Toby Fox has a weird way of making us wait, doesn't he? We’ve all been staring at that "Coming Soon" screen for what feels like a lifetime. But now that the next slice of the pie is finally here, everyone is scrambling. If you're looking for a Deltarune Chapter 4 walkthrough, you probably realized pretty quickly that the difficulty spike is real. This isn't just a repeat of the Cyber World. It’s denser. It’s weirder. Honestly, it’s a bit meaner if you aren’t prepared for the bullet patterns.
Kris, Susie, and Ralsei are back in a setting that feels fundamentally different from the neon lights of Chapter 2. While Chapter 3 dealt with the fallout of the TV world, Chapter 4 takes the "vibe" in a direction many of us didn't see coming. You’ve got to manage your TP (Tension Points) better than ever because the enemies here don't just sit around waiting for you to Spare them. They counter-attack. They shift the UI. They make you sweat.
Getting Started: The Initial Push
The very beginning of the chapter starts in the Light World, as usual. Don't rush. Walk around. Talk to Sans—he’s still doing basically nothing, which is classic. Check the sink. Check the fridge. The flavor text in Chapter 4 is some of Toby’s best work yet, and skipping it is just doing yourself a disservice. Once you actually jump into the Dark World, the real Deltarune Chapter 4 walkthrough begins.
The first area is a gauntlet of environmental puzzles. Unlike the previous chapters where puzzles were mostly "push a block" or "hit a switch," Chapter 4 introduces a mechanic involving light and shadow manipulation. You'll notice certain platforms only exist when Kris is standing in a specific patch of darkness. It’s tricky. If you move too fast, you'll fall. If you fall, you start the room over. It’s frustrating but manageable if you just breathe.
Managing Your Party and Gear
Susie is still your heavy hitter, obviously. But in this chapter, Ralsei’s "Heal Prayer" isn't always enough. The chip damage from the new "Static" debuff is a nightmare. This debuff slowly drains your HP over several turns, meaning you can't just wait until someone is at 1 HP to heal them. You need to be proactive.
New Equipment to Hunt For
- The Obsidian Scarf: Found behind a fake wall in the second sub-area. It boosts Ralsei’s magic significantly but lowers his defense. It's a glass cannon build, but worth it if you're good at dodging.
- Spiked Buckle: A great find for Susie. It adds a chance to "Graze" even if you aren't super close to the bullets.
- Old Tin Can: Sounds like junk. It’s not. Keep it. It’s used for a specific crafting recipe later with Malius.
Most people miss the Obsidian Scarf because the "wall" doesn't look like a wall. It looks like a shadow. You have to walk directly into the darkness for about three seconds before the path opens up. It’s a classic RPG trope, but in the context of this chapter’s lighting mechanics, it’s actually pretty clever.
The Mid-Chapter Boss: Handling the Chaos
About halfway through, you’ll hit the "Minister of Gloom" (or whatever name the community eventually settles on). This boss is a huge wall for people playing the Pacifist route. If you're going for a violent run, you can just brute force it, but the Pacifist requirements involve a very specific sequence of "ACT" commands.
First, you have to use Kris to "Distract." While the boss is looking at Kris, Susie needs to "Nudge." This moves the boss into the light. Once they are in the light, Ralsei can use "Pacify." If you miss one step, the boss retreats into the shadows and heals 10% of their health. It’s a loop that can go on forever if you don't find the rhythm.
The bullet patterns here are circular. Stay in the center. Moving to the edges is a death sentence because the projectiles speed up as they reach the boundary of the soul box. It's counter-intuitive. Usually, you want space. Here, you want to stay tight and small.
The Secret Boss: Don't Say I Didn't Warn You
Look, we all know why we’re really here. Every chapter has that one hidden boss that makes Jevil and Spamton look like tutorial fights. In Chapter 4, finding the secret boss requires collecting the "Faded Ribbons" scattered across three different zones.
- The first ribbon is under the bridge in the starting area.
- The second is held by an NPC who wants a specific item from the Light World (make sure you grabbed the "Hot Chocolate" from the diner).
- The third is a reward for a perfect run on the minecart mini-game.
Once you have all three, take them to the "Strange Locker" near the final save point. I won't spoil the lore here, but the fight is grueling. The boss uses a mechanic where your soul color changes every three turns. You'll go from Blue (gravity) to Yellow (shooter) to a new Green variation that involves blocking from all four sides simultaneously.
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Navigation Tips for the Final Stretch
The final castle area is a maze. Seriously. It’s easy to get turned around. The trick is to follow the sound of the music. The BGM actually gets louder and more complex the closer you are to the correct path. If the music starts to loop or fade out, you’ve taken a wrong turn. It’s a very "Toby" way of guiding the player without using a map.
Also, talk to the NPCs in the prison cells. One of them gives you a hint about the final boss’s weakness. They mention something about "the smell of pine." This is a hint to use the "Pine Scent" item you can buy from the shopkeeper earlier in the chapter. Using it during the final fight skips an entire phase of the battle. It saves you about five minutes of dodging impossible lasers.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Don't sell your old weapons. This is the biggest mistake I see in every Deltarune Chapter 4 walkthrough or playthrough. Items in this game often combine in later chapters. That "Wood Blade" from Chapter 1 might seem useless now, but there are hints that the Smithy will be able to upgrade "Legacy" items into endgame gear eventually.
Another thing: don't ignore the party members who aren't in your active slot if the game gives you the option to swap. Their "S-Action" abilities are tied to their friendship levels, which only increase if you actually use them in combat or give them gifts.
What to Do Before Finishing
Before you cross the final threshold and seal the Fountain, make sure you've done the following:
- Found the "Egg." It’s in a hidden room between two screens in the forest area. Just keep walking back and forth. You’ll find it.
- Completed the "Starwalker" cameo. He's hiding in a bush near the mid-boss.
- Maxed out your inventory with "Dark Burgers." They are the most cost-effective healing item in the game right now.
Moving Forward After the Credits
Once the fountain is sealed and you’re back in the Light World, the game isn't quite over. Go to the library. Talk to Berdly (if he’s... around). Visit Noelle’s house. There is a specific interaction with Toriel that changes based on whether you used the "Pine Scent" in the Dark World. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s these layers that make the game feel alive.
The mystery of the Knight is still dangling over our heads, and Chapter 4 adds more fuel to the fire. Pay attention to the dialogue in the hospital. There’s a new patient there who wasn't there in Chapter 2 or 3. Their dialogue is cryptic, but it links back to some of the Gaster theories that have been circulating since 2018.
To get the most out of your experience, try a second "Weird Route" run if you're feeling brave. It completely changes the dialogue and the boss encounters, though it’s much darker in tone. Just remember that once you go down that path, the game remembers. Even if you reset.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your Save File: Ensure you have a "clean" save and a "weird" save to see all the branching content.
- Visit the Smithy: Check if you have the materials to craft the "Twin-Ribbon Armor" before the final boss.
- Explore the Town: Talk to every NPC in the Light World post-chapter; several new sub-plots move forward only after the Dark World is closed.
- Keep the Egg: Whatever you do, don't eat it. Put it in the fridge. Trust me.