beneath it
alt: The boss’s spear points into the area beneath it
markers:
- x: 55
'y': 76
label: Weapon and body occupy the attack’s dangerous lane
tips:
- Align the active hit area with the visible pose and attack effect.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic
pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference
URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights;
references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/boss-fight-atlas
---
# Active phase
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-active-phase/
The attack's damaging component is active during this interval.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s) · Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by FeelTheDango. Visible source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY), 29 s
1. Weapon and body occupy the attack’s dangerous lane
- Align the active hit area with the visible pose and attack effect.
- [Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s)
## How it works
The attack's damaging component is active during this interval.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- The attack's damaging component is active during this interval.
## Context and limits
A concise reference to all 124 Boss Fight Atlas mechanics across its 14 source sections. Each entry includes a definition, full RU/EN lesson links, game references and further reading retained from the source. Animations and detailed rules remain in the atlas.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Active phase (RU)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/active-phase/) (id: source-79f0ea05eb650ed0)
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Active phase (EN)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/active-phase/) (id: source-aa7ffd96ad1a22e8)
- [Mantis Lords · Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=19s) (id: source-b8b3642c9d7ab75c)
- [Dancer of the Boreal Valley · Dark Souls III](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWh1bhHNKo&t=38s) (id: source-f11ef1d99a1763be)
- [Corrupted Monk · Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSI6RWT8WUw&t=5s) (id: source-66de608faedfd362)
- [SF Seminar · Capcom — startup, active frames, and recovery](https://game.capcom.com/cfn/sfv/column/131432?lang=en) (id: source-493d43d294a92bc2)
- [Designer article · Mike Stout — readable pre-attack communication](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing) (id: source-baf38070a8989361)
- [Developer talk · Rebecca Vessal — telegraph, attack, and recovery chains](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1028927/AI-Summit-Crafting-Epic-Boss) (id: source-9afad7c96fda6ea2)
- [Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3h6uVtWyY&t=29s) (id: source-55f562c92995b281)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors