---
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam
type: mechanic
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam
lang: en
title: Pulse beam
summary: A beam alternates damaging pulses with inactive intervals.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Boss fights
- Beams
sourceIds:
- source-4dde5639f0b156d6
- source-f25f404e4edf687e
- source-679b1a432f02ef76
- source-ebaea703468dca89
- source-3ea79db294c4f4bc
- source-baf38070a8989361
- source-945019fe5d82d809
- source-83fd7f8d3a42d64d
sources:
- id: source-4dde5639f0b156d6
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Pulse beam (RU)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/pulse-beam/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-f25f404e4edf687e
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Pulse beam (EN)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/pulse-beam/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-679b1a432f02ef76
title: 'Ares · Terraria: Calamity Mod'
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcZ1Con5__k&t=50s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-ebaea703468dca89
title: Crystal Guardian · Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=11s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-3ea79db294c4f4bc
title: 'Meta Ridley · Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkOIqOWGBwM&t=45s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-baf38070a8989361
title: Enemy Attacks and Telegraphing · Mike Stout
url: 'https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing'
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-83fd7f8d3a42d64d
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: boss-fight-atlas
id: boss-pulse-beam
title: Boss fights
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-pulse-beam'
categoryIds:
- catalog-part-3
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Pulse beam
description: A beam alternates damaging pulses with inactive intervals.
image:
src: images/mechanics/boss-final-zu03wr272aa-8.webp
width: 640
height: 360
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s'
originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA'
sourceFrameSeconds: 8
credit: Team Cherry; gameplay capture by PC Indie Master Race
rights: >-
Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by PC Indie Master Race.
Original visible source markings retained. All rights reserved; excluded
from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0.
caption: 'Hollow Knight: Crystal Guardian fires separate laser pulses'
alt: 'Hollow Knight: Crystal Guardian fires separate laser pulses'
markers:
- x: 62
'y': 61
label: 'The beam switches off between active shots, reopening space'
tips:
- >-
Distinguish telegraph, active pulse and safe pause with a consistent
rhythm.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s'
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
---
# Pulse beam
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-pulse-beam/
A beam alternates damaging pulses with inactive intervals.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s) · Game graphics © Team Cherry. Gameplay recording by PC Indie Master Race. Original visible source markings retained. All rights reserved; excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA), 8 s
1. The beam switches off between active shots, reopening space
- Distinguish telegraph, active pulse and safe pause with a consistent rhythm.
- [Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s)
## How it works
A beam alternates damaging pulses with inactive intervals.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- A beam alternates damaging pulses with inactive intervals.
## 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: Pulse beam (RU)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/pulse-beam/) (id: source-4dde5639f0b156d6)
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Pulse beam (EN)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/pulse-beam/) (id: source-f25f404e4edf687e)
- [Ares · Terraria: Calamity Mod](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcZ1Con5__k&t=50s) (id: source-679b1a432f02ef76)
- [Crystal Guardian · Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU03wr272AA&t=11s) (id: source-ebaea703468dca89)
- [Meta Ridley · Metroid Prime 3: Corruption](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkOIqOWGBwM&t=45s) (id: source-3ea79db294c4f4bc)
- [Enemy Attacks and Telegraphing · Mike Stout](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing) (id: source-baf38070a8989361)
- [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=ZU03wr272AA&t=8s) (id: source-83fd7f8d3a42d64d)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors