How To Defeat Impostor Santa in 99 Nights in the Forest (December 2026) Guide

Updated by Sunny Kaushik
December 29, 2025
Gaming

If you’ve been wandering through the snowy biomes in 99 Nights in the Forest lately, you might have stumbled upon a jolly-looking figure that is anything but nice. Yes, I’m talking about the Impostor Santa. This seasonal boss has been giving players a run for their money, and if you’re here, you’re probably looking for the best strategy to take him down.

I’ve spent the last few nights diving into the frosty arenas, testing different builds, and analyzing every attack pattern this fake Saint Nick throws at us. Whether you’re looking to farm his exclusive loot or just want to clear the boss for your collection, this guide is going to walk you through everything you need to know.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll break down the prerequisites, his attack phases, the best builds to counter him, and the loot tables you can expect in January 2026. Let’s not waste any time and get straight to the strategy.

Impostor Santa Boss Overview

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty combat mechanics, here is a quick overview of what you are dealing with. Knowing the stats and requirements beforehand can save you a lot of frustration.

Feature	Details
Boss Name	Impostor Santa
Location	Winter Wonderland Cave (Event Area)
Recommended Level	50+
Main Weakness	Fire Attacks
Resistance	Ice / Slow Effects
HP Pool	High (Approx. 15,000 HP)
Best Weapon Type	Two-Handed Greatsword or Magic Staff
Respawn Time	15 Minutes after death

Prerequisites Before the Fight

You don’t want to walk into this fight wearing your starter gear. Impostor Santa hits hard, and if you aren’t prepared, he will one-shot you. Here is exactly what you need to prepare before summoning him.

1. Gear and Stats

First off, make sure your armor is upgraded to at least Level 5. I made the mistake of trying him with Level 3 gear, and let me tell you, it was a disaster. You want a good balance of Vitality (for HP) and Strength (for damage).

Armor: Look for the “Frostbane” set or any heavy armor with high physical defense. Since most of his attacks are physical melee or slam attacks, defense is prioritized over elemental resistance here.
Weapons: I highly recommend using a weapon with Fire Enchantments. Like I mentioned in the table, Santa resists Ice, but he takes extra damage from Fire. If you have a Fire Staff or a flame-infused sword, this is the time to use it.

2. Consumables

Never enter a boss arena without potions. For this fight, you will need:

Greater Health Potions: Stock up on at least 20.
Stamina Elixirs: Essential if you are playing a melee class so you can dodge-roll continuously.
Buffs: If you have access to a “Attack Boost” or “Defense Ward” meal, eat it right before you enter the arena.

Locating the Impostor Santa

Finding the boss is half the battle in 99 Nights in the Forest. The Impostor Santa doesn’t spawn in the open world; he has a specific summoning ritual.

Head to the Winter Biome: This is the snowy area located in the northern part of the map. You’ll know you’re there when the temperature drops and your character starts to shiver.
Find the Workshop Cave: Look for a cave entrance decorated with broken candy canes and blood-red ribbons.
The Summoning Item: You need an item called the “Naughty List.” This drops from elite enemies in the Winter Biome. It might take you 10-15 minutes of farming elites to get it.
Activate the Altar: Inside the cave, there is a large altar in the center. Place the Naughty List on the altar to trigger the cutscene and start the fight.

Pro Tip: If you are playing on a server with other players, coordinate the summoning. The Impostor Santa scales with the number of players, but having a designated tank and healer makes the fight significantly easier.

Phase 1: The Sack Assault

When the fight begins, Impostor Santa is surprisingly agile for his size. Phase 1 is mostly about learning his melee moves and dodging his massive sack.

Attack Patterns to Watch For:

The Sack Slam: He lifts his giant sack over his head and slams it down. This creates a shockwave.
- Strategy: When you see the sack go up, run away. Do not try to dodge through it; the hit box is too large. Wait for the slam, then run back in to get 2-3 hits.
Coal Throw: He reaches into his pocket and throws chunks of burning coal at you.
- Strategy: These are projectile attacks. Keep moving strafe (sideways) to avoid them. If you get hit, you’ll get a “Burn” debuff, so use a health potion immediately.

My Strategy for Phase 1: I stick close to his legs but not directly in front. By hugging his right leg, I can avoid most of the coal throws and easily see the wind-up for the Sack Slam. I use a fast-swinging one-handed weapon here to build up stagger. Once his stagger bar is full, he falls down, giving you a free 5 seconds to unleash your heavy attacks.

Phase 2: The Workshop Minions

Once you get Impostor Santa down to 70% HP, he becomes enraged. The lights in the cave flicker, and he summons help. This is where many players panic.

The Minions:

He spawns Snow Golems and Angry Elves.

Snow Golems: They are slow but hit hard. They act as walls, blocking your path to Santa.
Angry Elves: They are small, fast, and annoy you with rapid dagger attacks.

How to Handle It? Do not ignore the minions. If you focus only on Santa, the Elves will stunlock you, and Santa will finish you off.

Kite Santa: Run around the perimeter of the arena. Santa will follow you slowly.
Kill Elves First: Use AOE (Area of Effect) attacks to take out the Elves quickly.
Ignore Golems: You can crowd-control the Snow Golems. Use a “Freeze” spell or a knockback skill to push them away, then focus back on Santa.

During this phase, Santa gains a new move: Present Bomb. He throws exploding presents that deal massive damage. The presents have a red blinking light. If you see one near you, get away immediately!

Phase 3: Naughty Mode (The Final Stretch)

At 30% HP, the Impostor Santa enters his “Naughty Mode.” His eyes glow a deep purple, and his speed increases by 50%. This is the DPS check (Damage Per Second check). If you don’t have enough damage output, you will eventually run out of potions.

Key Mechanics:

Charge Attack: He will lower his head and charge at you like a bull. This breaks through almost all blocks.
- Counter: The only way to avoid this is a perfectly timed dodge roll (i-frame). You must roll right as he reaches you.
** Blizzard Spin:** He spins around, dealing damage in a 360-degree radius.
- Counter: Back off. Do not try to hit him during the spin. Wait for the animation to finish.

Final Phase Strategy: This is all out war. Pop your Stamina Elixir if you haven’t already. Don’t worry about being elegant with your hits; just get your damage in. If you die, try to respawn quickly (if the game allows) or let your teammates finish him off.

Loot and Rewards

So, why go through all this trouble? The Impostor Santa drops some of the best gear in the 2026 winter event.

Item Name	Type	Rarity	Description
Santa’s Sack	Back Accessory	Legendary	Increases inventory space by 20 slots and gives +5% Gold find.
Impostor’s Axe	Two-Handed Weapon	Epic	High damage, deals Frost damage on hit.
Coal Fragment	Material	Rare	Used for upgrading winter-themed gear.
Broken Bell	Crafting Material	Uncommon	Used to craft the “Jellystone’s Shield.”

Drop Rates: The Santa’s Sack has a very low drop rate, estimated at around 5%. You might need to farm this boss daily to get it. The Impostor’s Axe is a guaranteed drop for your first kill of the day (Daily Reset).

Best Team Composition

While you can solo this boss if you are over-leveled and geared, it is much faster with a team. Here is the ideal setup:

The Tank (1 Player): High defense, uses a shield and taunt skills. Their job is to keep Santa’s attention while the DPS players deal damage.
The DPS (2-3 Players): Players with high damage output. One should be a Mage (Fire) for the elemental weakness, and the others can be melee Swordsmen.
The Healer/Support (1 Player): Someone who can place healing totems or buff the team’s attack speed.

Note: If you are playing solo, I recommend bringing a pet that heals or tanks. The “Wolf Pup” or “Golem Cube” pets are great choices for this specific fight.

