The lantern-lit halls of Pharloom saw a fresh wave of pilgrims in the weeks after Hornet's solo journey began. Hollow Knight: Silksong has already gathered more than five million players across every platform, with half a million of them arriving on Steam within hours of release. That enormous player base meant every hidden bug was quickly dragged into the light. Team Cherry has responded with a second post-launch patch. Version 1.0.28626 is now live in the public beta, and the studio says it is getting close to finalising the update for a full rollout.



The first patch had lowered the difficulty of two early bosses. This time the developers did not include any direct difficulty adjustments. They focused instead on fairness. A player might have lost a battle because a Savage Beastfly stayed beneath the lava in Far Fields, or because Shrine Guardian Seth slipped out of bounds mid-fight. Such moments felt less like a challenge and more like a betrayal. The new patch fixes those exact problems, along with several other combat quirks.

⚔️ Combat and Boss Fixes

The patch notes read like a detailed map of small frustrations. Lugoli will no longer fly off screen and refuse to return during battle. Silk Snippers have a lower chance of getting stuck out of bounds in the Chapel of the Reaper fight. Some deaths caused by killing a boss at the same moment as being killed led to messy or out-of-sync death sequences, and those have been tidied up.



Several weapon and skill issues were also corrected. The break counter now works properly for certain multihitter tools, including the Conchcutter. The Volt Filament damage multiplier applies correctly to more Silk Skills. Curveclaw no longer breaks on the first hit after being deflected. Cogflies and Wisps will not inappropriately target Skullwings, and Cogflies will stop resetting their health to full when the scene changes. These fixes may seem small from a distance, but in the middle of a long boss run they can decide whether a run survives or collapses.

? Exploration, NPCs, and Visual Polish

Beyond combat, the update touches many corners of the map. Cocoon positions have been adjusted in some locations so they will not spawn in inaccessible areas. The Shaman Binding into a bottom transition could cause a softlock, and that has been fixed. Steel Soul mode gets attention too: the Liquid Lacquer courier delivery is now accessible. Some NPCs were not correctly playing cursed hint dialogues, and Pondcatcher Reed can now fly away after singing instead of lingering awkwardly. Verdania memory orbs will no longer replay layered screen-edge burst effects. At benches, the Plasmium Phial and Flea Brew should now restore as intended.



There is also a new visual option. A Dithering effect can be toggled in Advanced video settings. It reduces colour banding, though it can slightly soften the appearance of foreground assets. By default it is switched off. For players chasing perfection, the Herald's Wish achievement description has been updated. It now clearly states that a player must both complete the wish and finish the game. This clarity will help completionists who want to earn every mark in Pharloom without guessing.

? A Successful Climb, Refined

Fans who found Silksong harder than the original Hollow Knight may be disappointed that no further difficulty-lowering changes are planned for now. Others will welcome the continued challenge. Whatever the preference, the game's momentum is undeniable. More than five million players have already begun the climb, and Team Cherry is still listening. The final version of Version 1.0.28626 will likely differ slightly from the current beta build. Players will not have to wait long to discover how those final touches affect the journey. For now, the public beta offers a glimpse of a sharper, fairer Pharloom, one small fix at a time.

With the final release of the update drawing closer, now is an ideal moment for both newcomers and returning players to prepare for the journey into Pharloom. The refined combat, polished visuals, and clarified achievement details make this the most welcoming version of the game yet. For those who have not secured a copy, prices can vary noticeably across platforms and storefronts, so running a quick game price comparison before purchasing is always a smart move. DealNest brings together offers from multiple retailers, helping you find the best deal without sifting through dozens of tabs.

The public beta offers the perfect chance to experience these fixes firsthand and watch the game evolve ahead of the full rollout. Whether you are hunting down every achievement or simply enjoying the atmosphere, the improvements are immediately apparent. With millions of players already making the climb and Team Cherry still hard at work, there has never been a better time to step into the world of Silksong.

I’ll admit it: I have a love-hate relationship with Hollow Knight: Silksong where the “hate” part is mostly me yelling at a boss named Sister Splinter while my cat judges me from the couch. The game is brilliant, but the discourse around it has become a rotating monologue about difficulty. Yes, it’s harder than the first game. Yes, some moments feel like the developers studied frustration in a lab. But we signed up for a Metroidvania with Soulslike combat, so expecting a gentle meadow stroll is like buying a pet scorpion and complaining it doesn’t fetch.

Last week, Team Cherry dropped a patch that actually touched difficulty, and I felt a flicker of hope. They updated the Moorwing and Sister Splinter fights, slightly reduced Bellway and Bell Bench prices, increased rosary rewards from relics and psalm cylinders, boosted courier delivery rosaries, and made Sandcarvers hit less like a falling cathedral. Modders had already been elbowing their way into the difficulty conversation, so I wondered if the official team was about to follow up with a second course of pain relief. Then Patch 2 details arrived, and I saw the menu: no balance changes, just a plate of bug fixes. My hope went back into its cocoon.



That image above might as well be a framed portrait of my emotional state. Team Cherry is treating balance changes like a wasp nest in the attic: they see it, they nod, and they quietly close the door. They are not ignoring the game; they are just very comfortable with the hornet-themed pain they have built.

Now, before I sound ungrateful, let me be clear: bug fixes matter. Silksong version 1.0.28626 is live on the public beta branch, and the Steam announcement says the first patch dealt mainly with critical issues. This new one, in their words, 'focuses on a few still remaining, while also cleaning up some bugs around specific tools.' That is useful. It is the video game equivalent of finally fixing the squeaky hinge on a torture rack: the rack remains a rack, but at least the hinge is quieter.

Here are the Patch 2 highlights, presented as a table because my brain needs structure before another Sister Splinter attempt:

Change
What It Means for Me

Added Dithering effect option in Advanced video settings
Reduces colour banding but can slightly soften foreground assets. Defaults to 'Off', so I can continue pretending my monitor is fine.

Updated Herald's Wish achievement description
Now clarifies players must both complete the wish and finish the game. Good, because cryptic achievements are like riddles wrapped in a migraine.

Cocoon positions updated in some locations
Prevents cocoons from spawning in inaccessible areas. Finally, the game stops placing treasure behind walls like a passive-aggressive interior decorator.

Further reduced chance of Silk Snippers getting stuck out of bounds in Chapel of the Reaper battle
Fewer enemies moonwalking through walls, which is nice when I am already fighting the reaper.

Fixed Liquid Lacquer courier delivery not being accessible in Steel Soul mode
Steel Soul runners can now access a delivery without the game laughing at them.

I do not want to overstate my skill. I am not an elite speedrunner. I am an ordinary player whose main strategy is 'walk in, get hit, learn pattern, still get hit.' The previous difficulty tweaks were genuinely welcome. Reducing Sandcarver damage felt like someone removed a single hornet from the swarm. But Patch 2 confirms that Team Cherry may be happy with where balance currently stands, and honestly, I kind of respect that. Silksong’s difficulty is the puddle of lava in a platformer: everyone complains, but we keep jumping into it on purpose.



That second image is the visual version of the phrase 'we fixed the door, not the dragon behind it.' I am not mad. I am just tired in a way that feels specifically designed for Silksong. The patch is still on the public beta branch, so if you want to test the dithering option and improved cocoon placement before it goes wide, you can hop in. Just do not expect your muscle memory to get a vacation.

In 2026, we have had enough patches to know Team Cherry is methodical, maybe even stubborn. They will clean bugs, polish tools, and leave the difficulty mostly alone. Part of me wants a balance pass that makes the Moorwing fight feel less like a rhythmic gymnastics routine performed inside a blender. Another part of me knows that if the game suddenly got easier, I would complain about that too. Players are like cats: we demand the door be opened, then we sit in the doorway and hiss at the outside.

So I will keep playing. I will appreciate the fixed courier delivery in Steel Soul mode, smile at the dithering option, and continue to be absolutely demolished by whatever remains. Patch 2 may not be the balance rescue I imagined, but it is a sign Team Cherry is still tending the garden. They are just not removing the thorn bushes.

Between those continued play sessions and the wait for Patch 2 to go live, I have found myself spending more time than I would like hunting down decent prices on the games that pile up in my backlog. It is a familiar loop for anyone who games regularly: a patch drops, a new trailer appears, or a friend mentions a hidden gem, and suddenly the wishlist grows. With so many releases vying for attention, keeping the spending under control is its own kind of boss battle.

Having a single place to check for price drops and promotions makes that fight a little easier, which is where DealNest entered my routine. It rounds up the kind of gaming deals that let me justify one more purchase without wincing at the checkout screen. Whether the next Silksong patch brings a secret new boss or just more polish, my wallet will be ready for whatever Team Cherry throws at me next - even if my reflexes are not.

Every so often, a single movement tool turns a Metroidvania from a pleasant wander into a physics-defying joyride. Hornet’s Clawline in Hollow Knight: Silksong is exactly that item. On paper it sounds modest: a grappling hook that lets her zip to dedicated hooks, latch onto distant walls, and stretch her dash far beyond its usual limits. In practice, it transforms tight corridors into personal zip lines and hidden alcoves into trivial pit stops. So where does this gloriously handy string launcher live? And why does fetching it involve a bell, a merchant, a white key, and what feels like a lava-themed endurance test? The answer lies beneath the Citadel, inside the Underworks.



Why the Clawline Is Worth the Detour

The Clawline is one of those abilities that players may overlook because it does not delete bosses; instead, it deletes the space between Hornet and wherever she wants to go. While dedicated Weaver skills often grab the spotlight in combat, the Clawline earns its place because it is required for accessing several areas and secrets across Pharloom. It also doubles as a combat tool: Hornet can zip around enemies, dodge incoming attacks, and reset her positioning mid-fight. Is it the flashiest tool in the kit? Not always. Is it one of the most versatile? Absolutely.

Prerequisites: Do Not Show Up Empty-Handed

Before anyone goes spelunking for the Clawline, a few boxes need to be ticked. The biggest gate is story progress: the player must have beaten the Last Judge and unlocked Act 2 of Silksong. Without Act 2, the Citadel route leading to the Clawline remains closed, and no amount of wall jumping will change that.

After that, the path becomes a checklist:

Requirement
Why It Matters

Beat the Last Judge
Unlocks Act 2, which opens the Citadel route

Reach the Citadel
Where the key, the Songclave camp, and the Underworks are found

Establish the Songclave camp
Must be set up at the north-east end of the Citadel

Ring the bell and complete the first Wandering Merchant quest from the Wishboard
Makes the White Key available for purchase

Buy the White Key from Jubilana
Required to unlock the elevator blocking the Underworks



Getting the White Key

Once the Songclave camp is established at the north-east end of the Citadel, players should ring the bell and complete the first Wandering Merchant quest from the Wishboard. Only then will Jubilana sell the White Key. This little item is not optional—it is the very thing that unlocks the Ornate Lock blocking the elevator deep in the Choral Chambers.

After buying the key, the next step is to backtrack. Head down to the bottom end of the Choral Chambers in the Citadel and look for the Ornate Lock. Using the White Key on that lock frees the elevator, which leads into the depths. From there, the journey continues as far right as possible until an upper vent appears. That vent drops Hornet into the newly unlocked Underworks.

Surviving the Underworks Without Becoming Crispy

If the Citadel felt civilized, the Underworks quickly reminds everyone that Pharloom has a molten personality. The area is packed with lava traps and environmental hazards, and at least two obstacles can chew through Mask health in a hurry. Reckless players will learn the hard way that this is not a place for casual strolling.

A few survival tips:

Build silk on nearby enemies before descending. Having silk on hand gives Hornet more options and reduces the temptation to panic.

Use pogo attacks and dashes to cross the Cauldron’s lava pools. A well-timed pogo can keep Hornet airborne long enough to avoid the worst of the heat.

Loop around the edge of the shrine area. The Clawline shrine sits in a circular layout, and the safest approach often involves going around it rather than charging straight through.



Once Hornet reaches the shrine and claims the Clawline, it acts as a true grappling hook. She can immediately grab onto nearby hooks to escape the area and continue deeper into Pharloom. That moment of first zipping out of the Underworks is, frankly, worth every lava singe.

What the Clawline Actually Does

The Clawline is not just a fancy key for the Underworks exit. Its real value shows up after leaving the shrine:

Grappling traversal: Hornet can latch onto dedicated hooks scattered throughout Pharloom.

Extended dashes: The Clawline drastically increases her dash distance.

Wall latching: She can grab onto far-away walls, opening routes that once looked impossible.

Combo movement: It pairs beautifully with pogo attacks and Hornet’s floating ability. Together, these tools let players reach much farther distances and uncover hidden secrets that would otherwise remain out of reach.

Could a pure combat skill out-damage the Clawline in a straight fight? Sure. But those skills will not open secret routes, skip environmental hazards, or turn Hornet’s movement into a silk-powered slingshot. The Clawline earns its place in the toolkit because it expands what traversal can even mean.

Final Word

Players who rush straight to the damage-dealing toys may miss the Clawline entirely, but that would be a shame. Few abilities in Hollow Knight: Silksong feel as satisfying to use while exploring, escaping, or simply showing off. Beat the Last Judge, establish the Songclave camp, complete that first Wandering Merchant quest, buy the White Key, and brave the Underworks. For 2026 explorers of Pharloom, the reward is still a movement option that makes the rest of the kingdom feel suddenly much smaller.

Silksong's 2026 window means players have time to prepare — not just in-game, but financially too. Hornet's journey through Pharloom will undoubtedly be worth the wait, but no one should pay more than necessary for the privilege of exploring it. For players wondering where to buy cheap games, DealNest tracks prices across digital storefronts so you can grab a copy the moment a discount appears, without endlessly refreshing multiple shops.

Being a savvy explorer is about more than mastering the Clawline or timing a perfect pogo; it's also about making smart choices before the adventure even begins. A quick price check takes seconds, and the savings can go toward other upcoming releases — or simply serve as a reminder that patience pays off, both in Pharloom and on your wallet.

Pharloom’s depths have a way of hiding the tiny things that matter most. Among the many secrets woven into Hollow Knight: Silksong, the 30 Lost Fleas are easy to stumble across at first, then maddeningly easy to miss once Hornet’s map starts filling in. But there is one small soul who can turn the search from a needle-in-a-haystack ordeal into a proper scavenger hunt. His name is Vog, and he is, quite frankly, a little legend.



Vog is not just another merchant. He sells a special assortment of map-focused items, and once Hornet hands over enough Rosaries, those items mark every remaining Lost Flea on the in-game map. For completionists, that is a huge sigh of relief.

Finding Vog Starts in the Putrified Ducts

Before Hornet can meet the little cartographer, she needs the Faydown Cloak. This ability opens the way into Memorium near the top-right corner of the Choral Chambers, and from there she can reach the Putrified Ducts. The area sits to the right of Memorium and above Bilewater, so if Hornet is poking around those lower fungal channels, she is in the right neighborhood.

Once inside the Putrified Ducts, the next step is to head toward an elevated platform. On the left wall, there is a cracked section that can be broken. One solid smack opens the path. From there, Hornet should follow the route left and then up to reach a new screen.

Spikes, Barnaks, and One Very Tense Climb

The next screen is a teeth-gritting obstacle course packed with spikes and Barnaks. Hornet’s Swift Step ability is the key here. She can dash over the spikes and deliberately catch a Barnak’s tongue, then let the creature lift her to the next spike-filled ledge. It sounds less dignified than it looks, but it works. Those grumpy ceiling-dwellers make surprisingly decent elevators once they latch on.

Repeat the process until Hornet reaches the top, then go left. Vog is waiting there, tucked away after the gauntlet.

Meeting Vog and Bringing Him to the Caravan

After speaking with Vog, the flea announces that he is going to join the caravan. That is Hornet’s cue to make her way to the Flea Caravan stationed near Grand Gate. Once there, she will find Vog set up to the right of Fleamaster Mooshka.

This is where the real convenience begins. Speaking to Vog again lets Hornet exchange Rosaries for an assortment of items that mark any remaining Lost Fleas on the in-game map. It is a straightforward deal, and it transforms the endgame flea hunt into something far less frustrating.

Key Locations and Requirements

Requirement
Purpose

Faydown Cloak
Enter Memorium near the top-right corner of the Choral Chambers

Putrified Ducts
Reach Vog’s hidden location

Swift Step
Dash over spikes and use Barnaks to climb

Rosaries
Buy Vog’s map-marking items

Why Vog Is Worth Finding Early

Tracking down all 30 Lost Fleas without help can take an eternity. Pharloom is vertical, twisting, and full of dead ends, so having every missing flea marked on the map saves Hornet from endless backtracking. Vog may be a tiny flea himself, but his services are a big deal for anyone aiming for full completion.

In a kingdom this dense, a little map magic goes a long way. With Vog’s help, the hunt for the Lost Fleas becomes less about blind wandering and more about following a trail. For explorers determined to see everything Silksong has to offer, that kind of guidance is worth every Rosary.

Once the last Lost Flea is rounded up and the map is fully marked, that familiar itch to dive into another sprawling adventure tends to set in. Silksong is far from the only game that rewards meticulous exploration and a good sense of direction, but finding more titles like it can take a toll on the wallet if you are not careful.

That is exactly the kind of situation where having a reliable lead on affordable games pays off. Whether you are hunting for another metroidvania gem or just want to stock up on backlog material for the next rainy afternoon, knowing where to buy cheap games means you can keep the adventures coming without wincing at the checkout screen.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, the three Cogheart pieces are one of Pharloom’s best-kept secrets. As of 2026, this little scavenger hunt still hasn’t changed in the latest build, so players can follow these steps without worry. The game barely drops a hint about what they do, so plenty of players end up running around like a headless chicken trying to figure out if the pieces are even worth the trouble. For completionists, though, these gears are the real deal—they unlock a secret side quest and a special boss encounter. This guide breaks down every Cogheart piece location and how to use them, no fluff, just the good stuff.



Cogheart Piece Location #1: Choral Chambers

The first Cogheart piece sits on the west side of the Choral Chambers. Once players reach the spot shown below, they will bump into a bell puzzle where the bells have to be rung in a specific order. Missing a note means backtracking, so it is smart to pause and check the pattern before going ham on the bells.



Using a number label for each bell, the correct sequences are:

Sequence 1: 1, 5, 4, 6

Sequence 2: 3, 6, 5, 1, 7

Sequence 3: 2, 4, 6, 3, 5, 1

After completing the bell puzzle, the first Cogheart piece is in the bag. Then it is time to head toward the Whispering Vaults.



Cogheart Piece Location #2: Whispering Vaults

The second piece lurks in the southwestern part of the Whispering Vaults. This area serves up another bell puzzle, and the pattern here is a little more twisty than the first one.



The solution to the Whispering Vaults bell puzzle is:

Sequence 1: 1, 2, 7, 4

Sequence 2: 7, 5, 6, 4, 5

Sequence 3: 2, 7, 3, 5, 6, 1

After ringing that final bell, a platform rises from the ground. Players should interact with it to claim the second Cogheart piece.



Cogheart Piece Location #3: Memorium

The last piece can be found on the eastern side of Memorium. Heads up: Memorium can only be accessed once the player has unlocked the double jump ability, so anyone who has not grabbed that yet should circle back later.



No surprise here—there is another bell puzzle waiting in Memorium. The correct order is:

Sequence 1: 6, 5, 4, 3

Sequence 2: 4, 5, 2, 4, 1

Sequence 3: 2, 7, 3, 5, 6, 1

Just like the other bell puzzles, solving this one raises a platform that holds the final Cogheart piece.



How to Use the Cogheart Pieces

After collecting all three Cogheart pieces, players can use them to activate the Second Sentinel in the Cogwork Core. The exact location is shown below, marked by the red arrow.



Once players inspect the device and insert the Cogheart pieces, the Second Sentinel is freed. After that, they should explore the Choral Chambers to find the Second Sentinel fighting enemies in different locations. Its appearance is random, so thorough exploration is the name of the game. Players should keep searching until they have seen the Second Sentinel fight enemies twice.



After witnessing the Second Sentinel in combat twice, players need to return to Songclave. There, the Final Audience side quest will show up on the Wish Board. The Final Audience wish tasks players with hunting down the Second Sentinel and defeating them in a boss fight. It is a proper scrap, so players should sharpen their needle, stock up on tools, and make sure their crest loadout is ready before picking that fight.

In short, the Cogheart pieces are a bit of a trek, but the secret boss and side quest make the hunt worth it.

Once the Final Audience is cleared and the Second Sentinel is no longer a threat, players can finally breathe and take in everything the game has left to offer. Between chasing remaining lore fragments, refining their loadout, and revisiting areas with newly unlocked abilities, there is no shortage of post-quest content to sink time into. The hunt for the Cogheart pieces may be over, but the sense of discovery it sparks tends to carry over into every corner of the map it unlocks.

For players who enjoyed this kind of hidden-content scavenger hunt, plenty of similar action RPGs are worth exploring next. Whether you are picking up a DLC for the same title or eyeing a fresh adventure with equally cryptic puzzles, it never hurts to compare costs before pulling the trigger. A quick trip to check game prices can help you stretch your budget further, so you can keep the momentum going without burning a hole in your wallet.

Look, I’ll be honest: when I dove back into Hollow Knight: Silksong in 2026, I did not expect my late-game life to revolve around rescuing 30 misbehaving fleas from every cursed corner of Pharloom. But here we are. Hornet is apparently a full-time flea therapist now, and if you want that juicy Egg of Flealia plus the fourth Needle upgrade, you need to catch them all.

Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a quick errand. In total, there are 30 Fleas scattered across Pharloom. Almost every Flea can be found in Acts 1 and 2, but you’ll need nearly every movement ability—except Silk Soar—before you can reasonably grab them all. Yes, that means you’ll be returning to areas you thought you’d escaped forever.



The Flea Caravan Milestones ?

The Flea Caravan does not move just because you ask nicely. It moves based on how many little idiots you’ve rescued. Here is the threshold table I wish I had from hour one:

Fleas Found
What Happens

5
Caravan moves from Marrow to Greymoor

15
Caravan moves from Greymoor to the Last Judge boss room in the Blasted Steps

25
Caravan reaches its final home in the Putrefied Ducts

30
You get the Egg of Flealia and unlock the real party

That middle stretch between 15 and 25 is pure emotional damage, by the way. The game suddenly remembers it has platforming, and you will remember you have no Silk Soar.

Where the Little Monsters Hide

You’ll be sweeping through a ridiculous number of zones. From my notes, the big ones include:

Marrow – the tutorial fleas, deceptively easy

Deep Docks – wet, dark, and full of regret

Far Fields – scenic, until you fall into the spikes

Hunter’s March – lots of vertical climbing

Greymoor – moody, and the second caravan stop

Shellwood – I got lost here more than I’d like to admit

Sinner’s Road – honestly, the name says it all

Wormways – cramped tunnels and bad decisions

Underworks – hidden corners everywhere

Choral Chambers – pretty, but the fleas are tucked behind some nasty jumps

The Slab – feels like a boss arena, but no boss, just fleas

Whispering Vaults – echoes and anxiety

Mount Fay – cold and high

Bilewater – gross, bring a towel

Sands of Karak – the final stretch, bring your patience





A few specific Fleas are tied to unique NPCs: Kratt, Vog, and a truly enormous Giant Flea. You’ll need to interact with them in the right way, which usually means listening to their weird dialogue and then doing a ridiculous favor.







The Final Reward ?

Once you’ve rounded up all 30 Fleas, do not just stand there admiring your achievement. Go talk to Fleamster Mooshka in Fleatopia. They’ll reward you with the Egg of Flealia. This little treasure decreases the cost of Silk Skills whenever Hornet’s HP is full. It’s basically a reward for perfectionists, and it’s extremely strong if you play carefully.



But wait, there is more. When you return to Flealia after collecting all 30, the Fleas throw a celebration and you can take part in three minigames:

? Juggle – keep the flea airborne without losing your mind

? Dodge – avoid getting slapped by everything

? Bounce – timing-based nonsense that feels amazing when you win

Beat all three, and you’ll earn the fourth and final Pale Oil, which gets you the fourth Needle upgrade. That is the real dopamine hit at the end of this whole flea circus.

So yes, collecting every Flea in Silksong is absolutely worth it, but please learn from my mistakes: unlock your movement abilities first, use the maps, and do not attempt the Sands of Karak section before you’ve had a snack.

Just like mapping out every Flea location takes patience and the right tools, snagging the best deals on games and accessories requires a bit of strategy too. If you're the type of player who likes to complete every collection and maximize every reward, you'll probably appreciate keeping tabs on price drops before your next big purchase.

Instead of refreshing store pages every day, you can set up alerts and let this price tracking tool do the heavy lifting. DealNest watches prices across retailers so you know exactly when to strike, kind of like knowing the perfect moment to grab that final Flea before the boss fight rolls in.

I'll be honest: when I first started Hollow Knight: Silksong, I expected weapon upgrades to be a straightforward grind. I kept swapping tools, collecting new crests, and hunting down Mask Shards all over Pharloom, but my needle damage barely moved. That changed after I freed Bellhart and met Pinmaster Plinney. He gives you one free needle upgrade as a reward, but after that, he wants something a little more precious: Pale Oil. No Pale Oil, no more damage bonuses. Let me tell you, I nearly missed the first one.

Now, after a lot of backtracking and one very stubborn platform puzzle, I’ve found three reliable sources of Pale Oil. Here’s where they’re hiding.

The First Taste: 'Pinmaster's Oil'

Plinney hands out the 'Pinmaster's Oil' quest as soon as you speak to him again after that first upgrade. He explains that every subsequent upgrade needs a fresh vial of Pale Oil, and sends you off to find one. The marked location is not far, but it’s easy to get turned around. You need to attack the platform directly above you to move it upward, then go left and flip a lever. From there, head immediately left into the next screen and grab the first stack of Pale Oil.



Bring that oil back to Pinmaster Plinney and he’ll give you another needle upgrade. What I like about this quest is that you can actually grab the item before accepting it, so if you’re already exploring that corner of the map, do yourself a favor and snag it early.

The Grocery Run: 'Great Taste of Pharloom'

This one turned into a whole shopping list, and I’m not exaggerating. To start, travel to Choral Chambers and attack the glass case there to wake Loyal Mergwin from his slumber. Once he’s up, he asks you to gather delicious dishes from across the entire kingdom. Yeah, that’s a whole grocery list. You need:

Mossberry Stew — found in Mosshome; speak to the Moss Druid.

Vintage Nectar — Halfway Home; it’s in the basement, but you’ll need to pay Creieg 480 Rosaries to unlock it.

Courier's Rasher — Bellhart; complete 'My Missing Brother' and 'My Missing Courier' for Tipp, then return.

Crustnut — Sands of Karak; check the second chamber down from the top, on the left side of the big vertical room.

Pickled Muckmaggot — Sinners Road; defeat Disgraced Chef Lugoli east of the room with all the cages.

Once you haul all five dishes back to Mergwin, he hands over another vial of Pale Oil. Bring that to Plinney, and your needle gets meaner.

The Late-Game Party: 'Ecstasy of the End'

If you’re still hungry for more damage, this one is locked to Act Three. First, you need to find every lost flea in the game — no small task. After that, visit the Bellhart quest board and accept the relevant request. Then make your way to Fleatopia and set a high score in all three flea mini-games. If you’ve already met and beaten Seth, he might show up there too.

At the end of the festival, you get to smash open a massive, flea-shaped piñata stuffed with Rosaries and another stack of Pale Oil. It’s a weird reward, but honestly, after that grind, I was happy to take it.



Where to Actually Spend Pale Oil

Each time you get a new container of Pale Oil, bring it back to Pinmaster Plinney to upgrade your needle. During Act One and Act Two, he hangs out in the main area of Bellhart, right near the Bellway fast travel point. He’s in the building above Relic Seeker Scrounge.

Of course, Plinney won’t offer his services unless you save Bellhart first. To do that, head to Shellwood to grab the Cling Grip ability, then return to Bellhart and defeat Widow. Once the town is restored, Plinney appears in the main square.

In Act Three, everything shifts. Plinney travels to Shellwood to visit a loved one’s grave, and if you want more upgrades, you’ll have to find him there and save him from a group of enemies. He’s tucked into a small offshoot area just beneath the Bellway station and bench on the map. I spent way too long looking for him, so don’t repeat my mistake.

Upgrading your needle with Pale Oil increases your base weapon damage. The exact percentage isn’t displayed anywhere, but the difference is noticeable in faster kills, especially against tougher late-game bosses. I’d say you need at least a couple of upgrades to avoid a real slog.

One more thing: each subsequent upgrade costs more Rosaries. The first one is free, but after that, prices ramp up. I won’t list exact figures because they can shift with your progress, but expect to farm.



So, that’s the long and short of Pale Oil. It gates your weapon progression more than you might expect, but once you know where to look, you can keep your needle sharp through most of Pharloom. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some fleas to find.

And if you’re planning to dive into Pharloom yourself, it’s worth taking a moment to make sure you’re not overpaying before you start hunting down every last upgrade. A quick game price comparison across trusted retailers can save you a nice chunk of change — which, given how much time you’ll spend farming Rosaries in Silksong, feels like a pretty solid trade.

For that, DealNest is a handy spot to check. It rounds up current prices across digital and physical stores so you can grab Hollow Knight: Silksong at the best rate before you begin your climb toward Act Three. Think of it as one less grind to worry about.

I never thought I would be this obsessed with a compass. But here we are, in 2026, with Hollow Knight: Silksong finally loaded on my machine, and I have spent more time rearranging Tools than actually sleeping. Hornet’s Crest has limited slots, so every red, blue, or yellow choice matters. Some picks synergize beautifully. Others seem like trap purchases until you learn their rhythm.

? Tacks: A Carpet of Spikes

Tacks are a red Tool. Hornet tosses spikes onto the ground. An enemy steps on them, and multiple hits shred it. I don’t have to be precise. I can sit back and let ground enemies march into their doom. It is situational, but when it works, it is hilarious.



? Compass: I Refuse to Get Lost Again

I bought the Compass from Shakra early. It is yellow. It shows exactly where I am on the map at all times. Without it, exploring Pharloom would have broken me. It does not help in boss fights, but it makes exploration relaxing. I will never remove it. Ever.



? Sting Shards: The Early Game Nightmare

I traded a few Rosaries to the Forge Daughter in Deep Docks. Sting Shards are red. They set into deadly traps. If an attack collides, nails burst everywhere. If an enemy walks in, rapid hits trigger. I used this against a small swarm and nearly laughed myself off the bench. It feels almost unfair.



?️ Fractured Mask: One More Chance

This blue Tool comes from a merchant in Hunter’s March. It protects my last Mask hit point. I lost count of how many times it let me cheat death. Healing? I get time. Finishing a boss? I get one more swing. It is a guardian angel for stubborn players like me.



?️ Scuttlebrace: Spider Blood Activated

Hornet is part Weaver. The Scuttlebrace yellow Tool lets her scuttle backward across the floor. I bought it from the Twelfth Architect in the Underworks. At first it felt weird. Then I realized retreating without turning around is faster. It saved me from sweeps that used to end runs.



? Cogfly: My Little Mechanical Killers

This red Tool creates up to three automaton bugs. They fly beside Hornet and home in on enemies. I call them my children now. They clear weak bugs in one hit. They chip bosses multiple times while I dodge. It is incredible.



?️ Longclaw: A Bit More Needle

The Longclaw is blue, obtained through the Broodfeast or Runtfeast Wish. It increases the size of Needle swings. That extra reach makes boss approaches safer. It also knocks enemies back sooner. Range is not just damage; it is safety. I underestimated it, then I tried it.



? Magnetite Dice: RNG Prayers

This yellow Tool can come from a few places depending on the act, often the Blasted Steps. It grants a chance to negate damage, maxing out at ten percent. Ten percent sounds low. But when it triggers during a Savage Beastfly charge, you feel chosen. If you have bad luck, it will mock you.



? Threefold Pin: Triple Trouble

This red Tool is found in Greymoor. It upgrades the Straight Pin: three pins at different angles. Hit all three on a large boss and watch health melt. The activation is fast enough to spam. It is probably the most lethal ranged option Hornet has. I keep it slotted for every boss now.



☠️ Pollip Pouch: Venom on Everything

I earned this blue Tool by completing the Rite of the Pollip Wish. It adds venom to every other offensive Tool, changing their appearance and adding stacking damage. It never needs refilling. I pair it with Cogfly and Threefold Pin. Bosses melt. It feels too strong, but I am not complaining.



Not every Tool is a winner, but the ones above reshaped how I play Silksong. I still experiment. I still make bad loadouts. But in 2026, these are the Tools that stay on my Crest.

If you are already deep into Pharloom, these Tools should be on your radar before you even step into the next boss arena. But if you are still waiting to pick up the game, Silksong is the kind of experience that rewards experimentation, and every shard of progress feels earned. The good news is that you do not have to pay full price just to start your hunt for the best loadouts.

Whenever I want to build a fresh save or grab a copy for a friend, I check DealNest for the cheapest steam keys available. It has become my go-to for catching a discount on the games I plan to sink dozens of hours into, and it is a simple way to get more value out of the hobby.

When I started a fresh run of Hollow Knight: Silksong in 2026, I made a promise to myself: no locked Simple Door would remain closed. Simple Keys are rare items that open Simple Doors, allowing Hornet to access new areas, hidden treasure caches, quest objectives, and shortcuts. In my first playthrough, I underestimated them because the game never flashes a trophy for opening all doors. But after countless long treks back to bosses, I changed my mind.



The main challenge is that Simple Keys are not grouped in one convenient spot. Two are sold by NPC vendors who demand huge Rosary payments, while the other two are objects you pick up somewhere on the map. One of those pickups is tied to a quest, and another only appears after you beat one of Silksong's deadly bosses and unlock a bench. This distribution makes them easy to miss, especially when the map is still mostly unexplored. Why do I call them rare? Because on a blind run, you might complete several hours without ever seeing one.

How I Found the Four Simple Keys

The most important rule I learned is that no Simple Key is tied to a specific Simple Door. Any Key can open any Door, so you don't need to stress about matching them.

Here is how the four Keys are distributed:

Key Source
Number
My Experience

NPC vendors
2
Both asked for a large number of Rosaries; I had to delay buying one until I'd farmed enough in the mid-game.

World pickups
2
One was hidden in a route I only found after using Hornet's movement abilities; the other came from a quest chain and a boss bench.

In practice, the vendor Keys forced me to choose between spending Rosaries on permanent upgrades or opening a shortcut. The scattered Keys were less about money and more about observation. I started marking every suspicious corner on my map, and that habit made backtracking far less painful.



The quest-related Key took the longest. It was not a simple matter of walking to a point on the map. I had to complete a chain of objectives first, which meant more combat, more exploration, and more patience. The boss-related Key felt rewarding immediately because it unlocked next to a bench. After that fight, I could finally rest, recover, and grab the loot in the same moment.

Simple Doors: Where Keys Actually Get Used

Having a pocket full of Simple Keys means nothing if I couldn't remember where the Simple Doors were. There are four disconnected locations across the map, and unless you mark them as soon as you find them, you'll waste time wandering back. I learned that the hard way when I passed an early Door, forgot its exact position, and then had to retrace my steps for nearly twenty minutes.



Not every Door can be reached from the start. Some require special abilities like Hornet's Double Jump or Dash, and until you progress far enough, they remain inaccessible even if you already have a spare Simple Key. This is where the game rewards thorough exploration. I would often spot a Door from a ledge and make a mental note: "Come back once Dash is ready."

The following table summarizes how I handled the Doors:

Door Challenge
My Approach

Door blocked by movement ability
I waited until I had Double Jump or Dash before returning.

Door in an obscure corner
I placed a map marker immediately so I didn't lose it.

Door near a dangerous route
I opened it only after clearing nearby enemies to avoid repeated deaths.

Opening these Doors can lead to shortcuts, new areas, or even important quests tied to hidden parts of Silksong's story. Given how brutal some boss run-backs can be, extra paths are incredibly helpful. Instead of repeating a long deadly corridor, I could take a shorter route and arrive with more health and more focus.

Is It Worth Finding Every Key and Door?

Absolutely. There may be no achievements or trophies tied to opening every Simple Door, but the quality-of-life improvement is huge. Once I found every Simple Key and opened the Doors I had marked, navigation became much less stressful. I could focus on other goals instead of dreading every trip across the map.

So, should you chase down all four Simple Keys? If you value shortcuts, hidden treasures, and a less frustrating route through Pharloom, the answer is yes. Just keep your map markers organized, farm Rosaries when you can, and be ready to return to locked Doors once Hornet learns a few essential movement skills.

