[TAS] Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows any% in

Frame count: 127437
Re-record count: 26652
Done on the linux DRM-free version (3.3) using my own-made TAS tools (github.com/clementgallet/libTAS).
- The fastest way to move horizontally is by chaining ground bursts and double jumps. Bursting too frequently is slower as bursts have a 3-frames freeze.
- Big Boom upgrade was taken for an extra 25 seconds, but it saved time in the whole run, because of the possibility to break blocks without slowing down and faster bosses. Also, throwing a big boom at the beginning of a burst or a jump changes the trajectory by falling down faster.
- In almost every boss, you can get closer to the boss that the game expects by making a burst at the start of the boss room. For most bosses, you can do an input on one frame after the transition to the boss. Also, for all bosses, you can make a burst just before hitting the transition, and your inertia will be kept in the boss room.
- In Plains (01:29) is the only zip of the game, by triggering the transition above the screen. It is also possible by Shovel Knight using the bubbles.
- In the end of King Knight fight (07:29), I delay the last attack until the boss is on the ground because the fight ending triggers when the boss body lands.
- In Explodatorium (08:02), I managed to get hit to get less than 2 hp, so that the boss Shovel Knight will never use the Phase Locket attack (he gets invincible for a short time). Also, during this fight, I managed to skip his health refill, which is triggered when he lost more than 3 hps. To do that, I throw bombs in a very specific way to create an alcove inside the rocks. When Shovel Knight has a rock over him, he launches his horn attack, and hitting him during this animation can skip the refill trigger.
There are a few improvements in this TAS:
- During Specter Knight fight (04:32), it would have been faster to make boss body to land on one of the platform, because the ending triggers when the boss body lands.
- In Iron Whale (10:51), there is a 1-tile hole that I didn't know how to drop into.
Huge thanks to the Shovel Knight discord community for their feedback, advices and enthusiasm!

[@demilad225]

Floors? Where we’re going, we don’t need floors.

[@itsnotpaul8548]

Shovel knight: Ok I need to get to Shield knight! Plague Knight:

[@temporaltoast9692]

“Plague Knight are you oka-“ “ *_F U C K I N G E X P L O S I O N S_* ”

[@zegreatpumpkinani9161]

BUSTA WOLF

[@JetSetDman]

mona: hey plague knight wanna come over plague knight: i can't, i'm busy mona: my parents aren't home plague knight:

[@danielmclatchie2053]

The moment I saw the gameplay I immediately thought of this, then saw this comment

[@HunterIsRad]

When you gotta collect the essence but Mona’s gonna teach you dancing in 30 minutes

[@sirhootsalot2343]

*40 minutes

[@williamhuynh869]

Be late

[@LicensedPaprbag]

24:18 imagine being defeated within the first few notes of your theme song This post was made by the plague knight gang

[@chonglengli]

Imagine being defeated in one hit by something you made yourself This post was made by the mobile gear gang

[@deleted4913]

Imagine having your own locket being used against you This post was made by the Phase Locket gang

[@pastaopossum495]

Lol

[@wurtknurte7283]

Is it a bird, is it a plane, NO, IT'S A FLYING PLAGUE DOCTOR!

[@aPengwin1]

this is the only acceptable confusion of a bird

[@minerturtle45]

"Wow Plague, you're killing it with getting these Essen-oh okay bye i guess"

[@NeonWasInUse]

*"OKIGOTTHEESSENCECOOL?COOLOKBYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!"*

[@Funtermore]

Mona: Hey Plaguey, so I created this Potion to help collect the essences, it's a Speed Potion, i called "Meth" Plague. K: Hum-mm...Let me Try Plague. K after the Potion:

[@iamhorse9794]

Black Knight: *Gets Mona to leave Plague Knight* Plague Knight: 19:20

[@chonglengli]

Plague Knight: *Worst. Wingman. Ever!*

[@scado5679]

"Wow, what was her probl--HEY OUCH OW OW STOP OW OUCH AAAAAAGH"

[@Vinegar436]

Victory: Shovel Knight - epic pose Specter Knight - cool tricks with scythe Plague knight - *_FRIGGIN_* *_PARTAY_*

[@rayb4854]

SLUUUUURRRRRRP

[@zegreatpumpkinani9161]

King Knight - flex on the peasants

[@lucasbaum2228]

I've always loved the little jiggy Plague knight does when he defeats a boss

[@AcronymARES]

I can only imagine the absolute chaos that would insue had this run started off with the Pandemonium Cloak.

[@lilypad2252]

11:43 plague knight do be lookin' kinda fresh doe

[@MemeManMoi]

He's groovin

[@bugsy0422]

(insert original “come over” joke here)

[@TheTolnoc]

Less than two minutes in and we're already nega clipping through the nth dimension. This is gonna be good.

[@flameblade3]

Plague knight: Mona I’ve made a decision, I have decided to embrace my inner bird! Mona: seriously plaguey...

[@TheKenny2113]

29:08 - 29:54 100% blocks speedrun

[@coolkat3103]

*_E X P L O S I O N S:_* the movie

[@Munimun]

PK: "I gotta make the ultimate potion so I can be the ultimate being and impress Mona" Mona: "b- but you already are"

[@floatingf8783]

PK: My arms are not as insanely strong as my legs, Mona.

[@jerry3115]

Best campaign change my mind

[@lucania101710]

I don't need to change your mind, it is the best one

[@darkanayer5867]

Sorry, i consider specter of torment better, specially because of his New game plus

[@jerry3115]

@@darkanayer5867 imo plague of shadows > king of cards > specter of torment > shovel of hope, but all 4 of them are 10/10 masterpieces.

[@coolkat3103]

@@jerry3115 yeah feel the same way

[@zegreatpumpkinani9161]

Sorry but I have to disagree HARD. Joustus is ****ing awesome, and King Knight and Spectre Knight movement feels great. Shovel Knight is a solid third. Plague Knight... my brain cannot comprehend charge moves and being unable to master the art of explosions I find his movement very clunky.

[@M0mazosMissy]

1:31 A weapon to surprass speedrunner Mario

[@tree_sage3357]

Not possible

[@sla5891]

speedrunner mario: Finally, a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!

[@larscandland4072]

Well... color me impressed

[@blorgyschmorgy7556]

the best part was when plague knight played hole in the wall and changed his pose in order to fit in the “shovel knight only” spinning door (5:54)

[@zeegamingbros9118]

this reminds me of plague knight in his boss fight.

[@israelrodriguez7975]

OMG ME TOO!

[@kirbyknife5885]

It feels like Plague Knight is now carrying special bombs to just blow himself up anytime instead of the usual slow charge

[@RetroRSP]

Detnators

[@theivoryguy2476]

18:28 Holy shit

[@nathanbattraw5803]

I've beaten every single mode and gotten all upgrades, but this still blows me away. Some seriously helpful hints in this and strat.

[@pjthemaster1]

Black knight after he talks to Mona for one frame: Why do I hear boss music?

[@mossymagicks]

23:05 those tactical damage boosts to land on the spikes are extremely cool

[@LicensedPaprbag]

specter gets bullied timestamp: 4:22

[@lilypad2252]

Alternate title: *A bird named plague knight fucking explodes 5 x 10^1000 times.*

[@ManohangProto]

I love how at 28:48 they intentionally take damage so they can flex on THE ENTIRE GODDAMN ORDER by beating them with 3 health at 30:05

[@aPengwin1]

I've always loved watching TAS's demolish bosses and this was wonderful

[@Rappenem]

28:49 just for the heck of it

[@mdudegamer]

"Eh, I don't need that much health"

[@marmeg5238]

I know I'm late but this an important part of the speedrun. If you have more than one and a half health Shovel Knight will use his Phase Locket.

[@williamhuynh869]

@@marmeg5238 his ai should spam the phase locket. We all did

[@deleted4913]

^

[@IlSharmouta]

I thought oh he's just messing around cause he's knows there's a chicken at the end He goes to the chicken, opens it, and walks away

[@omniscientomnipresent5500]

He can fly...

[@lankymaccrazyhair264]

For when you are late to impressing your crush.

[@deadakus]

37:47 heeeey so about that

[@PlutiaHeart]

Seriously incredible work here.

[@professorrafaelrodrigues219]

best love history ever

[@thenightjackal8876]

As I thought, a speedrun of Plague of Shadows would be way more cool than one of Shovel of Hope. Plague Knight's movement is so fun

[@lemonl80]

21:33 Bruh

[@bigdaddynasty69]

He clowned that sucka

[@Cyanopsia]

I love how they just flex during autoscrollers.

