Is it fun, Kris? Playing around like this... That's why you're searching for them, aren't you? The SHADOW CRYSTALs... ... and the SHADOW MANTLE that I'm holding!
The Shadow Mantle holder is portrayed as a flowing, entirely black cloak, with the collar having its sides perk apart like horns. Their mouth is orange and slightly obscured by small fangs, though said mouth is only occasionally visible. Additionally, the Shadow Mantle holder is able to morph into a ball-like form, causing their perked collar's sides to flap like small wings and their mouth to lose its fangs and gain a tongue.
Personality
The Shadow Mantle holder is an enigmatic entity characterized by a playful yet sinister demeanor. They seem to hold a deep fascination with Kris, taking note of the latter's actions and addressing them directly. In particular, the Shadow Mantle holder seems to be highly perceptive in regards to the more secretive aspects of Kris's journey, demonstrating awareness of a search for the Shadow Crystals and the Shadow Mantle, as well as their actions during the Weird Route.
When addressing these topics, the Shadow Mantle holder frames Kris as motivated by their personal enjoyment, and interprets Kris's conflict with them as a means of humoring and provoking this vision.
Speech pattern
The Shadow Mantle holder speaking in the manhole dungeon, as ERAM plays
In the Japanese translation, the Shadow Mantle holder uses both kana and kanji, whereas most other text in The Legend of Tenna and the Original Game is only written in kana. Outside of quizzes, no other character in The Legend of Tenna or the Original Game does so. The only other use of kanji in either is an in-game Tenna on the Island Board who says 「２人」 (futari, "two people")[2] — using a simple two-stroke kanji. (In Japanese, Rouxls Kaard and Bibliox only use kana.)
Main story
The hidden staircases found southwest, as board_ocean plays
The Shadow Mantle holder is repeatedly encountered as Kris progresses through the Original Game. In the Desert Board, Kris can destroy the tree blocking the bridge in the room with four pyramids and enter a room with many entryways. Entering one leads to a room that is seemingly empty. Upon approaching the center, the Shadow Mantle holder flies upwards, leaving behind black text that Kris can walk behind to reveal, which reads "See you soon." Entering the board's shop/tip room at LV MAX displays another message in black text, reading "Having fun?"
At the end of the Island Board's Ice Palace, the Shadow Mantle holder speaks to Kris in the black chamber. They congratulate Kris on discovering their secret hiding place and thank them for their hard work.
The Shadow Mantle holder laughing before their fight
After HERO_SWORD crosses the manhole dungeon and enters an in-game replica of the shelter, the Shadow Mantle holder speaks to Kris again. They express awareness of Kris's search for the Shadow Crystals, which includes the Shadow Mantle, before challenging them to battle. During the second phase of said battle, they summon multiple FRIEND enemies. Upon defeat, the Shadow Mantle holder notes that Kris's eyes are "flickering red, like pretty little flames", states that they and Kris "both have work to do", opens up a path to a room with a chest containing the Shadow Mantle and disappears.
In battle
Attacks
During the fight, the Shadow Mantle holder will float over the blocks in the arena that HERO_SWORD must move between in order to attack. Over the course of the first three phases, the Shadow Mantle holder alternates between a limited set of attacks while moving in random directions. Only during phase transitions will they linger in the center of the arena until the background fully changes color. Along with damaging HERO_SWORD, the Shadow Mantle holder's attacks directly damage Kris if they connect with HERO_SWORD, which leads to a unique variant of the standard Game Over screen when HERO_SWORD's health meter is fully depleted.
Phase 1
Fires 4 sets of 6 orbs in a hexagonal pattern, while moving in a loose figure 8 pattern.
Shoots 2 sets of 3 bombs out of their mouth that explode into small wave-shaped bullets in a plus pattern, while moving in random cardinal direction.
