MAXACHKALA RP

What I Do First in Silksong's Greymoor: A 2026 Route

Get the Silksong Greymoor map from Shakra first, then grab the Hunter's Journal before facing Moorwing.

In 2026, Silksong's route through Greymoor still trips up new players, and I understand why: the zone hands you three signposts and almost no direction. I re-ran this section on the current build this year, and my first move after launching through the roof of the Far Fields is always the same. Go right, drop down the steps, and find the bench beside Shakra. Buy the Greymoor map for 70 Rosaries before you do anything else. Shakra warns about the flying enemies and the lake, and that warning matters. Without the map, the ruins on the left side of Greymoor turn into a maze of similar-looking platforms and dead ends.

️ The Halfway Home Is Your First Real Stop

After buying the map, I go back to the Greymoor entrance from the Far Fields and continue left to the Halfway Home. It is a small hub with a bench and an innkeeper named Creige. The building has a locked front door, so I loop around to the other side to get inside. Then I jump up to the rafters. There I find Nuu, a strange little snail recording notes on a large scroll. Talk to Nuu and accept its wish. This gives you the Hunter's Journal. Like the Hunter's Journal in Hollow Knight, it records notes on enemies you kill across Pharloom. In 2026, with so many players comparing routes, I still think the Journal is worth grabbing early because it quietly rewards exploration.

My early Greymoor priority list is short:

• Buy the map from Shakra for 70 Rosaries.

• Rest at the Halfway Home bench.

• Get the Hunter's Journal from Nuu.

• Push left toward Moorwing only after those three steps.

️ Moorwing Is the Wall, but Fleas Can Skip It

From the Halfway Home, I head left and work through the complex ruins on the far left side of Greymoor. Eventually I find a large lake with an air vent. Drop down, keep heading left, and Moorwing appears. This boss is mandatory for the normal route, and it is tough. Every attack deals two Masks of damage, and its moveset can be hard to react to with clean timing. When I fought it again this year, I still had to respect the delay on its dive.

There is a clever alternative. If you find all the Fleas and return them to the Fleamaster, he moves the Caravan to Moorwing's location, and the fight is disabled. I have mixed feelings about this skip. It is efficient, but new players miss a good lesson in timing. Either way, beating Moorwing or using the Caravan unlock access to Bellhart and Shellwood.

Boss
Damage
Main Reward
Skip Option

Moorwing
2 Masks per hit
Access to Bellhart and Shellwood
Return all Fleas to the Fleamaster

Sister Splinter
High
Weaver Ability and route to Cling Grip
None

Widow
High
Needolin and freedom for Bellhart
None

Bellhart Is Haunted, So I Go to Shellwood First

When I first reach Bellhart after Moorwing, the town is under the Haunting. The inhabitants are ensnared in silk, and there is no point in trying to fix the town immediately. I turn toward Shellwood instead. This is the part of the route where the game opens up, and it is easy to wander. My advice is to follow the platforms upward and look for the Sister Splinter boss near the top of Shellwood.

Sister Splinter is embedded in the ceiling. She slams with her claws, summons thorns to block parts of the arena, and calls flying allies to her side. The fight is tough, but getting past her unlocks a powerful new Weaver Ability. I also unlock the elevator shortcut back to the central bench in Shellwood. That shortcut makes the runback much easier, and I recommend opening it before moving on.

🧗 Cling Grip Changes Everything

After Sister Splinter, I head left and work around the platforms in the next room to the other side of the central column. The disguised flower bugs are a trap; they reveal themselves if Hornet gets too close. On the left side of the room, I use the downward slash to pogo across two white flowers and enter the room to the left.

In that room, I head left to the end, then quickly turn around and loop up and to the right to reach the Weaver Statue. Use the Bind skill in front of the statue to unlock Cling Grip. This is one of the most useful movement skills in Silksong. Like the Mantis Claw in Hollow Knight, Cling Grip lets Hornet grab vertical surfaces and jump off them. In 2026, it is still the ability that makes Shellwood feel less like a maze and more like a playground.

Widow, Needolin, and a Thankful Bellhart

With Cling Grip, I explore the rest of Shellwood and climb to the far top-right of the zone. Widow waits directly above Bellhart, but her boss room only opens after Sister Splinter and Cling Grip. She wields two sharp claws and spins thread to summon bells. Those bells either launch at Hornet or create temporary, damaging ground. The arena gets busy, so I keep moving and use Cling Grip to reset my position.

When Widow falls, Hornet leaps onto her, stabs her with her nail, and uses her silk to break her apart. After a brief dream-like sequence, Hornet wakes with Needolin unlocked. I exit the arena to the right and return to Bellhart. The residents are thankful, and the town finally feels like a hub rather than a trap.

The Free Needle Upgrade Is Easy to Miss

After saving Bellhart, I talk to every NPC. There is a vendor on the left side of town, a Wishwall with three quests, and two buildings above that you can jump up to. The first building houses Relic Keeper Scrounge, who trades Rosaries for collected artifacts and displays them. The second building slightly further up is Pinmaster Plinney's house. Talk to him, and as thanks for saving Bellhart from Widow, he upgrades Hornet's Needle for free.

This is the first Needle upgrade, and it increases damage. I also pick up Plinney's quest for the material that allows further upgrades. In my 2026 run, this free upgrade made the Blasted Steps far less painful.

Bellhart checklist:

• Talk to the vendor on the left.

• Check the Wishwall for three quests.

• Visit Relic Keeper Scrounge.

• Get the free Needle upgrade from Pinmaster Plinney.

• Pick up Plinney's follow-up quest.

What Opens Up After Greymoor

With Cling Grip, Needolin, and an upgraded Needle, a lot of Pharloom opens up. I can continue into the Blasted Steps to finish Act 1 by taking the exit to the left of the Shellwood Bell Beast station. The Last Judge waits outside the Citadel, and beating that boss moves the story into Act 2. Alternatively, I can return to old zones and see what secrets and areas are now reachable. Needolin and Cling Grip open routes that were invisible on the first pass.

My final route summary for Greymoor in 2026 is simple: map first, Journal second, Moorwing third, Shellwood fourth, Cling Grip fifth, Widow sixth, and the free Needle upgrade last. It is not the only way to play Silksong, but it is the route I trust when I want a clean start in Act 1.

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Saving Bellhart in Silksong: My Cling Grip Route Through the Haunted Town

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Haunted Bellhart guide reveals The Threadspun Town route, Cling Grip upgrade, and boss strategy to cleanse the cursed town.

When I first stepped into the Haunted Bellhart in Hollow Knight: Silksong, the town felt like a music box dropped down a stairwell—beautiful, broken, and still humming with something that wanted me gone. The bugs hung in midair, the streets had lost their names, and every bell seemed to ring from the wrong side of a wall. This is the opening of The Threadspun Town, a secondary quest that turns a dead little settlement into a rescue mission. In 2026, the route still holds: you need Moorwing down, Shellwood crossed, Sister Splinter beaten, Cling Grip earned, and Widow silenced before Bellhart can breathe again.

Finding the Haunted Bellhart

My entry point was simple once Moorwing was dead. From his boss room, I headed left and let the corridor spit me into Bellhart. The place was a ghost of a town, and I could not save it yet. I needed tools. Shellwood sits directly to Bellhart's left, and the elevator there became my spine for the next few runs. I unlocked the rest bench at the top early, and that one bench changed the whole quest from a punishment into a route. If you skip it, every boss attempt feels like re-reading a book from the first page.

Defeating Sister Splinter for the Cling Grip

I pressed right and upward, using the lift, then followed the room to its far edge. A platform sat just out of reach—the kind of tease Silksong loves. I took the left path, downward-slashed across the flowers, and used the Drifter's Cloak for the second batch. That cloak comes from the Seamstress' quest in Far Fields, and without it the flower hops are a stutter-step of failure. Sister Splinter waited in the next room. She is tricky, but not unfair: I stayed patient, punished her recoveries, and moved on. Past her room, the Cling Grip was waiting. That upgrade is the quest's hinge. With it, Bellhart's corruption becomes climbable instead of merely visible.

The Cling Grip made vertical travel feel like I was a seamstress pulling a single bright thread through a canvas that kept trying to close itself. Walls stopped being walls. They became ladders with opinions.

Exploring Bellhart's Source of Corruption

Back at the unreachable wall, I popped up with Cling Grip and used my needle to burst the bells. The next area introduced the bell-headed fiends—small, aggressive, and fond of leaping at my face. My rhythm was two swipes, one dodge back, then finish. A larger bell enemy patrolled up and down; I sliced its underside whenever it exposed itself and climbed on. A smaller one dropped from below, so I kept my eyes down as much as up. I crossed the gap, dodged the falling bells, and freed the flea. That flea matters for the Lost Flea quest, so I did not leave him hanging.

Then I returned to the start and went down instead of up. Drifter's Cloak carried me over the spike bed, and my needle opened the barrier. This is where the route becomes a table of small decisions:

Checkpoint
What I needed
Why it mattered

Shellwood bench
Rest bench unlocked
Made Sister Splinter and Widow runs tolerable

Sister Splinter's room
Patience and downward slashes
Unlocked the path to Cling Grip

Cling Grip wall
Cling Grip
Opened the corruption source and vertical routes

Bell barrier
Needle
Let me break through to the lower paths

Flea gap
Careful dodging
Saved a Lost Flea

Widow route
Cling Grip + Drifter's Cloak
Built a clean boss run

Creating a Path to Widow

Descending into the depths, I found more large bells patrolling. Cling Grip let me slide down the walls gently, avoiding their patrol lines. I took a detour into the left wall and used it to eliminate the one above. Following the path down and right, I avoided spikes, killed a couple of small bell enemies, and scaled the wall with Cling Grip. An alcove held rosaries, which I grabbed before doubling back. I scaled up again, checked the left gap, and busted through. Falling bells demanded attention from below, so I watched the floor as much as the ceiling. I jumped the gap for now and broke open the wall.

That next area is the real gift. It makes the run to Widow manageable. I crossed the platforms, handled or avoided the enemies waiting there, and kept away from the spike pits. Busting through to the next screen dropped me back at the bench I had unlocked. From there, Cling Grip gave me a straight shot into the new path. I returned to the gap I had ignored, dropped in, followed the path down, and reached Widow's room.

Widow's arena felt like stepping into the center of a spider's prayer wheel—every attack a new spoke turning toward me. She has a lot of different attacks, so I studied her tells instead of rushing. Once she was down, the Needolin was mine.

Saving Bellhart

The Needolin dropped me into a dreamy, web-covered labyrinth. I used Cling Grip to climb to the top, then the new skill to unlock the door. Continuing right, I ascended the web with a combination of Cling Grip and Drifter's Cloak, reaching each side and working upward. At the top, I headed left and inspected the ground. The cutscene triggered, and Hornet awakened in front of a large web. I used the Needolin to break Bellhart's curse.

That moment is the reward: shops open, new NPCs appear, and the town stops being a haunted diorama. I even strengthened Hornet's Needle by speaking to Pinmaster Plinney. Bellhart becomes a place instead of a warning.

My quick preparation list

• ️ Defeat Moorwing and exit Greymoor

• Head left from Moorwing's room to find Haunted Bellhart

• 🧵 Cross Shellwood and unlock the top rest bench

• ️ Beat Sister Splinter and claim Cling Grip

• 🪶 Complete the Seamstress' quest in Far Fields for Drifter's Cloak

• Free the Lost Flea during the corruption crawl

• ️ Build the bench-to-Widow shortcut before challenging her

• Use Needolin in the web labyrinth to lift the curse

In 2026, this route remains one of Silksong's cleanest rescue arcs: a town that feels like a broken music box, a grip that turns walls into thread, and a final song that lets Bellhart ring for itself again.

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Silksong’s Early Grievances: Benches, Rosaries, and Boss Runbacks

Hollow Knight: Silksong's rosary economy, paid benches, weak boss rewards, and harsh platforming fueled early complaints despite lasting appeal.

I still remember the strange mix of excitement and frustration that hung over the first 48 hours of Hollow Knight: Silksong. The sequel launched at 10am EDT on September 4, 2025, without pre-orders, and the resulting surge crashed every major storefront for a few hours. That chaos made history, but once the dust settled, players—myself included—started comparing notes. Is it fair to judge a game by its first two days? Maybe not, but those hours revealed the pressure points that would dominate early discussion. Now, looking back from 2026, I can see that the complaints were real, even if they never ruined the overall experience.

The Rosary Economy Feels Like a Toll Booth

What hit me first was the economy. Rosaries—Silksong’s currency—felt less like a reward and more like a toll. Tools, maps, items, and even benches demanded payment, and the prices added up fast. I quickly understood why so many players said farming rosaries was basically a requirement from the get-go. The bigger problem? Many enemies do not drop rosaries, and exploration rewards often feel minimal. Even the most well-hidden rooms frequently contain little in the way of valuables. That combination can turn curiosity into a chore. Why should a secret room feel like a wasted trip? In a metroidvania, discovery is supposed to be its own reward, but Silksong often asks for a down payment on that pleasure.

Benches, Checkpoints, and the ‘Anti-Homeless’ Joke

Benches became the lightning rod. The cost of unlocking checkpoints invited especially high scrutiny, and some fans started calling them ‘anti-homeless benches,’ a dark joke about city benches designed to stop people from lying on them. I laughed at the phrase, then winced because it captured the feeling so well. Bench placement also frustrated players. Boss runbacks were boring at best and frustrating at worst, especially when a difficult fight sat far from a safe spot. Is a long walk back really the best way to build tension? For many of us, it just drained momentum.

Bosses, Rewards, and the Metroidvania Loop

The bosses themselves drew criticism for offering minimal rewards. That complaint cuts deeper than it might seem. Classic metroidvania design tends to reward hard-fought victories with useful skills and tools, creating a steady loop of challenge and payoff. When a boss gives little more than a pat on the back, the loop feels broken. I do not need every fight to hand me a new toy, but I do want a reason to feel stronger after a win. Other grievances included a lack of quest variety and useful rewards like tools and crests being locked behind excessive fetch quests. Those are not minor details; they shape how the adventure breathes.

Platforming, Double Damage, and the Difficulty Spike

Then there is the platforming. Silksong’s diagonal pogo is a clever move, but many segments rely on pulling it off in quick succession. When it clicks, it feels brilliant. When it does not, it feels like the game is testing my patience rather than my skill. I also noticed the abundance of enemies doing double damage, something that was a rarity in the original Hollow Knight. Combine that with difficult fights and no nearby benches or checkpoints, and the difficulty can feel less like a curve and more like a wall.

The Grievance Checklist

Grievance
What players said
My take

High bench costs
Checkpoints felt expensive to unlock
It makes safety feel like a luxury item

Minimal exploration rewards
Hidden rooms often lacked valuables
Discovery should not feel like a wasted trip

Weak boss rewards
Victories rarely delivered useful tools
The challenge-payoff loop needs more bite

Diagonal pogo platforming
Too many segments required rapid precision
Brilliant when it works, exhausting when it does not

Double-damage enemies
Common foes hit much harder than expected
The difficulty spike can feel like a wall

Fetch quest locks
Tools and crests sat behind long quest chains
Good rewards should not feel buried

The Overall Verdict

Here is the twist: none of this seems to have significantly damaged the game’s reputation. At the time of that early discussion, Silksong held over 31,000 ‘Very Positive’ user reviews on Steam, along with 4.85- and 4.4-star ratings on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store, respectively. Many fans discussing the game online said they were enjoying it overall, and I understand why. The movement is sharp, the world is gorgeous, and Hornet is a joy to control. The grievances are real, but they read like friction points rather than fatal flaws.

Would I call Silksong a disappointment? No. Would I call its early economy and bench placement baffling? Absolutely. In 2026, I see those first 48 hours as a lesson in how strong core design can survive rough edges—and how quickly a community can turn a frustrating bench into a running joke. The conversation around Silksong is still evolving, but the early gripes remain a useful map of where the game pushes back hardest.

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Silksong Berry Picking Wish Guide: All Mossberry Locations and Druid's Eye Reward

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Berry Picking Wish guide: find all four Mossberries fast and earn a useful early reward.

In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong remains a game that rewards players for poking around every corner, and one of the earliest optional Wishes illustrates that design philosophy well. The Berry Picking Wish asks players to collect a handful of fruit for a charismatic NPC, and the payoff is a small but genuinely useful trinket for the opening hours. The quest is simple on paper. In practice, a few of the Mossberries sit behind platforming challenges, flying enemies, and one especially awkward jump-down attack. This guide breaks down how to begin the Wish, where to find the first four Mossberries, what the reward does, and how extra fruit can be turned into Rosaries later.

How To Start The Berry Picking Wish

The Wish begins when the player finds the Moss Druid. She is located on the northeast side of Mosshome, in the same large room where players acquire their first Silk Skill, Silkspear. From that area, the route is straightforward: move to the right until reaching the end, then take the small passage that leads to the Moss Druid. Speaking with her starts The Berry Picking Wish, and she asks for three Mossberries.

There are more than three Mossberries in the game, but the first four covered here are the ones players can reach right away without extra abilities. That makes this an ideal early quest for anyone who wants a useful reward before pushing deeper into Silksong's tougher regions.

Mossberry #1 Location

Many players will likely find this one before meeting the Moss Druid. In the starting area, Moss Grotto, go to the left first, then climb a few platforms and head to the right. Before entering the next room, climb the platforms above and deal with the small bugs flying around. Move to the right side and reach the end. The Mossberry sits on a branch directly above.

Mossberry #2 Location

This Mossberry can be a bit tricky for players who dislike Hornet's jumping down attack. It becomes much easier to collect later, once the dash ability is earned, so skipping it and returning afterward is a perfectly reasonable choice. For those who want it immediately, it is found on the northeast side of Moss Grotto. It is hard to miss because it sits on the only path forward to the next area. A flying bug and the Mossberry are visible in an elevated position.

To collect it, jump to the left platform, wait for the creature to come close, and perform a jump-down attack on it to gain altitude. That extra height allows the player to hit the fruit.

Mossberry #3 Location

This is the closest Mossberry to the Moss Druid. After exiting her chamber, go to the left and find a path that goes down. Fall there, then go right. A dark room full of bells awaits, and a flying bug will be carrying the Mossberry. Defeat the bug, and the fruit is secured.

Mossberry #4 Location

When the player reaches The Marrow, another passage to Mosshome appears below the chambers with the Silkspear ability. Go all the way to the left, toward the upper-right side of Bone Bottom, and an area with a lift connecting to the center of Bone Bottom will be visible. Instead of using the lift, go to the right and jump across the platforms while dealing with flying bugs. On the third platform, wait for a flying bug to appear directly below. It will be carrying a fruit. The timing matters here: calculate when to jump and hit the enemy. Once defeated, both the player and the fruit fall next to the village part of Bone Bottom.

Mossberry
Area
Key Tip

#1
Moss Grotto
Climb above the path before the next room; fruit rests on a branch

#2
Northeast Moss Grotto
Use a jump-down attack on the flying bug to gain height

#3
Near Moss Druid
Exit her chamber, go left, drop down, then head right into the bell room

#4
The Marrow / Bone Bottom route
Skip the lift, jump platforms, and time a hit on the bug below the third platform

Rewards For Completing The Berry Picking Wish

Once three Mossberries have been collected, return to the Moss Druid and speak with her. She gives the Druid's Eye, an item that charges a little of the Silk bar each time the player receives a hit. It is not a flashy upgrade, but it fits Silksong's early-game rhythm nicely. Taking damage is common during exploration and boss attempts, so a trinket that slowly feeds Silk back into the meter can quietly improve survivability and skill uptime.

Extra Mossberries And Rosary Rewards

As mentioned, there are more Mossberries to find beyond the required three, and they appear in other areas. One has been found in Bonegrave, on the west side of Bone Bottom, which becomes accessible much later in the game. Another appears in Weavenest Atla, a region below Moss Grotto. Players who find extra Mossberries can return to the Moss Druid and give them to her. She pays 50 Rosaries for each one, making spare fruit worth collecting rather than ignoring.

For players starting Silksong in 2026, The Berry Picking Wish is an efficient early detour. It teaches players to look above the main path, to use Hornet's aerial tools creatively, and to revisit NPCs with spare collectibles. The Druid's Eye is a modest reward, but the quest's Rosary payouts and its place in the early progression loop make it easy to recommend. Collect three Mossberries, claim the trinket, and keep an eye out for extra fruit on later return trips through Moss Grotto, Bone Bottom, and beyond.

Once the Mossberry hunt is wrapped up, it is easy to start thinking about value—how many Rosaries a spare fruit is worth, which upgrades justify the cost, and how far a little patience can stretch a playthrough. That same mindset can carry over to buying games themselves, especially for players who like to keep a rotating library without overspending.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Players Criticize Long Boss Runbacks

Hollow Knight: Silksong faces criticism over punishing boss runbacks, as distant benches turn retries into tedious tests of endurance.

Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived as one of the most anticipated sequels in recent memory, and its September 4, 2025 launch quickly became a cultural event. Demand was so intense that Steam, the Nintendo eShop, and the Xbox Store all experienced outages on release day, while the game went on to earn a 93 percent player approval rating on Steam. By 2026, the conversation around Team Cherry's sequel has matured, and one complaint continues to surface across community forums: the long stretches of traversal that separate benches from boss arenas. Players describe these runbacks as tedious, punishing, and at odds with the fast, fluid combat that defines Hornet's adventure through Pharloom.

The core issue is not that Hollow Knight: Silksong is difficult. Difficulty has been part of the series' identity since 2017, and many players celebrate the challenge. The frustration centers on pacing. Benches serve as the only places where progress can be saved, and when a boss defeats a player, the retry loop often requires a lengthy journey back through enemies, platforming sections, and environmental hazards. For a game built around learning attack patterns through repetition, that downtime can feel like an unnecessary barrier. Instead of focusing on a boss's tells and timing, players spend minutes re-clearing rooms and re-navigating hazards before they can attempt the fight again.

Community discussion on platforms such as Reddit has framed the issue as a form of artificial padding. Some players accuse Team Cherry of extending the game's length through tedious runbacks, arguing that closer save points would preserve difficulty while respecting the player's time. Others are more measured, suggesting that the tension created by long journeys is intentional and that benches are part of the world's risk-reward design. Still, the frequency of the complaint reveals a genuine friction between the sequel's demanding bosses and its checkpoint placement.

The most frequently cited example arrives at the end of act one, when players prepare to face the Last Judge. The boss itself is widely considered manageable by many players, but the path leading to the arena has become a flashpoint. Some describe the journey as more difficult than the fight, with platforming and enemy encounters draining focus before the battle begins. For these players, the Last Judge encounter becomes a test of endurance rather than a clean duel, and the runback dilutes the satisfaction of learning the boss's moveset.

Player concern
Described effect
Community response

Benches are too far from bosses
Longer retry loops and less time practicing patterns
Calls for closer save points or adjusted checkpoint placement

Bosses deal double damage
Higher punishment for mistakes
Mixed; some accept the challenge, others see compounding frustration

Runbacks pad game length
Pacing feels stretched
Debate over whether traversal is intentional tension or artificial difficulty

Not everyone agrees with the criticism. A segment of the player base enjoys the runback as part of the overall challenge, viewing the Last Judge and the journey to reach it as a single, cohesive test. These players argue that removing the traversal would flatten the world's sense of danger and reduce the triumph of finally reaching the arena. From this perspective, the bench distance is not an oversight but a deliberate extension of the game's hostile atmosphere.

Mods have emerged as a practical response. Players already use mods to smooth out other annoyances in Silksong, and a mod that moves benches closer to boss rooms could directly address the runback complaint. Such solutions remain unofficial, but they highlight how strongly a portion of the community feels about checkpoint placement. For Team Cherry, the debate raises a broader design question: how much traversal should separate a player from a retry, and when does atmosphere become friction?

By 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong remains a critical and commercial success, and its difficulty continues to inspire passionate discussion. The runback controversy is unlikely to fade entirely because it touches on competing values: challenge, immersion, and respect for the player's time. Some players want benches beside every boss door, while others want the journey to matter. The tension between those desires may ultimately be as memorable as the bosses themselves. ",

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Silksong's Early Game Is a Two-Mask Punch to the Face

Silksong difficulty spikes brutally above Hollow Knight in early game, with double-damage mobs and stingy mask upgrades.

So here we are in 2026, and I am still nursing a grudge against a certain armored ant. Look, I beat Hollow Knight. I fancy myself a reasonably competent bug with a nail. Then Silksong came out in 2025, and Team Cherry apparently decided that seven years of development time should be spent teaching every early-game enemy how to hit like a freight train wearing boxing gloves.

I am not alone in this. Mere hours after launch, the internet was already doing what it does best: complaining. And honestly? The complaints have teeth. No fewer than three Reddit threads popped up with players howling about how quickly Silksong ramps up the difficulty compared to the original. One player, immaturenickname, put it perfectly: 'In Hollow Knight, double damage felt like a big deal. Here, it's like every enemy a step above fodder has it.' Yes. Exactly. The welcome wagon in Silksong is not a wagon. It is a spiked wheel that deals two masks of damage and then asks if you would like another.

Here is the thing that really twists the knife: masks are hard to get. In Hollow Knight, you started with five masks, and you could build up to six or seven in no time. In Silksong, Hornet also starts with five masks, but those extra masks feel like they are locked behind a boss rush designed by a sadist with a spreadsheet. Another player, Conscious_Ad_7131, pointed out that double damage was super uncommon in the original and that masks were plentiful. In Silksong, double damage is basically the default setting for anything that is not a floating jellyfish. It makes the early game feel like you are balancing on a tightrope while someone throws rocks at your head.

And the enemy health? Oh, the enemy health. I do not mind double damage that much, but some common mobs take six to ten hits. Six to ten! That is not a fight; that is a cardio session. One player, Nemesis_171, summed it up with the kind of exasperation that only comes from personal trauma: 'Dude, that one armored ant in the Hunter's March takes 13 hits.' Thirteen. I counted. Then I cried a little. Then I counted again, just to make sure the ant was not regenerating health out of spite.

Let me put this in a tidy little table, because tables make pain more organized:

Thing
Hollow Knight (early game)
Silksong (early game)

Starting masks
5
5

Double-damage enemies
Rare, boss-ish
Basically every other bug

Mask upgrades
Quick and plentiful
Slow and stingy

Common mob health
2–4 hits
6–10 hits (and one ant with 13)

Vibes
Challenging but fair
A健身房 coach screaming at you

Okay, real talk. Part of the frustration is muscle memory. I spent years learning Hollow Knight's rhythms. I know when to dash, when to pogo, when to panic-heal in a corner. Silksong changes the dance, and my feet keep stepping on Hornet's cloak. The difficulty curve is not a curve; it is a cliff with a sign that says 'Good luck, idiot.' But here is the thing: I keep coming back. That is the Team Cherry magic. They make a game that punches you in the face, and you thank them for the privilege.

Would I like a few more masks early on? Yes. Would I like that armored ant to take, say, nine hits instead of thirteen? Also yes. But I also know that in a few months, I will be the one telling new players to git gud, because that is the cycle of life for a Hollow Knight fan. The game is hard. The game is unfair. The game is also brilliant, and I hate how much I love it.

So if you are struggling in the early hours of Silksong, breathe. You are not bad. The game is just being a little extra. And if you see that armored ant in Hunter's March, tell it I said hi. Then hit it thirteen times. Or, you know, run away. No judgment.

If the armored ant has you seeing red, sometimes the healthiest move is a temporary retreat—not just from Hunter's March, but from the screen entirely. A short break to browse gaming deals can reset your patience faster than any bench ever will, and it’s a low-stakes way to feel like you’re winning at something, even if that something is just saving a few bucks on a controller you’ll inevitably grip too hard during the next boss fight.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong: The Challenge Button Mystery Solved

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hornet's Challenge move (R3/V) aggroes enemies. Use it to lure, isolate, or trigger foes safely.

I still remember the first time I accidentally pressed R3 during my journey through Hollow Knight: Silksong. Hornet spun a quick loop of silk around her head, and then nothing. No damage numbers, no stagger, no obvious change in the world. I was confused. The controller options menu didn't list the input, and rebinding didn't explain it. As a player who likes to understand every button, I made it my mission to solve this mystery. After some experimentation and a look at the PC keyboard mapping, I learned that the move is called 'Challenge,' and it defaults to the V key on keyboard. In this guide, I'll share what I discovered about this elusive ability, how it works, and why it might be more useful than it first appears.

What Is Challenge?

Challenge is an input that causes Hornet to throw a quick moving string of silk around her head for just a short second. If you try this on an enemy, it won't cause damage. So what's going on? According to the PC keyboard button mapping, this move is called 'Challenge,' and it's the default move set to the V key. That gives us a name, but what does Challenge actually do? The answer is simple: it's used to aggro or activate enemies. In other words, it draws their attention to you.

Why Would You Challenge an Enemy?

At first, I asked myself the same question. Why would I want to draw attention to myself in a game where enemies already hit hard? But after using it in a few tricky situations, I found a couple of solid reasons.

• Isolating members of a crowd. Say you walk up on a group of multiple enemies, but they haven't seen you yet. Try to use Challenge from a distance to see if you can lure in the enemy closest to you and get it alone for easier enemy management. This is especially handy in areas like the Moss Grotto, where groups of critters can overwhelm you if you rush in.

• Getting an enemy out of your way while platforming. For example, say you need to jump onto a tiny platform, and some little enemy is standing on the same platform, blocking your safe landing. Challenge it to try to get it to move out of your landing space. You may need to think quickly to attack it if it's now coming towards you, but at least you have somewhere to jump! I used this trick in the Deep Docks to clear a narrow ledge before making a risky jump.

• Triggering dormant enemies. Some enemies might be idle or hidden until you get close. Challenge can activate them from a safe distance, letting you control when the fight starts.

A Quick Reference Table

Situation
How to Use Challenge
Benefit

Crowded room
Aim at nearest enemy from afar
Pull one enemy at a time

Platforming
Challenge enemy on landing spot
Clear space for a safe jump

Idle enemy
Face enemy and press R3/RS
Start fight on your terms

Unknown NPC
Try Challenge near friendly NPCs
Possibly discover hidden interactions (unconfirmed)

My Personal Experience

I first discovered Challenge by accident while fumbling with the controller during a fight in the Marrow. I pressed R3, saw the silk swirl, and assumed it was a taunt with no purpose. Later, while stuck on a platforming section in Greymoor, I remembered the animation and tried it on a small enemy blocking my path. To my surprise, the enemy turned and walked toward me, leaving the platform clear. That moment changed how I approached crowded rooms. Now, I use Challenge regularly to split up packs and create breathing room.

The Name Suggests More

The name 'Challenge' also implies that there could be some more uses for the move yet to be discovered. For example, could we possibly 'Challenge' other characters in the world that would otherwise never turn hostile? If that's the case, I'll be sure to keep experimenting. As of 2026, the community has mostly settled on the aggro explanation, but Team Cherry has a habit of hiding deeper mechanics. I wouldn't be surprised if some secret interaction exists.

Final Thoughts

Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn't offer much in the way of training. Whether Team Cherry assumed you already know enough from the original game, they simply trust you to figure things out, or a couple of things have been forgotten, you're going to have to do some work on your own either way. Sometimes, that means learning mechanics and ideas on the fly. The good news is, you usually have enough context clues in things like the option menus and the world itself to piece together what everything does. Challenge is a perfect example: an undocumented input that turns out to be a useful tactical tool. So next time you see a group of enemies or a blocked platform, give R3 a press. You might just solve a problem you didn't know you had. 🧵

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Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior FC 27 Card Guide

Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior’s 89-rated Left Wing card dominates in FC 27; get FC 27 Coins fast and safely at LootBar.

Introduction About Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior

Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior, widely known as Vinícius Júnior, is a Brazilian footballer celebrated for his impact as a left-wing player. Combining pace, flair, and direct attacking intent, he has become one of the most exciting wide forwards in modern football. His ability to carry the ball at speed and challenge defenders makes him a constant threat in the final third.

Operating primarily from the left side, Vinícius Júnior uses his quick feet, close control, and confidence in one-on-one situations to create opportunities for both himself and his teammates. He is particularly effective at cutting inside onto his stronger foot, finding space around the penalty area, and delivering decisive passes or finishes. His energy and willingness to track back also add value to his team’s overall balance.

Known for his creativity, determination, and big-game mentality, Vinícius Júnior has developed into a highly influential player at club and international level. His performances reflect the traditional Brazilian style of expressive football while also showing the discipline and maturity required at the highest level. As a left winger, he continues to stand out for his speed, skill, and ability to change the course of a match.

Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior's card

Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior’s 89-rated Left Wing card is built to terrorize defenders with elite 93 pace and outstanding 91 dribbling, while his 85 shooting gives him the quality to turn dangerous runs into decisive goals. With 80 passing, he can also link effectively with teammates and create chances from wide areas, despite his limited 31 defending and moderate 71 physicality. As a sharp, explosive winger, Vinícius excels at stretching the pitch, beating full-backs in one-on-one situations, and cutting inside to rip open the opposition’s defensive line, giving you the speed and end product needed to seize key scoring opportunities and close out matches.

How to Obtain Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior's Player Card

There are several ways to obtain Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior’s card in FC 27. First, you can purchase card packs and rely on luck, but the odds of pulling his card are relatively low, so this method can be uncertain and costly. Second, you can complete relevant Squad Building Challenges (SBCs), which may offer his card as a reward; however, these challenges often require valuable players or resources to finish. Finally, you can buy the card directly from the transfer market for roughly 0.61 million FC 27 Coins, although this is the most reliable option, it is also quite expensive.

Fastest Ways to Earn FC 27 Coins

Conventional methods of getting FC 27 Coins include selling player cards from your club, completing weekly objectives, or participating in various game modes for rewards, but these approaches have limitations and rely heavily on skill or luck. As a result, earning enough [fut coins]( for an expensive card such as Vinícius José de Oliveira Júnior can take a long time and may still leave you short.

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Silksong Clawline Run: My Messy, Glorious Grapple Hook Journey

Get Silksong's Clawline with this fast location guide after Cogwork Dancers, via Cogwork Core and Whispering Vaults.

Look, I need to be honest with you: the first time I saw those little metal rings hanging from Silksong’s ceilings, I thought the game was teasing me. I tried pogoing off them. I tried wall-clinging near them. I tried staring at them with the confidence of someone who definitely knew what they were doing. Nothing worked. The Clawline is the answer, and getting it is a proper little adventure. As of 2026, this is still the route I’d recommend to a friend who just beat the Cogwork Dancers and wants their grapple hook without wandering for three hours.

Quick Checklist Before You Dive In

What to grab or know

Beat the Cogwork Dancers first.

️
Unlock the Bellway at the bottom right of the Choral Chambers. It is a lifesaver for backtracking.

🪑
Bench at the Bellway before Trobbio. Closest safe spot.

🧰
Bring an agile crest, a fast strike, and a big damage tool if you have one. The Drill from the Underworks is lovely here.

Expect White Palace-esque platforming. Patience is a weapon.

Start from the room where the dancers fell. It leads four ways, but you want down. That drops you into the Cogwork Core, and honestly, the place has the personality of a grumpy clock tower that skipped breakfast.

Cogwork Core: Gears With Attitude

Descend first. Send enemies off ledges when you can, and do not fall into the gears. Those things do not care about your feelings. You need to reach the bottom, wrap around the middle, then climb up the right side by pogoing off gears and clinging to walls. Once you reach the top, open the shortcuts. Trust me, you do not want to redo that climb because you forgot one lever. Then head right.

There is more platforming and some tough enemies, but the gears are your friend if you bait foes toward the edge. A little shove, a little gravity, and problem solved. Further right, you will find the big gear you could not enter horizontally before. Turn it, go right, and enter the new area. In the topmost section, break a piece of the ceiling to grab the map. I will let you discover the exact angle yourself, but if you see a suspicious ceiling, hit it.

Whispering Vaults: Right, Down, and a Sign With Three Masks

Head all the way right, then start descending and moving blocks out of the way. The first door on the left has oil for a nail upgrade if you want it, but otherwise keep going right. The dark room is not too bad; push blocks if you want an easier return trip, though it is not mandatory. Keep dropping until you hit the bottom, then take the door on your left.

After a scrap, you will land in the room directly below that collapsible floor from earlier. Flick the lever to make backtracking smoother. Directly below that lever is the sign with three masks on it. You’ll know the sign when you see it. That is your cue for The Stage. Keep left until you find a lever, hit it, climb the wall, and go over the Stage. Drop down in front of the painting of Trobbio.

Trobbio: A Showman With Fireworks

Trobbio is a showman who treats your health bar like confetti. Run back, open the path to the central Choral Chambers, and sit on the Bellway bench. Put on a crest that keeps you agile and lets you strike quickly. Bring a big damage source if you have it. He throws explosions, fireworks, and balls at you, and most of it can be dodged and healed off. Wait for him to pop out, hit him then, and punish him while he is airborne or staggered. A few tries should do it. No shame in taking a breather.

Once he is dead, claim the Claw Mirror. Hit another bench if you need it, then head right. That leads to an elevator deeper into the Underworks. This is where the grapple hook lives, and the place is exactly as friendly as it sounds.

Underworks: Lava, Fans, and Questionable Life Choices

Go left across the precarious platforms over spikes. There are alternate routes, but keep your focus on crossing the big pit and entering the door on the left. That leads to a bench. Keep left, slide down, break open a fan, and ride the wind upward. You will hit a steep drop with hot coals and flying enemies. If your nail is double upgraded, you can take them out in one or two strikes. Keep falling until you see the boiling magma at the bottom, then head right. Mind the explosive beetles. They are tiny, rude, and very eager to ruin your day.

The next section has deviously timed platforming with falling lava. The lava pit waits with the patience of a cat watching a laser pointer. Be patient, remember you can stall in the air with your heal, and take the jumps one at a time. When you see a little floating platform above you, wall jump up. From there, climb the tunnel and open the second door on the left with the lever.

The Cauldron and the Clawline

Now you are in The Cauldron. Take large leaps of faith across the massive lava pit. Every jump here is doable with a run, jump, and dash into a glide, but precision matters. After a few leaps, you will land on the massive stone platform on the left side. There is another Weaver statue there. Bind to it, and you get the Clawline. It pulls you forward even if you do not hit anything, which is a wonderfully weird feeling.

You still need to get out. Grapple onto the rings to your right and use them to ascend. You could go back the way you came, but that is boring. Use the Clawline and cloak with some excess silk to cross practically any horizontal gap. Hook onto enemies, make your way to the top, and you will end up right back at the bench. Then you are free to do whatever you want.

Why the Clawline Is Worth It

The Clawline changes exploration in a subtle but lovely way. It gives you a forward pull even when there is no target, and with silk to spare, you can cross horizontal gaps that used to make you sigh. Hooking enemies mid-air is also deeply satisfying. As of 2026, this remains one of my favorite movement upgrades in Silksong. It is not just a key for shiny rings; it is a new way to be reckless with style. And honestly, that is what I want from a grapple hook.

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Weavenest Atla: A Hidden Nest of Treasures in Hollow Knight Silksong

Weavenest Atla in Hollow Knight: Silksong hides Eva’s crest upgrades, an extra yellow tool slot, and the Weavelight reward.

After defeating the Widow in Deep Docks and claiming the Needolin, Hornet remembers a peculiar sealed door she passed at the very beginning of her journey through Moss Grotto. Something about it calls her back. When she returns and plays the Needolin, the door dissolves into strands of light, revealing Weavenest Atla—a hidden sanctuary that feels less like a boss arena and more like a treasure vault left behind by the weavers. As of 2026, this optional area remains one of the most rewarding detours in Hollow Knight: Silksong, and it takes only a short while to clear. ️

Entering the Nest

Hornet’s first instinct inside the nest is to run right. She passes the first chamber and keeps moving until she reaches a small room with two white triggers embedded in the ceiling. A quick strike from her needle retracts them, and a map of the entire area drops into her hands. With the layout secured, she returns to the central chamber, where a strange device now hums with energy. Standing in its center for a heartbeat sends her downward in a flash of light.

The Mysterious Eva

At the bottom, a small platform waits on the right. Hornet breaks through the wall and follows a corridor, smashing more barriers until she enters a glowing chamber. A voice hums in her ear—ancient, patient, and woven from silk itself. This is Eva, and she offers two precious upgrades: first, she strengthens the Hunter’s Crest, allowing Hornet to build focus and unleash deadlier attacks; second, she grants an extra slot beside the main crest for holding an additional yellow tool. Hornet accepts both without hesitation.

Moss Mother Surprise

Back at the light platform, Hornet heads left this time and finds a bench where the nest blends into the Moss Grotto above. She sits for a moment, updates her map, and enjoys the view. But the bench hides a secret: jumping into the water and swimming left reveals a hidden entrance deeper into the cave. Following the upper path west, she encounters a large white rolling creature called a Marrowmaw. If she has the Crest of the Wanderer, she can shred it before it even begins its roll. A mossberry hangs from the ceiling nearby, and further left, a large green chamber opens up—eerily familiar.

Inside, two Moss Mothers attack at once. What would have been a nightmare early in the game becomes a quick, almost playful brawl. Hornet bounces on their heads, uses Thread Storm to clear the extra mobs, and finishes both in a matter of seconds. Their reward is the Weavelight tool, which speeds up silk regeneration.

Valuable Treasures

With the major tasks done, Hornet still has three collectibles to track down. Each one demands a different kind of platforming, but none of them are punishing. Here is a quick overview:

Treasure
Location Hint
Reward

Spool Fragment
Climb the right wall of the main chamber, then jump left into a room with two Marrowmaws.
Increases silk spool capacity

Rune Harp
Climb the central shaft and branch right near the top.
Give to the collector in Bellhart for Rosary Beads

Mask Fragment
Break the wall at the bottom right, survive the lava platforming, and pogo off red orbs.
Increases maximum health

Spool Fragment

Hornet climbs the right-hand wall of the main chamber and jumps left into a room with two Marrowmaws—one above, one below. She kills the bottom one first, then jumps up to deal with the second. In the shaft to the left, a spool fragment hangs in midair. A short float down, and it is hers. 🧵

Rune Harp

Returning to the main chamber, she climbs the large central shaft and takes the right branch near the top. Down another vertical area, she scales the right wall and jumps left to find the Rune Harp. Later, the collector in Bellhart will trade a handful of Rosary Beads for it.

Mask Fragment

With the harp secured, Hornet descends to the bottom and breaks a wall on the right. A pit of spikes warns her to be careful. Beyond it, two Pharlid Divers hide in their holes—she baits them out by running in and out, then hits their sides for easy kills. Past the Divers, her map shows she is directly beneath the Marrow. The air grows hot. Lava falls from above, and unstable platforms float in the molten rock. She jumps, floats, and dashes through the gaps. Then comes the pogo section: two red orbs, a few flying bugs, and a final air-dash across the lava. The Mask Fragment is hers.

With that, Weavenest Atla is complete. Hornet leaves with a stronger crest, an extra tool slot, faster silk regeneration, a larger spool, a tradeable harp, and one more mask. The Citadel awaits—and she will need every scrap of health she can get. ️

Hunting down optional upgrades like the spool fragment and mask shard rewards patience and a willingness to look beyond the obvious path—the same mindset that pays off when you are trying to get the most value out of your gaming budget. Whether you are waiting for a sale on a title you have had your eye on or comparing prices across storefronts before checking out, a little groundwork goes a long way.

That is where [this price tracking tool]( comes in handy. DealNest keeps an eye on prices so you do not have to refresh store pages every day, making it easier to spot a genuine discount rather than a markup dressed up as one. For players who treat every purchase the way Hornet treats every collectible—carefully and with an eye on the payoff—it is a practical companion to have on hand.

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Silksong Clawline: My Harpoon Detour and How to Use It

Silksong Clawline guide: get the powerful grapple, master its controls, and conquer the winding Underworks route with fewer painful detours.

Listen, I love Hornet as much as the next bug-loving gremlin, but Silksong has a special talent for making a simple mobility upgrade feel like a bureaucratic pilgrimage. As of 2026, my route to the Clawline — the Ancestral Art that lets Hornet harpoon walls, enemies, and hanging hoops — is still one of those 'this will be quick' adventures that eats an afternoon and a handful of Rosary beads. Who doesn't want to be yanked through the air by a sharp object? Exactly. Here is how I got it, how the grapple works, and which detours nearly made me sob into my keyboard.

What the Clawline Actually Does

The Clawline is not just a fancy rope. It is an Ancestral Art that pulls Hornet toward a target, and the target list is delightfully rude: walls, enemies, and hanging hoops are all fair game. Think of it as Hornet politely asking a wall for a lift, then yanking herself across the room before the wall can answer.

The default inputs are simple enough:

Platform
Clawline input

PC
S

Xbox
LT

PlayStation
L2

Is it a get-out-of-jail-free card? No. It is a get-out-of-jail card with timing, distance, and a tendency to introduce your face to a wall if you aim like a sleepy moth. But when it clicks, Silksong traversal becomes a gorgeous little rhythm game of hook, swing, and smug landing.

The Four-Part Detour, or My Beautiful Mistake

Here is the short version, because the long version involves me muttering at benches:

Stage
What I did
Why it matters

1. Western Underworks
   Fell through the broken elevator, grabbed the Underworks map, paid for a bench
   Orientation and a place to cry

2. Choral Chambers
   Found the Choral Chambers map, met Lace, secured the White Key
   Opens the Whiteward route

3. Whiteward
   Used the White Key elevator, grabbed the Whiteward map
   Loops back to Underworks

4. Eastern Underworks
   Broke a wheel, rode wind, crossed lava, bound a statue
   Clawline acquired

Stage 1: Western Underworks

After using the Needolin skill and entering the Grand Gate, I headed east to the broken elevator. Hornet falls, and boom: Underworks. Near the landing there is a bench, which is the game's way of saying 'sit down, you are going to be here a while.' I sat, went up until I found a left opening with a sign, entered, and interacted with the board to get the Underworks map. Then I exited, went up, took the right route, and kept going east until a large vertical room let me climb again. Up, left, and a sign pointed me toward a bench in the upper room. That bench only appears after paying with Rosary beads, because of course it does. Why would comfort be free?

From there I went left and up until the area changed into Choral Chambers.

Stage 2: Choral Chambers and the White Key

At the first Choral Chambers bench I had no map, which is a lovely feeling. The map is close, though. From the bench I went left, descended to the bottom, went left to the end, found the nearest way up, then went up, right, up, and right again. I interacted with the machine showing a model of the Citadel and got the Choral Chambers map. Continue right and Lace intercepts you, because Silksong believes in dramatic timing.

Further right is a room with a key slot that says 'A white lock bearing a surgical symbol.' That needs the White Key and leads to Whiteward. For now, I continued up and right to the next bench, then east into another huge vertical room. Before going up, I strongly recommend going down and right to the bench and Bellway fast travel point. Rest. Breathe. Question your choices.

Then go up to the circular mechanism, pass through the wheel, and head to the far right side. There is a bench inside a shrine, and outside on the right-most side sits the White Key. Grab it.

With the White Key, I returned to the locked elevator room and used the key. The elevator took me to the bottom. I continued left to the end, ascended, found a way right to the vertical tunnel the elevator descends into, and did not reactivate the elevator. Instead I took the right passage. Down in the right room, a Whiteward map sits in the left corner. I picked it up, continued right to a narrow passage down, and descended back to Underworks.

Stage 3: Eastern Underworks and the Statue

This time Underworks keeps you trapped until you get the Clawline. It is the same 'you live here now' energy as the Far Fields stuck case. I went left and rested on the bench, then from the bench went left, down, and left until I saw a wheel-like switch. I hit it until it broke, which released a wind current. Using the Drifter's Cloak, I floated up. At the top I went left, then down, descending until I hit a lava floor. Continue right, then up at the end of the road. I used the wall jump skill until I found a hatch with a switch, hit it, and entered another lava room.

Cross the lava to the statue, interact, and bind. Hornet now has the Clawline. Cue the confetti, or at least a very tired thumbs-up.

How I Use It Without Face-Planting

The Clawline shines when you treat it as a movement tool first and a combat trick second. Aim at a hoop to cross a gap, hook an enemy to close distance or reposition midair, and use walls to rescue a jump you definitely meant to make. Chain it with Drifter's Cloak and wall jumps, and Silksong starts to feel like a tiny acrobatics routine.

My quick rules:

• Aim before you panic-tap. The harpoon is fast, but not mind-reading.

• ️ Use hoops for clean traversal and enemies for stylish chaos.

• 🧱 Walls are not just boundaries; they are emergency exits.

• If you miss, laugh. Then walk back. Again. And again.

Would I call the Clawline essential? Absolutely. Would I call the journey to get it gentle? Not even slightly. But that is Silksong: a beautiful, bug-shaped obstacle course that rewards patience, map-reading, and a willingness to pay for benches.

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Trobbio Boss Guide: Silksong’s Flashiest Wall in 2026

Trobbio boss guide for Hollow Knight: Silksong: beat the flamboyant Underworks gatekeeper with the right loadout, shortcuts, and tactics.

In 2026, the Citadel’s most theatrical roadblock still refuses to be subtle. Trobbio, the flamboyant gatekeeper of the Underworks in Hollow Knight: Silksong, is less a boss fight and more a one-bug cabaret with a grudge. After the Cogwork Dancers and a climb to the top of the Citadel, players interact with the cage, watch a cluster of icons bloom on the map, and eventually follow the bottom-left marker through the vaults. That route sneaks down onto The Stage, where Trobbio waits with fast, flashy attacks and an ego large enough to need its own bench.

The fight locks progress through most of the Underworks, so it is not optional for players who want the rest of the area. The first practical move is not heroic: after finding The Stage, turn back left and open the shortcut. The nearest bench is the Bellway bench directly underneath The Stage, and the walk back is short enough to preserve sanity. That matters because Trobbio is a wall, and walls are easier to chip away at when the respawn jog is not a pilgrimage.

Loadout: bring theater criticism and a drill

Slot
Recommendation
Why it earns a seat

Crest
Upgraded Hunter Crest
Familiar, flexible, and reliable under pressure

Primary tool
Sting Shards
Ranged chip damage when Trobbio is being dramatic at a distance

Secondary
Boomerangs or drill
Boomerangs for range; drill for burst damage

Utility
Warding Bell
Insurance against a failed heal in the chaos

Utility
Weavelight
Passive silk progress without demanding an attack

Upgrades
At least two nail upgrades
Makes the fight go a hell of a lot faster

The Upgraded Hunter Crest and Sting Shards are the dependable core. For the secondary weapon, boomerangs offer more range, while the drill offers lovely extra damage. A drill is a fine final-attempt choice, especially when Trobbio insists on winding down in exactly the wrong place. The Warding Bell is recommended because getting heals off inside this chaos can be a struggle, and losing a heal is preferable to dying. Weavelight helps in a similar way, pushing the player roughly a quarter of the way toward another heal almost instantly without needing to attack.

At least two nail upgrades are recommended so the fight does not turn into a gentle archaeological dig. A third can be earned through a lengthy sidequest at this point, but if the Pale Rose quest in Hollow Knight was already a test of spiritual endurance, settling for two is perfectly reasonable. Tool upgrades are always welcome, and around two extra bars of Silk help alleviate the struggle to regain resources; that can even make Weavelight an open slot instead. Trobbio is difficult, so players who are not confident should go find more mask shards and items, then come back.

How to Beat Trobbio

Phase 1

Before the first note of the performance, positioning matters. Trobbio’s intro cutscene attack can damage the player, so stay off to the side: close enough to hit him as he rises, far enough to avoid the opening sting. The arena is a theater, and Trobbio is determined to get a standing ovation or a corpse.

He will most likely begin with his tornado spin attack. He can start this one in the air or on the ground, and he always spins until he hits a wall, bounces off, then releases two smaller tornadoes as he winds down. That wind-down is where the drill shines. Players running the drill should wait for him to start winding down, dash to get above him, and drill into him. Done right, every hit lands while the player stays completely safe. Without the drill, wait for the tornadoes to pass, then get a couple of hits in.

Attack
What it looks like
The sensible response

Tornado spin
Spins to a wall, bounces, releases two mini tornadoes
Wait for the wind-down; dash above and drill, or wait out the tornadoes and poke

Air jump
Leaps upward
Free hits or a heal, but watch for the follow-up

Bouncy balls
Tosses orbs around the arena
Get away; direct contact costs two masks; do not approach until throwing stops

Floorboards
Ducks under the stage
Watch where he goes; slash when he pops out; back away if he takes longer

Fireworks
Red smoke pops from the floor
Avoid the smoke; he emerges from the last firework and flies upward

Sparkles
Raises hands with a grunt
Assume an explosion is coming; dash to the least sparkly spot or panic-heal

Trobbio frequently jumps into the air, and while he can perform several attacks from there, it is often best to get a few hits in or take the couple of seconds of non-threatening airtime to heal. Just keep an eye out for the follow-up. Whenever he tosses bouncy balls around the arena, get away from him. These balls do a ton of damage when they burst, and direct contact costs two masks on the spot. Do not approach until he has finished throwing, and watch the orbs carefully.

After one or two attacks, he will often duck under the floorboards. This is a good chance to watch where he goes and get hits in when he pops out, but it is a little tricky. There is a good chance he pops all the way out and begins flying. The variant where he pops onto the floor makes the drill worthwhile, but that also means gambling on tanking a hit. It is far safer to slash at him and react accordingly. If he takes longer to come out, back away a little; he will toss bombs out of the floor, then move elsewhere. Staying at a safe distance usually dodges this, and if the player is unsure, backing up and healing is a fine use of the pause.

Fireworks also pop out from the floor. These are easy to avoid by not standing where the red smoke is, but note that Trobbio always pops out of the last firework to go off and flies upward, which is a great chance to attack. Finally, he frequently summons spheres of sparkles around the arena that swiftly explode. If he raises his hands with a grunt, assume an explosion is imminent, dash away into the least sparkly spot, or start healing as a panic button if possible.

Next Phases

The phase changes whenever the area flashes red, but not much else changes alongside it. His attacks get slightly more frequent, and there is a higher likelihood of seeing two attacks combined, so players may need to start playing safer. Throwing Sting Shards where he is going to pop up next, attacking him in the air, and keeping distance until a heal can be squeezed in are all sensible habits. Combined attacks like sparkles and balls can be incredibly deadly, so staying above three masks when possible is a good rule of thumb.

Whenever Trobbio staggers, go all out instead of using the time to heal. It is when he is most vulnerable, a drill or Sting Shard can absolutely land, and the number of nail hits available will easily refill the entire silk bar. After enough hits and carefully treading around his attacks, he should go down, crawling to the statue to no avail. The reward is access to the rest of the Underworks, plus a mirror that functions exactly like Stun Spore from the original Hollow Knight. Trobbio may be flashy, but the player who packs a drill, respects the bouncy balls, and refuses to heal at the worst possible moment gets the last laugh.

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Rite of the Pollip: My Six-Heart Hunt Through Shellwood and Bellhart

Rite of the Pollip is a satisfying Silksong side quest: track all six Pollip Hearts through Shellwood and Bellhart for a combat Tool reward.

The Rite of the Pollip is one of those Silksong side quests that looks tiny on paper and then quietly eats an afternoon. I started it expecting a simple flower hunt, but what I found was a looping route through Shellwood and Bellhart that tested my memory, my Cling Grip timing, and my patience for purple petals. In 2026, this is still one of the most satisfying early-side quests to finish, especially because the reward changes how your combat Tools behave. Finding all six Pollip Hearts without a route feels like sorting fireflies with a broken lantern, so I mapped the hunt in the order that kept me from backtracking too much.

Starting the Rite of the Pollip

I began by speaking to Greyroot in the Shellwood region. Greyroot waits inside a tiny house in central Shellwood, and the location is easy to miss if you are moving quickly through the area. When I entered the house and spoke with her, she mentioned the need for Pollip Hearts and offered the Rite of the Pollip Wish. I accepted immediately. If you are following my route, make sure you have the Cling Grip first. Several hearts sit above wall-climb sections, and without that ability the quest becomes a scavenger hunt with locked doors.

My Pollip Heart Route

I used a simple checklist so I would not confuse one purple flower with another. The hearts are called Pollip Hearts in the quest text, but they are really purple flowers with a fancy name. Here is the order that worked best for me.

