Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sister Splinter Boss Guide: Abilities, Phases, and Reward

Beat Sister Splinter in Hollow Knight: Silksong with top Shellwood tactics, loadout tips, and the Cling Grip reward.

In the sprawling, treacherous region of Shellwood in Hollow Knight: Silksong, players will inevitably cross paths with a formidable foe: Sister Splinter. This boss guards the path to the invaluable Cling Grip ability, which allows Hornet to climb walls and traverse the world with greater ease. As of 2026, with the game fully released and players exploring every corner of Pharloom, Sister Splinter remains a significant early challenge. Without proper preparation, her relentless slams, spiked vines, and summoned minions can quickly overwhelm even the most seasoned adventurer. This guide breaks down the optimal loadout, phase-by-phase tactics, and the ultimate reward for defeating this arachnid menace.

Recommended Abilities and Tools

Before entering the arena, players should ensure they have unlocked the Reaper Crest and Thread Storm ability from Greymoor. These two tools are game-changers for this fight. Additionally, the Sting Shard tool provides valuable area-of-effect damage. While any familiar setup can work, this trio offers a balanced mix of defense and aggression.

Tool/Ability
Purpose

️ Reaper Crest
Generates more silk after healing, enabling frequent Thread Storm usage.

️ Thread Storm
Parries and kills Splinterbark enemies, and destroys multiple Spiked Vines at once.

Sting Shard
Deals AoE damage, pressuring the boss and mobs while gathering silk.

The Reaper Crest ensures a steady silk supply, which is crucial for maintaining offensive pressure. Thread Storm not only clears mobs but also helps break the vines that clutter the arena. Sting Shard adds extra chip damage when players need to keep their distance. Together, they form a solid, aggressive loadout that mitigates the boss's resource-denial tactics.

Phase 1: Slams and Spiked Vines

Sister Splinter's first phase is deceptively simple. She clings to the ceiling and performs three consecutive slams on the ground where the player stands. Each slam has a deceptively large hitbox—roughly the size of her head upon landing—so players must position themselves further away than they might expect. After each slam, her hands remain vulnerable for a brief moment; attacking them immediately deals extra damage to the boss. This is the primary way to chip away at her health.

After the triple slam, Sister Splinter retreats into the ceiling and summons Spiked Vines that erupt downward. These vines deal contact damage and can trap players in dangerous positions. Each vine requires three hits to destroy, and players can typically take down one before Sister Splinter returns. It is wise to focus on the vine that blocks the largest portion of the arena, as opening up space is critical for dodging the next barrage of slams. By consistently jumping to hit her body and striking her hands after each attack, players can stun her quickly, opening a window for massive damage.

Phase 2: Splinterbark Reinforcements

Once enough damage is dealt, Sister Splinter enters her second phase. She screeches from the ceiling, summoning Splinterbark enemies to aid her. These minions approach with a devastating spinning attack; if both hit simultaneously, they can shred Hornet's health. This is where Thread Storm shines. A single use of the ability parries their spin and instantly kills them, while also damaging Sister Splinter if she is nearby.

After the initial two Splinterbarks are dealt with, Sister Splinter rejoins the fight and will frequently summon one more minion. Players should kite the Splinterbark toward the boss and unleash Thread Storm to eliminate it while dealing heavy damage to Sister Splinter herself. The key to this phase is relentless aggression: hitting the boss as much as possible generates silk for more Thread Storms, which in turn clear minions and damage the boss. This loop can quickly stun her again or push her into the final phase.

Phase 3: The Arena Closes In

The final phase is a test of spatial awareness and resource management. Sister Splinter locks off major sections of the arena with seven Spiked Vines. Players cannot destroy all of them in time, but a single Thread Storm breaks four at once—the ideal opening move. Alternatively, basic attacks can break at least two to create dodging room. After the initial lockdown, Sister Splinter may immediately summon three more vines to replace the broken ones, or she may launch an attack right away. If she summons more, it is best to save Thread Storm for when she calls another Splinterbark, killing the mob and clearing vines simultaneously. If she queues an attack, destroy the closest vine first to gain breathing room.

This cycle repeats until she is defeated. She will continue to summon mobs and vines while performing ground slams, gradually shrinking the safe zone. With enough pressure and smart ability usage, players can overcome anything she throws at them. While it is possible to win without the recommended loadout, this setup makes the fight significantly more manageable.

Reward: Cling Grip

Defeating Sister Splinter does not immediately grant a visible reward like some other bosses. Instead, players must head to the left of the boss arena and climb to the top of the room. There, they will find the Cling Grip ability. This allows Hornet to climb walls and traverse the world with newfound freedom, opening up previously inaccessible areas in Shellwood and beyond. It is an essential upgrade for any player looking to fully explore Pharloom.

With the right tools and a bit of practice, Sister Splinter becomes a memorable but conquerable foe. Her fight teaches valuable lessons about resource management and arena control that will serve players well throughout the rest of Hollow Knight: Silksong. So sharpen your needle, prepare your crest, and show this spider who is boss.

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Thread Storm: The Silksong Skill I Almost Missed

Missed Hollow Knight Silksong's Thread Storm in Pharloom? This AoE silk attack shreds crowds—grab it in east Greymoor.

Listen, I'm a seasoned bug hunter. I've dodged, pogoed, and silk-dashed my way through countless metroidvanias. But Hollow Knight: Silksong? It humbled me. Not because of its bosses (okay, maybe a little), but because I spent roughly 20 hours wandering Pharloom before realizing I had completely missed one of Hornet's most satisfying abilities: the Thread Storm. ‍️

I had just defeated Moorwing in Greymoor—back before the difficulty nerfs, mind you—and my ego was soaring. I was ready to charge into the next area, blissfully unaware that the east side of Greymoor held a secret so deliciously violent that it would become my favorite offensive tool in the entire game. Instead, I got sidetracked by shiny new zones and forgot to check my map. Classic me. So if you're reading this in 2026 and you've also been sleeping on the Thread Storm, pull up a chair. We need to talk.

The Thread Storm: A Love Letter to AoE Carnage

Getting the Thread Storm isn't exactly a walk in the park. It requires clearing out a bunch of crow-like bugs infesting the east side of Greymoor, followed by some well-timed pogo parkour. Yes, pogo parkour. The kind that makes you question your reflexes and your life choices. But once you snag it, oh boy. This AoE silk attack unleashes a flurry of whip-like slashes in a radius around Hornet. It's like a tornado of pain, and I am here for it.

Is it the most efficient tool in Hornet's arsenal? Probably not. But is it the most satisfying? Absolutely. There's something primal about spinning around and shredding a cluster of enemies that thought they could gang up on you. The Thread Storm doesn't just clear the room—it sends a message. And the best part? Repeatedly pressing the skill button extends the duration at no extra cost. You can keep the party going until your silk runs dry or your fingers cramp. Just be aware that after the initial stun wears off, you're left wide open to retaliation. Risk versus reward, baby.

Thread Storm vs. Silkspear: A Quick Comparison

Feature
Thread Storm
Silkspear

Damage type
AoE, multi-hit
Single-target, piercing

Crowd control
Excellent
Limited

Silk cost
Moderate
Low

Extendable
Yes (button mashing)
No

Cool factor
️️️️️
️️

As you can see, the Thread Storm wins on style points alone. But it's not just about looking cool. When paired with Hornet's tools—like AoE poison attacks or ranged traps—you can create deadly combos that melt enemies trying to avoid your silk attack. I've lost count of how many times I've trapped a group of bugs, popped a poison cloud, and then spun to win. It's a beautiful symphony of destruction.

Pharloom: A Metroidvania Playground of Secrets

Now, I know Silksong caught some flak early on for not rewarding players enough through boss charms or discoverable items. But let me tell you, the mid-to-late game more than makes up for it. Pharloom is absolutely overflowing with content. There are tools, crests, and secret paths everywhere. It's almost overwhelming—in the best way. The game takes its metroidvania inspirations and runs with them, thriving on backtracking and rewarding player creativity.

Take Shakra's purchasable waypoints, for example. They're a godsend. They remind you to return later with the right skills. But here's the thing: if you're like me and you miss something as crucial as the Thread Storm or an additional Crest slot, you'll kick yourself. I spent hours wandering around, wondering why certain fights felt harder than they should. Then I realized I had been ignoring a whole section of Greymoor. Facepalm. ‍️

So here's my advice: leave no stone unturned. If you see a suspicious ledge, pogo up there. If you hear a faint sound, investigate. If a map area looks empty, it's probably hiding something. The game rewards curiosity just as much as combat skill. And with the 2026 updates and community discoveries, there's no excuse to miss out.

Backtracking: The Art of Feeling Dumb and Then Smart

Backtracking in Silksong is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's tedious. On the other hand, it's incredibly satisfying when you finally unlock that ability you needed to reach a secret area. I've had moments where I felt like a genius for remembering a random ledge I couldn't reach 15 hours ago. Then I've had moments where I felt like a complete idiot for missing the Thread Storm for so long.

But that's the beauty of Pharloom. It's a world that respects your time and your intelligence. It doesn't hold your hand. It lets you experience the game at your own pace, which means you might miss things. And that's okay—as long as you eventually go back. The Thread Storm is just one example. There are countless other secrets, from hidden bosses to lore-rich environments that flesh out the 7 years of passion that went into this game.

Why You Shouldn't Sleep on Passive Abilities

Crests and Weaver Skills are powerful enhancements that can completely change your playstyle. I ignored them for way too long. Don't be like me. Experiment. Mix and match. Find what works for you. The Thread Storm might be my favorite, but there are plenty of other tools that are just as viable. The key is to explore, experiment, and never assume you've seen everything.

The Little Details That Make Silksong Shine

Even outside of tangible rewards, Silksong is packed with hidden details. Background NPCs, environmental storytelling, subtle animations—it's all there. These details help you gain a better understanding of Pharloom and the love that went into its creation. I've spent hours just watching enemies interact with each other or admiring the way light filters through the fungal forests. It's a game that rewards observation.

So if you're playing in 2026 and you haven't grabbed the Thread Storm yet, do yourself a favor. Head to eastern Greymoor. Clear out those crows. Do the pogo parkour. And then unleash hell. Your bug-hunting career will never be the same. And if you miss it? Well, at least you'll have a funny story to tell. Just like me.

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My Complete Journey Through Hollow Knight: Silksong's Choral Chambers

Hollow Knight: Silksong Choral Chambers guide: navigate the Citadel with key shortcuts, maps, treasures, and Lace fight tips.

I still remember crawling out of The Underworks after beating the Last Judge, only to be swallowed by the gilded nightmare of the Choral Chambers. If you skipped The Mist, this is likely your first real taste of the Citadel, and it is overwhelming. The halls are huge, the enemies are aggressive, and the secrets are packed into every ceiling and floor. As of 2026, this area remains one of the most complex zones in Hollow Knight: Silksong, so I want to walk you through the path I took, the shortcuts I opened, and the treasures I refused to leave behind.

Lower Left-Side Halls 🧭

When I popped out of the hole at the top of the Underworks, I immediately headed left and found a free bench. That bench felt like a miracle. Further left, a big circular room offered a shortcut to the Grand Gate, but I went up and around instead. I activated a lever, grabbed a few shards from the obscured hatch on the left, and climbed higher for beads and a preview of the Ventrica Station. It was blocked from my side, so I kept moving right and paid for the map. That map changed everything. After opening a floor hatch, I dropped into a den of easy spiders, climbed out, and walked past dead Citadel residents until Lace appeared. She taunted me, the corpses rose, and I had my first real fight in the area. ️

Central Left-Side Halls

The enemies here are not terrible, but I learned to respect the ones with red on their clothing. They swing wide or throw projectiles that caught me more than once. Since this is not a locked combat room, I left when my health got low. I entered the bottom right room and found an elevator blocked by a very particular key. I made a mental note and returned to the tall room. I platformed up, swatted away a sword enemy, and broke a window on the left. At first it looked empty, but I jumped up the wall and looted a dead body for a Rosary Bead. Back in the main tall room, I headed up and to the upper left exit, where enemies and Rosaries waited. The top was blocked, so I continued left.

Far Left-Side Halls

After fighting through more enemies, I took the left door, jumped across spikes, and chose to drop down instead of visiting The Slab. That drop led me to the Citadel Spa. It looked disappointing at first, just a couple of showerheads, but I broke the floor in the first room. Beneath it was an underground steam pipe system. No hidden items, but it contained an entrance to the secret area of the spa. That route connects the leftmost side of the map to the middle and became very convenient for a later quest. I then headed left, fought silk-strung enemies, hit a lever, and went down. I grabbed Rosaries, entered a big room through its upper right segment, and let the optional enemies spawn. I left or beat them, dropped down and right, and found a chest packed with Rosaries. Further down and right, I finally activated that Ventrica Station. Once it became my hub for the Citadel, I understood why these stations are a godsend. ️

Large Left-Side Drop

I opened the shortcut and returned to the tall room where I had taken a left to the Ventrica Station. Heading up, I entered the upper left exit and found Silk dispensers. Not useful. Up the timed platforms, the next room had bells and a pressure plate. I had to repeat the pattern they rang out. If you do not want to memorize it, here is the cheat sheet I used:

Pattern
Bell order (left to right)

First
1, 5, 4, 6

Second
3, 6, 5, 1, 7

Third
2, 4, 6, 3, 5, 1

After that, I received a Cogheart Piece. Up more timed platforms, I headed right and had to jump with strict timing while dodging an enemy. I lured the enemy to the starting platform, killed it, then jumped across for my prize. Up even more timed platforms, the top left entrance had a winged swordsman guarding Grindle. There was nothing else in the room, but everyone loves Grindle, right? 🪶

Central Left-Side Drop

At the top right room, I dropped down and fought the genuinely tough enemies. I jumped left for extra Rosaries as a reward, then timed my jumps to the right into another massive room. I broke the wall directly to the right, dropped for Silk, and acknowledged the big saw blades I could not pass. I fell down carefully, avoiding the golden spikes, and broke the cracked wall on the right. That let me flick a lever, go back up, soar past the saws, and save a flea. I returned to the bottom, opened a shortcut to the tall room that started this whole route, and headed right into a cramped hallway. Past the tattered curtains, I found a fly-infested room, went up, and glimpsed rare Pale Oil. I could not break that wall yet, so I went to the top right, grabbed a Silkeater, and left. Falling back down the tall room and going right, I finally reached the top right entrance and another bench.

Lower Middle Halls

From that bench, I headed right, opened the hatch, and prepared for spiders and steam. Every path here coalesces at the bottom right and leads into a long, straightforward hall. I went left first to open a shortcut to the left-side halls. The area to the right had moving cogs and a flying mechanical bug, but it was light work. The end of the hallway was packed with enemies that love heavy blows. I used a few hit-and-run attacks and cleared them.

Lower Right-Side Halls

As soon as I entered the room on the right, I dropped all the way down and opened the Grand Bellway. I bought the bench and the Ventrica Station beside it. This was incredibly handy, because trekking out of the Citadel and back to the rest of Pharloom is arduous. The room up and to the left was not special. I dodged spikes, took out two thieves, and broke cocoons for a Silkeater. I also entered the door above the Bellway, but there was only a little lore. Further up, I broke glass blocking an entrance marked by three pins. Inside was another Pale Oil teaser and an easy way to escape enemies. I pogoed off bells, entered another dark cramped hallway, and found a big lever that turned a massive wheel with a hole in it. I turned it to go vertically and wall jumped up. I could head left for Silk dispensers, but who cares?

Upper Right-Side Halls

I pogoed off more bells and opened the top right door. The hallway required a few well-timed dashes, but it was straightforward. At the other end, I found a very big, regal-looking chapel. I went inside, rang the bell, enjoyed the free bench, and came outside to be chewed out by an old man. This began the town of Songclave, which gradually gains residents as you progress. At the very rightmost part of Songclave, I found the White Key. It opens the elevator we found long ago and leads to a smaller, separate area. For now, I headed back left and climbed all the way up. At the top, I activated another Ventrica station, which was incredibly useful throughout most of Act 2. I went down and left across an extremely long hallway with a glass floor and several beefy guards. A well-timed dive kick can bounce over them, but they drop a ton of money, so I tried killing them. Continuing left, I found an upper entrance I could not access without wings, and I headed down to unlock a shortcut. Be careful: going much further left throws you into the Cogwork Dancers boss fight. I geared up first, defeated them, opened the Cogwork Core, and headed to the upper left.

Upper Left-Side Halls

With those guards dispatched, I entered the top left area. I could go left, since the route upwards was locked, or descend to explore more of the Choral Chambers. I chose to descend first. The top two gates on the right are shortcuts out of the Cogwork Core, so I ignored them. I entered the top left gate by dropping in from above, and the lower left gate was already unlocked. Further down, I found two more gates. I could bypass the right gate by going underneath, but I could not find a way around the left gate. I dropped down, ran across the huge dining hall, and found the Royal Mergwin, who tasked me with a massive quest for Pale Oil. I opened the shortcuts, then climbed back up to the room left of the Cogwork Dancers, behind a breakable wall. There, I started a big vertical platforming challenge on timed platforms and opened a treasure chest. My reward was seeing Grindle. This is much easier if you wait until you have wings. Further left, I found rings to grapple onto and climb. They led into High Halls proper and let me unlock the shortcut I had seen earlier. I grabbed the bench, and from there I had plenty of new places to explore, all connected to these chambers.

The Choral Chambers can feel like a maze, but once I opened the Ventrica stations, shortcuts, and benches, it became the beating heart of the Citadel. My advice is simple: buy the map early, respect the red-clothed enemies, solve the bell puzzle, and do not rush the Cogwork Dancers. Take the area one hall at a time, and you will turn this gilded labyrinth into your new home base. 🧵

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Silksong: Balm for the Wounded — I Saved Sherma and All I Got Was This Spool Fragment

Silksong Balm for the Wounded guide: track Sherma through Whiteward, start in Songclave, and survive enemy waves.

Ah, the Whiteward. The place where hope goes to get a haircut and never comes back. If you are playing Silksong in 2026 and you have finally reached the Citadel, congratulations. Act 2 is less of a guided tour and more of a haunted museum where every exhibit wants to stab you. And if you have met Sherma, the adorable pilgrim bug, you already know you would follow him into a nightmare. Which, spoiler alert, is exactly what this quest asks you to do.

How to Start Balm for the Wounded

First, you need Songclave. Ring the Grand Bell in the top-right of the Choral Chambers. Later, come back and the area has become a Town hub with a Wishwall. Pick up the White Key to the right of the Grand Bell, then unlock and explore the Whiteward. After that, return to Songclave. Sherma should be among the pilgrims. Talk to him. Then leave and come back later. Of course he is gone. Did you expect the cute one to stay safe? No. Pick up Sherma's quest on the Wishwall: Balm for the Wounded. Then head back down to the Whiteward to save him.

Finding Sherma in the Whiteward

From Choral Chambers, enter Whiteward. Sit at the bench on the right side of the first room to save your location. Then jump down the shaft. Do not drop all the way down. Take the first exit on the right. Follow the path right, drop down the hole, and you will land on a trackable object. Interact with it to Track Sherma. Now follow the trail. Is it creepy? Yes. Is it also weirdly beautiful? Also yes.

The trail initially leads Hornet right through a room filled with giant masked enemies wielding scissors. These are not arts-and-crafts scissors. They are the kind that make you reconsider your choices. Track the second object on a platform between spikes in this long room. This continues Sherma's trail, leading you further right. Avoid the enemies again, then follow the trail upward. The trail will lead to a room you can enter. Go in, then break the breakable wall on the right side. Inside, you will find Sherma.

The Rescue and the Enemy Waves

Talk to Sherma. He is shivering in fear. He has seen the brutality and faith-challenging horrors of the Whiteward. He says he found healing supplies, got trapped, and then started to hear moans in the dark. Poor little guy. After a moment, a variety of challenging enemies appear in waves. Of course they do.

Here is how I handled them:

Enemy Type
How to Fight
Why

Three flying enemies with tentacle-like silk strands
Use Silk Skills and Tools
They are hard to get close to and hit with the Needle

Two scissor-wielding enemies
Use pogo attacks, downward slashes in mid-air
Avoid their rapid attacks, which deal two masks of damage

Defeat the three flying enemies first if you can. They are annoying little sky gremlins. Then focus on the two scissor enemies. Pogo them. Bounce on their heads like you are playing a very violent game of hopscotch. Do not get greedy. Their attacks hurt. A lot. Two masks of damage is not a suggestion. It is a warning.

After defeating the waves, you have successfully saved Sherma. He will return to Songclave. But not before giving Hornet something he found while looking for supplies.

Reward: Spool Fragment

For finding Sherma and saving him from the horrors of the Whiteward, he rewards Hornet with a Spool Fragment.

Hornet can combine 2x Spool Fragments to increase her maximum Silk by 1 bar. Is that worth fighting through a haunted hospital full of scissor monsters? If you use Silk Skills often, absolutely. If you do not, well, you still saved a cute bug. That counts for something.

Final Thoughts

So, would I do Balm for the Wounded again in 2026? Yes. Would I complain the entire time? Also yes. The Whiteward is a masterclass in dread, and Sherma is a masterclass in making you care about a tiny fictional bug. If you are stuck, remember: sit at the bench, take the first right, track the trail, break the wall, and pogo the scissors. And if you hear moans in the dark, maybe do not investigate alone.

Now go get that Spool Fragment. Sherma believes in you. I believe in you. The scissor monsters do not, but their opinion does not matter. 🧵

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Silksong Guide: How to Open the Ornate Lock and Beat The Unravelled

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Whiteward lock hides The Unravelled boss; find the Surgical Key with Clawline to open it.

As of 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong continues to reward curious players who stray from the critical path, and few optional secrets are as easy to miss as the ornate lock mechanism hidden inside Whiteward. The device sits behind a keyhole, silent and unexplained, during Act 2. Because it is not tied to the main story, the game offers no tutorial, no marker, and no obvious hint about what lies beneath. So how does a traveler turn that stubborn lock into a doorway? The answer requires a return trip, a late-game movement ability, and a key that most players will overlook on their first pass through the Citadel.

A Locked Door in Whiteward

The journey begins during the climb to the top of the Citadel. To enter Whiteward, players need the White Key, which is found in the top-right part of the Citadel in Songclave. After collecting it, they can ring the bell in the First Shrine if they wish, then return to the elevator and ride it down. Once inside Whiteward, they should take the left passage. There, the ornate lock mechanism waits, demanding a keyhole item that is not yet in the inventory. At this point, the correct move is simple: ignore it and continue the main story.

Progression eventually leads to the Underworks, where players earn the Clawline ability on the eastern side. This tool is the missing piece. Without it, the Surgical Key cannot be reached, and the lock remains a decorative mystery. With it, the optional boss arena becomes accessible.

Finding the Surgical Key

After acquiring Clawline, players should return to Whiteward. The route is specific. They need to make their way to the right, just before the drop into the lava pit that leads into the Underworks. Up above that area, a secret passage is hidden on the top level. Going left from there reveals an enemy and a grapple point. By using Clawline on that point, players can trigger an item drop: the Surgical Key.

It is a small detour with a large payoff. The key must then be carried back to the ornate lock mechanism. Inserting it causes the floor underneath to open, dropping the player directly into The Unravelled's boss arena.

The Unravelled Boss Fight

The Unravelled does not begin as a solo duel. The encounter opens with a single enemy. Once that enemy is defeated, two more spawn. Only after those additional foes are dealt with does the actual boss make his appearance. It is a layered fight, and players who waste resources on the first wave may find themselves struggling before the main event even starts.

The boss has only three attacks in his arsenal, but each one punishes careless positioning. He deals two mask damage, so contact is costly. Players should avoid standing on the ground where he emerges. The Unravelled usually opens with a charge attack. The good news is that he can be attacked during this move. The safer response is to jump and dash out of the way, then strike him from behind before he dives into the ground.

After reemerging, he will either perform another charge or launch projectiles that can be hit. As he takes enough damage, he begins summoning spears from the ground before diving back down. In the later stages, he can start a charge attack while the spears are still active. That overlap is the real threat. Keeping calm, maintaining distance, and punishing only safe openings will carry the fight.

Phase
What Happens
Player Response

Opening
One enemy appears
Clear it quickly

Second Wave
Two enemies spawn
Manage spacing and silk

Boss Intro
The Unravelled enters
Avoid his emergence point

Charge
Boss rushes across arena
Jump, dash, hit from behind

Projectiles
Boss fires hittable shots
Strike them or dodge

Spears
Ground spears appear
Stay mobile, avoid charging boss

Reward
Silk Heart
Collect and exit

Why the Reward Matters

Defeating The Unravelled grants a Silk Heart. For completionists and players chasing every upgrade, this makes the ornate lock worth opening. It is not required for the main story, but it is another example of Silksong hiding meaningful rewards behind environmental puzzles and ability gates.

So is the detour worth it? For anyone who enjoys the game's exploration, yes. The lock mechanism is a reminder that not every secret announces itself. Sometimes the only hint is a keyhole, a hidden passage, and the patience to come back later with the right tool.

Quick Recap

• Reach Whiteward in Act 2.

• Get the White Key from Songclave in the Citadel.

• Ride the elevator down and find the ornate lock on the left passage.

• Continue the story until Clawline is obtained in eastern Underworks.

• Return to Whiteward and go right before the lava pit drop.

• Find the top secret passage, go left, and use Clawline on the grapple point.

• Collect the Surgical Key and unlock the mechanism.

• Defeat The Unravelled's waves and boss.

• Claim the Silk Heart.

In 2026, this remains one of the more satisfying optional secrets in Silksong. The path is obscure, the boss is dangerous, and the reward is permanent. For players who thrive on discovery, that combination is exactly what makes the hunt worthwhile.

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Silksong: I Unlocked the Choral Chambers Stage Door and Fought Trobbio

Unlock Silksong's Stage door in Choral Chambers by routing through Whispering Vaults to beat Trobbio.

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on that locked door in Choral Chambers. It was just above the Grand Bellway, bottom-right of the zone, and I could see a golden lever mocking me from the other side. Hornet could not reach it. No amount of wall-clinging, dash-slashing, or desperate pogo tricks would do the job. That door is the entrance to The Stage, and behind it waits Trobbio, an acclaimed thespian who wants to use his theatrical performance to 'rouse the soul of this one great land.' If you are playing Silksong in 2026, this little detour is still one of the most rewarding side paths in the game. Let me spill the tea on how I got through it.

Why Bother With The Stage?

Beating Trobbio is not just about bragging rights. Once he is down, you get much safer access to the Whispering Vaults and the top-right side of the Underworks. The Grand Bellway bench is practically right below the boss room, so it becomes a convenient fast-travel anchor. In a game like Silksong, where a single wrong step can send you back to the last bench with a bruised ego, that is huge. It is the difference between a leisurely stroll and a sweaty-palmed gauntlet every time you need to pass through.

The Long Way Around

The lever that opens the Stage door is on the far side. You cannot reach it from Choral Chambers. Period. You have to go all the way around through the Whispering Vaults and enter the boss room from the right side. Here is the route I used, step by step.

Step
What To Do
Danger Level

1
From the Cogwork Dancers arena (where the three ancient statues now sit after you beat the boss), head down into the Cogwork Core.
Low

2
Carefully navigate to the right side of the room. If you do not have the shortcut unlocked, go all the way down, then around the bottom of the central wall.
Medium

3
Continue right, pogo-ing across more gears, until you enter a room with a lever.
High

4
Hit the lever to turn the gigantic wheel-gate horizontal. This connects the top of Choral Chambers to the Bellway area below.
Low

5
Continue right to enter the Whispering Vaults.
Medium

6
Attack boxes to push them along tracks in the background, then continue into the room on the right.
High

7
In the enormous, labyrinthine room, aim for the exit on the left about two-thirds of the way down.
Very High

8
Dodge flame-tossing enemies, gigantic armored bugs, and rapid slashing enemies while solving box puzzles.
Very High

9
Continue left, then drop down into the top layer of The Stage.
Medium

10
At the end of the hallway, drop down near the door. Do NOT enter the boss arena yet. Hit the lever to unlock the locked door to The Stage.
Low

11
Go back to the Grand Bellway and sit on the bench to set your respawn point.
Breathe

That last step is not optional. I repeat: do not be a hero. If you skip the bench and die to Trobbio, and you sat at any bench on the way through the Cogwork Core or Whispering Vaults, you will have to make a much longer trek back. Trust me, I learned that the hard way. My pride still has not recovered.

Whispering Vaults: Box Puzzles and Bullet Hell

The Whispering Vaults section is no joke. Those box puzzles are cute until you are getting peppered by flame projectiles and rushed by armored bugs the size of a small house. I found that patience is the real weapon here. Push the boxes one at a time, keep your distance from the slashing enemies, and do not get greedy with hits. If you are using a spell-heavy build, save your Silk for emergency healing. If you are a pogo purist, may the odds be ever in your favor.

The labyrinthine room is the worst offender. It is huge, and the exit you need is on the left, about two-thirds down. I marked it on the map image above because I got lost twice. Twice! In 2026, with all the guides and patches, I still managed to take the scenic route through every wrong hallway. Do not be like me. Keep an eye on the map, hug the left side when you can, and drop down only when you are sure.

The Final Lever and Boss Prep

Once you drop into the top layer of The Stage, you are almost there. Follow the hallway left, drop down near the door, and hit that lever. The locked door in Choral Chambers now opens from the other side. Now go back to the Grand Bellway bench. Sit. Relax. Maybe stretch your fingers. Then return to The Stage and show Trobbio what a real performance looks like.

Trobbio himself is a theatrical nightmare. He is fast, he is flashy, and he loves to punish greedy attacks. I will not spoil his full moveset, but bring your best tools: a fully upgraded needle, plenty of Silk, and maybe a shield charm if you have one. The reward is worth it: safer access to the Whispering Vaults and the top-right Underworks, plus the satisfaction of wiping that smug grin off his face.

So there you have it. The locked door in Choral Chambers is not a bug, a tease, or a developer prank. It is a gateway to one of Silksong's most memorable boss fights and a major convenience shortcut. In 2026, this route is still the way to go. Now go unlock that Stage door, and do not forget the bench. Your future self will thank you. ️

Speaking of rewards that are worth the wait, there is one other place where a little patience pays off: buying the game itself. If you have been holding off on picking up Silksong, or you want to grab it on a second platform for a co-op run, prices bounce around constantly between storefronts, and refreshing five tabs during every seasonal sale gets old fast. That is exactly the gap [game price tracker]( fills over at DealNest — it keeps an eye on listings across the major stores so you can see at a glance whether the current deal is genuinely the lowest it has been, or just marketing noise dressed up as a discount.

Grabbing a copy at the right moment is the same instinct as sitting on that bench before a boss fight: a tiny bit of foresight that spares you a much longer, more painful trek later. So whether you are buying your first copy or double-dipping, it is worth a quick look at DealNest before you hit checkout.

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Where to Get Choir Cloaks in Silksong: A 2026 Guide

Cloaks of the Choir in Silksong: farm 15 Choir Cloaks fast in Choral Chambers, unlock Songclave, and complete this rewarding wish.

In 2026, Hornet's pilgrimage through Pharloom remains one of the most talked-about journeys in gaming, and Songclave still offers its quiet, desperate wishes. Among them is Cloaks of the Choir, a gathering quest that asks for 15 Choir Cloaks. It sounds simple enough, does it not? Yet the Citadel's choir does not part with its garments willingly. To finish this wish, Hornet must first unlock Songclave, then hunt specific enemies in the Choral Chambers. Here is how the quest unfolds, step by step.

️ Unlocking Songclave and the Wishwall

Songclave does not exist until Hornet rings the Grand Bell in the top-right of the Choral Chambers. Before she can do that, she must defeat the Cogwork Dancers. After the bell is rung, leaving and returning later reveals that the Grand Bell has transformed into Songclave, a town hub. The Caretaker may insist that helping pilgrims is pointless, but Hornet can still make a difference.

At the Songclave Wishwall, Hornet should pick up the Fine Pins quest first. Fulfill that wish, turn it in, then leave and return once more. A new Wish will appear on the board: Cloaks of the Choir. Promise to fulfill it, then head back into the Choral Chambers.

️ Which Enemies Drop Choir Cloaks?

Not every choir member carries a spare cloak. Enemies with a white hood and a gold sigil, such as the Reed or Choristor, do not drop them. The quest specifically requires Choir Cloaks from three foes:

Enemy
Where It Appears
Notes

Choir Flyer
Around chandeliers and upper platforms
Fast, airborne, and easy to miss with grounded attacks.

Choir Pouncer
Near chandeliers and ledges
Leaps toward Hornet; defeat it before it lands over spikes.

Choir Hornhead
Lower areas of the farming room
Tougher, grounded, and worth the extra care.

🧵 Best Choir Cloak Farming Spot

The best place to farm Choir Cloaks in Silksong is the tall room to the left of the entrance to the Whiteward, just beneath the dining hall where Hornet can pick up the Great Taste of Pharloom quest. From Songclave, make your way to this location, then sit at the bench just to the top-right of the room.

All three enemies that drop Choir Cloaks spawn in this room. Pouncers and Flyers hover on and around the chandeliers up above, while a Hornhead patrols down below. Defeat them, reset the room by sitting on the bench to the top-right, and repeat until Hornet has all 15 Choir Cloaks.

️ A Warning About Spikes

There is one cruel catch. Quest Items, including Choir Cloaks, are destroyed on contact with damaging ground. If Hornet defeats an enemy while it is above spikes, the cloak can be lost before it is ever collected. Is that not the Citadel's way? Patience and positioning matter more than raw speed. Lure enemies away from hazards or strike from a safe angle.

Rewards for Completing Cloaks of the Choir

Once Hornet has 15 Choir Cloaks, return to the Wishwall in Songclave and turn them in. The Cloaks of the Choir quest completes, and the reward is a Heavy Rosary Necklace. Heavy Rosary Necklace items are worth 220 Rosaries. For a simple gathering quest, that is not bad at all. Plus, defeating the required enemies while hunting for cloaks will naturally earn a few hundred extra Rosaries along the way.

Final Tips for 2026 Players

• Unlock Songclave first by ringing the Grand Bell after the Cogwork Dancers.

• Complete Fine Pins before expecting Cloaks of the Choir to appear.

• Farm the tall room near Whiteward and use the top-right bench to reset.

• Avoid killing cloak-bearing enemies over spikes.

• Turn in all 15 cloaks at the Songclave Wishwall for the Heavy Rosary Necklace.

So, is the Cloaks of the Choir quest worth the trouble? For Rosary-hungry pilgrims in 2026, the answer is a quiet yes. It is a straightforward farm with a solid payout, and it gives Hornet one more way to make Songclave a little brighter in a kingdom that rarely offers kindness.

Silksong's economy rewards players who think like careful collectors: wait for the right moment, avoid losing value to hazards, and never pay more than you have to. That same mindset carries over surprisingly well into how many Hollow Knight fans build out their libraries between runs, especially with the sequel's popularity pushing more people toward the genre's wider catalog of metroidvanias and soulslikes.

If chasing Rosaries in Pharloom has left you wanting more adventures without draining your wallet, it helps to know [where to buy cheap games]( before the next sale cycle hits. DealNest gathers discounted titles and price drops in one place, so you can grow your backlog for less than the cost of a Heavy Rosary Necklace — no spikes, no lost loot, just savings worth collecting.

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Thread Storm: The Silksong Skill I Almost Missed

Missed Hollow Knight Silksong's Thread Storm in Pharloom? This AoE silk attack shreds crowds—grab it in east Greymoor.

Listen, I'm a seasoned bug hunter. I've dodged, pogoed, and silk-dashed my way through countless metroidvanias. But Hollow Knight: Silksong? It humbled me. Not because of its bosses (okay, maybe a little), but because I spent roughly 20 hours wandering Pharloom before realizing I had completely missed one of Hornet's most satisfying abilities: the Thread Storm. ‍️

I had just defeated Moorwing in Greymoor—back before the difficulty nerfs, mind you—and my ego was soaring. I was ready to charge into the next area, blissfully unaware that the east side of Greymoor held a secret so deliciously violent that it would become my favorite offensive tool in the entire game. Instead, I got sidetracked by shiny new zones and forgot to check my map. Classic me. So if you're reading this in 2026 and you've also been sleeping on the Thread Storm, pull up a chair. We need to talk.

The Thread Storm: A Love Letter to AoE Carnage

Getting the Thread Storm isn't exactly a walk in the park. It requires clearing out a bunch of crow-like bugs infesting the east side of Greymoor, followed by some well-timed pogo parkour. Yes, pogo parkour. The kind that makes you question your reflexes and your life choices. But once you snag it, oh boy. This AoE silk attack unleashes a flurry of whip-like slashes in a radius around Hornet. It's like a tornado of pain, and I am here for it.

Is it the most efficient tool in Hornet's arsenal? Probably not. But is it the most satisfying? Absolutely. There's something primal about spinning around and shredding a cluster of enemies that thought they could gang up on you. The Thread Storm doesn't just clear the room—it sends a message. And the best part? Repeatedly pressing the skill button extends the duration at no extra cost. You can keep the party going until your silk runs dry or your fingers cramp. Just be aware that after the initial stun wears off, you're left wide open to retaliation. Risk versus reward, baby.

Thread Storm vs. Silkspear: A Quick Comparison

Feature
Thread Storm
Silkspear

Damage type
AoE, multi-hit
Single-target, piercing

Crowd control
Excellent
Limited

Silk cost
Moderate
Low

Extendable
Yes (button mashing)
No

Cool factor
️️️️️
️️

As you can see, the Thread Storm wins on style points alone. But it's not just about looking cool. When paired with Hornet's tools—like AoE poison attacks or ranged traps—you can create deadly combos that melt enemies trying to avoid your silk attack. I've lost count of how many times I've trapped a group of bugs, popped a poison cloud, and then spun to win. It's a beautiful symphony of destruction.

Pharloom: A Metroidvania Playground of Secrets

Now, I know Silksong caught some flak early on for not rewarding players enough through boss charms or discoverable items. But let me tell you, the mid-to-late game more than makes up for it. Pharloom is absolutely overflowing with content. There are tools, crests, and secret paths everywhere. It's almost overwhelming—in the best way. The game takes its metroidvania inspirations and runs with them, thriving on backtracking and rewarding player creativity.

Take Shakra's purchasable waypoints, for example. They're a godsend. They remind you to return later with the right skills. But here's the thing: if you're like me and you miss something as crucial as the Thread Storm or an additional Crest slot, you'll kick yourself. I spent hours wandering around, wondering why certain fights felt harder than they should. Then I realized I had been ignoring a whole section of Greymoor. Facepalm. ‍️

So here's my advice: leave no stone unturned. If you see a suspicious ledge, pogo up there. If you hear a faint sound, investigate. If a map area looks empty, it's probably hiding something. The game rewards curiosity just as much as combat skill. And with the 2026 updates and community discoveries, there's no excuse to miss out.

Backtracking: The Art of Feeling Dumb and Then Smart

Backtracking in Silksong is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's tedious. On the other hand, it's incredibly satisfying when you finally unlock that ability you needed to reach a secret area. I've had moments where I felt like a genius for remembering a random ledge I couldn't reach 15 hours ago. Then I've had moments where I felt like a complete idiot for missing the Thread Storm for so long.

But that's the beauty of Pharloom. It's a world that respects your time and your intelligence. It doesn't hold your hand. It lets you experience the game at your own pace, which means you might miss things. And that's okay—as long as you eventually go back. The Thread Storm is just one example. There are countless other secrets, from hidden bosses to lore-rich environments that flesh out the 7 years of passion that went into this game.

Why You Shouldn't Sleep on Passive Abilities

Crests and Weaver Skills are powerful enhancements that can completely change your playstyle. I ignored them for way too long. Don't be like me. Experiment. Mix and match. Find what works for you. The Thread Storm might be my favorite, but there are plenty of other tools that are just as viable. The key is to explore, experiment, and never assume you've seen everything.

The Little Details That Make Silksong Shine

Even outside of tangible rewards, Silksong is packed with hidden details. Background NPCs, environmental storytelling, subtle animations—it's all there. These details help you gain a better understanding of Pharloom and the love that went into its creation. I've spent hours just watching enemies interact with each other or admiring the way light filters through the fungal forests. It's a game that rewards observation.

So if you're playing in 2026 and you haven't grabbed the Thread Storm yet, do yourself a favor. Head to eastern Greymoor. Clear out those crows. Do the pogo parkour. And then unleash hell. Your bug-hunting career will never be the same. And if you miss it? Well, at least you'll have a funny story to tell. Just like me.

Once you've finally pried every last secret out of Pharloom, you might find yourself hungry for another handcrafted world to get lost in. Before you hit the store page, though, it's worth doing a little homework—I've been using DealNest for [game price comparison]( and it's saved me from overpaying more than once. Whether you're eyeing a physical copy, a digital key, or a bundle that includes the soundtrack, a few minutes there can mean more money left for your next indie obsession.

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Silksong: I Unlocked the Choral Chambers Stage Door and Fought Trobbio

Unlock Silksong's Stage door in Choral Chambers by routing through Whispering Vaults to beat Trobbio.

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on that locked door in Choral Chambers. It was just above the Grand Bellway, bottom-right of the zone, and I could see a golden lever mocking me from the other side. Hornet could not reach it. No amount of wall-clinging, dash-slashing, or desperate pogo tricks would do the job. That door is the entrance to The Stage, and behind it waits Trobbio, an acclaimed thespian who wants to use his theatrical performance to 'rouse the soul of this one great land.' If you are playing Silksong in 2026, this little detour is still one of the most rewarding side paths in the game. Let me spill the tea on how I got through it.

Why Bother With The Stage?

Beating Trobbio is not just about bragging rights. Once he is down, you get much safer access to the Whispering Vaults and the top-right side of the Underworks. The Grand Bellway bench is practically right below the boss room, so it becomes a convenient fast-travel anchor. In a game like Silksong, where a single wrong step can send you back to the last bench with a bruised ego, that is huge. It is the difference between a leisurely stroll and a sweaty-palmed gauntlet every time you need to pass through.

The Long Way Around

The lever that opens the Stage door is on the far side. You cannot reach it from Choral Chambers. Period. You have to go all the way around through the Whispering Vaults and enter the boss room from the right side. Here is the route I used, step by step.

Step
What To Do
Danger Level

1
From the Cogwork Dancers arena (where the three ancient statues now sit after you beat the boss), head down into the Cogwork Core.
Low

2
Carefully navigate to the right side of the room. If you do not have the shortcut unlocked, go all the way down, then around the bottom of the central wall.
Medium

3
Continue right, pogo-ing across more gears, until you enter a room with a lever.
High

4
Hit the lever to turn the gigantic wheel-gate horizontal. This connects the top of Choral Chambers to the Bellway area below.
Low

5
Continue right to enter the Whispering Vaults.
Medium

6
Attack boxes to push them along tracks in the background, then continue into the room on the right.
High

7
In the enormous, labyrinthine room, aim for the exit on the left about two-thirds of the way down.
Very High

8
Dodge flame-tossing enemies, gigantic armored bugs, and rapid slashing enemies while solving box puzzles.
Very High

9
Continue left, then drop down into the top layer of The Stage.
Medium

10
At the end of the hallway, drop down near the door. Do NOT enter the boss arena yet. Hit the lever to unlock the locked door to The Stage.
Low

11
Go back to the Grand Bellway and sit on the bench to set your respawn point.
Breathe

That last step is not optional. I repeat: do not be a hero. If you skip the bench and die to Trobbio, and you sat at any bench on the way through the Cogwork Core or Whispering Vaults, you will have to make a much longer trek back. Trust me, I learned that the hard way. My pride still has not recovered.

Whispering Vaults: Box Puzzles and Bullet Hell

The Whispering Vaults section is no joke. Those box puzzles are cute until you are getting peppered by flame projectiles and rushed by armored bugs the size of a small house. I found that patience is the real weapon here. Push the boxes one at a time, keep your distance from the slashing enemies, and do not get greedy with hits. If you are using a spell-heavy build, save your Silk for emergency healing. If you are a pogo purist, may the odds be ever in your favor.

The labyrinthine room is the worst offender. It is huge, and the exit you need is on the left, about two-thirds down. I marked it on the map image above because I got lost twice. Twice! In 2026, with all the guides and patches, I still managed to take the scenic route through every wrong hallway. Do not be like me. Keep an eye on the map, hug the left side when you can, and drop down only when you are sure.

The Final Lever and Boss Prep

Once you drop into the top layer of The Stage, you are almost there. Follow the hallway left, drop down near the door, and hit that lever. The locked door in Choral Chambers now opens from the other side. Now go back to the Grand Bellway bench. Sit. Relax. Maybe stretch your fingers. Then return to The Stage and show Trobbio what a real performance looks like.

Trobbio himself is a theatrical nightmare. He is fast, he is flashy, and he loves to punish greedy attacks. I will not spoil his full moveset, but bring your best tools: a fully upgraded needle, plenty of Silk, and maybe a shield charm if you have one. The reward is worth it: safer access to the Whispering Vaults and the top-right Underworks, plus the satisfaction of wiping that smug grin off his face.

So there you have it. The locked door in Choral Chambers is not a bug, a tease, or a developer prank. It is a gateway to one of Silksong's most memorable boss fights and a major convenience shortcut. In 2026, this route is still the way to go. Now go unlock that Stage door, and do not forget the bench. Your future self will thank you. ️

Speaking of rewards that are worth the wait, there is one other place where a little patience pays off: buying the game itself. If you have been holding off on picking up Silksong, or you want to grab it on a second platform for a co-op run, prices bounce around constantly between storefronts, and refreshing five tabs during every seasonal sale gets old fast. That is exactly the gap [game price tracker]( fills over at DealNest — it keeps an eye on listings across the major stores so you can see at a glance whether the current deal is genuinely the lowest it has been, or just marketing noise dressed up as a discount.

Grabbing a copy at the right moment is the same instinct as sitting on that bench before a boss fight: a tiny bit of foresight that spares you a much longer, more painful trek later. So whether you are buying your first copy or double-dipping, it is worth a quick look at DealNest before you hit checkout.

https://dealnesthq.com

Silksong Guide: How to Open the Ornate Lock and Beat The Unravelled

Hollow Knight: Silksong's Whiteward lock hides The Unravelled boss; find the Surgical Key with Clawline to open it.

As of 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong continues to reward curious players who stray from the critical path, and few optional secrets are as easy to miss as the ornate lock mechanism hidden inside Whiteward. The device sits behind a keyhole, silent and unexplained, during Act 2. Because it is not tied to the main story, the game offers no tutorial, no marker, and no obvious hint about what lies beneath. So how does a traveler turn that stubborn lock into a doorway? The answer requires a return trip, a late-game movement ability, and a key that most players will overlook on their first pass through the Citadel.

A Locked Door in Whiteward

The journey begins during the climb to the top of the Citadel. To enter Whiteward, players need the White Key, which is found in the top-right part of the Citadel in Songclave. After collecting it, they can ring the bell in the First Shrine if they wish, then return to the elevator and ride it down. Once inside Whiteward, they should take the left passage. There, the ornate lock mechanism waits, demanding a keyhole item that is not yet in the inventory. At this point, the correct move is simple: ignore it and continue the main story.

Progression eventually leads to the Underworks, where players earn the Clawline ability on the eastern side. This tool is the missing piece. Without it, the Surgical Key cannot be reached, and the lock remains a decorative mystery. With it, the optional boss arena becomes accessible.

Finding the Surgical Key

After acquiring Clawline, players should return to Whiteward. The route is specific. They need to make their way to the right, just before the drop into the lava pit that leads into the Underworks. Up above that area, a secret passage is hidden on the top level. Going left from there reveals an enemy and a grapple point. By using Clawline on that point, players can trigger an item drop: the Surgical Key.

It is a small detour with a large payoff. The key must then be carried back to the ornate lock mechanism. Inserting it causes the floor underneath to open, dropping the player directly into The Unravelled's boss arena.

The Unravelled Boss Fight

The Unravelled does not begin as a solo duel. The encounter opens with a single enemy. Once that enemy is defeated, two more spawn. Only after those additional foes are dealt with does the actual boss make his appearance. It is a layered fight, and players who waste resources on the first wave may find themselves struggling before the main event even starts.

The boss has only three attacks in his arsenal, but each one punishes careless positioning. He deals two mask damage, so contact is costly. Players should avoid standing on the ground where he emerges. The Unravelled usually opens with a charge attack. The good news is that he can be attacked during this move. The safer response is to jump and dash out of the way, then strike him from behind before he dives into the ground.

After reemerging, he will either perform another charge or launch projectiles that can be hit. As he takes enough damage, he begins summoning spears from the ground before diving back down. In the later stages, he can start a charge attack while the spears are still active. That overlap is the real threat. Keeping calm, maintaining distance, and punishing only safe openings will carry the fight.

Phase
What Happens
Player Response

Opening
One enemy appears
Clear it quickly

Second Wave
Two enemies spawn
Manage spacing and silk

Boss Intro
The Unravelled enters
Avoid his emergence point

Charge
Boss rushes across arena
Jump, dash, hit from behind

Projectiles
Boss fires hittable shots
Strike them or dodge

Spears
Ground spears appear
Stay mobile, avoid charging boss

Reward
Silk Heart
Collect and exit

Why the Reward Matters

Defeating The Unravelled grants a Silk Heart. For completionists and players chasing every upgrade, this makes the ornate lock worth opening. It is not required for the main story, but it is another example of Silksong hiding meaningful rewards behind environmental puzzles and ability gates.

So is the detour worth it? For anyone who enjoys the game's exploration, yes. The lock mechanism is a reminder that not every secret announces itself. Sometimes the only hint is a keyhole, a hidden passage, and the patience to come back later with the right tool.

Quick Recap

• Reach Whiteward in Act 2.

• Get the White Key from Songclave in the Citadel.

• Ride the elevator down and find the ornate lock on the left passage.

• Continue the story until Clawline is obtained in eastern Underworks.

• Return to Whiteward and go right before the lava pit drop.

• Find the top secret passage, go left, and use Clawline on the grapple point.

• Collect the Surgical Key and unlock the mechanism.

• Defeat The Unravelled's waves and boss.

• Claim the Silk Heart.

In 2026, this remains one of the more satisfying optional secrets in Silksong. The path is obscure, the boss is dangerous, and the reward is permanent. For players who thrive on discovery, that combination is exactly what makes the hunt worthwhile.

That same patience — checking back later, keeping a mental note of something worth returning for — translates surprisingly well outside the game. Plenty of players who enjoy hunting down obscure secrets also enjoy hunting down a good price, and the two mindsets aren't so different: you watch for the right moment, you avoid impulse purchases, and you accept that the best opportunities rarely announce themselves up front.

If that sounds familiar, it's worth keeping a deals hub bookmarked alongside your usual gaming stops. Sites like [DealNest]( round up discounts and offers in one place, which saves you from refreshing a dozen store pages during sale season. Whether you're restocking on accessories or picking up something new to play once the credits roll, a little browsing beforehand can be the difference between paying full price and walking away satisfied — the same feeling as finally opening that ornate lock.

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Why Silksong's Enemy Gauntlets Fix a Classic Soulslike Flaw

Hollow Knight: Silksong blends metroidvania exploration with soulslike combat, using inescapable enemy gauntlets to make every fight a lesson.

Like many players, I came to Hollow Knight: Silksong expecting a masterclass in metroidvania design. I got that, but I also got a game that understands something most soulslikes overlook. Silksong is defined by constant backtracking, powerful movement abilities, and steady, meaningful progression, putting it in conversation with Blasphemous, Ender Lilies, Metroid, and Castlevania. Yet it also owes a huge debt to Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. The bonfire-like checkpoints, the corpse-running mechanic, the grimdark world full of characters slowly going insane, the brutal boss battles that reward pattern learning and i-frame dodging after upgrades—all of it is here. But there is one area where Silksong excels, not just against its predecessor but against some of the best soulslikes ever made.

The Soulslike Shortcut I Used to Take

A typical soulslike splits into two broad categories: boss battles and exploration sections filled with lower-level enemies. Those fodder foes can be tough, acting as mini challenges before the area boss. This structure has served the genre well, but it has one glaring shortcoming. Players can simply avoid these lower-level enemies en route to the boss, especially on subsequent attempts once they know the layout. Have you ever sprinted past a dozen hollows, dogs, or soldiers just to throw yourself at a boss again? I know I have. In Dark Souls, that is not the ideal way to play, but it is possible. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, it is virtually impossible.

Inescapable Gauntlets Change Everything

Silksong adopts a structure similar to classic FromSoftware games, but it punctuates many areas with inescapable enemy gauntlets. The fodder-type foes of the area converge on me in a coordinated attack. Often, defeating this onslaught is the only way to progress to the next area, and there is usually no option for escape either. If I repeatedly run past these same enemies during exploration sections, then I will be ill-equipped to face them in the gauntlet. I will not have learned their attack patterns or weaknesses. So why does this matter? Because it turns every enemy placement into a lesson.

I remember the first time I tried to rush through a later area. I had mastered Hornet's movement, or so I thought. I dashed past a cluster of enemies, only to hit a locked arena. The gate slammed shut. Suddenly, I was surrounded. I panicked, wasted my silk, and died. On my next attempt, I slowed down. I studied each enemy type in the rooms before the gauntlet. I learned which ones lunge, which ones spit projectiles, and which ones punish greedy attacks. By the time I reached the arena again, I was ready. That is the genius of Silksong's design.

Combat Design Makes It Work

On its face, the formula of exploration passages plus basic enemy gauntlets is simple. But it only works because of Silksong's sterling combat design. To beat a series of enemies, I need a solid grasp on my movement and attack styles. I must identify openings, clock safe moments to heal, and get parry timing right. The only feasible way to do this without being immediately overwhelmed is to engage with these same enemy types before the gauntlet. That makes me better prepared. It also makes the world feel dangerous in a way that few soulslikes manage. I cannot treat enemies as scenery. They are part of the challenge, not just speed bumps on the way to a boss.

Here is a quick comparison of how Silksong handles common soulslike elements:

Soulslike Convention
Typical Implementation
Silksong's Twist

Checkpoints
Bonfires reset enemies
Bench-like checkpoints, but gauntlets reset too

Corpse runs
Retrieve lost currency
Retrieve your cocoon and silk

Fodder enemies
Often skippable
Forced into arenas, cannot skip

Boss learning
Pattern recognition
Gauntlets teach patterns before boss

Difficulty
Brutal but fair
Brutal, fair, and relentlessly educational

Why This Respects My Time and Skill

Some players might argue that forcing enemy gauntlets is too punishing. I understand that. Silksong is not an easy game. But it is certainly conquerable, given the right level of attention and effort. This tough but rewarding design is par for the course for most soulslikes. The option to simply run past fodder enemies, most of whom will never be seen again, has always been a bit awkward. It makes enemy placement feel disposable. Silksong fixes that. By reincorporating fodder-type enemies within boss-like challenge arenas, it ensures that none of its enemies, nor its enemy placements, go to waste.

In 2026, after multiple playthroughs and post-launch updates, I still find myself appreciating this design more than ever. I no longer see a room full of enemies as an obstacle to sprint past. I see it as a classroom. I see it as a chance to sharpen my parries, test new tools, and prepare for the inevitable ambush ahead. Does that make Silksong harder than Dark Souls? In some ways, yes. But it also makes every victory feel earned. And that is exactly what I want from a modern metroidvania-soulslike hybrid.

So if you are like me and you used to run past every enemy on the way to a boss, Silksong will break that habit. It will punish you, teach you, and then reward you. And once you clear a gauntlet without taking a hit, you will understand why this game sidesteps a problem that has haunted soulslikes for years. It turns fodder into fundamentals. That is not just good design. It is essential design.

That hunger for the next challenge tends to arrive the moment the credits roll. Suddenly you are scrolling storefronts at 1 a.m., comparing the price of every metroidvania-soulslike hybrid that might scratch the same itch, only to find the same game listed at wildly different prices depending on the platform, the region, and whether a sale is quietly running. Keeping track of that manually is its own kind of grind, and not the rewarding kind.

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Where to Get Choir Cloaks in Silksong: A 2026 Guide

Cloaks of the Choir in Silksong: farm 15 Choir Cloaks fast in Choral Chambers, unlock Songclave, and complete this rewarding wish.

In 2026, Hornet's pilgrimage through Pharloom remains one of the most talked-about journeys in gaming, and Songclave still offers its quiet, desperate wishes. Among them is Cloaks of the Choir, a gathering quest that asks for 15 Choir Cloaks. It sounds simple enough, does it not? Yet the Citadel's choir does not part with its garments willingly. To finish this wish, Hornet must first unlock Songclave, then hunt specific enemies in the Choral Chambers. Here is how the quest unfolds, step by step.

️ Unlocking Songclave and the Wishwall

Songclave does not exist until Hornet rings the Grand Bell in the top-right of the Choral Chambers. Before she can do that, she must defeat the Cogwork Dancers. After the bell is rung, leaving and returning later reveals that the Grand Bell has transformed into Songclave, a town hub. The Caretaker may insist that helping pilgrims is pointless, but Hornet can still make a difference.

At the Songclave Wishwall, Hornet should pick up the Fine Pins quest first. Fulfill that wish, turn it in, then leave and return once more. A new Wish will appear on the board: Cloaks of the Choir. Promise to fulfill it, then head back into the Choral Chambers.

️ Which Enemies Drop Choir Cloaks?

Not every choir member carries a spare cloak. Enemies with a white hood and a gold sigil, such as the Reed or Choristor, do not drop them. The quest specifically requires Choir Cloaks from three foes:

Enemy
Where It Appears
Notes

Choir Flyer
Around chandeliers and upper platforms
Fast, airborne, and easy to miss with grounded attacks.

Choir Pouncer
Near chandeliers and ledges
Leaps toward Hornet; defeat it before it lands over spikes.

Choir Hornhead
Lower areas of the farming room
Tougher, grounded, and worth the extra care.

🧵 Best Choir Cloak Farming Spot

The best place to farm Choir Cloaks in Silksong is the tall room to the left of the entrance to the Whiteward, just beneath the dining hall where Hornet can pick up the Great Taste of Pharloom quest. From Songclave, make your way to this location, then sit at the bench just to the top-right of the room.

All three enemies that drop Choir Cloaks spawn in this room. Pouncers and Flyers hover on and around the chandeliers up above, while a Hornhead patrols down below. Defeat them, reset the room by sitting on the bench to the top-right, and repeat until Hornet has all 15 Choir Cloaks.

️ A Warning About Spikes

There is one cruel catch. Quest Items, including Choir Cloaks, are destroyed on contact with damaging ground. If Hornet defeats an enemy while it is above spikes, the cloak can be lost before it is ever collected. Is that not the Citadel's way? Patience and positioning matter more than raw speed. Lure enemies away from hazards or strike from a safe angle.

Rewards for Completing Cloaks of the Choir

Once Hornet has 15 Choir Cloaks, return to the Wishwall in Songclave and turn them in. The Cloaks of the Choir quest completes, and the reward is a Heavy Rosary Necklace. Heavy Rosary Necklace items are worth 220 Rosaries. For a simple gathering quest, that is not bad at all. Plus, defeating the required enemies while hunting for cloaks will naturally earn a few hundred extra Rosaries along the way.

Final Tips for 2026 Players

• Unlock Songclave first by ringing the Grand Bell after the Cogwork Dancers.

• Complete Fine Pins before expecting Cloaks of the Choir to appear.

• Farm the tall room near Whiteward and use the top-right bench to reset.

• Avoid killing cloak-bearing enemies over spikes.

• Turn in all 15 cloaks at the Songclave Wishwall for the Heavy Rosary Necklace.

So, is the Cloaks of the Choir quest worth the trouble? For Rosary-hungry pilgrims in 2026, the answer is a quiet yes. It is a straightforward farm with a solid payout, and it gives Hornet one more way to make Songclave a little brighter in a kingdom that rarely offers kindness.

Silksong's economy rewards players who think like careful collectors: wait for the right moment, avoid losing value to hazards, and never pay more than you have to. That same mindset carries over surprisingly well into how many Hollow Knight fans build out their libraries between runs, especially with the sequel's popularity pushing more people toward the genre's wider catalog of metroidvanias and soulslikes.

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My Complete Journey Through Hollow Knight: Silksong's Choral Chambers

Hollow Knight: Silksong Choral Chambers guide: navigate the Citadel with key shortcuts, maps, treasures, and Lace fight tips.

I still remember crawling out of The Underworks after beating the Last Judge, only to be swallowed by the gilded nightmare of the Choral Chambers. If you skipped The Mist, this is likely your first real taste of the Citadel, and it is overwhelming. The halls are huge, the enemies are aggressive, and the secrets are packed into every ceiling and floor. As of 2026, this area remains one of the most complex zones in Hollow Knight: Silksong, so I want to walk you through the path I took, the shortcuts I opened, and the treasures I refused to leave behind.

Lower Left-Side Halls 🧭

When I popped out of the hole at the top of the Underworks, I immediately headed left and found a free bench. That bench felt like a miracle. Further left, a big circular room offered a shortcut to the Grand Gate, but I went up and around instead. I activated a lever, grabbed a few shards from the obscured hatch on the left, and climbed higher for beads and a preview of the Ventrica Station. It was blocked from my side, so I kept moving right and paid for the map. That map changed everything. After opening a floor hatch, I dropped into a den of easy spiders, climbed out, and walked past dead Citadel residents until Lace appeared. She taunted me, the corpses rose, and I had my first real fight in the area. ️

Central Left-Side Halls

The enemies here are not terrible, but I learned to respect the ones with red on their clothing. They swing wide or throw projectiles that caught me more than once. Since this is not a locked combat room, I left when my health got low. I entered the bottom right room and found an elevator blocked by a very particular key. I made a mental note and returned to the tall room. I platformed up, swatted away a sword enemy, and broke a window on the left. At first it looked empty, but I jumped up the wall and looted a dead body for a Rosary Bead. Back in the main tall room, I headed up and to the upper left exit, where enemies and Rosaries waited. The top was blocked, so I continued left.

Far Left-Side Halls

After fighting through more enemies, I took the left door, jumped across spikes, and chose to drop down instead of visiting The Slab. That drop led me to the Citadel Spa. It looked disappointing at first, just a couple of showerheads, but I broke the floor in the first room. Beneath it was an underground steam pipe system. No hidden items, but it contained an entrance to the secret area of the spa. That route connects the leftmost side of the map to the middle and became very convenient for a later quest. I then headed left, fought silk-strung enemies, hit a lever, and went down. I grabbed Rosaries, entered a big room through its upper right segment, and let the optional enemies spawn. I left or beat them, dropped down and right, and found a chest packed with Rosaries. Further down and right, I finally activated that Ventrica Station. Once it became my hub for the Citadel, I understood why these stations are a godsend. ️

Large Left-Side Drop

I opened the shortcut and returned to the tall room where I had taken a left to the Ventrica Station. Heading up, I entered the upper left exit and found Silk dispensers. Not useful. Up the timed platforms, the next room had bells and a pressure plate. I had to repeat the pattern they rang out. If you do not want to memorize it, here is the cheat sheet I used:

Pattern
Bell order (left to right)

First
1, 5, 4, 6

Second
3, 6, 5, 1, 7

Third
2, 4, 6, 3, 5, 1

After that, I received a Cogheart Piece. Up more timed platforms, I headed right and had to jump with strict timing while dodging an enemy. I lured the enemy to the starting platform, killed it, then jumped across for my prize. Up even more timed platforms, the top left entrance had a winged swordsman guarding Grindle. There was nothing else in the room, but everyone loves Grindle, right? 🪶

Central Left-Side Drop

At the top right room, I dropped down and fought the genuinely tough enemies. I jumped left for extra Rosaries as a reward, then timed my jumps to the right into another massive room. I broke the wall directly to the right, dropped for Silk, and acknowledged the big saw blades I could not pass. I fell down carefully, avoiding the golden spikes, and broke the cracked wall on the right. That let me flick a lever, go back up, soar past the saws, and save a flea. I returned to the bottom, opened a shortcut to the tall room that started this whole route, and headed right into a cramped hallway. Past the tattered curtains, I found a fly-infested room, went up, and glimpsed rare Pale Oil. I could not break that wall yet, so I went to the top right, grabbed a Silkeater, and left. Falling back down the tall room and going right, I finally reached the top right entrance and another bench.

Lower Middle Halls

From that bench, I headed right, opened the hatch, and prepared for spiders and steam. Every path here coalesces at the bottom right and leads into a long, straightforward hall. I went left first to open a shortcut to the left-side halls. The area to the right had moving cogs and a flying mechanical bug, but it was light work. The end of the hallway was packed with enemies that love heavy blows. I used a few hit-and-run attacks and cleared them.

Lower Right-Side Halls

As soon as I entered the room on the right, I dropped all the way down and opened the Grand Bellway. I bought the bench and the Ventrica Station beside it. This was incredibly handy, because trekking out of the Citadel and back to the rest of Pharloom is arduous. The room up and to the left was not special. I dodged spikes, took out two thieves, and broke cocoons for a Silkeater. I also entered the door above the Bellway, but there was only a little lore. Further up, I broke glass blocking an entrance marked by three pins. Inside was another Pale Oil teaser and an easy way to escape enemies. I pogoed off bells, entered another dark cramped hallway, and found a big lever that turned a massive wheel with a hole in it. I turned it to go vertically and wall jumped up. I could head left for Silk dispensers, but who cares?

Upper Right-Side Halls

I pogoed off more bells and opened the top right door. The hallway required a few well-timed dashes, but it was straightforward. At the other end, I found a very big, regal-looking chapel. I went inside, rang the bell, enjoyed the free bench, and came outside to be chewed out by an old man. This began the town of Songclave, which gradually gains residents as you progress. At the very rightmost part of Songclave, I found the White Key. It opens the elevator we found long ago and leads to a smaller, separate area. For now, I headed back left and climbed all the way up. At the top, I activated another Ventrica station, which was incredibly useful throughout most of Act 2. I went down and left across an extremely long hallway with a glass floor and several beefy guards. A well-timed dive kick can bounce over them, but they drop a ton of money, so I tried killing them. Continuing left, I found an upper entrance I could not access without wings, and I headed down to unlock a shortcut. Be careful: going much further left throws you into the Cogwork Dancers boss fight. I geared up first, defeated them, opened the Cogwork Core, and headed to the upper left.

Upper Left-Side Halls

With those guards dispatched, I entered the top left area. I could go left, since the route upwards was locked, or descend to explore more of the Choral Chambers. I chose to descend first. The top two gates on the right are shortcuts out of the Cogwork Core, so I ignored them. I entered the top left gate by dropping in from above, and the lower left gate was already unlocked. Further down, I found two more gates. I could bypass the right gate by going underneath, but I could not find a way around the left gate. I dropped down, ran across the huge dining hall, and found the Royal Mergwin, who tasked me with a massive quest for Pale Oil. I opened the shortcuts, then climbed back up to the room left of the Cogwork Dancers, behind a breakable wall. There, I started a big vertical platforming challenge on timed platforms and opened a treasure chest. My reward was seeing Grindle. This is much easier if you wait until you have wings. Further left, I found rings to grapple onto and climb. They led into High Halls proper and let me unlock the shortcut I had seen earlier. I grabbed the bench, and from there I had plenty of new places to explore, all connected to these chambers.

The Choral Chambers can feel like a maze, but once I opened the Ventrica stations, shortcuts, and benches, it became the beating heart of the Citadel. My advice is simple: buy the map early, respect the red-clothed enemies, solve the bell puzzle, and do not rush the Cogwork Dancers. Take the area one hall at a time, and you will turn this gilded labyrinth into your new home base. 🧵

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Lies of P: A Soulslike Phenomenon That Redefined Voice Acting and Stole Our Hearts

Lies of P and its Overture DLC became Soulslike titans; actors reveal the craft behind their beloved roles.

You know that feeling when a game comes out of nowhere and just grabs you by the collar? That was Lies of P for me. Back in 2023, I remember seeing the trailer and thinking, 'Another Pinocchio-inspired Soulslike? Sure, why not.' But then I played it, and wow. It wasn't just another clone; it had soul—pun intended. Fast forward to 2026, and the game, along with its DLC Overture, has cemented itself as a titan in the genre. And recently, I had the chance to chat with four of the actors who brought this world to life: Aliona Baranova (Veronique), Alix Wilton Regan (Lea), Rasmus Hardiker (Gemini), and Joseph Balderrama (Arlecchino). Let me tell you, it was a ride.

When Lies of P first launched, it was a gamble. A new IP from a relatively unknown studio, Neowiz, and a dark twist on a children's tale. But the buzz was immediate. Steam player counts climbed for five straight days, and critics couldn't stop praising its tight combat and haunting atmosphere. It became the most beloved non-FromSoftware Soulslike, and its DLC, Overture, which dropped in 2025, smashed records within hours. An 85 on Metacritic? That's top-tier. And the actors? They saw it coming.

The Phenomenon That Is Lies Of P

"I'm never normally sure if something is going to be successful," Rasmus Hardiker admits, "but I had so much fun doing this, I could tell it was going to be a really good game." Joseph Balderrama echoes that: "It felt like the whole package. The creative team was so good: the visuals, the sound, all of it. Everyone was just at the races with it." That kind of confidence is infectious, and it's why Aliona Baranova and Alix Wilton Regan jumped at the chance to join the DLC. "I don't really say no to many auditions," Baranova laughs, "but this one was a no-brainer." Wilton Regan, a veteran of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, was equally hooked. "She was described as tough on the outside, soft on the inside, but what I loved was she was called a lazy genius," she says. "I was like, 'I've got this.' Well, I'm lazy, and a mild genius."

Baranova actually auditioned for Wilton Regan's role first, losing out to the more experienced actor, before finding Veronique. "I just remember thinking, 'Wow, what an incredible character.' I haven't had a chance to play someone like that. And her scenes are so intense. You can't go half-hearted. I knew I had to really commit, and sound like I'm 6'6". I think I'm believably that tall," she jokes. The character descriptions were detailed, with rich histories and psychology, which helped the actors "learn to love the character." But that depth can be a double-edged sword. "You can't distill two pages of notes," Wilton Regan says. "You have to cherry-pick your moments, constantly adapt and refocus your energy."

Getting Into Character

The preparation for video game acting is unique. Often, scripts arrive the day of recording, or the day before at the earliest. For Balderrama, that's freeing. "I've got a new habit with TV and film where I don't look at the script until the week before. That's what make-up is for." Hardiker takes it further: "I prefer not even having the script and just going in the booth on the day. You'll only ever have one chance to do that. I'm reacting as I'm learning what's happening—that's about as real as it gets." Baranova, however, admits she has "a lot to learn" from the others, but she has a secret weapon at home: her partner, Jennifer English (Baldur's Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33). "If you had someone at home who was known for brilliant performances, you would be silly not to ask them. I definitely did that for Veronique."

For Baranova, the jump from Baldur's Gate 3 NPCs to a 6'6" warrior was jarring. "On Baldur's Gate, I played a comic relief squirrel for 40 minutes. This was the most physical role I've ever done. I lost my voice afterwards, as you can imagine." Wilton Regan, on the other hand, is no stranger to strong leading women—she's voiced the Female Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Alt Cunningham in Cyberpunk 2077, and Aya in Assassin's Creed Origins. But Lea offered something new: "They wanted a lot of rage from me, a lot of very deep, primal emotion. That's what I like to explore as an actor. That's kind of what I get off on, I guess." Balderrama, returning as Arlecchino, was just happy to be more than a voice: "I was just psyched that I wasn't disembodied anymore. That was a big plus for me."

A Shift In The Gaming Landscape

The industry is changing. Smaller studios are producing some of the best games, from Baldur's Gate 3 to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Lies of P itself. "These big franchise stories are saturated," Balderrama says. "People are desperate to experience something they haven't done 150 times. That's only going to come from underdog devs, because they're the ones that don't have the constraints." Baranova agrees: "Audiences are definitely becoming fatigued. Unique visions that games like Lies of P have brought are important. It's a Korean game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is Czech, Clair Obscur is French; it's exciting to get stories from parts of the world we're not necessarily used to."

But there's still a long way to go for female representation. Wilton Regan praises games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard for their inclusive leads, but behind the scenes, change is slow. "If you have a male character and a female character, very often the man will do the full performance capture and the woman will be brought in simply to replace his lines. That's a terrible choice. A woman would not fight a 7-foot-5 man the same way a male counterpart would." She recalls pre-Covid days where she was given exactly 4.2 seconds to say a line, with no room to make it her own. "The talent comes when you make it your own, but we're constrained. You have to find a way to prove your brilliance within these constraints."

Baranova adds, "You're not treating your players as observant enough. They think that when a male actor records mo-cap, then it's just replaced with a female voice that the audience isn't going to notice. It's so obvious when a woman is walking with her shoulders locked and her hips not moving. It really irks me." Wilton Regan also calls out marketing: "The male character choice will still often be the default on the poster, or the man's voice in the trailer. We need to get women's voices in there. It's not that complicated to have one pass with the female voice, and one with the male voice."

We've come a long way from when the industry was reluctant to cast powerful leading women, but there's still work to do. With actors like Wilton Regan, Baranova, and English proving their worth, it's hopefully only a matter of time. As for Lies of P, it's more than a game—it's a testament to what happens when you take risks, trust your instincts, and let a puppet sing. And I, for one, can't wait to see what Neowiz does next.

For players who care about the direction the industry takes, the act of choosing what to play is never neutral. Every purchase signals what kind of stories, performances, and risks are worth funding. That doesn't mean every game has to be a full-price leap of faith, though—finding a good deal can make it easier to explore beyond the familiar.

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Why Silksong's Enemy Gauntlets Fix a Classic Soulslike Flaw

Hollow Knight: Silksong blends metroidvania exploration with soulslike combat, using inescapable enemy gauntlets to make every fight a lesson.

Like many players, I came to Hollow Knight: Silksong expecting a masterclass in metroidvania design. I got that, but I also got a game that understands something most soulslikes overlook. Silksong is defined by constant backtracking, powerful movement abilities, and steady, meaningful progression, putting it in conversation with Blasphemous, Ender Lilies, Metroid, and Castlevania. Yet it also owes a huge debt to Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. The bonfire-like checkpoints, the corpse-running mechanic, the grimdark world full of characters slowly going insane, the brutal boss battles that reward pattern learning and i-frame dodging after upgrades—all of it is here. But there is one area where Silksong excels, not just against its predecessor but against some of the best soulslikes ever made.

The Soulslike Shortcut I Used to Take

A typical soulslike splits into two broad categories: boss battles and exploration sections filled with lower-level enemies. Those fodder foes can be tough, acting as mini challenges before the area boss. This structure has served the genre well, but it has one glaring shortcoming. Players can simply avoid these lower-level enemies en route to the boss, especially on subsequent attempts once they know the layout. Have you ever sprinted past a dozen hollows, dogs, or soldiers just to throw yourself at a boss again? I know I have. In Dark Souls, that is not the ideal way to play, but it is possible. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, it is virtually impossible.

Inescapable Gauntlets Change Everything

Silksong adopts a structure similar to classic FromSoftware games, but it punctuates many areas with inescapable enemy gauntlets. The fodder-type foes of the area converge on me in a coordinated attack. Often, defeating this onslaught is the only way to progress to the next area, and there is usually no option for escape either. If I repeatedly run past these same enemies during exploration sections, then I will be ill-equipped to face them in the gauntlet. I will not have learned their attack patterns or weaknesses. So why does this matter? Because it turns every enemy placement into a lesson.

I remember the first time I tried to rush through a later area. I had mastered Hornet's movement, or so I thought. I dashed past a cluster of enemies, only to hit a locked arena. The gate slammed shut. Suddenly, I was surrounded. I panicked, wasted my silk, and died. On my next attempt, I slowed down. I studied each enemy type in the rooms before the gauntlet. I learned which ones lunge, which ones spit projectiles, and which ones punish greedy attacks. By the time I reached the arena again, I was ready. That is the genius of Silksong's design.

Combat Design Makes It Work

On its face, the formula of exploration passages plus basic enemy gauntlets is simple. But it only works because of Silksong's sterling combat design. To beat a series of enemies, I need a solid grasp on my movement and attack styles. I must identify openings, clock safe moments to heal, and get parry timing right. The only feasible way to do this without being immediately overwhelmed is to engage with these same enemy types before the gauntlet. That makes me better prepared. It also makes the world feel dangerous in a way that few soulslikes manage. I cannot treat enemies as scenery. They are part of the challenge, not just speed bumps on the way to a boss.

Here is a quick comparison of how Silksong handles common soulslike elements:

Soulslike Convention
Typical Implementation
Silksong's Twist

Checkpoints
Bonfires reset enemies
Bench-like checkpoints, but gauntlets reset too

Corpse runs
Retrieve lost currency
Retrieve your cocoon and silk

Fodder enemies
Often skippable
Forced into arenas, cannot skip

Boss learning
Pattern recognition
Gauntlets teach patterns before boss

Difficulty
Brutal but fair
Brutal, fair, and relentlessly educational

Why This Respects My Time and Skill

Some players might argue that forcing enemy gauntlets is too punishing. I understand that. Silksong is not an easy game. But it is certainly conquerable, given the right level of attention and effort. This tough but rewarding design is par for the course for most soulslikes. The option to simply run past fodder enemies, most of whom will never be seen again, has always been a bit awkward. It makes enemy placement feel disposable. Silksong fixes that. By reincorporating fodder-type enemies within boss-like challenge arenas, it ensures that none of its enemies, nor its enemy placements, go to waste.

In 2026, after multiple playthroughs and post-launch updates, I still find myself appreciating this design more than ever. I no longer see a room full of enemies as an obstacle to sprint past. I see it as a classroom. I see it as a chance to sharpen my parries, test new tools, and prepare for the inevitable ambush ahead. Does that make Silksong harder than Dark Souls? In some ways, yes. But it also makes every victory feel earned. And that is exactly what I want from a modern metroidvania-soulslike hybrid.

