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.

I still remember the first time I stepped into Hallownest...

Five years later, Pharloom pulls me back with the same magnetic dread. Let me tell you, the wait was agonizing, but boy, was it worth it. Team Cherry, a tiny team that built both Hollow Knight and Silksong, has crafted something monumental, and in 2026 it's finally in our hands. This is a game that began as DLC and blossomed into a full-fledged title, and the trust the community placed in these developers has paid off in spades.

Pharloom: A World That Breathes

Pharloom doesn't just exist; it exhales. Every corner feels alive, and yet the kingdom is laced with an underlying rot. This is a Metroidvania that rivals FromSoftware's worlds when it comes to lore and environmental storytelling. The biomes work in tandem with the overarching hierarchy of Pharloom, and the sheer amount of subtle nudges tucked into the environment is staggering.



The residents of Pharloom bring the world to life with their comical interactions, especially when they bounce off Hornet's stone-faced stoicism. It's hard not to smile when a bubbly NPC tries to befriend a protagonist who responds with silence and a blank stare. The game is massive—over forty hours if you want to uncover every side quest and secret. You can technically finish in ten to twenty hours, but honestly, that would be a crime. The hidden content is some of the best stuff here.

Combat: A Dance With Punishment

Silksong is no slouch when it comes to difficulty. This is a challenging game, and it will test everyone. Most bosses hit for two masks of damage for every slip-up, meaning every movement, dodge, and parry must be mastered down to the slightest adjustment. That might sound brutal, and it is, but the majority of battles are genuinely memorable.

Still, there are moments when the design feels a little unfair. For instance, running into a stunned enemy's hitbox still deals full damage, and some bosses passively float near Hornet, cornering her in spots where dodging their body is nearly impossible even when they aren't attacking. The hitboxes themselves can also be finicky—sometimes too large, sometimes not large enough. It's a minor frustration, but it does rear its head during tense fights.

That said, the variety in combat is incredible. Tools and crests scattered throughout the world drastically change how you approach each situation. Experimentation is encouraged, and that, combined with easily overlooked secrets and multiple endings, ensures the game feels replayable long after the credits roll. Honestly, I've got to hand it to Team Cherry—they know how to keep me coming back.

Boss fights worth remembering

Unforgettable encounters that feel woven into the setting

A handful of weaker battles with tacked-on mobs and only two mechanics

Flexible build options let you tackle challenges in different ways



Platforming: Tight, Yet Sometimes Slippery

And then... there's the platforming. For the most part, it works beautifully—especially when you're using new abilities to revisit old areas. That's the heart of any Metroidvania, and Silksong nails that sense of progression. But the controls can occasionally get in the way. Hornet sometimes aims in the wrong direction for pogo jumps or dashes, and I've lost count of the inputs that simply didn't register, leaving me vulnerable in vital spots. It's a shame because the platforming puzzles are genuinely creative, but the precision required can feel like a crapshoot.

Presentation: A Beautiful, Decaying Dream

The presentation is nothing short of jaw-dropping. The 2D visuals give life to a depressing yet vibrant world, and each character is dramatically different from the next. The same can be said for every biome, from lush forestry to putrid backwater sewers. The level of detail is unmatched, with the smallest secrets hidden in the impressively detailed dressings of the world.

Audio is equally stellar. Characters speak only in occasional fragments of a fictional language, but that only adds charm while you read their dialogue. The boss music is FromSoftware-grade, and the sound effects emanating from Hornet pull you right into the derelict atmosphere.

Final Thoughts

Pros
Cons

? Gorgeous, interconnected world
⚔️ Occasional unfair hitboxes

? Stunning audio design
?️ Platforming inputs can feel unresponsive

? High replayability and experimentation
? Some boss mechanics feel tacked on

? Memorable encounters and NPCs
? Contact damage can frustrate

Silksong had enormous shoes to fill, and it fills them with style. The world is absolutely gorgeous, the biomes vary significantly, and the amount of exploration on offer is unmatched. The presentation, both visual and audio, nails the atmosphere. Yes, the tight controls can frustrate—especially when inputs vanish at critical moments—and there are questionable combat design choices. But despite those issues, Hollow Knight: Silksong is a game for the ages. In true Metroidvania fashion, it will have you coming back for more, and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

If this review has piqued your curiosity and you're eager to explore Pharloom for yourself, it's smart to shop around before pulling the trigger. Games often drop in price across different platforms and regions, and savvy players know that a few minutes of research can save a significant chunk of change.

That's where a reliable game price comparison tool like DealNest comes in handy. It aggregates current offers from multiple retailers, so you can find the best deal on Hollow Knight: Silksong without having to manually browse every store. With the right price secured, you'll be free to lose yourself in one of the most memorable Metroidvanias in years.

Let me be real with you: Groal the Great is one of those bosses that made me question every life choice that led me to Bilewater. This big, grouchy lump lives in the top area of Bilewater, a swampy, dark corner of Pharloom that feels like it was designed by someone who really wanted to test your patience. Poison lakes everywhere, enemies that hit like trucks, platforming that punishes every slip, and on top of that, the nearest regular Bench is a whole journey away. Honestly, the runback alone was enough to make me want to throw my controller out the window.

But here's the thing — I didn't beat this fight by being some flawless, god-tier player. I beat it by preparing like a lunatic and then cheesing the absolute life out of it. If I can do it, so can you. Let me walk you through exactly how I turned this nightmare into a quick, satisfying victory.



Where to Find the Big Grump

You'll find Groal the Great in the top area of Bilewater. If you haven't been there yet, Bilewater is accessed from Greymoor and the Whispering Vaults, and it's the kind of place that makes you glad you packed extra patience. Before you even think about exploring it, make sure you've unlocked these passive abilities:

Swift Step — unlocked in Deep Docks

Drifter's Cloak — unlocked in Far Fields

Clawline — unlocked in The Cauldron

Cling Grip — unlocked in Sheelwood

Faydown Cloak — unlocked in Mount Fay

I cannot stress this enough: do not try to wander into Bilewater before you have all of those. I did it once, just to poke around, and I couldn't even buy the map. It was miserable. Once you have the full kit, though, the big guy is waiting for you as you make your way up through the region.



Pack Your Cheese Toolkit

This is the fun part. To completely trivialize Groal the Great, you need to stack a few specific tools and upgrades. Here's what I used:

Reaper Crest — lets you equip two of each tool color (two Red, two Blue, two Yellow). We need all the slots we can get.

Fractured Mask or Weavelight — I went with Fractured Mask for the extra life, but Weavelight is also great since it helps you regenerate Silk faster. Bilewater's poison will eat your Silk if you're not careful.

Cogfly — your little mechanical friend that flies out and annoys bosses for you.

Curveclaw or Conchcutter — a long-distance damage dealer. I used Curveclaw because it just feels satisfying to spam.

Pollip Pouch — automatically adds poison to your weapons. Beautiful.

For Yellow tools, I took the Compass (the runback is weird and I hate getting lost) and the Weighted Belt. These aren't strictly required, but they made my life easier.

You'll also want to upgrade your Needle twice with the Pinmaster. For that, you need two Pale Oils — one from the Whispering Vaults, and one from the "Great Taste of Pharloom" quest. And if you really want to squeeze out every drop of damage, grab all four Crafting Kits. You can buy three of them (one from the Forge Daughter in Deep Docks, one from the Twelfth Architect in Underworks, and one from Grindle in Blasted Steps), and the fourth comes from the "Crawbug Clearing" quest.



The Secret Bench Nobody Talks About

Most players think there's only one Bench in Bilewater. They are wrong, and this secret saved my sanity. There's a hidden Bench much closer to Groal the Great's arena, and once you know the route, the runback becomes way more tolerable.

Here's exactly how to reach it:

Make your way up through Bilewater until you find a dark area with several hanging pilgrims.

Head right into the narrow corridor with traps.

Keep moving right, even when the path starts going up, and intentionally drop into a pool of poisonous water.

Break the hidden wall on your right and follow the secret passage. There are no enemies here, just poison water.

Keep progressing left until you find the Bench.

From that Bench, it still takes a couple of minutes to reach the boss arena, but compared to the regular Bench, it's a breath of fresh air. On your way there, just run past every enemy and don't stop to fight. Before fully entering the arena, stop at the entrance and climb the wall above you — there's a hidden spot with extra Silk that's perfect for a quick heal.

Phase 1: The Endurance Test from the Swamp

The first phase isn't even Groal the Great himself. It's a bunch of Bilewater's most annoying regular enemies, thrown at you in waves. This part is all about staying calm and not getting poisoned.

Here's the order of enemies and how to handle them:

Wave
Enemies
Strategy

1
Two moss enemies that spit poison
Watch the bubbles in the ground to predict where they'll pop up. Jump on one's head and hit it three times, then repeat for the second.

2
Two floating moss enemies with spears
Same bubble trick, but they jump a bit higher. Wait for the right moment, then strike each one quickly.

3
Three exploding flies
Move to the side to avoid the spike ambush, then hit each fly three times. Easy, but don't get greedy.

4
One of each moss enemy
Same head-bouncing strategy. After both are down, run to the side again because the spike ambush comes back twice.

5
Two flies and one moss enemy
Mix the strategies. Stay patient, don't panic, and clean them up.

Once the last wave is done, the real show starts.



Phase 2: The Actual Cheese

Now for the good part. As soon as Groal the Great appears screaming in the arena, plant yourself in one of the corners and activate all your Cogflies. Then start throwing Curveclaw (or Conchcutter) at him with zero mercy. Just keep throwing.

He's going to try to ruin your day with poisonous bubbles, a swallow attack, and some nasty shiny projectiles when he gets upset. All you have to do is jump to avoid his moves and keep the ranged damage flowing. The Cogflies will do their little robot thing, the poison from Pollip Pouch will tick away, and before you know it, the big guy crumples.

Seriously, this fight went from "I hate this game" to "wait, that's it?" in about fifteen seconds. It was glorious.

What You Get for Your Trouble

Defeating Groal the Great feels amazing on its own, but you also get the Seeker's Soul, which you need for the "Silk And Soul" quest. Plus, you open up the path to the Putrified Ducts, which is another delightful little corner of Pharloom. But that's a story for another day.



So there you have it. Grab your tools, find the secret Bench, clear those first waves with a cool head, and then absolutely melt the boss with your ranged cheese setup. You've got this — and if you don't, at least you'll have a great story about the time you threw a bunch of Cogflies at a swamp monster.

Once you've toppled Groal the Great and explored every last corner of Pharloom, that familiar itch sets in: you want more games that test your patience, reward your persistence, and make you shout at the screen in the best way possible. But great games add up fast, and not everyone has an endless budget for new adventures.

That's where a little smart shopping comes in handy. Before you pull the trigger on your next purchase, it's worth checking out a steam deal finder like DealNest to catch the best discounts on indie gems and big titles alike. With the right deal, you can grab your next obsession for a fraction of the price — and maybe even find another hidden gem that gives you the same rush as finally putting Groal in his place.