Heart
Where I found it
What I needed

1
Top of the large central Shellwood area, east side, where spikes are on the right wall and flowers are on the left
Cling Grip wall climbs

2
Room with white flowers that launch you when struck downward
Careful downward strikes and platforming

3
Top of the room that leads back to Bellhart, northeastern section, near a flower-covered wall
Cling Grip and upward exploration

4
Near the Cling Grip acquisition point, through a small western opening in the wall
A quick dash into the opening

5
North of the Sister Splinter boss arena, near a small pond and purple hornet nest
Destroying the nest to reveal a hidden passage

6
Through the Bellhart entrance near the Sister Splinter arena, then downward and east into Shellwood
Cling Grip, spiked-room jumps, and vine checking

Heart #1: The Central Climb

My first heart was at the top of the large central area of Shellwood. I used Cling Grip to climb the walls, staying on the east side of the room. When I reached the spikes on the right wall and the flowers on the left, I followed the flowers. The heart was waiting at the end of that floral trail. This one is a good warm-up because it teaches you to read flower placement as a path marker.

Heart #2: The White Flower Launcher

The second heart took me to a room full of white flowers. These flowers act as platforming puzzles. If you strike your weapon down on one, it launches you into the air. I found the heart at the top of the room, so I used the flowers as a vertical staircase and struck the heart once I reached it. The room turns traversal into a conversation with a trampoline made of petals, and I had to be deliberate instead of mashing attacks.

Heart #3: The Bellhart Return Climb

The third heart sits at the top of the room that leads back to Bellhart. I climbed the walls with Cling Grip and headed to the northeastern section. Eventually I reached a wall covered in flowers, followed them, and found the heart tucked into a little corner. This is where my route started to feel like a stitch pulled through old fabric: I was moving forward, but the thread kept looping back toward places I thought I had finished.

Heart #4: The Tiny Western Opening

The fourth heart is close to where I acquired Cling Grip. On the western side of the area, there is a small opening in the wall. I had to dash quickly into it, because missing the opening means falling to the depths below. This one is a comma in a wall of stone; miss it and the sentence of your climb ends abruptly. I marked it mentally and approached slowly before dashing.

Heart #5: The Hornet Nest Secret

For the fifth heart, I went north of the Sister Splinter boss arena. I reached a small pond and a purple hornet nest. Destroying the nest revealed a hidden passage, and the heart was inside. I liked this step because it rewarded curiosity rather than pure platforming. If you see the nest, do not leave it alone.

Heart #6: The Bellhart Entrance and Vines

The final heart requires going through the entrance to Bellhart near the Sister Splinter boss arena. This area was previously inaccessible to me, but with Cling Grip I could climb the wall and enter Bellhart. Once inside, I went downward and headed east to find another section of Shellwood. After jumping across the spiked room, I found the last Pollip Heart hidden behind some vines. I checked the vines carefully because the heart does not announce itself.

Handing In and the Reward

After collecting all six Pollip Hearts, I returned to Greyroot in Shellwood and handed them over. I made sure to exhaust her dialogue. Once I did that, she gave me the Pollip Pouch. The Pollip Pouch is a Tool that adds venom to any of your combat tools. In other words, when I have it equipped, all of my combat Tools deal more damage because they are coated in venom. It is a blue Tool, so it takes up one of the blue slots on my crest.

My Final Tips

• 🧭 Start the quest only after you have Cling Grip, unless you enjoy marking locations and returning later.

• Treat flower clusters as arrows; they usually point toward the heart or the next climb.

• ️ In the white flower room, strike downward with intent instead of panic.

• Destroy suspicious nests and check vine-covered corners.

• Clear a blue Tool slot before handing in the quest so you can test the Pollip Pouch immediately.

The Rite of the Pollip is not the longest quest in Silksong, but it is one of the best early examples of how exploration, ability gating, and rewards fit together. In 2026, I still recommend doing it as soon as you have Cling Grip. The Pollip Pouch is a small blue Tool with a very loud effect on your damage output, and the route itself taught me to read Shellwood more carefully than any signpost ever could.

Once the Pollip Pouch is slotted and you’ve tested its venom boost on a few unlucky Shellwood critters, it’s natural to start thinking about the next game you’ll sink time into. Between route planning and boss attempts, I sometimes keep a tab open for [game price comparison]( is a handy stop when you want to see how prices stack up before adding another title to your backlog.

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Silksong’s $20 Price Tag and the Indie Anxiety It Left Behind

Hollow Knight: Silksong's $19.99 masterpiece is reshaping indie pricing—and may even influence GTA 6.

Looking back from 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong no longer feels like a surprise. It feels like a weather event. It arrived in 2025, and the gaming world is still talking about what it left behind. I loved the game, but I also keep coming back to the same uncomfortable question: what does a $19.99 masterpiece do to everyone else?

I am not here to dunk on Team Cherry. Honestly, the studio earned this moment. Hollow Knight built years of goodwill, and Silksong arrived with enough hype to make the price tag feel like a gift. For players, $20 for a huge, polished, content-rich sequel is absurdly generous. The price tag has become a little lightning rod, though, and it is not because the game is bad. It is because the number is so good that it makes other numbers look bad.

The Price Tag That Became a Lightning Rod

The indie development community is doing some nervous math right now. A $20 game that can last 30 to 40 hours sets a consumer expectation that many smaller studios cannot match. If Silksong costs $20, why does a five-hour indie game cost the same? That is the question developers fear players will ask, even when the comparison is unfair.

Game type
Price
Rough content
The consumer vibe

Silksong
$19.99
30–40 hours
absurdly generous

Small indie title
$20
5–10 hours
risky to pitch

Look, I get it. Value is not only about hours. A short game can be unforgettable. But expectations are a stubborn houseguest. They do not leave just because you explain the budget.

Developer RJ Lake put the problem sharply on Bluesky: Team Cherry can price however low it wants because its return on investment is effectively infinite no matter what it does. That is not a crime. It is a privilege built on years of success and a sequel that was practically guaranteed attention. Other developers do not have that luxury. BastiArtGames said on Twitter that they were considering a $20 price for a new game that lasts around 10 hours, then worried they cannot afford to give it away for free. That is a tough sell, and I feel for them.

The Silver Lining Nobody Expected

Here is where the story gets strange. Silksong did not just make indie pricing awkward. Its sheer presence pushed some developers to delay their games, because September and October were about to become Team Cherry’s playground. That is frustrating. But there is another possible ripple.

For a long time, people have worried that GTA 6 will cost $100. A lot of us think that would be a mistake. If Silksong can prove that a lower price still generates enormous profit and goodwill, maybe Rockstar notices. I never expected a metroidvania to whisper into Rockstar’s ear, but 2026 is a strange place. A lower GTA 6 price could mean more sales, more players, and longer-term revenue, so long as production costs are not completely obscene.

That is the part I want to hold onto. Silksong is not the villain of indie gaming. It is a mirror. It shows how much power a beloved studio can have, and how fragile pricing expectations are for everyone else. Team Cherry made a great game and priced it kindly. The industry now has to decide whether that kindness becomes a standard or a burden.

And that pause? That is the whole problem.

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I Survived Silksong's Widow Boss: A 2026 Guide to Haunted Bellhart's Two-Phase Nightmare

Hollow Knight: Silksong Widow boss in Haunted Bellhart is a multi-phase skill check with brutal patterns and hard-won counters.

HAUNTED BELLHART, Silksong — I have spent the better part of 2026 replaying Hollow Knight: Silksong's Widow fight, and I can report that this boss remains the moment where Team Cherry stops holding your hand and starts checking your homework. The first time I dropped into the arena, I thought I understood the assignment. Twenty minutes later, I was a very confident corpse. Widow is not just another obstacle in the Haunted Bellhart; she is the first main boss in Silksong that truly commits to a multi-phase identity, complete with a roar that signals the change and a completely rebuilt attack pattern.

Where I Found Widow in 2026

Widow is a main boss, so the fight is inevitable if you are pushing through Silksong's story. My route was simple: clear Greymoor for the first time, reach the Haunted Bellhart, then keep going left into Shellwood because the Bellhart itself does not open up immediately. After clearing Shellwood and beating Sister Splinters, I picked up the Cling Grip ability. That ability is the key to re-entering Bellhart through the area to the right of the boss room. From there, I followed the dark tunnels until the arena opened up.

Before jumping down, I strongly recommend taking the left path first and finding the nearby bench. That bench, combined with the elevator beside it, turns a long corpse-run into a short jog. I learned that the hard way after my first three attempts.

Phase One: Reading the Silk Chalkboard

Widow's arena is a music box that someone keeps winding backward while throwing rocks at your ankles. She leaves the battlefield when she is not attacking, which means most of your damage has to happen during her animations. Her phase-one boulder pattern is a pop-up book where the pop-up is a meteor and the page is your face. The phase transition itself is a theater curtain dropped mid-sentence, then yanked up to reveal a different play.

Attack
Wind-Up Tells and Description
My Suggested Counter

Boulder Attack
Widow appears and strikes the silk for a tune. White lines appear on screen. After a charge, a boulder falls along the white line, hits the ground, bounces once, and hits again.
A perfect parry is possible, but I prefer moving out of the trajectory, ideally toward the boss, so I can get hits in.

Slash Attack
Widow appears midair, launches herself in your current direction, then turns toward you and constantly slashes while moving across the battlefield.
Dash out as she launches, then jump up to avoid the slashes.

Movement Restriction Attack
Widow goes down on four legs and moves swiftly from one end of the battlefield to the other as white rays appear. Giant spikes and boulders spawn from the ground.
Jump as she crosses, hit her head, then glide in the direction where she started.

The real danger in phase one is Widow attacking while a boulder is already falling. That combination hides her animation and shortens your reaction time. I also had to accept that she is not a punching bag; she is a lesson in patience. Good damage windows include the boulder attack, the second part of her slash attack when you can land a downward hit, and even the boulders themselves if you are low and need a downward strike to stay safe.

Phase Two: The Fake Victory

After the first stun, Widow appears to die. I actually celebrated. Then she went back into hiding and respawned for phase two, and the fight became a different beast. Her attacks look familiar, but their pattern is rebuilt around pressure and frequency.

Attack
Wind-Up Tells and Description
My Suggested Counter

Buffed Boulder Attack
Widow plays music on the silk, and three to four boulders fall directly below at specific locations. This is her most common distraction tool.
Stay mindful of your position, move out of the trajectory, and do not get clipped by the second bounce.

Diagonal Boulder Attack
Two diagonal white lines appear beside each other. The fall location is hard to predict, and the bounce covers a large part of the arena.
Move to the opposite side of where the diagonal lines are facing.

Slash Attack
Only the second version of the slash appears, but you get very little time to react.
Keep your eyes on the boss. When she readies her blades, jump up.

Phase two is less about learning new moves and more about surviving the overlap. I routinely saw vertical and diagonal boulders falling while Widow prepared a slash. In those moments, not getting hit matters more than squeezing out damage. My best hit windows were a downward attack as she passed me during the slash, and a dash toward her when she played music, provided I was not standing on a boulder's path.

Healing and Final Advice

Healing in this fight is a midair transaction. In phase one, I found my safest heal during the Movement Restriction attack. In phase two, I healed after a downward strike on her Slash Attack. That timing is narrow, but it is real.

My final takeaway for 2026 is simple: Widow is a memory test disguised as a boss fight. Learn the tells, respect the bounce, and treat phase two like a traffic jam made of boulders and blades. Once you stop rushing her, the Haunted Bellhart stops feeling haunted and starts feeling like a classroom you finally passed. ️️",

"title_note": "

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Thread Storm in Silksong: A Crow-Filled Climb to Silk-Slashing Glory

Unlock Thread Storm in Hollow Knight: Silksong by waking Craw Lake's balloons in Greymoor and climbing to the relic.