So if you are like me and you used to run past every enemy on the way to a boss, Silksong will break that habit. It will punish you, teach you, and then reward you. And once you clear a gauntlet without taking a hit, you will understand why this game sidesteps a problem that has haunted soulslikes for years. It turns fodder into fundamentals. That is not just good design. It is essential design.

That hunger for the next challenge tends to arrive the moment the credits roll. Suddenly you are scrolling storefronts at 1 a.m., comparing the price of every metroidvania-soulslike hybrid that might scratch the same itch, only to find the same game listed at wildly different prices depending on the platform, the region, and whether a sale is quietly running. Keeping track of that manually is its own kind of grind, and not the rewarding kind.

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Silksong Courier's Ration Delivery: My No-Hit Route Through Pharloom

Hollow Knight: Silksong Courier's Ration delivery guide: master the Great Taste of Pharloom run safely. Follow this route to keep cargo intact.

Deliveries in Hollow Knight: Silksong are absolutely brutal, and the Courier's Ration run is the one that made me want to throw my controller across the room. You are not just fighting bosses or arena battles; you are racing a timer while trying to keep fragile cargo from getting smashed to bits. After you finish the My Missing Brother quest and the earlier My Missing Courier questline in Bellhart, deliveries open up. The Courier's Ration is a tough but necessary delivery if you want to sharpen your pin, and it is part of the Great Taste of Pharloom quest. Even in 2026, after all the patches and hotfixes, this route still demands respect. So here is my first-person, no-nonsense guide to getting from A to B in one piece.

Before You Even Think About Running

You will get access to this delivery relatively early on, especially if you have been diligently doing side quests. But trust me, you are never going to make it without some key components in your moveset. Here is my must-have checklist:

Requirement
Why You Need It

Complete My Missing Courier, then My Missing Brother in Bellhart
This unlocks deliveries in the first place. No quest completion, no courier work.

Clawline
Without it, you cannot avoid enemies as easily. Grappling is your best friend.

Faydown Cloak
You need this to bypass the Grand Gate. No cloak, no delivery.

Silkspeed Anklets
Go to Far Fields and use your Needolin ability to get these. They make you lightning quick through each section.

At least two Silk Hearts
Otherwise you cannot charge up enough to run and grapple consistently.

Crest of the Reaper
Optional but recommended. It makes pogoing much easier and more consistent throughout the run.

If you are missing any of these, stop reading and go get them. I am serious. This delivery will chew you up and spit you out otherwise.

The Optimal Route: Shellwood to Choral Chambers

There are probably a dozen ways to reach the Choral Chamber's ruined restaurant, but this is the most consistent and easy-to-master route I have found. Follow it step by step, and you will get there with your cargo intact.

• Shellwood bottom halls – Head through the lower halls of Shellwood. Avoid the floating and flying enemies with well-timed dashes and grapples. Run along here until you are in the area directly below the Bell Station.

• White flower climb – Double jump and pogo up this area with the white flowers. Be careful not to get caught in the yellow mist of the flower bug enemies. If you do, use a quick grapple to get out of the smog.

• Blasted Steps link – Head out past the Bell Station and up through the link to Blasted Steps. Avoid the sneaky spikes along the way. Once in Blasted Steps, your goal is the top right of the screen, but you actually need to go left first to eventually go right. Use double jumps and grapples to get up the initial sections.

• Shield enemies – Watch out for the shield enemies that animate. The key is to wait for them to animate, then use a harpoon or pogo to get over them safely. You will encounter a few other enemies that animate soon after as you head right again. You can zoom past them before they animate. Once past them, head out to the right.

• The drill fly ascent – This takes you into a larger area. Your goal is to get to the top as fast as possible. Move swiftly at the start, because hanging around will aggro the drill fly and they will follow you up. Use the walls and cages to ascend fast. There is a small portion in the middle where you need to glide left and land on a platform. Watch out for the enemy here, but they usually cower when they see you, allowing you to hop over them. Wall jump up and work back right. Avoid a few spike patches, rise to the top, then head right.

• Last Judge runback – This begins the Last Judge boss runback you probably loathe but also know like the back of your hand. Do one dash jump followed by another to avoid the drill fly entirely. Use your grapple to double jump and skip a few sections in the middle. For the second section, jump and glide all the way to the second bell before pogoing and rising up. Then make the most of your double jump and grapple to make light work of this platforming section. Head out right toward The Grand Gate.

• Grand Gate sprint – Keep sprinting until you are past the Last Judge room. After another screen at full sprint, look up and double jump to reach some see-saw platforms. Up top is a Spool Fragment, but you want to work your way to the highest platform on the right wall. There, reveal a hidden breakable wall that grants you access to Choral Chambers.

• Hidden path into Choral Chambers – Through this hidden path, be careful not to unintentionally sprint into the spinning apparatus that immediately follows. Jump upwards to head into the Chambers. From here, you have two paths. The Citadel Spa path is arguably better because it is a lot safer, but the path to the right is a little bit faster. Gauge it by how good your item's condition is.

• The faster right path – Assuming you take the quicker path, sprint right and avoid the trio of enemies up ahead with a well-timed grapple. Ascend upwards until you reach a sign pointing to the Ventrica Station. Head right again.

• Lever and dark area – On the next screen, avoid another enemy trio and hit the lever to drop into a dark area. Avoid the enemy that pops up from the ground by not breaking your stride. Hop up on the higher platform and hit the lever to make it back out. Then do another grapple to avoid one more trio of enemies.

• Vertical climb – Rise up this vertical screen, avoiding the various animating enemies on different platforms, to get to the highest exit on the left-hand side. Be swift, because if they animate and swarm, you are toast.

• Last dangerous screen – This is your final danger zone. Avoid the pinhead bug as you rise. Ignore the two enemies on higher platforms as you rise through the shortcut previously triggered by a lever, and into the area on the right.

• Finish line – To finish off, immediately hop through the hidden pathway directly above your head and sprint through the restaurant to talk to the NPC. Deliver the Courier's Ration, and this troublesome portion of the Great Taste of Pharloom quest is finally over.

Extra Tips to Keep Your Cargo in One Piece

If you are still struggling to make it to your destination without the cargo getting banged up beyond recognition, try these extra tips:

• ️ Use ranged tools or Thread Storm when you are in close quarters with multiple enemies. They help you find space to harpoon through.

• ️ One hit is fine. You can still quite comfortably make the delivery. No need to restart. But if you take two hits, it is quicker to kill yourself and restart from the Bellhart Bench.

• Practice individual sections. If a particular part is giving you trouble, just navigate that portion over and over until it is muscle memory.

• ️ Use the Crest of the Reaper to make pogoing much easier and more consistent throughout the run.

• ️ Open up all areas of the map. Specifically, the hidden pathway at the Grand Gate and the various lever-activated shortcuts in Choral Chambers. These make your life so much easier.

Deliveries in Silksong are no joke, but with the right setup and a bit of practice, the Courier's Ration becomes a satisfying sprint instead of a rage-inducing nightmare. Stay fast, stay calm, and for the love of Pharloom, do not get hit twice. Good luck out there.

If all this talk of Pharloom has you itching to jump in yourself, or if you are simply waiting for the next big metroidvania to sink your teeth into, it helps to keep an eye on where you pick up your games. Prices fluctuate constantly across storefronts, and buying directly without comparing can leave you paying noticeably more than you need to for the same title. A little patience and the right marketplace can stretch your gaming budget a lot further.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong's Quest Journal Is the RPG Hand-Holding Purists Secretly Needed

Hollow Knight: Silksong’s quest journal is a bold, brilliant upgrade, adding clarity and pacing without sacrificing its Metroidvania-Soulslike freedom.

In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong is no longer a mythical sequel whispered about in forums. It is a real, sprawling, bug-infested triumph, and it has committed a crime that would make a certain kind of purist clutch their controller: it added a quest journal. Hornet, the fierce princess-protector of Pharloom, now carries a to-do list. Cue the gasps. Is that a betrayal of the Metroidvania-Soulslike ethos, or is it the quality-of-life upgrade the genre did not know it needed? The answer, dear reader, is the latter, and Team Cherry makes it look effortless.

At a glance, Silksong looks like more Hollow Knight. Same haunting art style, same health and magic systems, same grimdark lore, same Metroidvania corridors and Soulslike boss walls. But that glance is a liar. The sequel makes transformative changes, and its quest design is one of the sneakiest and most significant. Where the original often left players rudderless, Silksong gives them a journal. Not a glowing arrow, not a mini-map stuffed with icons, just a clear record of objectives and narrative context. It is the difference between being lost in a beautiful ruin and being lost in a beautiful ruin with a note that says maybe try the big door.

The So-Called Sacrilege of Quest Tracking

Purists may argue that any quest-tracking in a Soulslike or Metroidvania is tantamount to sacrilege. These genres pride themselves on not holding hands. Hell Is Us, for instance, practically builds its identity on loose structure and player agency. Fair enough. But does a journal really ruin that? Silksong proves no. When Hornet takes on a side quest, the game gives clear, objective feedback that confirms the decision. The quest goes into a journal, which outlines objectives. It also provides narrative context, explaining why the quest matters as much as where and how to complete it. That is not hand-holding; that is respect for the player's time. In 2026, when free time is a precious resource and backlogs are monstrous, a little clarity goes a long way.

A Journal That Helps Pacing, Not Just Memory

Having a quest journal does more than track objectives. It helps Silksong's overall pacing. In the first Hollow Knight, there is no quest journal, and few concrete ways to track optional content. Players can feel rudderless. Without compartmentalization or feedback, optional content can feel vague, confusing, and substanceless. Silksong makes side quests digestible and separate from the main story, while still integrating them. The journal gives structure. It lets players choose: main path now, side quest later, or ignore the whole thing and go fight a terrifying bug in a swamp. Freedom remains. The difference is that the freedom now comes with a receipt.

Team Cherry Stops Copying Homework

Team Cherry's fondness for FromSoftware is no secret. The first Hollow Knight wears that influence proudly. FromSoftware is not known for clear direction, especially optional content. There is nothing wrong with that approach. But Silksong shows Team Cherry striking out on its own, less beholden to genre conventions. The result is more unique and better delivers on its gameplay premise. In 2026, that distinction matters. Metroidvanias are everywhere. A quest journal is not a gimmick; it is a design choice that makes Pharloom feel like a place with people, problems, and priorities rather than a maze with mood lighting. Does that make the game easier? Not really. It makes the game more legible, which is a different thing entirely.

The Verdict: A To-Do List Has Never Been This Cool

Feature
Hollow Knight (2017)
Hollow Knight: Silksong (2025 onward)

Quest journal
Nope
Yes, with objectives

Narrative context
Cryptic vibes
Clear why, where, and how

Pacing
Player-made chaos
Structured side content

Purist tears
Minimal
Plentiful, but delicious

Hornet's patience
Unknown
Surprisingly finite

So yes, Hornet has a journal. She also has a needle, a bad attitude, and a kingdom full of things that want her dead. The journal does not make her soft. It makes the experience sharper. Silksong is a worthy sequel because it rethinks the formula, not just repeats it. And if that means a few purists have to wipe away a single tear while checking their quest objectives, so be it. The rest of the players will be too busy enjoying one of the best games of the decade. After all, what is more hardcore: wandering in circles for three hours, or actually finishing the quest and then getting obliterated by a boss? Exactly.

Of course, the satisfaction of a well-organized system isn't exclusive to metroidvanias. Anyone who has ever hunted for a discount on a game they wanted—or waited for that one elusive sale—knows the pain of scattered information. Keeping track of price drops across multiple storefronts can feel like wandering through Deepnest without a map. That's where [this price tracking tool]( comes in. DealNest offers a straightforward way to monitor deals and get notified when something you want hits the right price, so you can spend less time refreshing pages and more time actually playing.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Fine Pins Quest: My Fast Farming Guide

Hollow Knight Silksong Fine Pins quest guide: farm Choristor and Reed in Choral Chambers for 10 Fine Pins fast.

Have you ever spent an entire evening chasing a random drop in Hollow Knight: Silksong, only to watch your prize tumble into a spike pit? That was me with the Fine Pins quest in 2026. As a wanderer in Pharloom, I thought I had seen every annoying enemy the Citadel could throw at me. Then I met the pin-wielding choirbugs, and I learned that patience is not just a virtue here. It is a farming strategy.

The Fine Pins quest is technically a Hunt, and it asks you to collect 10 Fine Pins from some of the most irritating enemies in the Choral Chambers. The drop is random, so luck matters. But after several failed runs, I found a loop that let me finish the whole thing in about 10 minutes. Here is exactly how I did it.

How I Started the Fine Pins Quest

First, you cannot even see this quest until you have defeated the Cogwork Dancers boss. This double boss waits in the Cog Core area of the Choral Chambers region. If you are following the main story, you will naturally run into them. I still remember the clanking rhythm of that fight. Once the Cogwork Dancers fall, do not leave the arena immediately. Keep walking to the right until you reach Songclave.

Songclave is a small village that feels similar to Bone Bottom and Bellhart, but when I first arrived, it was almost empty. The only NPC there was the Caretaker, who explained that this place used to be a safe haven. To bring it back to life, you need to enter the large and only building in the area. Inside, interact with the machine and provide 80 Rosaries. That activates the First Shrine bell.

After that, leave Songclave, rest at the nearest Bench, and return. The village will finally have more people, and a brand-new Wish Board will appear with fresh quests. One of them is the Fine Pins quest. I accepted it immediately. I also strongly recommend taking the Wandering Merchant quest while you are there, because it is another useful side objective in the region.

Where to Find Choristor and Reed

Fine Pins drop from two specific enemies: the Choristor and the Reed. Both use a pin as their main weapon, and both can take up to seven or eight hits to kill. They are not boss-level threats, but they are fast, aggressive, and usually surrounded by buddies. That combination makes them very, very annoying.

You can find Choristor and Reed while exploring the Choral Chambers, especially in rooms with a vertical structure. They almost never fight alone. Your goal is simple on paper: defeat them and hope they drop a glowing Fine Pin. You need 10 in total, so random exploration can waste a lot of time.

Enemy
Movement
Main Threat
My Strategy

Choristor
Walks
Quick pin attacks and nearby allies
Kill first

Reed
Flies
Erratic aerial pressure
Kill second

My Best Farming Spot

Instead of running randomly around the Choral Chambers, I used one perfect room. It is the vertical chamber at the far right of the map, near two Benches and east of the Citadel Spa. This room has a bunch of chained platforms and several Choir enemies that get in your way while you climb up or down. It also contains our two wanted buddies: the Choristor and the Reed.

My strategy was to stay at the top of this room, near the Bench, and defeat the Choristor and Reed hanging around the upper platforms. The tricky part is that you do not want them, or the Fine Pin, to fall to the ground or onto the side spikes. If that happens, the loot disappears. I learned that the hard way.

So, what is the fix? Lure them to the center of the platform while hitting them. Jump and strike their heads sequentially. I recommend defeating the Choristor first because he walks, then leaving the flying Reed for later. It sounds difficult, but it becomes a piece of cake once you get the rhythm.

After defeating them, check if they dropped anything. If not, head right to the Bench, rest a little, and come back. The enemies in this specific area respawn endlessly, so you can repeat the loop without traveling across the map. I found all 10 Fine Pins in 10 minutes tops using this method.

The Fine Pins Quest Rewards

Once you have 10 Fine Pins, go back to Songclave and interact with the Wish Board to deliver the loot. Your prize is a Rosary Necklace, which immediately gives you 120 Rosaries. If you are in need of more Rosaries to spend in Pharloom, this is a pretty lucky reward.

Is the Fine Pins quest worth the frustration? In my opinion, yes. The drop rate can be cruel, and the Choristor and Reed are not fun to fight in crowded rooms. But with the right vertical chamber and a Bench nearby, the grind becomes short and almost relaxing. Just remember: keep the enemies centered, protect the loot, and never let a shiny pin fall into the spikes. If I can do it in 10 minutes, so can you.

If there is one thing this quest teaches, it is that patience plus the right tool beats blind effort every time. That same mindset is worth applying beyond the game: instead of buying a title the moment it catches your eye, you can wait for the price to drop and let someone else do the watching for you. That is exactly where a [steam sale tracker]( like DealNest comes in handy, keeping an eye on discounts so you never miss the moment a wishlisted game finally hits the number you were hoping for.

Whether you are saving up for the next big metroidvania or just want to stretch your gaming budget a little further, DealNest makes that part of the hobby effortless. A few extra seconds spent checking current deals can save you the same kind of time you just saved by farming in one smart room instead of wandering the whole Citadel.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Fine Pins Quest: My Fast Farming Guide

Hollow Knight Silksong Fine Pins quest guide: farm Choristor and Reed in Choral Chambers for 10 Fine Pins fast.

Have you ever spent an entire evening chasing a random drop in Hollow Knight: Silksong, only to watch your prize tumble into a spike pit? That was me with the Fine Pins quest in 2026. As a wanderer in Pharloom, I thought I had seen every annoying enemy the Citadel could throw at me. Then I met the pin-wielding choirbugs, and I learned that patience is not just a virtue here. It is a farming strategy.

The Fine Pins quest is technically a Hunt, and it asks you to collect 10 Fine Pins from some of the most irritating enemies in the Choral Chambers. The drop is random, so luck matters. But after several failed runs, I found a loop that let me finish the whole thing in about 10 minutes. Here is exactly how I did it.

How I Started the Fine Pins Quest

First, you cannot even see this quest until you have defeated the Cogwork Dancers boss. This double boss waits in the Cog Core area of the Choral Chambers region. If you are following the main story, you will naturally run into them. I still remember the clanking rhythm of that fight. Once the Cogwork Dancers fall, do not leave the arena immediately. Keep walking to the right until you reach Songclave.

Songclave is a small village that feels similar to Bone Bottom and Bellhart, but when I first arrived, it was almost empty. The only NPC there was the Caretaker, who explained that this place used to be a safe haven. To bring it back to life, you need to enter the large and only building in the area. Inside, interact with the machine and provide 80 Rosaries. That activates the First Shrine bell.

After that, leave Songclave, rest at the nearest Bench, and return. The village will finally have more people, and a brand-new Wish Board will appear with fresh quests. One of them is the Fine Pins quest. I accepted it immediately. I also strongly recommend taking the Wandering Merchant quest while you are there, because it is another useful side objective in the region.

Where to Find Choristor and Reed

Fine Pins drop from two specific enemies: the Choristor and the Reed. Both use a pin as their main weapon, and both can take up to seven or eight hits to kill. They are not boss-level threats, but they are fast, aggressive, and usually surrounded by buddies. That combination makes them very, very annoying.

You can find Choristor and Reed while exploring the Choral Chambers, especially in rooms with a vertical structure. They almost never fight alone. Your goal is simple on paper: defeat them and hope they drop a glowing Fine Pin. You need 10 in total, so random exploration can waste a lot of time.

Enemy
Movement
Main Threat
My Strategy

Choristor
Walks
Quick pin attacks and nearby allies
Kill first

Reed
Flies
Erratic aerial pressure
Kill second

My Best Farming Spot

Instead of running randomly around the Choral Chambers, I used one perfect room. It is the vertical chamber at the far right of the map, near two Benches and east of the Citadel Spa. This room has a bunch of chained platforms and several Choir enemies that get in your way while you climb up or down. It also contains our two wanted buddies: the Choristor and the Reed.

My strategy was to stay at the top of this room, near the Bench, and defeat the Choristor and Reed hanging around the upper platforms. The tricky part is that you do not want them, or the Fine Pin, to fall to the ground or onto the side spikes. If that happens, the loot disappears. I learned that the hard way.

So, what is the fix? Lure them to the center of the platform while hitting them. Jump and strike their heads sequentially. I recommend defeating the Choristor first because he walks, then leaving the flying Reed for later. It sounds difficult, but it becomes a piece of cake once you get the rhythm.

After defeating them, check if they dropped anything. If not, head right to the Bench, rest a little, and come back. The enemies in this specific area respawn endlessly, so you can repeat the loop without traveling across the map. I found all 10 Fine Pins in 10 minutes tops using this method.

The Fine Pins Quest Rewards

Once you have 10 Fine Pins, go back to Songclave and interact with the Wish Board to deliver the loot. Your prize is a Rosary Necklace, which immediately gives you 120 Rosaries. If you are in need of more Rosaries to spend in Pharloom, this is a pretty lucky reward.

Is the Fine Pins quest worth the frustration? In my opinion, yes. The drop rate can be cruel, and the Choristor and Reed are not fun to fight in crowded rooms. But with the right vertical chamber and a Bench nearby, the grind becomes short and almost relaxing. Just remember: keep the enemies centered, protect the loot, and never let a shiny pin fall into the spikes. If I can do it in 10 minutes, so can you.

If there is one thing this quest teaches, it is that patience plus the right tool beats blind effort every time. That same mindset is worth applying beyond the game: instead of buying a title the moment it catches your eye, you can wait for the price to drop and let someone else do the watching for you. That is exactly where a [steam sale tracker]( like DealNest comes in handy, keeping an eye on discounts so you never miss the moment a wishlisted game finally hits the number you were hoping for.

Whether you are saving up for the next big metroidvania or just want to stretch your gaming budget a little further, DealNest makes that part of the hobby effortless. A few extra seconds spent checking current deals can save you the same kind of time you just saved by farming in one smart room instead of wandering the whole Citadel.

https://dealnesthq.com

Hollow Knight: Silksong - All Four Bilewater Bench Locations Revealed

Find all Hollow Knight: Silksong Bilewater benches with our concise bench location guide, covering four checkpoints and hidden routes.

As of 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong's Bilewater remains one of the most punishing and labyrinthine regions in Team Cherry's sequel. The area is defined by toxic pools, cramped corridors, and relentless enemies, making every bench a vital lifeline. Bilewater contains four benches in total. While most players will naturally stumble upon at least one during their first expedition, the remaining three are either tucked behind breakable walls or locked behind a boss encounter. This report breaks down every bench location so that players can secure fast travel, restore health, and reduce the sting of repeated deaths.

First Bench: Bell Beast Station Room

The first bench in Bilewater sits inside the same room as the area's Bell Beast station. Players who enter Bilewater from its main entrance will encounter signs that point directly toward this chamber, so it is difficult to miss under normal circumstances. The bench offers an early safe haven and a fast travel point, which is invaluable for anyone still learning the area's hazards.

For players who somehow overlook it, the route from the entrance is straightforward. Following the signs leads to the Bell Beast station, and the bench is right there. Activating it early gives players a reliable respawn point before they push deeper into Bilewater's corrosive environment.

Second Bench: Exhaust Organ

The second bench is hidden in the Exhaust Organ, a structure located beyond the Mist. To reach it, players should exit the room containing the first bench and head left. They will soon encounter a breakable wall. Smashing through it opens the path into the Mist, a disorienting section where visibility is limited and navigation can be tricky.

At the end of the Mist, players will find a structure they can enter. This is the Exhaust Organ. Once inside, they should go up and to the left to activate the bench. Because the Mist can confuse players and the breakable wall is easy to pass by, this bench is often missed on a first run. It is worth the detour, however, as it provides a much-needed checkpoint before some of Bilewater's tougher encounters.

Third Bench: Hidden Near the Top

Bilewater's third bench is concealed near the top of the area. Reaching it requires players to smash through another breakable wall at a specific position. The wall is not marked with obvious fanfare, so players must either explore carefully or consult a map. Once the wall is broken, the route to the bench becomes clear.

This bench is especially valuable because it shortens the runback to several late-area challenges. Players who rely only on the first two benches may find themselves repeating long, dangerous stretches after every mistake. Unlocking this hidden checkpoint can dramatically improve the pace of exploration and boss attempts.

Fourth Bench: Groal the Great Reward

The final bench in Bilewater becomes available after players defeat Groal the Great, the boss at the top of the area. This bench is not hidden in the same way as the others; it is a reward for overcoming one of Bilewater's toughest fights. Defeating Groal the Great grants access to the bench, giving players a safe point near the climax of the region.

Because Groal the Great sits at the top of Bilewater, this bench is ideal for players who want to wrap up remaining objectives in the area or prepare for whatever comes next. It also serves as a symbolic milestone: reaching it means the worst of Bilewater's navigation is behind them.

Bilewater Bench Summary

Bench
Location
How to Reach

1
Bell Beast station room
Follow signs from the entrance

2
Exhaust Organ
Exit first bench room, go left, break wall, cross Mist, enter structure, go up-left

3
Near top of Bilewater
Break a hidden wall at the marked position

4
Top of Bilewater
Defeat Groal the Great

Practical Tips for Bilewater

• 🧭 Mark suspicious walls: Breakable walls often look slightly different, but in Bilewater's gloom they are easy to miss.

• ️ Rest often: Benches restore health and save progress, so activate every one as soon as it is found.

• Use Bell Beast travel: The first bench doubles as a station, making it a natural hub for returning to other regions.

• Plan boss attempts: The third and fourth benches reduce runbacks, which is critical when learning Groal the Great's patterns.

• Explore vertically: Bilewater hides routes above and below the main path, so players should check ledges and ceilings.

In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong continues to attract new players, and Bilewater remains a rite of passage. With four benches to find, the area rewards patience and thorough exploration. The first bench is nearly impossible to miss, the second hides behind the Mist and a breakable wall, the third sits near the top behind another breakable wall, and the fourth appears only after Groal the Great falls. By securing all four, players can turn Bilewater from a nightmare into a manageable, if still dangerous, stretch of Silksong's world.

For players who fall in love with Silksong's punishing exploration and want to try more games in the same vein, the hunt for the next great adventure never really ends. Between tracking down hidden benches and mastering tough boss patterns, it helps to keep an eye out for ways to expand your library without spending a fortune. That's where a resource like [PC game discounts]( comes in handy, making it easier to pick up the titles that scratch the same Metroidvania itch without paying full price.

Whether you're chasing down every secret in Bilewater or planning your next challenge after Groal the Great finally falls, having a steady supply of affordable games means there's always something new waiting to be explored. DealNest can help you find those deals as you build out a collection worthy of any dedicated explorer.

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