Hollow Knight: Silksong Crest Guide: Locations, Abilities, and Upgrades

In the highly anticipated world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, Crests are pivotal equipment that fundamentally reshape Hornet's combat style, exploration capabilities, and overall build. Functioning much like the Charms and Notches from the original Hollow Knight, these special implements allow Hornet to equip various Tools, each with its own color-coded slot. Understanding where to find each Crest, its unique abilities, and how to upgrade them is crucial for mastering the challenges of Pharloom.

This comprehensive guide details the locations, unique features, tool slot configurations, and upgrade paths for all seven main Crests, along with insights into the Vesticrest.

Understanding Crests in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Crests are more than just equipment; they define Hornet's moveset, from her basic needle attacks to her evasive maneuvers and powerful binds. Each Crest provides a distinct approach to combat and platforming, offering players a wide array of strategic choices.

What are Crests?

Equipping a Crest alters Hornet's primary attacks, including her regular strikes, dash attacks, and crucial downward "pogo" maneuvers. Beyond changing animations and hitboxes, many Crests also grant unique passive abilities or modify Hornet's bind, her silk-consuming healing action. Swapping Crests can be done at any bench, allowing for on-the-fly adaptation to different encounters.

Tool Slots and Customization

Every Crest comes with a set number of color-coded tool slots:

• Red Slots: For offensive buffs and consumable tools.
• Blue Slots: For support and defensive tools.
• Yellow Slots: Primarily for utility and exploration-focused effects.
• White Slots (Silk Skill Slots): Dedicated to equipping powerful Silk Skills.

Initially, each Crest has a default set of unlocked slots. Additional slots can be unlocked by finding and using Memory Lockets scattered throughout Pharloom, providing further customization depth.

All Crest Locations and Detailed Abilities

Here's where to find each of the seven main Crests in Hollow Knight: Silksong, along with a breakdown of their unique features and slot configurations.

Hunter Crest

The Hunter Crest is Hornet's starting equipment, offering a balanced and versatile moveset. It’s an excellent all-rounder, adaptable to various situations, and unique for its upgrade potential.

• Location: Available from the start of the game.
• Description: "Stalk prey and attack with lethal strikes." Its attacks are curved arcs, and its dash attack features a forward stab. The downward slash causes Hornet to move diagonally downwards in her facing direction.
• Unique Feature (After Upgrade): Builds "focus" with successive attacks without taking damage. A full focus meter significantly increases attack damage. Getting hit resets the meter.
• Initial Slots: 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Yellow, 1 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Yellow.

Wanderer Crest

The Wanderer Crest offers a nimble and precise playstyle reminiscent of the Knight from the original Hollow Knight, making it a familiar choice for veterans.

• Location: Found in the Chapel of the Wanderer in Bonegrave, an area accessible from the left side of Mosshome, near the hanging cages.
  • Route 1 (Swift Step & Simple Key): From the left side of Mosshome/Bone Bottom, use Swift Step across a gap to a locked door leading to Wormways. Descend Wormways to Bonegrave. The Simple Key (500 Rosaries from Pebb in Bone Bottom) is required.
  • Route 2 (Cling Grip & Drifter's Cloak): Float downwards from Mosshome until a platform appears on the left. Glide left to a rooftop, climb the wall, and enter Bonegrave.
• Description: "Cut swiftly and nimbly with short, precise strikes." This crest has a shorter weapon range but allows for rapid, precise strikes, ideal for hit-and-run tactics. Its downward slash offers a reliable pogo.
• Unique Feature: When enough silk is available to bind, attacks gain a small chance to deal critical damage.
• Initial Slots: 1 Red, 2 Yellow, 1 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 2 Blue, 1 Yellow.

Beast Crest

Designed for aggressive players, the Beast Crest sacrifices defensive options for raw offensive power and a unique lifesteal mechanic.

• Location: Unlocked after completing the Chapel of the Beast in the southeastern region of Hunter's March.
  • Requirement: First, obtain the Drifter's Cloak from the Seamstress in Farfields (by completing the Flexile Spines Wish).
  • Access: Use the Drifter's Cloak to ride an air current upwards in the southeastern corner of Hunter's March to reach the chapel.
  • Challenge: Defeat the Savage Beastfly boss within the chapel.
• Description: "Tear foes with savage slashes. Bind to enter a wild fury and steal life from prey." Attacks are wide, claw-like slashes. The downward attack transforms Hornet into a forward-rolling buzzsaw.
• Unique Feature: Instead of directly healing, binding initiates a fury state where attacks gain increased range, speed, and damage, and steal health on hit for a short duration. Each hit heals one mask, up to three masks per bind.
• Initial Slots: 2 Red, 1 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 2 Yellow.

Reaper Crest

The Reaper Crest focuses on heavy, arcing attacks and provides excellent silk regeneration, enhancing Hornet's survivability and skill usage.

• Location: Unlocked after completing the Chapel of the Reaper, located to the left of the western tower in Greymoor.
  • Access: Climb to the top of the left tower, proceed left into the next area, then descend to the platform just below a Dreg Catcher. The exit to the chapel is on the left.
  • Challenge: Face a gauntlet of enemies within the chapel.
• Description: "Attack with heavy, arcing slashes and reap additional Silk from enemies." Attacks are slower but feature high range with alternating upper and lower strikes. The dash attack is an uppercut slice, complementing its arcing downward slash (pogo).
• Unique Feature: After binding, attacking enemies causes them to drop additional silk fragments for approximately 10 seconds. Collecting these fragments rapidly refills the silk spool, allowing for more frequent binds and Silk Skill usage.
• Initial Slots: 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Yellow, 1 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Yellow.

Architect Crest

The Architect Crest transforms Hornet's needle into a powerful drill, emphasizing technical play and offering unique tool replenishment options at the cost of traditional healing.

• Location: Found in the Chapel of the Architect in The Underworks.
  • Requirement: Purchase the Architect's Key from the Twelfth Architect.
  • Twelfth Architect Location: You need the Clawline ability (found in The Cauldron). From the bench above The Cauldron, grapple to the ring above, jump to the right platform, hit the switch, and enter the room to find the architect.
  • Key Purchase: The Twelfth Architect sells the key for 110 Rosaries after you have acquired at least 25 tools.
  • Chapel Access: After buying the key, hit the switch to the right of the architect, climb the wall, hit another switch above, and follow the path to the chapel entrance.
• Description: "Spin the Needle as a screw, shredding foes. Spend Silk to rapidly craft new tools." Attacks are drill-like, often stabbing rather than slashing. The downward strike is a diagonal drill that can be charged for more damage and momentum control. The dash attack hits multiple times.
• Unique Feature: This Crest allows for three Red Tools to be equipped. Its bind ability changes: holding Up while binding replenishes tool charges by consuming silk and shell shards, rather than healing Hornet. This Crest uniquely lacks a default White (Silk Skill) slot.
• Initial Slots: 3 Red.
• Unlockable Slots: 2 Blue, 2 Yellow.

Witch Crest

The Witch Crest offers a highly versatile and aggressive moveset with unique healing mechanics tied to direct enemy engagement.

• Location: Unlocked after completing a complex quest chain involving the Twisted Bud.
  • Questline:
    1. Find the Twisted Bud in Bilewater after completing the "Rite of the Pollip" quest in Shellwood.
    2. Take the Twisted Bud to Greyroot in Shellwood. This will "curse" Hornet, granting a new moveset but disabling tools and traditional healing.
    3. Travel to Yarnaby, a surgeon in the top-left corner of Greymoor.
    4. Complete the "Infestation Operation" quest for Yarnaby, which involves purchasing Steel Spines from Crull and Benjin (top-right of hanging cages in Sinner's Road).
    5. Return to Yarnaby to complete the quest and unlock the Witch Crest.
• Description: "Whip the needle in sweeping swings. Leech the life of foes through twisted roots." Attacks are fast, wide arcs. Both the downward and dash attacks strike twice, allowing for quick, interwoven combos.
• Unique Feature: The bind no longer provides immediate healing. Instead, it sprouts writhing tentacles that deal damage in an area around Hornet. Healing only occurs if these tentacles damage an enemy, with each hit restoring one mask.
• Initial Slots: 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 1 Red, 2 Blue. This Crest has no Yellow slots.