Phase 2
Moves to the top of the screen and performs 4 rams loosely targeting HERO_SWORD, leaving a fire trail behind them as they move, wrapping around to the top of the screen every time they charge. They can still be damaged by the sword while using this attack. They always perform this attack first.
Summons 5 FRIEND enemies that will randomly move around preferring to move towards HERO_SWORD, as the Shadow Mantle holder laughs for a longer period of time. The FRIENDs have a chance of dropping healing items when killed. The drop chance is determined by the number of deaths to the boss and the amount of health Kris has.[3][4]
Candy dropped by FRIEND If Kris has never died to the Shadow Mantle holder, candy does not drop.
If a candy has already dropped in this phase, candy does not drop, unless Kris has died at least 7 times to the Shadow Mantle holder.
The chance is 50% if Kris has <1/4 HP, 30% if they have <2/3 HP, and 5% otherwise.[note 2]
An additional 2% chance is added for each time Kris died to the Shadow Mantle holder.
The chance is capped at 80%.
Phase 3
Either attack from phase 2.
Shoots 2 sets of 4 bombs from phase 1.
Fires 4 sets of 6 orbs from phase 1 but fires 4 bombs randomly throughout the attack.
Phase 4
Shoots 3 solid beams of orbs in a triangular formation that spin counterclockwise around the cloak as they occasionally spit bombs. This attack is only used once.
Performs the ram attack from phase 2, but with 2 additional charging cloaks that cannot be hit with the sword. This attack loops endlessly until the Shadow Mantle holder's HP is depleted.
Strategy
The Shadow Mantle holder will switch between phases once certain HP thresholds are met. Once their HP is less than 1 (or less than 2 if Kris has died 7 or more times to the Shadow Mantle holder without loading a save file), the fight will end.
Phase
HP
1
30
2
22
3
13
4
4
The amount the Shadow Mantle holder's HP decreases by varies depending on the situation. The number of times that the Shadow Mantle holder is hit during each of their attacks is internally tracked by a number. This number is reset to 0 if it is above 0 at the start of each attack, but if it is 0 or below, it is decreased by 1 to a minimum of -2. This means that if the Shadow Mantle holder is not hit during an attack loop, the damage dealt to them will be increased.
Times hit in this attack
HP the Shadow Mantle holder loses
-2
2
-1
1.5
0
1
1
0.75
2
0.5
3+
0.2
Additionally, hitting the Shadow Mantle holder while they are transitioning between phases deals 0.2 damage. Once the Shadow Mantle holder's HP is below 5, each hit will deal 0.1 damage, but each hit during the ram attack will deal 1 damage.
Haha... well, enough of that! We both have work to do!
So if you want this MANTLE, hurry up and take it...
If you can reach it!
Gallery
The Shadow Mantle holder laughing
The Shadow Mantle holder launching explosive bombs
The Shadow Mantle holder summoning FRIEND enemies
The Shadow Mantle holder covered in flames when charging at HERO_SWORD
Trivia
An unused sprite of the Shadow Mantle holder
The fight with the Shadow Mantle holder is the only time the SOUL can be shattered in the Original Game. Every other time Kris loses, the game shuts off.
The sound effects the Shadow Mantle holder emits when receiving damage and charging at HERO_SWORD are also used in the Skies Forever Blue music video, which Toby Fox was involved in producing. They can be heard at the start when the dragon enemy flickers and fades away upon its defeat. The charging SFX plays again when the player restarts their old save file in the game featured in the music video.
There exists an unused test version of the Shadow Mantle holder.[5] When spawned in, they will not move (unless the M key is pressed in debug mode) and will periodically spawn a line of fireballs near the top right of the screen. Neither the fireballs nor the Shadow Mantle holder have a hitbox.
The Shadow Mantle holder laughing
The Shadow Mantle holder launching explosive bombs
The Shadow Mantle holder summoning FRIEND enemies
The Shadow Mantle holder covered in flames when charging at HERO_SWORD