That same mindset of hunting down every hidden key and maximizing every reward is exactly what I bring to building my game library. If you are the kind of player who enjoys squeezing every bit of value out of an experience, you likely already know that patience pays off both in Pharloom and at the checkout screen. Why pay full price when a little research can unlock savings just like a Simple Key unlocks a shortcut? For those who want to stretch their gaming budget further, it is worth checking out where to buy cheap games before committing to your next purchase.

DealNest rounds up solid deals across platforms, helping you compare prices the same way you might compare routes between two Door locations. A few minutes of browsing can save you enough to fund your next Steam purchase or that indie gem you have been eyeing. After all, the smartest explorers in Hallownest and Pharloom never walk into a shop without knowing exactly what they should be paying.

I've been spending way too many nights exploring every corner of Pharloom since Silksong landed, and I thought I had seen most of what Team Cherry tucked into this massive world. Then I wandered into the Far Fields and got grabbed by that armored flea. You know the one: a heavily armored flea swinging a cage like a weapon. It slams that cage down over you, the screen fades to black, and you wake up in The Slab with your needle gone. Standard stuff, right? Well, it turns out there's a hidden version of this capture that only triggers if you're carrying a curse at the time. And after seeing it, I'm convinced this is one of the coolest little interactions in the entire game.



Let me set the scene. Normally, when that armored flea slams its cage down on you, it's a scripted capture. You wake up stripped of your gear, locked deep inside The Slab, and have to escape through the dungeon. The usual sequence is to platform past guards, find the warden, snap its neck, grab your confiscated needle, and leave through the Bellway. It's tense, but once you know the route, it becomes manageable. The regular prison escape is already one of the most stressful parts of Hornet's journey early on.

The cursed capture is completely different. The change happens right after the fade to black. Instead of waking up inside a cell, you regain consciousness exactly where you were captured—well, in the area, at least. You hear a fight break out between the flea and the parasite inside you. The cage is destroyed. The armored flea that grabbed you is dead on the ground. Apparently, the curse you're carrying isn't just a debuff; it's linked to a parasite, and that parasite does not appreciate being thrown into a cage with its host. It's a wild moment, especially if you weren't expecting it.

Why is this encounter so rare? Because the timing rarely lines up. You get cursed much later in the game. By that point, most players have already defeated the armored flea or already visited The Slab. Some folks in the community have reported seeing it naturally, but a lot of us only found it through a save editor, like the player Zooper_Dooper who first documented it. It's one of those wonderful hidden states that makes you want to replay the entire game just to see it with your own eyes.

Let's break down the two outcomes in a quick table:

Situation
What happens after the fade to black

Normal capture
You wake up in The Slab, unarmed, and must escape via the Bellway

Capture while cursed
The flea and parasite fight; the cage breaks; you wake up next to a dead captor

That's not just a small flavor difference. It's a full mechanical branch. Exploring The Slab without any gear is already brutal. Hornet has to rely on her mobility, baiting enemies, reading attack patterns, and using every bit of vertical space she can find. Throw in a curse that blocks healing, and the escape would be a nightmare. Team Cherry clearly knew that forcing players into that situation would feel unfair, so they wrote this alternate outcome where the curse saves you instead of punishing you.

I think this is why Hollow Knight: Silksong feels so alive. The developers have said they got sidetracked during development, spending six years chasing ideas and pulling themselves away from their keyboards before they'd never finish the game. That kind of perfectionism shows up everywhere, but especially in rare interactions like this. Most players will never trigger it. Yet Team Cherry built it anyway because it's consistent with the world's logic. If Hornet is carrying a hostile parasite—or some kind of curse entity—then trapping her in a cage with another aggressive creature could absolutely lead to a fight. The game doesn't just tell you that the curse is dangerous; it shows you the consequences through an entirely hidden scene.

Another thing I love is how the community reacts to this. Some players assumed it was a glitch at first, like the game failed to load the prison sequence. But when you dig into the logic, it makes perfect sense. It reminds me of the way the original Hollow Knight handled the Dream Nail and secret areas. Silksong expands that philosophy onto a much larger map. You have the Far Fields, the Bellway, The Slab, all connected by overlapping systems. The fact that a late-game curse can alter an early-game capture encounter proves that progression isn't a straight line. Pharloom's systems are interconnected, and your choices—or your infections—matter more than you'd expect.

If you want to see this for yourself, I'd recommend holding off on the Far Fields capture until you've picked up a curse. Or, if you're like me and already burned through that area long ago, use a save editor to experiment. Just remember: when you hear that fight break out in the dark, don't panic. The flea might be dead, but you're still cursed, and there's nothing stopping the next enemy from trying to finish the job. Team Cherry thought of everything, and honestly, that's both a blessing and a warning.

For those of us who love digging into every hidden corner of a game like this, the journey doesn't stop when the credits roll. Replaying, experimenting, and even sharing discoveries with friends often means picking up multiple copies across different platforms—or grabbing the original Hollow Knight for someone new to the series. Prices fluctuate all the time, though, and missing a good sale by a day or two is always frustrating.

That's why I've started checking a game price tracker before any big purchase, especially when a game I've been anticipating for years finally gets a release date. It's a small habit that saves money and makes it easier to recommend a game to friends without worrying about whether they're paying full price. And honestly, with a game as dense and replayable as Silksong, you'll want to make sure you can get it into as many hands as possible.