Shaman Crest

The Shaman Crest empowers Silk Skills and offers a unique ranged combat style, allowing Hornet to keep distance while still dealing significant damage.

• Location: Found in the Ruined Chapel in Moss Grotto, exclusively in Act 3.
  • Requirement: Unlock the Silk Soar ability, which is a natural progression unlock in Act 3.
  • Access: Return to the Ruined Chapel and locate a small hole in the ceiling to the right of the bench. Use Silk Soar to super jump through it, then follow the passageway.
• Description: "Cast the blade forward and empower Silk Skills with powerful runes." Hornet's regular attacks send out a wave projectile, and she can charge to release a larger shockwave. The dash attack causes Hornet to jump and shoot a whirlwind blade.
• Unique Feature: Significantly increases the damage of all Silk Skills. The bind also changes; if used in the air, it propels Hornet downwards until she lands, where the heal can then proceed.
• Initial Slots: 3 White (Silk Skill).
• Unlockable Slots: 2 Blue. This Crest has no Red or Yellow slots.

Crest Upgrades and the Vesticrest

Beyond unlocking new Crests, Hornet can also enhance existing ones and gain universal tool slots.

Hunter Crest Upgrades

The Hunter Crest is the only one with direct upgrades, significantly boosting its combat potential.

• Upgrade 1: Speak to Eva in Weavenest Atla (accessible by playing the Needolin at the weaver's face door in Moss Grotto). This upgrade enables the focus meter, increasing damage with successive hits.
• Upgrade 2: Eva offers a second upgrade once you have unlocked all seven main Crests. This further increases the size of your focus bar, allowing for even greater damage potential.

Vesticrest: Additional Tool Slots

The Vesticrest acts as a universal set of tool slots, allowing you to equip tools that remain active regardless of which primary Crest Hornet has equipped. It effectively expands your customization options across all builds.

• Acquisition: The Vesticrest is also given by Eva in Weavenest Atla.
  • Yellow Slot: Unlocked after acquiring at least four Crests and having a total of 12 tool slots open across all Crests. Grants +1 permanent Yellow Tool slot.
  • Blue Slot: Unlocked after acquiring at least five Crests and having a total of 20-24 available tool slots (including the Vesticrest). Grants +1 permanent Blue Tool slot.

Memory Lockets are essential for unlocking the full potential of your Crests and reaching the Vesticrest upgrade thresholds.

Finding Your Perfect Playstyle: Crest Recommendations

While personal preference ultimately dictates the "best" Crest, certain Crests excel in specific scenarios:

• All-Rounders: The Hunter and Wanderer Crests are highly flexible, offering balanced movesets suitable for both exploration and combat. The Hunter's focus mechanic rewards skilled players, while the Wanderer provides quick, precise strikes.
• High Damage / Boss Killers: The Architect and Shaman Crests offer immense damage potential, especially against bosses, though they may have clunkier movesets initially. The Shaman empowers Silk Skills, while the Architect excels at sustained tool usage.
• Silk Efficiency / Survival: The Reaper Crest is a strong contender for its silk-generating capabilities, making it excellent for protracted battles and ensuring you always have resources for healing or skills. The Witch Crest, with its unique lifesteal bind, can also be highly defensive for aggressive players who master its mechanics.
• Aggressive Playstyles: The Beast Crest thrives on relentless aggression, allowing players to steal life from enemies during its fury state. The Witch Crest's versatile two-hit attacks also reward close-range, high-tempo combat.

Experimenting with different Crests and their associated tool slots, combined with the Vesticrest, is key to discovering the build that best suits your journey through Pharloom.

Mastering the use of each Crest and strategically combining them with Tools and Silk Skills will be essential for Hornet to overcome the challenges that await her in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Dive deep, explore every corner, and let your chosen Crests guide your path!