Hollow Knight Silksong: Best Crest, Tools, and Spool Upgrades (2026)
Silksong 2026 walkthrough: every Crest ranked, all 18 Spool Fragment locations, best early-game and late-game Tool loadouts, Steel Soul mode unlock, and the hidden Act 3 path.
TL;DR
- Hollow Knight: Silksong launched 2025-09-04 on PC, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S at $19.99 Standard. Team Cherry’s metroidvania sequel stars Hornet across three acts (Pharloom, Citadel of Song, hidden Abyss).
- 7 Crests total — Hunter (starter), Wanderer, Reaper, Beast, Witch, Architect, Shaman. Reaper is S-tier for most of the game; Beast for single-target boss DPS; Wanderer for early-game pogo and exploration.
- 18 Spool Fragments (6 in Act 1, 12 in Act 2) raise max Silk by +9. Pair with the Spool Extender Tool to push effective Silk to 21.
- Steel Soul mode unlocks via the Konami code (Up Down Up Down Left Right Left Right on Extras) or by finishing the game. Permadeath, but a Save + Quit trick can dodge a brick.
- Act 3 (Abyss) is hidden — requires the Silk and Soul wish + choosing Needolin (not Bind) after Grand Mother Silk.
Who this guide is for
- You bought Silksong at launch or during 2026 and want a single build-and-route reference without reading six different guides
- You just hit a wall on a boss (Fourth Chorus, Trobbio, Lace) and want to know if a Crest swap helps
- You are about to start a Steel Soul run and want the survival rules before you begin
- You finished Act 2 and want to know how to push into the hidden Act 3 without spoiling the quest names
This guide consolidates the consensus from the official Hollow Knight Wiki, Eurogamer, Polygon, IGN, Nintendo Life, and HostedGG / Rectify Gaming / Game8 / The Escapist / Rock Paper Shotgun tier lists.
1. The three acts of Pharloom
Silksong is split into three acts that the title cards mark explicitly:
| Act | Name | Scope | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act 1 | Pharloom | Moss Grotto to the Citadel gate | Hunter, Wanderer, Reaper, Beast Crests. Silkspear, Swift Step, Cling Grip, Needolin Silk Skills |
| Act 2 | Citadel of Song | Inside the Citadel to the standard ending | Witch, Architect Crests. Clawline, Faydown Cloak |
| Act 3 | Abyss | Hidden post-game chapter | Shaman Crest. Silk Soar. True ending |
Per the official Wiki and Polygon’s walkthrough, Act 1 ends when you defeat the Last Judge (or use a Simple Key to shortcut past via the Phantom) and enter the Citadel. Act 2 ends when you defeat Grand Mother Silk with Bind (standard ending) or with Needolin (Act 3 path).
The recommended Act 1 progression route from Nintendo Life and DBLTAP is: Moss Grotto -> Bone Bottom -> The Marrow -> Deep Docks -> Far Fields -> Greymoor -> Bellhart -> Shellwood -> Blasted Steps. The Sinner’s Road alternative is harder but unlocks more mid-route Crests and Tools.
The biggest optional detour: Hunter’s March opens from The Marrow but is guarded by tough enemies until you have Drifter’s Cloak. Leave it for after Cling Grip (Polygon’s walkthrough confirms the soft-lock until then).
2. All seven Crests, ranked
Per HostedGG, Rectify Gaming, The Escapist, and Comic Book Co (consensus), the Crests rank roughly like this:
| Tier | Crest | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Reaper | Chapel of the Reaper (west Greymoor) | Wide arcs, Silk-on-Bind, best all-rounder |
| S | Beast | Chapel of the Beast (SE Hunter’s March, after Savage Beastfly) | Frenzy Bind lifesteal, raw DPS |
| A | Hunter | Starter | Eva upgrades in Weavenest Atla after Needolin; scales all game |
| A | Wanderer | Bonegrave (Simple Key from Pebb, 500 Rosaries) | Fast attacks, best pogo for exploration |
| B | Architect | Buy Architect’s Key from Twelfth Architect (110 Rosaries, 25 Tools owned) | Craft tools on the fly; Shard-heavy |
| B | Shaman | Ruined Chapel in Act 3 (after Silk Soar) | Pure caster; great vs Lost Lace |
| C | Witch | Greyroot after Rite of Rebirth + Infestation Operation wishes | Tendril Bind, niche |
The two Crests you actually main
Reaper is the consensus strongest generalist per HostedGG and Comic Book Co. Its downward pogo is more reliable than Hunter’s diagonal dive (which is what frustrates most first-time players in Hunter’s March), the Silk-on-Bind passive makes every heal also generate Silk, and the slot layout (1R / 1B / 1Y / 1W base, 2R / 2B / 2Y / 1W after Eva upgrades) covers every Tool category.
