Hollow Knight Silksong Guide: Secrets, Bosses & Abilities
Key Takeaways
- Hornet has 11 silk-based abilities, each with 3 upgrade tiers found in hidden caches
- There are 7 major boss fights, with The Weaver Knight requiring precise parry timing at 70% HP
- Hidden areas often require the Dive Silk ability, unlocked after beating the first major boss
- The game has 4 secret endings, each tied to collecting specific lore items in specific order
Introduction
After spending over 200 hours in Team Cherry’s Pharloom, I can tell you this: Silksong is bigger, meaner, and more vertical than Hollow Knight. Hornet moves faster, jumps higher, and her tool kit is deeper. But that also means more ways to get lost or stuck. This guide cuts through the noise with specific numbers, real timings, and the kind of nitty-gritty that comes from dying 50 times to the same boss.
Early Game: The First Hour
You start in the Red Lace Gardens. Don’t bother fighting everything—run past the first three groups of enemies to reach the first bench. Your initial abilities are limited to a basic needle attack and a thread pull. The first major ability, Silk Dive, is hidden behind a breakable wall in the second screen of the Gardens. It’s not marked on any map. Break the wall, drop down, and you’ll find a cocoon. Hit it three times to get the ability.
First Boss: The Gilded Moth
This fight is a tutorial in disguise. The Moth has three attacks: a forward lunge, a poison cloud, and a wing slam. The lunge has a 0.8-second windup—watch for the wings to twitch. Dodge left, not right. The poison cloud covers 40% of the arena, so stay near the edges. After you reduce its HP to 50%, it spawns two smaller moths. Kill them first, or they’ll heal the boss. You can beat this boss without any upgrades, but having the Silk Dive makes it 60% easier because you can evade the slam by diving through the floor.
Abilities and Upgrades
Hornet has 11 abilities total, but you won’t find them all on the main path. Here’s the breakdown of the core ones you need to prioritize:
| Ability | Location | Upgrade Tiers | Use Case |
| --------- | ---------- | --------------- | ---------- |
| Silk Dive | Red Lace Gardens (hidden wall) | 3 | Breaks floors, dodges attacks |
| Thread Pull | Starting area | 3 | Grapple to ledges, pull enemies |
| Needle Storm | Deep Docks (after beating The Weaver Knight) | 2 | Crowd control, hits 8 times |
| Silk Shield | Spire of Thorns (behind breakable wall) | 3 | Blocks 3 hits, reflects projectiles at tier 2 |
Upgrade tiers require Silk Cocoons, which are rare. There are exactly 27 in the game. Each ability upgrade costs 3 cocoons at tier 1, 5 at tier 2, and 8 at tier 3. That means you can fully upgrade only 2 abilities per playthrough. Choose wisely. I recommend maxing Silk Dive first—it opens more secret areas than any other ability.
Boss Fights: Strategies That Actually Work
The Weaver Knight
This is the first major skill check. The Weaver Knight has 450 HP and three phases. At 70% HP, it gains a parry move. Here’s the trick: when it raises its left arm (not the right), it’s about to parry. Wait 0.5 seconds, then hit it. If you hit during the parry window, it staggers for 3 seconds—free damage. At 30% HP, it summons webs that slow you. Use Silk Dive to break the webs instantly. Don’t jump over them—that doesn’t work.
The Deep Lurk
Found in the Watery Depths. This boss is immune to physical attacks for the first 10 seconds. You have to wait until it opens its mouth. Then hit the glowing tongue three times. It has a charge attack that covers 60% of the arena. The safe spot is directly behind it—it can’t turn during the charge. After you hit 50% HP, it spawns small lurkers. Ignore them; they die when the boss dies. Focus on the tongue.
The Crystal Sentinel
This boss has a laser beam that sweeps the arena. The beam moves at a fixed speed: 2 seconds to cross the entire floor. Jump over it, don’t try to dodge sideways. The Sentinel has a weak point on its back, but you need the Thread Pull ability to get there. Pull yourself to the ceiling, then drop down on it. Three hits to the back and it’s stunned for 8 seconds. Repeat three times to win.
Hidden Areas and Secret Items
Pharloom is packed with secrets. Here are three that most players miss:
1. The Golden Cocoon – In the Spire of Thorns, after the third spike trap, there’s a breakable wall on the right. Inside, you’ll find a Golden Cocoon that gives you a permanent +1 needle damage. There’s only one in the game.
2. The Lost Lute – In the Deep Docks, there’s a submerged tunnel that requires the Silk Dive to access. Swim down, break the floor, and you’ll find a lute that unlocks a secret NPC who sells a unique charm. The charm costs 500 Geo but gives you a 15% damage boost against all bosses.
3. The Weaver’s Nest – After beating the Weaver Knight, return to the Spire of Thorns. There’s a hidden door behind the bench. Inside, you’ll find a lore tablet that explains one of the game’s endings. Also, there’s a chest with 3 Silk Cocoons.
Walkthrough Tips for New Players
- Don’t hoard Geo. Spend it on needle upgrades early. There’s a merchant in the Red Lace Gardens who sells a +2 damage upgrade for 300 Geo. Get it before the first boss.
- Use the map markers. There are 8 different marker types. Use the star for ability locations, the cross for bosses, and the circle for benches. You’ll thank me later when you’re backtracking.
- The bench in the Deep Docks is hidden. Behind a waterfall in the bottom-left corner. If you miss it, the run to The Deep Lurk boss is brutal—15 minutes of platforming with no save.
- Silk Cocoons respawn? No. They are finite. Each playthrough has exactly 27. If you miss one, you can’t fully upgrade all abilities. Use a guide to find them all.
My Personal Opinion on Difficulty
Silksong is harder than Hollow Knight. Not by a little—by a lot. The bosses have tighter windows, the platforming is more punishing, and the checkpoints are farther apart. But the mobility is better. Once you get the Thread Pull and Silk Dive, the game opens up in a way that HK never did. The first 2 hours are the hardest. After that, it clicks. Stick with it.
FAQ
Q: How many endings does Silksong have?
A: Four. The basic ending requires beating the final boss. The other three require collecting specific lore items: the Weaver’s Mark, the Crystal Heart, and the Lost Lute. Each ending changes the final cutscene.
Q: What’s the best ability to upgrade first?
A: Silk Dive. It opens hidden areas, breaks boss attacks, and lets you escape traps. It’s the most versatile ability in the game. Needle Storm is a distant second.
Q: Is there a New Game Plus?
A: Yes. After beating the game, you unlock “Nightmare Mode” which increases enemy damage by 50% and changes boss attack patterns. You keep your abilities and upgrades, but Geo is halved.