[@pixelator5312]

you: hover meanies me, an intellectual: jawas

[@elecboy5126]

13:45 You didn’t mention this in the captions, but you threw the bomb because enemies don’t have hit boxes during the damage flash, right?

[@DarkEspeon40K]

Partially right. What you meant is "hurtboxes", the parts of the enemy that actually hurt you upon touch. For most enemies in SK they're almost identical in size to hitboxes. Enemies can't hurt you by touch when they're in a damage phase.

[@elecboy5126]

As I suspected. However I believe you have hitboxes and hurtboxes reversed - if an enemy/projectile hitbox is intersecting with Shovel Knight’s hurtbox, then shovel knight is damaged

[@elecboy5126]

Ok after doing some research I found out that the hitbox/hurtbox distinction is only unambiguous in fighting games, sorry

[@deleted4913]

Your pfp disturbs me

[@essamxe4881]

You are so good ...good luck man😇

[@snazzy_w3315]

its a tas

[@VentCrystals98]

Excellent run :D

[@LunaMinuna]

It’s so series how much of a Jerk shovel knight is in the campaign makes you see that not all the heroes are who they appear to be

[@SuctionCup_Man]

doctor: you have no more bomb injuries! that will be $475. *card declines* doctor: 19:20

[@kylie2867]

Plague knight is a freakin yandere

[@scado5679]

At this point the Ultimate Potion would have been a downgrade.

[@stetstetstitstreats]

look at he go

[@waynetastic1746]

It's like healthbars don't even exist 0_0

[@Zhukov1898]

Will you do King of Cards

[@sam-vs4tm]

*floor? what’s that?*

[@hollowknightenjoyer]

Didn't notice but after shovel knight charge slashes you lhe starts teabggimg you. Pretty sure other people can relate

[@genericfriend2568]

Garden Warrior: late for a recital

[@pavtyler8405]

Avoid the chicken at *all costs*

[@camillo3887]

When Mona is home alone:

[@technicallyanaxolotl9613]

I thought you needed to find the shovel of hope relics to trade with chester to get the arcana

[@jordie6555]

pretty sure that's just to get the arcana for free

[@deadakus]

Yeah yeah Plague Knight is fast, but can we talk about those minions at the start?

[@zephyrmasterstormforger8687]

5:15 Mudvayne reference?

[@RetroCandyArt]

wait you can get the arcana without giving chester the relic? how have i never known this

[@rayb4854]

Oh wow youre here too huh

[@thankful.u.a.z9297]

You'll need to pay him a big amount of gold tho

[@dry90125]

Me going to the gas station to get my mom chips

[@itsnotpaul8548]

Show: Has one funny frame Memers on their way to make a template:

[@collarbones4511]

1:31 what the fuck was THAT???

[@german_engineering1449]

No need to fight if you can just fly over your enemies

[@raghabbaruah3317]

plaguey do be on a vegan diet tho

[@matthiassteigely211]

1:30 how he do that

[@nills2099]

POV: you thought you were the best.

[@phorchybug3286]

Fans: Plagues gameplay sucks TAS: ♂️♂️💥

[@oyeh8908]

I just wish Plague Knight had more unique levels.

[@slima11NG]

35:23 here is the best part

[@blackdot105]

Shovel Knight TAS??

[@user-cs2pi5qz4g]

Tool asisted speedrun

[@blackdot105]

@@user-cs2pi5qz4g Don't worry, I'm well aware of what a tas is. I was surprised by the existence of a Shovel Knight TAS.

[@aPengwin1]

@@blackdot105 basically every platformer has a tas, I'm more surprised at the RPGs with tas's

[@tisc7202]

What the fuck

[@slima11NG]

39:17 here is the worst part

[@slycther2709]

Soni-Chan x Soniku Of the game or the speedrun?

[@killeroneninenine]

Let the little guy have his big tiddy goth gf.

[@RiverOfTheHeart]

Here's the worst part 40:02

[@darknessdevours5827]

This makes Plague Knight's campaign actually look good.

[@isaacallen563]

Theres no way someone did this run without an input hotkey or something. Def cheating somehow

[@acorngnome]

I can smell your skill issue.

[@gigogrom216]

21:33 I love how snowball just bumbs into you