Flare Knuckle

The Flare Knuckle is an equipment upgrade for the Rust Knuckle acquired from within Crystal Caves. **Once you've beaten the game at least once**, you can re-open your save after the credits and collect this item. You can also start a new save and access this item at any point after the introduction.

This will allow you to Charge a knuckle punch, explosively heating it up. Releasing the charge will launch the character forward **2 tiles** and damage objects and enemies in your path. Marrying Siska gives you access to the Rocket Boots, which greatly extends the Flare Knuckle's charge distance.

### Description

*Apparently it wasn't rust. What a strange metal. Never heard of one reacting to blood.*

On pick-up: *Flare Knuckle!*

*...*

*I can now charge the gauntlet with heat and burst forward!*

### Effects

#### Charged Flare Punch

* Hold your knuckle input to charge this skill. Releasing the hold will launch you forward **2 tiles**
* Deals multiple hits of damage to enemies within trajectory path.
* Large, 4 tile boulders will be destroyed in one hit, without needing to first breakdown or weaken them.
* Red boulders and metal barrels can now be destroyed.
* Pitfalls that are **1 tile** in width can be skipped over.

#### Advanced

* Through pixel perfect positioning, you are able to launch over 2 tile wide pitfalls safely.
* This skill is devastating for the Yhote, Loomagnos, and Shadow bosses as they can be stunned and hit from the trajectory.

#### Soft Grid Quirks

* The player is not locked to a grid like enemies and obstacles. And so you are able to occupy and physically affect multiple tiles at a time, even if you're only aiming for one. For example, standing on the center line of two tiles and applying your action input will affect both the connecting blocks ahead of you.
* Its effect on enemies or objects in those tiles depends on your position and the object. For example, if there are enemies coming from 2 adjacent blocks ahead of you, aiming your punch between them will hit them both. This works the same for pickaxe shots.
* However, objects like red boulders and metal barrels that are adjacent will behave differently. You will only affect the space which the inertia would naturally favor. **The soft grid** will steer you into a one tile path when jettisoned forward; avoiding one object and destroying the other. At certain positions, one of the objects can halt the launch distance of the skill.
* An **aura of flare damage** will release at your stopping point, effecting a **3rd block** ahead of you with the same force. Awareness of the soft grid is important for this as well. Should your placement sit between tiles, you risk breaking an object 4 tiles away, or affecting tiles port and starboard to your intended destination.
* Be sure you are centered on your occupying Tile if you need to reach a tight spot safely and without breaking things.

### Requisite

*Beat the game once;* clear the Lighthouse through Setting Moon or Prodigal Sun.

*All equipment;* collect the Lariat, Rust Knuckle, and Dread Hand.

### Location

#### Dungeon

*Crystal Caves;* Head north from Pa's House up the stairs, stay northeast and go up the staircase up to the mountainside. Ahead of you is a breakable wall. Head inside and interact with the large red boulder.

#### Red Trapped Chest

    North from the foyer, hit the **freezing crystal** and start ahead 1 room at the southeast doorway. hit the northeast doorway next, then 1 room West with a Normal Key, 1 more room west. Hit the **freezing crystal** again and head straight east into the doorway above the staircase. Inside is a red chest. Open it to upgrade your Rust Knuckle automatically.

### Type

Once you complete the game once, you can access this item from the current or a new file.

This is an upgraded piece of equipment; obtained from within Crystal Caves.

You do not need to be in a quest to collect it, just have the tools required to reach it.

This equipment is necessary for clearing most of the post game content.