---
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock
type: mechanic
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock
lang: en
title: Attack lock
summary: An explicit moment ends further adjustment of a chosen attack.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Boss fights
- Structure and readability
sourceIds:
- source-a858a192ab1c9698
- source-ff5594b49714f873
- source-fa8c1da3e7b691b7
- source-33b41db100441349
- source-7360c1deba7d486c
- source-baf38070a8989361
- source-9afad7c96fda6ea2
- source-945019fe5d82d809
- source-4e6a5880394c8505
sources:
- id: source-a858a192ab1c9698
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Attack lock (RU)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/attack-lock/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-ff5594b49714f873
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Attack lock (EN)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/attack-lock/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-fa8c1da3e7b691b7
title: Hornet Protector · Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=276s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-33b41db100441349
title: Phrike · Returnal
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1GZvUb5uoY&t=30s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-7360c1deba7d486c
title: 'Margit, the Fell Omen · Elden Ring'
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m60ucpQggJ0&t=131s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-baf38070a8989361
title: 'Designer article · Mike Stout — aim, wind-up, and telegraphing'
url: 'https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-9afad7c96fda6ea2
title: Developer talk · Rebecca Vessal — modular boss maneuver timing
url: 'https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1028927/AI-Summit-Crafting-Epic-Boss'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-945019fe5d82d809
title: 'Boss Up: Boss Battle Design · GDC Vault'
url: 'https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024921/Boss-Up-Boss-Battle-Design'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-4e6a5880394c8505
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: boss-fight-atlas
id: boss-attack-lock
title: Boss fights
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-attack-lock'
categoryIds:
- catalog-part-9
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Attack lock
description: An explicit moment ends further adjustment of a chosen attack.
image:
src: images/mechanics/boss-frame-rwzmf4u366o-283.webp
width: 854
height: 480
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s'
originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o'
sourceFrameSeconds: 283
credit: Team Cherry; gameplay capture by ProsafiaGaming
rights: >-
Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by ProsafiaGaming.
Visible source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from
MIT and CC BY 4.0.
caption: Hornet’s lunge crosses at a fixed height
alt: Hornet’s lunge crosses at a fixed height
markers:
- x: 37
'y': 76
label: Needle and body position define the lunge line
tips:
- Signal when tracking ends separately from the start of movement.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s'
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
---
# Attack lock
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-attack-lock/
An explicit moment ends further adjustment of a chosen attack.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s) · Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by ProsafiaGaming. Visible source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o), 283 s
1. Needle and body position define the lunge line
- Signal when tracking ends separately from the start of movement.
- [Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s)
## How it works
An explicit moment ends further adjustment of a chosen attack.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- An explicit moment ends further adjustment of a chosen attack.
## 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: Attack lock (RU)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/attack-lock/) (id: source-a858a192ab1c9698)
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Attack lock (EN)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/attack-lock/) (id: source-ff5594b49714f873)
- [Hornet Protector · Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=276s) (id: source-fa8c1da3e7b691b7)
- [Phrike · Returnal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1GZvUb5uoY&t=30s) (id: source-33b41db100441349)
- [Margit, the Fell Omen · Elden Ring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m60ucpQggJ0&t=131s) (id: source-7360c1deba7d486c)
- [Designer article · Mike Stout — aim, wind-up, and telegraphing](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing) (id: source-baf38070a8989361)
- [Developer talk · Rebecca Vessal — modular boss maneuver timing](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1028927/AI-Summit-Crafting-Epic-Boss) (id: source-9afad7c96fda6ea2)
- [Boss Up: Boss Battle Design · GDC Vault](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024921/Boss-Up-Boss-Battle-Design) (id: source-945019fe5d82d809)
- [Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwZmf4u366o&t=283s) (id: source-4e6a5880394c8505)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors