Last updated: 26 June 2026
Hollow Knight: Silksong Beginner's Guide & Tips
Silksong drops you into Pharloom as Hornet — faster, sharper, and more aggressive than Hollow Knight's Knight, but with new systems that catch returning players off guard. Silk replaces Soul, Bind replaces Focus, and Crests and Tools replace Charms. This beginner's guide covers everything you should know in your first few hours so you stop dying to mechanics you did not understand.
In Silksong you play as Hornet, who heals with Bind — it spends your entire Silk spool to restore three masks at once and can be cast in mid-air, but a hit during the animation wastes all of it. Earn Silk by attacking enemies, swap Crests and Tools only at Benches, and protect your Rosaries (currency) by banking them, since they are at risk on death. Hornet is faster and more aggressive than the Knight, so lean into her speed, parry, and mobility.
01Hornet Plays Differently to the Knight
If you are coming from Hollow Knight, the biggest adjustment is Hornet's speed and aggression. She is built to attack:
- Faster movement and a longer Needle reach than the Knight — you can poke from further out.
- Ledge-clamber and a Thread grapple open up traversal early; use them constantly.
- A parry: hitting certain enemy attacks (white-trailed swings) with your Needle parries them, granting a brief window of invincibility and resetting the enemy combo.
- Lean into aggression — Hornet rewards staying close and pressuring enemies far more than playing defensively.
02Silk Is Your Healing AND Your Power
The single most important system to understand is Silk, which fuels both healing and special attacks:
- You build Silk by hitting enemies with your Needle — roughly one strand per hit. It does not regenerate on its own early on.
- Bind (your heal) spends your entire Silk spool at once to restore three masks — it is all-or-nothing, not a partial heal.
- Silk Skills (special attacks) also cost Silk, so every strand you spend on offense is a strand you cannot heal with.
- The core tension: attack to build Silk, then decide whether to spend it healing or fighting. Hoarding it makes you safe but weak; spending it all leaves you unable to heal.
03How Bind (Healing) Works
Bind is fast but punishing if you misjudge it:
- It takes about 1.4 seconds and can be performed in mid-air, unlike the Knight's grounded Focus.
- If you are hit during the animation, you lose the entire Silk spool and heal nothing — so only Bind when you have created space.
- Heal during gaps: after a boss's big attack, while it is recovering, or after a parry.
- Some Crests change Bind entirely — the Beast Crest swaps it for lifesteal, for example — so your healing can feel different depending on your loadout.
04Crests & Tools: Set Up at Benches
Silksong replaces Charms with two layered systems — Crests and Tools — and you can only change them at a Bench:
- Crests define Hornet's attack style and which Tool slots you have. Each Crest changes her moveset, so try a few and pick one that suits you.
- Tools are equippable items in colour-coded slots: Red (active attacks with limited charges), Blue (passive combat buffs), and Yellow (passive exploration aids).
- Red Tool charges refill at Benches using Shell Shards — so rest often.
- You cannot swap Crests or Tools mid-area — plan your loadout at the Bench before a tough room or boss.
05Protect Your Rosaries & Rest Often
A few economy and survival habits will save you a lot of frustration:
- Rosaries are the main currency, used for items, map fragments, and unlocking fast-travel. They are at risk when you die, so do not hoard a huge amount on you.
- Bank your Rosaries by buying Rosary Strings from vendors to keep currency safe between risky runs.
- Buy maps from Shakra, Silksong's wandering cartographer (the equivalent of Hollow Knight's Cornifer) — exploring blind is much harder without them.
- Rest at Benches to save, refill Red Tool charges, and change loadouts — they are your hub for everything.
- Activate Bellway fast-travel stations (they cost Rosaries) to cut down on backtracking across Pharloom.
FAQ
How do you heal in Hollow Knight: Silksong?
You heal with Bind, which spends your entire Silk spool to restore three masks at once. You build Silk by hitting enemies with your Needle, and Bind can be cast in mid-air. The catch is that if you are hit during the roughly 1.4-second animation, you lose all your Silk and heal nothing — so only Bind when you have created space after an enemy attack.
Is Silksong harder than Hollow Knight?
Many players find Silksong's early game tougher because Hornet is built around aggression and the Bind healing system is riskier than the Knight's Focus. Enemies hit harder and faster early on. That said, Hornet's speed, parry, and mobility give you strong tools once you adapt. Team Cherry has also patched some early bosses to be slightly more forgiving since launch.
What should I do first in Silksong?
Learn to build Silk by staying aggressive, practise Bind healing only when you have space, and buy maps from Shakra the cartographer. Rest at Benches often to save and refill your Red Tool charges, and bank your Rosaries with Rosary Strings so you do not lose currency on death. Experiment with different Crests at a Bench to find an attack style you like.
What are Crests and Tools in Silksong?
Crests replace Hollow Knight's Charms in defining Hornet's attack style and Tool slot layout — each Crest changes her moveset. Tools are equippable items in colour-coded slots: Red are active attacks with limited charges, Blue are passive combat buffs, and Yellow are passive exploration aids. You can only change Crests and Tools at a Bench, so set your loadout before a tough fight.
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