Hollow Knight: Silksong, Team Cherry’s long-awaited sequel, was released on September 4, 2025, offering a new protagonist, Hornet, and a stunning, deadly environment known as Pharloo. Whether you’re an experienced Hollow Knight player or new to the game, understanding these basic tricks will give you an edge right away.
1. Buy the Map Tools from Shakra Early
Silksong doesn’t auto-generate your map. To avoid getting lost in its twisting tunnels, seek out Shakra, a cartographer in The Marrow. For 320 rosaries, you can purchase:
- The map(s) for explored regions like The Marrow and Mosslands
- The Quill, which fills in the explored sections
- The Compass, showing Hornet’s location on the map, essential for navigation
While the cost may feel steep early on, prioritizing these will drastically improve your exploration experience.
2. Understand and Use the Silk Healing System Wisely
Silksong replaces the original’s Soul system with Silk:
- Fill Silk by attacking enemies
- Use the Bind action to quickly restore up to three health masks when the Silk gauge is full
- Beware—getting hit during the healing animation interrupts it and wastes all your Silk
Tip: Heal mid-air or in safe moments away from enemies to avoid costly interruptions.
3. Upgrade Your Health with Mask Fragments
Exploring thoroughly and speaking with the appropriate NPCs or vendors can get you Mask Fragments. Collecting four fragments raises Hornet’s maximum health, which fully refills when picked up.
4. Gather and Manage Rosaries Carefully
Rosaries replace the Geo currency of the original game. You can collect them by:
- Defeating enemies
- Hitting Rosary strings adorning the environment
- Opening chests
- Destroying Rosary statues
Because resources are limited early on, spend them strategically on maps, essential items, and benches.
5. Use Benches to Heal, Save, and Customize
Benches are critical for:
- Fully restoring health
- Creating hard save points (crucial when exploring risky areas)
- Changing your equipment/loadout, including crests, tools, and abilities
When you come upon a bench, always take a seat and rest; it provides a safe haven in the midst of chaos.
6. Be Aggressive but Smart
Silksong rewards fluidity and aggressiveness. Maintain pressure on adversaries, build up Silk, and heal in between attacks when there is a period of safety. Combine this with the pogo method, the returning fundamental concept, to effectively dodge, counter, and navigate challenging zones.
7. Learn New Movement Abilities Fast
Hornet is more agile than Hollow Knight, with new traversal tools to boot:
- Pogo attacks: bounce off enemies or surfaces
- Wall climbing: cling and scale vertical paths
- Ring swinging and enemy pulling: new mechanics for momentum and aerial navigation
Mastering these early will supercharge your movement and open hidden areas.
8. Get Comfortable with the Crest System
Silksong swaps Hollow Knight’s Notch system for Crests. Each crest falls into one of three color-coded categories:
- Red: Offensive
- Blue: Utility
- Yellow: Passive
Your initial “Wanderer Crest” grants one slot of each. Choose wisely, as some increase offense, while others lower Bind costs or improve basic assaults.
Hollow Knight: Silksong enhances its predecessor with beautiful mobility, changing systems, and an intense challenge. Prioritize acquiring maps, learning Silk healing, investing in Mask Fragments, and using benches. Combine these with strategic aggressiveness and perfected traversal to confidently conquer Pharloom.