Thread Storm is the kind of skill that makes Hornet look less like a traveler and more like a silk-powered blender. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, this ability lets her unleash a storm of silk and carve through enemies in a flurry of slashes. As of 2026, the route to it remains a vertical puzzle box in Greymoor, and the prize sits at the highest point of Craw Lake. The catch? The balloons that lift Hornet toward the sky are not exactly eager to help until someone deals with a room full of crows.

First, Wake the Balloons

If the balloons are missing, players must unlock them before dreaming of the top. From Far Fields, head into Greymoor and run right until a dock appears, surrounded by water. Swim across, climb to the Crow's Nest entrance, and head inside. Down goes the path, then up go the platforms, until Hornet reaches a large room. Waiting there is a boss fight against a hoard of crows—a feathered committee with strong opinions about trespassers. Trust me, the crows are not handing out participation trophies.

Once the fight is over, hit the lever in the higher room. This spawns balloons everywhere, turning Craw Lake into a much friendlier elevator shaft. No sweat—unless players count the swimming.

The Climb to Craw Lake's Highest Point

Back at the dock, the real ascent begins. The balloons are moody little lift operators who only clock in after that boss fight, so players should treat each jump with respect. The route is straightforward once the rhythm clicks, but it has a few nasty spots.

Step
Action
Watch Out For

1
From the dock, use balloons to jump higher until landing on the platform above the Crow's Nest entrance.
Slippery timing; do not rush the first hop.

2
Turn left and plunge attack the balloons to reach a higher platform.
The plunge must connect cleanly.

3
Stay on the left side and use balloons again to keep climbing toward a small platform.
Optional bench shortcut sits on the left platform—grab it if Hornet needs a breather.

4
From the small platform, aim for the higher platform and pull the lever. The lower one is locked.
Jump the balloons in a straight line; drifting sideways is a short cut to regret.

5
Float down slowly until a small balloon appears, then plunge to fly closer to the lower platform.
Patience. The balloon shows up when it feels like it.

6
Carefully jump the balloons upward, mind the enemy, and continue to the highest platform in Craw Lake.
A lurking enemy has opinions about Hornet's climbing hobby.

7
Keep going up into the new area, navigate the balloons, and inspect the relic to obtain Thread Storm.
The final stretch is calmer—but only relatively.

That is the ticket. The route is less about raw speed and more about reading the balloons like a grumpy elevator panel. Hornet, a thread-powered acrobat with a grudge against gravity, does best when players pause between jumps. Breathe. Then jump.

Small Mercies and Sharp Reminders

The left-side platform on the way up leads to a shortcut back to a bench, which is a small mercy in a lake full of sharp reminders. Players who skip it can still finish the climb, but a rested Hornet is a less frustrated Hornet. The enemy near the upper balloons is worth handling before the final jumps; otherwise, the highest platform becomes a stage for an unplanned comedy routine.

Simple. Sort of.

Once the relic is inspected, Thread Storm joins Hornet's toolkit. The skill turns silk into a swirling storm of slashes, which is excellent news for anyone tired of poking enemies one hit at a time. In 2026, the climb still rewards patience more than panic, and the view from the top is worth every moody balloon. ️️

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Skull Tyrant Guide: Find and Defeat the Optional Boss

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Skull Tyrant is an optional boss with a must-have reward; here's how to find and defeat its brutal two-mask attacks.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, not every threat stands directly in Hornet’s path. The Skull Tyrant is the first truly optional boss in a normal playthrough, a Wish-bound monster hidden in the boney Marrow. This beast is not available from the start. Players must first progress toward the Citadel, acquire the Cling Grip ability, and accept the relevant quest before the fight can even begin. Why would such a simple-looking enemy be worth hunting? Because the Skull Tyrant guards a reward that no completionist should ignore.

How to Find the Skull Tyrant

The arena itself can be reached as soon as Hornet has obtained Cling Grip, but the boss will not activate until the quest Terrible Tyrant is accepted. To do that, players must visit the Wish Board in Bone Bottom. Once the Wish is active, the journey begins in earnest.

From Bone Bottom, use the Bellway to return to the Marrow map area. The route is straightforward but easy to overlook. Travel east until reaching the room with the Jail and the entrances to Hunter’s March and Bellhart. Then go south to the room that leads toward Deep Docks. Take a left into the chamber with the cart that crosses the lava. Instead of riding the cart, use Cling Grip to jump up to a previously unseen path.

Follow that path upward until the space brightens and a brass platform appears above. Before jumping onto it, take a left to open a shortcut. It is also wise to sit on the bench at the Flea Caravan to ensure Hornet is fully rested. When ready, jump onto the brass platform and go right until a giant skull comes into view. To trigger the fight, strike the skull mask once with any attack. There is no turning back after that.

Defeating the Skull Tyrant

Why does a boss with only three attacks feel so punishing? The answer lies in damage. Every single attack from the Skull Tyrant deals two masks of damage. The creature is almost identical to the normal skull brute enemies found in the Marrow, but it adds two dangerous tools: a jump and falling boulders. There are no phase transitions, so the encounter is a test of endurance and consistency rather than spectacle.

The tried-and-true strategy is to play patiently. Let the Skull Tyrant come to Hornet. Do not play aggressively, and do not attempt anything fancy. Heal only during Boulder Crashes when standing in a safe zone. The arena center is the best place to stand because it allows accurate reactions to every move. The right corner, by contrast, is a death trap.

What makes the right corner so dangerous? The Boulder Crash is a zoning technique that hinders movement and can trap Hornet against the wall. Compounding damage from boulders and an inescapable follow-up attack can quickly end the run. Staying near the center keeps those risks manageable.

There is one notable exploit for players who enjoy a little trickery. The Skull Tyrant can fall off the arena on the left side, though he can easily jump back on. Pogoing off his head from the ledge above is risky and generally not worth it. However, the platform that connects to the tunnel system below can be used to advantage. Hornet can safely heal under the platform, bait the tyrant off the arena, and strike from below with traps and Silkspear. This will not win the entire fight, but it can remove a chunk of health without threat.

Rewards and Final Tips

As long as players commit to the long and steady game, the Skull Tyrant will fall. There is no visual indication that his health is low, so keep attacking until he stops moving. Once defeated, he drops a Crown Fragment. This item has no practical use on its own. Turn it in to the Wish Board in Bone Bottom to receive the real prize: a Heavy Rosary Necklace.

Key takeaways for the Skull Tyrant fight:

• Accept the Terrible Tyrant Wish before traveling to the arena.

• Use Cling Grip to find the hidden path in the Marrow.

• Strike the giant skull mask to start the encounter.

• Stay in the arena center and avoid the right corner.

• Heal only during safe moments of the Boulder Crash.

• Play patiently, let the boss approach, and punish consistently.

• Turn in the Crown Fragment at the Wish Board for a Heavy Rosary Necklace.

Is the Skull Tyrant the hardest boss in Silksong? No. But it is a perfect example of how optional challenges reward preparation and discipline. For players aiming to complete every Wish and claim every prize, this boney tyrant is well worth the hunt.

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Whether you are chasing every optional Wish in Silksong or simply planning what to play after the credits roll, a little price comparison can go a long way. DealNest keeps that step simple, making it a useful stop for players who want to stay informed before adding another title to their backlog.

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Silksong Map Hunt: My First-Person Guide to Every Biome Chart

Find every Hollow Knight: Silksong map location and Shakra vendor with this field guide, plus essential Quill and Compass tips.

Even in 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong can humble you in a hurry. I fired it up for a fresh run, strolled through Moss Grotto feeling pretty smug, then pressed the map button and got a blank screen. No joke. That was my reminder that Silksong does not hand you the world on a platter; each biome has its own map, and you either buy it from Shakra or find some sneaky mechanism. I learned the hard way that grabbing the Quill and Compass early matters more than hoarding Rosary Beads like a dragon. So here is my first-person field guide to every map location, with the routes I actually used and the little gotchas that made me mutter good grief under my breath.

Bone Bottom And The Marrow: My First Rosary Beads Well Spent

Bone Bottom and The Marrow are the opening one-two punch. I started in Moss Grotto, which is technically part of the much bigger Bone Bottom biome, and I did not get my bearings until I reached The Marrow. Once you enter The Marrow, take the path up to your right and keep climbing until the background turns orange. Keep going up until there is no way forward, then move left and listen for humming. That hum is Shakra. I bought the Bone Bottom map for 40 Rosary Beads and The Marrow map for 50. More importantly, I picked up the Quill, Compass, Bench Pins, and Shell Markers. The Quill lets you update the map, and the Compass is a lifesaver for knowing where you are. If Shakra vanishes later, I found them again in the civilization area outside The Marrow, a little higher and to the right of the vendor.

Deep Docks: Follow The Hum, It Is A Piece Of Cake

After beating the Bell Beast and crossing the bridge above the lava, I entered Deep Docks. This one is straightforward, thank goodness. Move right until you see a bench sign pointing up, keep going right, and you will hear Shakra humming in the next section. Drop down to find them and buy the Deep Docks map for 50 Rosary Beads. I also grabbed the Bellway Pins here, which mark all the Bellways for fast travel. Trust me, those pins are worth their weight in gold once you start backtracking across the map.

Far Fields: No Hum, So Use The Red Armor Rule

Far Fields is the fourth biome, and I reached it after beating Lace in Deep Docks. Here is the catch: Shakra does not hum in this area, so I had to rely on landmarks. Go all the way right from the entrance, beat the three red-armored enemies on the way, then continue right into an open area with paths up, down, and right. Take the right path, and you will find Shakra in a small cave. The familiar rings along the route told me I was on the right track. The map costs 50 Rosary Beads. I will not pretend I found it on my first try; I absolutely took a wrong turn and had to double back.

Greymoor: Just Fall For It

After Far Fields and the glider, I entered Greymoor. The biome splits early: right leads to owl-type enemies, left leads to Pilgrims and other trouble. For the map, go right. After one loading screen to the right, fall down, and you will land near Shakra. The Greymoor map costs 70 Rosary Beads. I paid up without complaint because Greymoor is exactly the kind of place where wandering blind feels like a bad idea.

Bellhart And Shellwood: The Elevator Trick

After Greymoor, I reached Haunted Bellhart. There is not much to do there except head left into Shellwood. In Shellwood, keep going left until you hit a locked door, then climb up to reach the left side. Be warned: there is a trap room with a bunch of mobs near the bench, and it is not a chill little detour. Once you reach the left part, take the elevator down. When it opens, jump on top of it and go left. You will see an exit; take it, and Shakra is on the other side. I bought the Bellhart map for 40 Rosary Beads and the Shellwood map for 70. Two maps, one trip, no tears.

Blasted Steps: Lever First, Shakra Second

Blasted Steps ramps up the pain after the Widow fight. The jumps are mean, and the wind currents during the storm make them meaner. I found the first bench easily enough through a few small tunnels, but then the area opens up into a big jumping challenge. At the top, activate the lever to drop a platform; this makes future climbs much easier. After pulling it, move up until the background gets darker. From there, keep right and defeat the flying creature with a red drill on its head. Once it is down, you will see Shakra's ring near the path to the right. Follow it, make a few more jumps, and you will find Shakra. The map costs 70 Rosary Beads. I definitely fell more than once, but the route itself is clean.

Underworks: A Free Crude Map

After beating the Last Judge in Blasted Steps, I entered the Citadel and got dropped into the Underworks. Move right, deal with the two enemies waiting for you, and start climbing. You will face two more enemies on the way up until you reach a path to your left with a sign outside. Follow that path, and you will find the crude map of the Underworks for free. Free is my favorite price, especially after shelling out beads all over Pharloom.

Coral Chambers: Buy Early Or Pay More

Coral Chambers has two routes. When I entered Act Two for the first time after beating the Last Judge, I saw a model of the Citadel that sold the map for 40 Rosary Beads before I was forced into the Underworks. If you miss that chance, you can get it later after beating the Underworld. Sit on the bench near the entrance, leave through the left, go all the way around to reach higher up, and move through the dark tunnels until you see the Citadel model again. That one costs 70 Rosary Beads. My advice: buy early if you can, because 30 extra beads is a annoying tax on a missed opportunity.

Cogwork Core: Pressure Plate And Bench Wheel

Cogwork Core comes after the Cogwork Dancers, and the map is fairly easy to grab. Go down and then left until you see a shine coming from a doorway with a bench sign nearby. Enter the doorway, climb the wall, and you will find an inactive warrior. To the right of that warrior, step on the pressure plate to get the Cogwork Core map for free. At the bottom, you can activate the bench by hitting the wheel above it repeatedly. I love a map that comes with a bench, because it means I can save and stop worrying about my progress for five minutes.

Whispering Vaults: The Sneaky One

Whispering Vaults is the map that made me work for it. From Cogwork Core, go right until the path opens up and you can go down. Do not go down; instead, jump across and keep moving right. You will meet a big guard, so defeat it first. After the guard is down, look for a small dangling bit right above where it was sitting. Hit it, and a ladder opens up. Use wall cling to go up, then go all the way left to find the model map for the area. It costs 70 Rosary Beads. This one is hidden well enough that I would have missed it for the life of me without a nudge.

My Quick Take

Biome
Source
Cost
My note

Bone Bottom
Shakra
40 Rosary Beads
Grab the Quill here

The Marrow
Shakra
50 Rosary Beads
Listen for the hum

Deep Docks
Shakra
50 Rosary Beads
Bellway Pins are here

Far Fields
Shakra
50 Rosary Beads
No hum; follow the rings

Greymoor
Shakra
70 Rosary Beads
Go right, then fall

Bellhart
Shakra
40 Rosary Beads
Pair it with Shellwood

Shellwood
Shakra
70 Rosary Beads
Use the elevator trick

Blasted Steps
Shakra
70 Rosary Beads
Pull the lever first

Underworks
Mechanism
Free
Crude map, no beads

Coral Chambers
Mechanism
40 or 70 Rosary Beads
Buy early if possible

Cogwork Core
Mechanism
Free
Pressure plate near warrior

Whispering Vaults
Mechanism
70 Rosary Beads
Hit the dangling bit

If I had to sum up the whole map hunt, I would say this: buy from Shakra whenever you hear that hum, keep your eyes peeled for Citadel models and pressure plates, and do not sleep on the Quill. In 2026, with more players than ever diving into Silksong, these routes still hold up. The maps do not make Pharloom less dangerous, but they make the danger feel like a plan instead of a blind panic. And honestly, that is the difference between a good run and a rage quit.

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How I Beat Moorwing in Hollow Knight: Silksong with Garmond and Zara

Moorwing boss guide: summon Garmond and Zara to conquer Greymoor’s fierce battle with smart timing, positioning, and precise attacks.

I’ll be honest: when I first stumbled into Greymoor and heard that fang-toothed screech, I thought I’d hit a wall. Moorwing, the flying terror guarding the brass gates of Bellhart, is no pushover. But after a few frustrating attempts, I discovered a game-changer — a certain knight and his trusty steed who turned the tide. Here’s how I did it, and how you can too.

Before you even think about challenging Moorwing, I strongly recommend finding Garmond and Zara. Not only does summoning them progress their questline, but they also make the fight significantly easier. Trust me, you’ll want the backup. To find them, you first need to have progressed into the Greymoor area. They have two possible locations.

First location: In a metal cage accessible through the west lighthouse. From the Halfway House, head west. Take the door in the bottom-left corner of the next room to enter the lighthouse. Go up and take the first available right. You’ll spot them caged up.

Second location: West of the lighthouse where you first found them. Go through the lighthouse’s bottom-left exit, drop down, and check the alcove on the right. Garmond should be mounted on Zara. He’ll ask if you want their assistance for the upcoming fight. Select ‘Yes’ — they’ll appear a few seconds into your encounter with Moorwing.

Now, onto the fight itself. When you reach Moorwing at the bottom-left corner of Greymoor, he’ll scream and begin his first phase. You have about six seconds to yourself before Garmond and Zara ride in. Their arrival is a relief for two reasons: they deal extra damage to Moorwing, speeding up the fight, and Garmond can occasionally deflect attacks. But don’t rely on them entirely — you still need to hold your own.

Whether you have backup or not, the first phase is always the same. My main objective was to learn how to keep Moorwing in my sight. The greatest foe in this battle isn’t Moorwing; it’s the camera. As much as possible, never run away so far that you can’t see or hear him. Simply keep after Moorwing, attacking once at the end of each of his attacks. Slow and steady wins the race. When Moorwing hits the ground in a stagger, either heal or attack viciously. Either way, he’ll enter Phase Two when he gets up.

This was likely my first proper two-phase fight in Silksong, and it caught me off guard. In Phase Two, Moorwing gains two new abilities:

New Attack
Description

Circling Blade
A new attack that sends a blade in a circular pattern.

Dual Blade Cutters
A variation on his old Blade Cutter attack, firing two blades in quick succession.

Surprisingly, Dual Blade Cutters is the most dangerous. The speed of this attack can be devastating, and Moorwing can quickly change directions with the second blade. To avoid it, my ideal solution was to sprint under Moorwing, continue running until the second blade fires, then jump over and back toward him, and attack. If you find yourself in a bad position, it’s okay to back off and jump over the first blade, floating over the second. But beware of the upward arc of these blades — they’ll catch you if you’re careless.

Taking things slowly and keeping Moorwing in your camera as you learn to avoid his moves is the best strategy. Over-aggressiveness is likely to be your downfall with this straightforward and fair boss. I learned that the hard way after a few too many reckless dashes.

Unfortunately, there’s no physical reward for defeating Moorwing — no shiny trinket or upgrade. Your reward is the ability to progress onward to Bellhart. A bench is just ahead, and let me tell you, I’ve never been so happy to see one. If you brought Garmond and Zara along, speak to them before you leave for Bellhart. Exhaust all their dialogue, and you can move them on to their next location at Sinner’s Road.

For now, progress onward to Bellhart in the west to begin the next phase of Pharloom’s adventure and get some much-needed rest. And if you’re like me, you’ll be glad you didn’t have to face that screeching terror alone. ️

So there you have it — my personal strategy for taking down Moorwing. It’s not about flashy moves; it’s about patience, positioning, and a little help from a friend. Good luck, and may your needles fly true.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Bone Scrolls Guide: Use, Locations, and Rewards

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Bone Scrolls are hidden relics traded in Bellhart for 50 Rosaries each, once the town’s curse is broken.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Bone Scrolls are one of the many historical relics Hornet can collect while exploring Pharloom. They are easy to overlook because they often sit on hidden bodies, behind obscure paths, or in areas that reward careful exploration. As of 2026, players continue to trade these relics for Rosaries, making Bone Scrolls a reliable source of currency for anyone willing to search Bellhart and the wider kingdom.

The item itself is simple to use once players understand the system. Bone Scrolls are not equipment, upgrades, or quest keys. They are collectibles meant to be handed over to the Relic Seeker Scrounge in Bellhart. Each Bone Scroll rewards 50 Rosaries, and there are many scrolls scattered across Pharloom. That exchange rate makes every scroll worth picking up, especially for players who need extra Rosaries for purchases and upgrades.

What Bone Scrolls Do

Bone Scrolls function as relic-based currency. Players do not need to solve a puzzle or complete a ritual to use them. The only step is to find the Relic Seeker Scrounge and give the scrolls to the NPC. The shop can be reached by using the platforms in Bellhart to go higher and then heading right. However, it is impossible to speak with the NPC as long as Haunted Bellhart is cursed.

That restriction is important because new players may arrive in Bellhart, find the Relic Seeker Scrounge, and wonder why the exchange cannot happen. The answer is tied to the town's haunted state. Hornet needs to navigate through the areas and defeat the Widow to remove the curse and save the Bellhart citizens. This is done by completing The Threadspun Town Quest in Silksong.

Item
Reward
NPC
Location

Bone Scroll
50 Rosaries
Relic Seeker Scrounge
Bellhart

How to Reach the Relic Seeker and Break the Curse

Players who have not yet cleansed Bellhart should prepare for a boss route. The Widow is found by navigating the upper bellvein on top of Bellhart. First, travel to Shellwood and use the elevator, if available, to reach the highest point of the area, then head right. If the elevator has not been activated yet, players can keep jumping up and going around the area until they reach the upper entrance.

Next, destroy the pile of bells blocking the path to arrive at the upper bellvein. Hornet then must navigate narrow tunnels while defeating enemies to eventually reach the Widow boss. Before committing to the fight, players should unlock the nearby shortcut first and rest so they do not spawn far away from the boss upon death. That small preparation step can save a long return trip.

Once the boss is dealt with in Hollow Knight: Silksong, use the nearby elevator to reach Bellhart and start meeting the NPCs. One of them is the Relic Seeker Scrounge, who is happy to take any historical relic found while exploring Pharloom in exchange for Rosaries. With the curse removed, the exchange becomes available and Bone Scrolls can finally be converted into currency.

Where to Find Bone Scrolls

The earliest Bone Scroll players can pick up is in Far Fields, right after the hot balloon areas where players unlock the Drifter's Cloak ability for Hornet in Silksong. Use the wind current to fly higher and then hit the lava bulb to explode and reveal a body with an item. That body holds a Bone Scroll, making Far Fields an ideal early stop for players who want a quick 50 Rosaries.

The next one is in Greymoor, just east of the Halfway Home resting bench. It is found by swimming along a hidden path and then going down to find a body with a Bone Scroll. Greymoor's layout can be confusing, so players should watch for side passages and submerged routes that do not appear on the main path.

There are more scrolls players will stumble upon while exploring other areas, so keep an eye out for any hidden paths. Bone Scrolls tend to appear on bodies in out-of-the-way places, which means exploration habits matter more than a single checklist. Players who investigate suspicious corners, breakable objects, and alternate routes will naturally build up a stockpile.

Practical Tips for Collecting Bone Scrolls

• 🦴 Treat Bone Scrolls as banking, not inventory clutter. Each one is worth 50 Rosaries once Bellhart is safe.

• ️ Search bodies and hidden paths in Far Fields and Greymoor first, since those are confirmed early and mid-game locations.

• ️ Clear The Threadspun Town Quest before planning a selling trip. The Relic Seeker Scrounge cannot do business while Haunted Bellhart remains cursed.

• Save the nearby shortcut before the Widow fight and rest at the bench, reducing the cost of repeated attempts.

• Revisit earlier areas after gaining movement abilities. Wind currents and hidden swim paths often lead to relics that were previously out of reach.

For players exploring Pharloom in 2026, Bone Scrolls remain a straightforward but valuable collectible. They do not demand a complex questline once Bellhart is restored, and their fixed value makes them worth grabbing whenever a hidden body appears. The main hurdles are the Haunted Bellhart curse and the Widow encounter, but both can be resolved through The Threadspun Town Quest. After that, every Bone Scroll becomes a simple, reliable payment from the Relic Seeker Scrounge.

The satisfaction of turning hidden Bone Scrolls into Rosaries is a reminder that value often hides in unexpected places—and that principle applies well beyond Pharloom. Whether you're hunting for discounts on new releases or building a backlog for the moments between Silksong sessions, a little exploration goes a long way.

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