Common Mistakes to Avoid In 2026

I’ve seen a lot of players fail this fight repeatedly. Here are the biggest reasons why:

Greeding Hits: Trying to get one more hit in when Santa is winding up for a big attack. It’s not worth it. Prioritize survival.
Ignoring the Burn Debuff: The coal throws apply a burn that ticks for damage. If you ignore it, you will die. Always top off your health if you are burning.
Fighting in the Corner: If Santa pushes you into a corner of the cave during the minion phase, you are dead. Always keep the boss in the center of the room so you have room to maneuver.
Not Repairing Gear: Make sure your weapon durability is 100% before starting. A broken weapon in the middle of Phase 3 is a guaranteed fail.

Advanced Tips for Veteran Players

If you’ve beaten him once and want to speed up your farm for the Santa’s Sack, here are some advanced tricks:

Cheese the Rock: There is a large rock formation on the left side of the arena. If you position yourself correctly, Santa’s charge attack will hit the rock instead of you. This allows you to hit him while he recovers from the animation. Warning: This doesn’t work on his Blizzard Spin.
Elemental Combo: If you have a friend who plays an Ice class and you play Fire, don’t worry about the resistance. The status effects (Slow from Ice + Burn from Fire) actually apply simultaneously, chunking his HP bar surprisingly fast.
Spawn Camping: The boss spawns exactly where you place the list. You can actually place traps (Bear Traps or Ice Traps) on the summoning spot before you start the fight. This gives you free damage at the very start of the encounter!

Updates and Patch Notes for (January 2026)

The developers of 99 Nights in the Forest released a patch recently that adjusted this boss.

Bug Fix: Fixed an issue where Impostor Santa would get stuck in the wall during Phase 2.
Balance Change: The HP of the “Angry Elves” has been reduced by 20%, making Phase 2 slightly more manageable.
New Mechanic: Added a “Present Thief” mechanic where Santa can occasionally steal your potions if you stand too close. Be careful with your spacing!

Always check the official Discord or the game’s description to see if these stats change, as Roblox developers often tweak boss stats weekly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Impostor Santa respawn?

After you defeat him, he takes approximately 15 minutes to respawn in the cave. You don’t need to re-summon him with the list if you stay in the same server, but if the server resets or changes, you will need another “Naughty List” item to trigger the fight again.

What level should I be to fight Impostor Santa?

While you can attempt the fight at level 40, I strongly recommend being Level 50 or higher. His damage output in Phase 3 is massive, and you need the Vitality stats and higher-tier armor that becomes available at level 50 to survive his combos.

Is Impostor Santa weak to any specific element?

Yes, he is weak to Fire. Using Fire spells, fire-coated weapons, or any gear that deals fire damage will significantly speed up the fight. Conversely, avoid using Ice or Water weapons, as he has high resistance to those elements.

Can I get the Santa’s Sack from the daily reward chest?

No, the Santa’s Sack is a random drop from the boss himself. The daily reward chest guarantees the Impostor’s Axe and some gold, but the Sack is a rare drop with an estimated 5% chance.

What happens if I die during the fight?

If you die, you can respawn and run back to the cave. However, if all players in the server are dead for more than 30 seconds, the boss will reset to full HP. If you are solo, you have to start the fight completely from the beginning, including using another “Naughty List” if the timer reset.

Do I need a team to beat him?

A team is highly recommended, but skilled players can solo him. If soloing, bring at least double the amount of potions (around 40-50) and focus on a “Hit and Run” strategy rather than tanking his hits. A healing pet is almost mandatory for solo attempts.

Final Thoughts

Defeating Impostor Santa in 99 Nights in the Forest is one of the more challenging experiences in the game right now, but it is also incredibly rewarding. The mechanics are fair once you learn them, and the loot—especially that Santa’s Sack—is worth the grind.

Remember to stay patient during Phase 2, manage your resources, and don’t get greedy. I hope this guide helps you secure that victory and the exclusive loot.

Good luck out there in the snow, and I’ll see you in the forest.