Best Reaper build (mid-to-late game):
| Slot | Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Cogfly | Autonomous damage while you heal |
| Red | Plasmium Phial | One extra Mask passive |
| Blue | Spool Extender | Mandatory on slow-attack Crests |
| Blue | Longclaw | Range up, safe pokes |
| Yellow | Weighted Belt | Knockback resistance |
| Yellow | Barbed Bracelet | Damage-on-hit |
Beast is the swap-in for tough single-target boss fights. Its Frenzy Bind turns healing into a lifesteal burst — but you have to be aggressive to trigger it, and the slot layout (2R / 0B / 0Y / 1W base) sacrifices survivability. Pair with Injector Band so the Bind comes back faster, and Stack Thread Storm + Flea Brew for the lifesteal window.
Wanderer is the best early-game Crest per TheBackDash and the in-game Hunter’s March reality. The fast attacks fill Silk quickly, so you can Bind-heal more often, and the down-attack is the only one that pogo’s cleanly off seed pods and flower buds. You keep Wanderer equipped for Bellhart’s platforming puzzles and the Bellway backtrack loops until you get Reaper.
3. Best Tools and where to get them
Per IGN’s Tools List and Fragster’s 60+ tool breakdown, there are more Tools than you can ever equip at once. The ones worth your Rosaries first:
| Tool | Slot | Source | Cost | Why first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Yellow | Shakra, The Marrow | 70 Rosaries | Marks your position on the map. Pharloom is a maze |
| Magnetite Brooch | Yellow | Pebb, Bone Bottom | 120 Rosaries | Auto-pulls Rosary Beads so you stop losing currency |
| Plasmium Phial | Blue | Alchemist’s Assistant wish, Wormways | Free (quest) | One extra Mask. Best defensive Tool in the game |
| Straight Pin | Red | Above Grindle’s cell, The Marrow | Free (rescue) | Safest ranged Red option before Cogfly |
| Spool Extender | Blue | Grindle, Blasted Steps | 680 Rosaries | Mandatory on Reaper / Beast / Shaman |
| Cogfly | Red | Craft at High Halls bench | 1 Craftmetal | Autonomous damage, biggest boss DPS spike |
Skip these early:
- Curveclaw (140 Rosaries, Hunter’s March) — wait and buy Curvesickle instead, which is the Act 3 upgraded version
- Rosary Cannon — looks impressive, but Shell Shard upkeep is brutal
- Map purchases — buy the Compass + Quill (50 Rosaries) before you buy individual area maps
Bench-Tool loadout by phase
Early game (Act 1) loadout:
| Slot | Tool |
|---|---|
| Red | Straight Pin |
| Blue | Plasmium Phial |
| Yellow | Magnetite Brooch |
| Yellow | Compass |
Mid game (Act 1 to Act 2 transition) loadout:
| Slot | Tool |
|---|---|
| Red | Cogfly |
| Red | Sting Shard (Forge Daughter craft) |
| Blue | Spool Extender |
| Blue | Longclaw |
| Yellow | Weighted Belt |
| Yellow | Barbed Bracelet |
Late game (Act 2+) loadout:
| Slot | Tool |
|---|---|
| Red | Curvesickle |
| Red | Cogfly |
| Blue | Spool Extender |
| Blue | Fractured Mask (Steel Soul safety) |
| Yellow | Silkspeed Anklets (farm runs) |
| Yellow | Dead Bug’s Purse (Classic mode) |
4. Spool Fragment collection route
There are 18 Spool Fragments per the Hollow Knight Wiki and IGN. Every two Fragments add +1 Silk. Max +9 with all Fragments, +21 total effective Silk with the Spool Extender Tool.
Act 1 (collect all 6)
| # | Region | How to reach |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moss Grotto (Mosshome) | Break a hidden wall left of the elevator room |
| 2 | Deep Docks (lava chamber) | Hop burning platforms, flip the lever, climb back up |
| 3 | Deep Docks (locked door, lower) | Requires Simple Key + Clawline |
| 4 | Greymoor (above Halfway Home) | Requires Cling Grip, pogo balloons east of Craw Lake |
| 5 | Bellhart (Frey shop) | 270 Rosaries after completing My Missing Courier wish |
| 6 | Weavenest Atla | Requires Needolin to open the Weavenest door |
Walkthrough tip: per GameSpot, the Bellhart fragment (270 Rosaries) is the cheapest — do My Missing Courier first because Frey only sells the Fragment after the wish completes.
Act 2 (collect 12)
The remaining 12 fragments split across Underworks (2), Whiteward (2), Cogwork Core (1), Memorium (1), High Halls (1), Grand Gate (1), The Slab (1), Bilewater (1), plus merchant sales from Frey (270), Jubilana (500, after Wandering Merchant wish), and the Flea Caravan at Grand Gate (after 12 fleas + Last Judge).
Per the Hollow Knight Wiki, the easiest late-game Fragment is Whiteward under the lift — call the lift up, then immediately jump down the shaft past where it stops, into a side passage. No combat required.
Save Act 2 Fragment farming for after Clawline + Cling Grip. Many Act 2 Fragments are gated behind platforming challenges that need both moves.
