How to Unlock All Crests in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong is an Australian platformer that became a worldwide hit on release day. The journey through the kingdom of bugs will be a real challenge for many players. In this guide, you’ll learn what Crests are and where to find them. In addition, we’ll tell you how to build powerful builds with them.

Crests are special devices for equipping tools that grant additional skills and passive effects, influencing the heroine’s stats. Each crest has its own set of slots for charms. Moreover, the type of crest determines the set and style of needle attacks.

Below, we’ll describe how many tools can be equipped on crests and where to find them. We’ll also explain how Hornet’s attack style changes, and add that charm slots must be unlocked using Memory Lockets, which can be found in biomes or purchased from merchants.

The starting crest, available from the very beginning of the game.

Tool set:

Now let’s describe the attacks Hornet performs when wearing this crest.

The following equipment works best with the Hunter Crest:

Head to the Greymoor and go through the tomb. The easiest way to reach the ruins is from Bellhart. Move east from the bench through the boss arena with Moorwing, then go north and find the passage to the left. Inside the burial site, you need to get past the spinning wheel with spiked stars, then climb up to where a body with the crest is lying.

Tool set:

With this crest, Hornet can perform the following attacks:

Basic attack: Alternating pinpoint strikes from above and below. The attack resembles the motion of a descending claw. The range is above average, but the speed is noticeably lower.

Downward attack while jumping: Spins around her axis with the needle, creating a hemispherical damage zone.

Dash thrust: A stabbing needle lunge that goes from bottom to top.

Charged attack: A powerful but slow needle swing from top to bottom, with an attack area covering more than half a circle.

To assemble one of the best builds for this crest, use this equipment:

Find the Bonegrave in the western part of the Bone Bottom biome. To get there, head west from the shop located at the border of the Mosshome and The Marrow biomes. You need to reach the Wormways and exit south through this location into the bottom, where the burial site is located at the far west.

Inside, you’ll encounter many traps. If you see taut ropes, cut them to avoid an ambush. About halfway through, you’ll need to defeat a group of hostile pilgrims and reach the bottom of the grave, where a body with the crest lies.

Tool set:

Use this crest, and Hornet will have the following attacks:

The following equipment works well with this crest:

Defeat the Savage Beastfly in the The Hunter's March location. Reach the bench in the center of the biome, descend down, move east, then go up.

To make the boss fight easier, use:

To kill the boss, study its behavior, get your timing right, and follow our recommendations:

Tool set for the Beast Crest:

With this crest, the heroine will have the following moves:

The following equipment suits this crest:

Head to Shellwood to Greyroot and bring him a Twisted Bud from the Exhaust Organ location, then complete the Rite of Rebirth and Infestation Operation quests.

Tool set:

Hornet gains these attacks:

This crest is considered most powerful with the following equipment:

Above the cauldron in the Underworks is the merchant Twelfth Architect, from whom you need to purchase the Architect's Key. To reach him, from the Grand Bellway elevator, travel to the Underworks, then head northeast to the architect’s shop.

Tool set:

Now all needle attacks have an expanded hit area because they are performed with a spinning drill.

The following equipment works best with the Architect Crest:

Enter the Ruined Chapel in the northwest of the starting area. Move left from the bench to the sign and use the Silk Soar ability. Proceed to the end of the tomb and break open the huge shell.

Tool set:

When wearing this crest, Hornet attacks with arcing energy lines:

This crest is considered the strongest because it allows you to use three silk abilities at once. Below is a powerful set of tools for this build: