Hollow Knight: Silksong, the highly anticipated metroidvania from Team Cherry, puts players in control of Hornet, trapped in the mysterious world of Pharloom. With stronger enemies, hidden traps, and fast-paced combat, surviving won’t be easy — but these beginner tips will help you get started on the right foot.
1. Master Jump Cancels and Jump Attacks
Hornet’s movement and combat heavily rely on precision jumps and attacks. As you progress, you can use the Cling Grip ability, which can also help in combat. This is a wall jump, which can help in jump attacks.
- Hold jump for a higher leap, or tap jump for a short hop.
- Press attack right after jumping to cancel into a quick strike.
- Combine down + attack for a bounce, allowing you to chain hits mid-air.
1.1 Faster Attack Speed
Jump Attacks Hollow Knight Silksong
Short-hop attacks can be faster than ground combos. Tap jump briefly, then quickly press attack. This technique lets you sneak in extra hits during enemy attack windows. You can also mix with jumping over enemies to save from dash attacks.
1.2 How to Use Downward Dash
Unlock the Swift Step ability from the Deep Docks area, then press down to perform a downward dash. Swift Step is an Ancestral Art that allows Hornet to dash in the left or right direction.
- Quickly return to the ground to chain attacks.
- Reset mid-air to dodge enemy strikes.
- Use it for fast traversal when descending.
2. Side Quests = Power Ups
Side quests in Silksong often reward you with Crests, skills, and consumables. These Wishes have different types, and you can take them from different NPCs and Wishwells. Always check the quest board and complete tasks early for useful upgrades.
2.1 Best Side Quest Rewards
- Flea Brew – boosts movement speed. Pair it with the Reaper Crest for slower but more powerful strikes.
- Plasmium – grants extra health, making it one of the most valuable quest rewards.
3. Learn How to Pogo Effectively
Pogoing lets you do downward attacks in mid-air to bounce off spikes or enemies while dealing damage. Hornet’s downward attacks are diagonal, so you’ll need to adjust positioning mid-air.
- Hold down and tap the attack button to do pogo.
- Chain pogo attacks to stay airborne and deal sustained damage.
- Pogo is also useful for traversal in certain areas that require climbing.
3.1 When To Pogo
Hornet has Hunter’s Crest, which gives her the downward moveset for Pogo. As you progress, you can alter the moveset by unlocking Wanderer’s Crest, which gives her the ability to do vertical pogo. Crests can be equipped by resting at a bench and going to the equipment menu.
- Pogo is great for safe damage against bosses like the axe-wielding red ant mini-boss.
- Useful for exploration — bouncing off enemies and red flowers to reach hidden items or platforms.
4. Best Items to Purchase Early
Shakra the map merchant
There are different merchants in Silksong, like the map merchant Shakra, who sells important early items like Maps, a Compass, a Quill, and more. Similarly, buying items like a crafting kit can help improve gear and carry more resources.
4.1 Maps from Shakra
Buy area maps from Shakra, the map merchant in The Marrow (top-left corner). Maps make navigation easier and prevent wasted exploration time.
4.2 Plasmium Phial
- Found in the Wormways as part of the Alchemist’s Assistant questline.
- Provides extra health and can be recharged by Alchemist Zylotol for 20 Rosaries.
4.3 Crafting Kit
- Sold by Forge Daughter in Deep Docks for 180 Rosaries.
- Essential for upgrading gear early in the game.
5. How to get The Reaper Crest
The Reaper Crest Hollow Knight Silksong
Travel to the far west of Greymoor and complete the Chapel of the Reaper platforming challenge to unlock the Reaper Crest. Equip this as your main weapon crest at a bench, allowing you to alter your moveset.
- With Reaper Crest, your downward aerial attack is a wide slash.
- It makes many platforming sections flat-out easier.
5.1 Reaper Crest in Combat
The Reaper Crest downward air attack also becomes one of the safest combat options. This is because it’s pretty easy to use like a pogo to continually bounce on top of targets as you slash down.
- Grants a healing buff: after healing, your attacks release silk orbs, helping you heal again quickly.
- Good for healing mid-fights and a bonus to earn back silk for healing.
6. Break Hidden Walls
Hit everything whenever you’re out exploring. If you can hear an item in your area, but you cannot find it, there’s a high chance it’s behind a hidden wall you have to break.
- Breakable walls often hide items, shortcuts, or secret rooms.
- Some items are locked out and require you to activate levers or find another way.
6.1 New Hidden Wall Type
Silksong introduces a new lava fisher wall:
- Strike them to reveal hidden rooms.
- Be cautious — some explode and cause damage, doubling as traps.
7. How To Use Taunt
Clicking the right stick makes Hornet taunt, drawing enemy attention. This screams out an inaudible insult to lure the attention of nearby enemies.
- Costs a small amount of silk resource.
- Useful for luring enemies into traps or splitting patrol groups.
- Does not increase attack power.
8. Unlock Swift Step Early
Swift Step Hollow Knight Silksong
The Swift Step ability adds a sprint and mid-air dash, making combat and exploration smoother. Unlock it early for a huge mobility boost and good for dodging in combat.
- Helps against tough encounters like the Hunter’s March Guardian mini-boss.
- Makes long-distance travel and dodging much easier.
8.1 How To Acquire Swift Step
To obtain the Swift Step ability, you need to go straight to the right of the Marrow after you unlock Bone Bottom. This will take you to the Deep Docks.
- Once you enter the Deep Docks, you’ll have to go right until you can go upwards.
- Continue forward past the lava, which you can spam jump on.
- After that, break the lava fisher on the ceiling, and go up to loop around to the left.
- Here, you can find the Swift Step ability.
- This allows you to dash mid-air and sprint while running on the ground.
9. Rosaries & Silkeaters
Saving Rosaries Hollow Knight Silksong
When you die, you drop all of your very important Rosary Beads. These beads are used as in-game currency for trading with different merchants.
- Keep a lookout for spider eggs hidden around the environment. Those will drop you a Silkeater consumable.
- Consuming a Silkeater instantly retrieves your death cocoon and lost Rosaries.
9.1 Converting Rosaries Into Necklaces
Saving rosaries and managing them by using Rosary Strings and Necklaces is a smart way to progress. Rosaries have a limit of 9999. Buying items like Dead Bug’s Purse can help you recover some rosaries on death.
- Trade Rosaries for Rosary Necklaces, which are safe from death loss.
- Conversion has a loss rate (e.g., spend 80 Rosaries for a necklace worth 60).
10. Learn to Parry
Parrying in Silksong works like in the original Hollow Knight. You can parry any melee attack and Slash Attack.
- Press attack at the exact moment an enemy swings.
- A white flash indicates a successful parry.
- Follow up immediately with a counterattack.
- Melee and Slash attacks can be parried; ranged attacks are reflected back at enemies.
TIP: Parrying ranged attacks is something you should try to do consistently, as it gives you a free hit window and higher damage to enemies.
