Hollow Knight: Silksong - Crafting, Tools & Pharloom Explained

Last Updated: October 20, 2025


Hornet, protagonist of Hollow Knight Silksong, wielding her needle and silk in the kingdom of Pharloom.

In the vast and patient kingdom of gaming fans, few titles command as much reverence and anticipation as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Years after its announcement, Team Cherry's follow-up to the masterful metroidvania remains shrouded in mystery, yet tantalizing details have emerged from the gloom. As Hornet prepares to take center stage, we're trading speculation for confirmed facts.

This guide cuts through the rumors to deliver a comprehensive overview of everything we officially know about Hornet's journey through the haunted land of Pharloom. Forget whispers of release dates; instead, we will delve into the confirmed gameplay mechanics, the new crafting system that replaces Charms, Hornet's dynamic abilities, and the quests that will define this new adventure. This is your authoritative resource for the world that awaits.

A New Kingdom to Ascend: The World of Pharloom

While the Knight descended into the depths of Hallownest, Hornet’s journey is one of ascension. Captured and brought to the unfamiliar Kingdom of Pharloom, her quest is to climb from the mossy depths to a shining Citadel at the peak. This fundamental change in direction promises a world built around verticality, leveraging Hornet’s innate acrobatic prowess.

From the gameplay we've seen, Pharloom is a more vibrant and diverse land than Hallownest. It’s a kingdom of weavers, pilgrims, and hunters, filled with gilded cities, coral forests, and fiery industrial zones. Confirmed and glimpsed areas include:

  • Moss Grotto: A lush, green starting area that serves as an introduction to Hornet's agile movement.
  • The Deep Docks: A darker, more industrial area filled with bells, machinery, and intricate pathways.
  • The Coral Forest: A vibrant, colorful region showcasing the unique and beautiful life within Pharloom.

Unlike the Knight, a silent vessel, Hornet is a voiced protagonist with a clear personality and purpose. She will interact with a cast of over 100 new characters, from allies and quest-givers to the more than 165 new enemies and powerful bosses that stand in her way.

The Weaver's Craft: Silksong's Dynamic Tool System

Perhaps the most significant departure from the original game is the complete overhaul of the power-up system. The familiar Charms of Hallownest are gone. In their place is a dynamic crafting system befitting a master weaver and hunter like Hornet.

Throughout Pharloom, Hornet will gather resources like Shell Shards from fallen enemies and hidden caches. At benches, which now serve as crafting stations, these materials can be used to construct a wide variety of tools and traps. These tools consume Silk when used, which Hornet gathers by striking enemies, much like the Knight gathered Soul.

Confirmed craftable tools shown in official demos include:

  • Pimpillo Bomb: A powerful explosive device with a large blast radius, perfect for crowd control or dealing heavy damage.
  • Sting Shards: A set of caltrops that can be thrown on the ground to create a deadly trap for patrolling enemies.
  • Straight Pin: A simple but effective throwing dagger that can be used as a ranged attack and, potentially, as a way to pin to walls for a momentary platform.

This crafting system allows players to adapt their loadout on the fly, switching from an aggressive, bomb-focused build to a defensive, trap-based strategy at any bench.

Power, Quests, and Currency: A More Structured Adventure

Hollow Knight was celebrated for its cryptic world, leaving players to piece together its lore and objectives. Silksong aims to be more accessible without sacrificing depth by introducing a formal quest system.

Hornet will encounter various NPCs who offer specific tasks, which are then tracked in a quest log. We've seen notice boards where Hornet can accept bounties and other missions, suggesting a more structured approach to side content. This system will guide players through the world's stories while still allowing for plenty of freeform exploration.

The primary currency of Pharloom is Rosaries, beads dropped by enemies and found in hidden stashes. These are used to purchase items from the many new vendors scattered throughout the kingdom.

Redefining Combat and Healing: The Power of Silk

Hornet is not the Knight. She is a faster, more agile, and more aggressive warrior, and her combat mechanics reflect this. Her moveset is built on speed, featuring a rapid needle attack, a lightning-fast dash, and the ability to heal almost instantly.

The Soul meter is replaced by a Silk meter, which fuels her tools and a brand-new healing ability called Bind. Instead of standing still to Focus, Hornet can use a full spool of Silk to instantly bind her wounds, healing three masks of health in a fraction of a second. This can even be done in mid-air, completely changing the flow of difficult boss encounters and encouraging a more aggressive playstyle.

While details remain light, UI elements from gameplay demos suggest that Crests will be Silksong's replacement for Charm synergies. These appear to be equipped items that provide passive bonuses or modify Hornet's core abilities, allowing for a new layer of character customization.

The Final Ascent: When Can We Expect Silksong?

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a hugely ambitious sequel being crafted by the small, dedicated team at Team Cherry. While it was initially slated for the first half of 2023, the developers announced a delay to ensure the final product meets their high standards. As of today, there is no official release date.

What is certain is that Silksong is expanding on every aspect of its predecessor, promising a larger, deeper, and more dynamic world. With a new hero, a new kingdom, and a host of innovative mechanics, Hornet's adventure is shaping up to be more than just a sequel—it's poised to be a new benchmark for the genre.