The Iron Whale is the submersible of the greedy Treasure Knight and one of the main stages of Shovel Knight. It patrols the south coast in the second quadrant of the Valley.
Due to Treasure Knight's presence inside the puzzle box, an illusory copy of The Iron Whale and the surrounding sea floor can be found inside the Pocket Dungeon.
Description[]
The Iron Whale itself is a large whale-shaped submarine filled with floating platforms, spikes and dangerous fauna. Most of the stage takes place underwater, with the water resistance increasing jumps while making falls slower. Half of its exploration is inside the submarine, while the rest takes place in the dark depths beneath it. Those underwater grottoes are filled with hostile fauna as well as the hunting grounds of Teethalon. The last section is filled with anchors and torpedo launchers. Treasure Knight guards his vault, full to the brim with gold.
In Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows, the Iron Whale is submerged, leaving few parts outside water. In Specter of Torment and King of Cards, Treasure Knight brings his vessel topside. The nearby coast is visited while the submarine is half-submerged inside.
Story[]
Treasure Knight used the Iron Whale to plunder the sunken wrecks around the Valley's sea. Specter Knight intruded the ship to recruit him into the Order of No Quarter. After this, the Iron Whale served both as impregnable treasury to the army of the Enchantress and vessel to patrol the sea.
Shovel Knight or Plague Knight later infiltrated the ship to face the greedy deep sea adventurer. After the Order's defeat, Treasure Knight's entire ill-gotten fortune was reclaimed by the Valley's locals, much to his despair.
Obstacles[]
In Pocket Dungeon[]
The Iron Whale is the fifth stage encountered in a normal run of Pocket Dungeon. Once the stage is visited naturally for the first time, a shortcut for Percy's cannon can be purchased for 13,000 Gems.
The Iron Whale and its boss arena variation makes up the only level set that spawns Water tiles without the use of a Hat. In addition to this unique hazard, it features a spawn pool of only a few enemies. Hermittacks spawn most frequently, with Floatsomes and the occasional red Grapps spawning to create walls that interfere with the flow of new unit spawns. In the Legendary Path, the stage more often spawns with greater quantities of water tiles, and the enemy spawn pool now includes the cloaking Serprize. The blue chest Chester sets up shop in may also reveal itself to be the stage's mini-boss, the Teethalon, which spits out its own Teethalite units until it is defeated.
If the stage is given a boss, such as with a Hat, the boss will be Treasure Knight.