Navigating the intricate world of Pharloom to discover all of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s crest locations presents a thrilling challenge. For players looking to refine their strategies and unleash powerful new abilities, mastering your combat style early on is key. As your guides at Digital Tech Explorer, we understand the importance of making informed decisions for your gameplay. These invaluable artifacts alter Hornet’s attack moveset, with some even granting unique skills that activate upon binding.
From charged attacks like Needle Strike to basic pogo maneuvers, the crest you equip can dramatically impact your overall approach to combat and exploration. This guide, brought to you by TechTalesLeo, details every significant crest location in Silksong, including my top recommendation based on extensive playtesting.
What’s the optimal crest in Silksong?
Based on my in-depth analysis and extensive playtime within the game, the Reaper crest stands out as the most impactful choice. Its ability to generate additional silk from attacks after you bind is incredibly potent, especially in prolonged arena battles and against formidable bosses. Silk is fundamental for healing and unleashing powerful skills, making any enhancement to its acquisition incredibly valuable.
Beyond silk generation, the Reaper crest also offers the most reliable downward pogo attack, a staple move for effective combat and platforming throughout Pharloom. Furthermore, its impressive sprint attack can be quickly chained into an additional strike, creating a fluid one-two combo. While personal preferences may evolve with further discoveries in the game, the Reaper crest remains my top recommendation among the early and mid-game options for its sheer utility and combat prowess.
Evolved Crest of the Hunter location
“Stalk prey and attack with lethal strikes. Builds focus with successive strikes.”
- Location: Weavenest Atla, Moss Grove
While you begin your adventure with the basic Hunter crest, an upgraded version awaits. After acquiring the Needolin by defeating the Widow boss and freeing Bellhart on your main quest path, return to the right side of Moss Grove (the game’s starting area). Play your Needolin to open the bug-faced door, descend the lift, and proceed right to encounter Eva. Agree to grant her insight, and she will bestow upon you the Evolved Crest of the Hunter. This enhanced crest builds focus with successive hits, dealing increased damage when focus is full, though you’ll lose it if you take damage.
Crest of the Wanderer location
“Cut swiftly and nimbly with short, precise strikes.”
- Location: Bonegrave, Bone Bottom
The Crest of the Wanderer is arguably the first alternate crest you can obtain. Purchase the Simple Key from Pebb in Bone Bottom. Once you’ve acquired the Swift Step upgrade in Deep Docks, use it to leap across the gap above Bone Bottom, to the left of Mosshome. Here, you’ll discover a locked door leading into the Wormways. Descend through them, and you’ll arrive at Bonegrave, finding the crest behind a blocked door to the left of the chapel.
Alternatively, you might reach this area by dropping into the Wormways through upper entrances after coming left out of the Shellwood into the main shaft. Regardless of your entry point, venture into the Chapel of the Wanderer and complete its challenge to earn this valuable crest.
This crest allows for rapid, precise strikes, making it ideal for players who favor high attack frequency during boss damage phases. It’s also excellent for harvesting silk quickly, as more hits mean more resources. While it lacks a bind-based effect, its combat efficiency makes it a superb option, especially if you wish to replace the initial diagonal downward strike quickly. Fans of the Knight’s moveset from the original Hollow Knight will find this crest familiar and highly effective.
Crest of the Beast location
“Tear foes with savage slashes. Bind to enter a wild fury and steal life from the enemy.”
- Location: Chapel of the Beast, Hunter’s March
I recommend acquiring this crest a bit later in your journey, after you’ve unlocked the Cling Grip wall jump from Sister Splinter. To reach it, you’ll need to enter Hunter’s March, either by defeating the formidable ant miniboss in the far right of The Marrow or by traveling upwards from the top right of Deep Docks (which can save significant platforming). The boss guarding this crest is located on the far right of the area. Be sure to activate the Hunter’s March bench nearby, as repeated attempts are likely, and the runback without it is punishing.
After successfully defeating the Savage Beastfly (the wall jump is incredibly useful for evading its charges), you will receive the Crest of the Beast. This crest empowers Hornet with savage, claw-like slashes. When you bind to heal, you’ll briefly enter a furious state, allowing you to lifesteal from enemies.
Crest of the Reaper location
“Attack with heavy, arcing slashes and reap additional silk from enemies.”
- Location: Chapel of the Reaper, Greymoor
As highlighted earlier, the Reaper crest is exceptionally powerful. Its primary advantage is generating additional silk in the form of collectible orbs for a duration after binding. This, combined with its highly reliable and effective downward pogo attack, makes it a cornerstone of an aggressive yet sustainable playstyle.
You can acquire this crest after reaching Greymoor, either via the Far Fields or by completing The Lost Fleas quest. The Chapel of the Reaper is situated atop a tower on the left side of Greymoor (or to your right if you arrived via the flea caravan). You’ll recognize the chapel by its inhabitants: bugs wielding massive scissors.
Inside the chapel, you’ll need to climb the tower, navigate some platforming challenges, and engage in an arena battle against these scissor-wielding foes. This encounter can be quite challenging, so I highly recommend utilizing helpful tools like the Sting Shards, obtainable from Forge Daughter in Deep Dock. These exploding AoE traps are incredibly effective in arena battles and can devastate entire waves of enemies if placed strategically. Once victorious, the crest awaits at the summit.
Crest of the Architect location
“Spin the Needle as a screw, shredding foes. Spend Silk to rapidly craft new skills.”
- Location: Above the Cauldron, the Underworks.
The Crest of the Architect is likely one of the later crests you’ll discover in Silksong, tucked away deep into Act 2 at the bottom of a long elevator shaft. You can access the Cauldron via Whiteworks—a necessary path to eventually acquire the Clawline. Once you possess the Clawline ability, you’ll find the Twelfth Architect to the top right of the Cauldron’s first bench.
Unlocking this crest requires an additional step: you’ll need to have found a certain number of tools. The exact count isn’t fixed, but I had thirteen in total when the Architect began offering me the key. It’s possible fewer are needed if you make the return trip sooner.
Once it becomes available, purchase the Architect’s Key for 110 rosaries. Then, head to the right, up, and back across to locate the Chapel of the Architect. Unlike other chapels, there’s no combat challenge here; simply walk in and bind to claim your reward.
Consider saving some Memory Lockets for this powerful artifact, as it starts with a generous three tool slots but offers no room for amulets or trinkets.
This crest features variable aerial and dash attacks that change based on how long you hold the attack button. Its main appeal, however, is the ability to refresh tools on the move by spending silk—achieved by holding up and pressing Bind. This mechanic pairs exceptionally well with accessories like the Pollip Pouch, which imbues all your tools with venom.
Crest of the Shaman location
“Cast the blade forward and strengthen Silk Skills with powerful runes.”
- Location: In the Ruined Chapel in Moss Grotto in Act 3.
The Shaman Crest is relatively straightforward to obtain once you reach Act 3 and complete The Dark Below quest, which grants you the invaluable Silk Soar ability. With Silk Soar in hand, enter the Ruined Chapel in Moss Grotto. Proceed to the right side of the room and use Silk Soar to ascend to the very top. From there, simply follow the path, smashing through the snail shell walls until you reach a large snail shell at the bottom where you can bind to claim the Shaman Crest.
This crest focuses entirely on ranged attacks and significantly strengthens Silk Skills, making it an excellent choice for players who prefer to maintain a safe distance from bosses or tough enemies while still dealing substantial damage.
Crest of the Witch location
“Whip the needle in sweeping swings. Leech the life of foes through twisted roots.”
- Location: Infect yourself with the Twisted Bud and remove it via the Infestation Operation quest
Acquiring this crest involves one of the more elaborate questlines in the game. First, you must locate the Twisted Bud, then deliver it to Greyroot in Shellwood, and finally complete the Infestation Operation quest. All these intricate steps are detailed in the linked guide, including the bud’s initial location. Upon successful completion of this challenging endeavor, you will be rewarded with the coveted Witch Crest.
In my opinion, this crest boasts one of the most compelling movesets in the game, featuring a two-hit sprint and a powerful two-hit pogo attack. Its unique characteristic, however, is that healing via bind requires you to engage enemies up close, hitting them with the roots you produce to steal their life. While this can be extremely dangerous during boss encounters, aggressive players utilizing the Injector Band to accelerate binding can master this high-risk, high-reward playstyle.
Understanding and mastering these crests will undoubtedly enhance your journey through Pharloom. For more in-depth guides and expert analyses to help you stay ahead in the world of gaming and tech, be sure to explore more of what Digital Tech Explorer has to offer. Dive deeper into Hornet’s adventure with these related resources:
- Silksong guide: Home of all our bug-battling tips
- Silksong flea locations: Gather the lost fleas
- Silksong simple key locations: Where to use it
- Silksong Hokers location: Support the Seamstress
- Hunter’s March bench: Yes there is one