5. Steel Soul mode, the survival rules
Per Rock Paper Shotgun and Game8, Steel Soul mode is the permadeath challenge. One death deletes the save. There are two unlock methods:
- Beat the game once on any ending. Steel Soul unlocks as a save-slot option.
- Konami code early unlock — on the title screen, open Extras, then on the D-pad input: Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right. A white flash + audio cue confirm activation.
What changes in Steel Soul
Per Game8’s mode breakdown:
- Death is permanent. Save file marked “Defeated” on first death.
- Dead Bug’s Purse is replaced by Shell Satchel (more crafted tools).
- Silkeaters can be sold for Rosaries at the Steel Soul-exclusive merchant Skynx.
- New wish A Vassal Lost opens in Blasted Steps, with a unique boss Summoned Saviour.
The save-and-quit trick
The only legal way to dodge a Steel Soul brick: if Hornet is at 1 Mask, pause + Save + Quit before the killing blow. The save file is only deleted on an in-game death. Reload and Hornet respawns at the last bench with full HP. Per Game8 and TheGamer, this is widely accepted as a design feature, not an exploit.
Top Steel Soul tips (from TheGamer)
- Buy Magma Bell early from Forge Daughter. Fireproof for Fourth Chorus and Trobbio.
- Taunt enemies — V on keyboard, right-stick click on controller. Hornet taunts to draw foes in, and the next Needle attack after a taunt deals 1.3x damage.
- Clear enemies before platforming. Steel Soul punishes split attention.
- Farm Mosshome Rosaries before each boss. Convert to Rosary Strings at vendors so death cannot drain them.
6. How to unlock Act 3 (Abyss) without spoiling it
Per the official Hollow Knight Wiki and Nerd’s Chalk, Act 3 requires the Silk and Soul Wayfarer wish. The full checklist (some can be done out of order):
- Complete most Pharloom Wishes across Songclave, Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and The Citadel (donation, delivery, gathering, hunt, learn, ascend, open, save, search, seek, sprint, wayfarer categories)
- Free at least 25 Lost Fleas and relocate the Flea Caravan to Putrified Ducts
- Speak to Pavo in Bellhart to claim your Bellhome
- Speak to the Caretaker in Songclave to begin the Silk and Soul wish
- Collect the Maiden’s Soul, Bell Hermit’s Soul, Seeker’s Soul, and Snare Setter and bring them back to the Caretaker
Then head to The Cradle and defeat Lace again. After defeating Grand Mother Silk, choose Needolin instead of Bind. Choosing Bind locks you out of Act 3 on that save file. Use the Threefold Melody on the trap to drag Grand Mother Silk into the Abyss.
After the credits roll, reload the save. The save file is wrapped in black threads. Mash the action button to clear them, and Act 3 begins.
Act 3 unlocks
- Shaman Crest in the Ruined Chapel (after Silk Soar ability)
- Silk Soar Ancestral Art in The Abyss
- The true ending after defeating Lost Lace
FAQ
Q: What is the best Crest in Hollow Knight Silksong? A: Reaper Crest is the consensus S-tier pick. Beast Crest is the other S-tier for single-target boss DPS. Wanderer is the best early-game pogo Crest.
Q: How many Spool Fragments are there in Silksong? A: 18 total. Six in Act 1, twelve in Act 2. Every two Fragments raise Silk by +1. With Spool Extender, max effective Silk is 21.
Q: How do you unlock Steel Soul mode? A: Beat the game once, or enter Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right on the Extras menu (Konami code).
Q: What is the best early-game Tool loadout? A: Compass, Magnetite Brooch, Plasmium Phial, and Straight Pin. Do not spend Rosaries on map purchases until you have Compass and Brooch.
Q: How do you unlock Act 3 in Silksong? A: Complete Silk and Soul wish, then choose Needolin (not Bind) after defeating Grand Mother Silk. Reload save, clear black threads, Act 3 begins.
Q: Do I need to play Hollow Knight 1 before Silksong? A: No. Pharloom is a separate kingdom. Hornet is a new protagonist with new lore. New players can start with Silksong without penalty.
Q: How long is Hollow Knight Silksong? A: Main story 25-30 hours, full Act 2 ending 35-45 hours, 100% with Act 3 is 50-65 hours. Steel Soul runs of standard ending are 25-40 hours for experienced players.
Internal links
- /posts/marvel-rivals-tactical-playbook/ — advanced tactics for a different metroidvania-adjacent game
- /posts/007-first-light-steam-deck-performance-guide-switch-2-2026/ — how to verify handheld performance for new 2026 titles
Hollow Knight: Silksong is Team Cherry’s 2025 follow-up to the genre-defining Hollow Knight. Pharloom rewards patience, Crest-swapping, and Tool economy. Treat Crests like tools in a kit, not a permanent class choice — the strongest players bench-swap every two to three boss fights. Spend Rosaries on Compass + Magnetite Brooch before maps, and your Steel Soul runs will be much shorter.
HistoryRevision history
- v1.0
- Initial publication covering crests, tools, spools, Steel Soul, and Act 3 unlock.
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