Hold Your King Enemy Types: A Complete Guide

Overview of Enemy Types in Hold Your King

In Hold Your King, your primary goal is to transport the irritable King through treacherous medieval levels. While traps and physics puzzles are your main obstacles, enemy units are strategically placed to disrupt your balance and separate you from the monarch. Understanding each enemy type is crucial for maintaining control and avoiding the King's wrath. This guide covers all enemy variants you will encounter, their behaviors, and the best strategies to neutralize them.

Common Ground Units

These are the most frequently encountered enemies, often serving as the first line of defense in early and mid-game levels.

Peasant Pikemen

These lightly armored units wield long poles and attempt to trip you or the King. They have low health and can be dispatched with a single shove. Their attack is a slow, sweeping thrust. Strategy: Time a simple push when they wind up. If you are carrying the King, coordinate with your partner to have the free player clear the path.

Crossbowmen

Ranged threats that fire bolts from elevated platforms. Their shots deal moderate knockback, which can be devastating if you are crossing a narrow beam. They are stationary while reloading. Strategy: Use thrown objects or a quick dash to stagger them. Always prioritize them before moving the King through open areas.

Elite and Special Enemies

These units appear in later levels and require more coordinated efforts to overcome.

Armored Knights

Heavily armored foes that charge in a straight line. They are immune to standard pushes and will knock both players and the King down if hit. Their charge has a clear audio and visual cue (stomping, lowered visor). Strategy: Lure them into walls or spike traps. Alternatively, one player can bait the charge while the other moves the King past. They are vulnerable from behind for a few seconds after a missed charge.

Shieldbearers

These enemies carry large tower shields, creating a mobile wall that blocks your path. They slowly advance, pushing you backward. They cannot be pushed from the front. Strategy: One player must flank them while the other distracts. A well-timed jump over their shield can allow you to shove them from the rear, stunning them temporarily.

Environmental Hazards and Minibosses

Some levels feature unique, non-standard threats that function as boss encounters.

The Jester

A fast, erratic enemy that throws pies that create slippery patches on the floor. These patches cause the King to slide, making balance nearly impossible. Strategy: The Jester has very low health. Designate one player as the "Jester Hunter" while the other stabilizes the King. Clean up slippery patches by throwing water barrels if available.

The Royal Guard Captain

A miniboss encountered near the end of certain castle levels. He has a large health pool and uses a combination of sweeping sword attacks and a ground pound that creates a shockwave. Strategy: This fight requires pure coordination. One player distracts and dodges, while the other must find and activate environmental traps (chandeliers, collapsing floors) to deal damage. Never attempt to carry the King during this fight.

General Combat Tips

• Communication is key: Always call out enemy positions to your partner.
• Use the environment: Spikes, fire pits, and collapsing bridges are your best weapons against armored enemies.
• Protect the King: If the King takes too many hits, his rage meter fills, causing him to jump off your platform and reset the level.
• Prioritize threats: Always disable ranged enemies and shieldbearers first, as they control the flow of the level.

Conclusion

Mastering the enemy types in Hold Your King transforms chaotic scrambles into smooth, strategic runs. By learning each unit's behavior and coordinating with your partner, you can navigate even the most dangerous levels with the King's dignity (and your own) intact. For more help, check out our beginner guide and co-op tips.