How to Get Clawline in Hollow Knight: Silksong: White Key, Whiteward and Cauldron Route

Clawline is Hornet's grappling hook and the key to Mount Fay. Here's how to get the White Key, reach the Underworks and find the shrine in the Cauldron.

Hornet moves fast, but some gaps in Pharloom are simply too wide to dash across. That's where Clawline comes in. This Ancestral Art turns Hornet's needle into a harpoon that yanks her toward rings, enemies and walls, and it's the ability that opens the road to Mount Fay and the double jump waiting there.

Clawline is an Act 2 unlock, and it's tucked away in one of the hottest corners of the map: the Cauldron in the Underworks. This guide walks you through the whole route, from finding the White Key to binding the ability at its shrine. It's correct for the current version of the base game, including the Patch 5 updates from March 2026; the Sea of Sorrow expansion hadn't launched at the time of writing.

What you need

Both Drifter's Cloak and Cling Grip are Act 1 abilities, so most players will have them by now. If you skipped either one, go back for it first. Topping up on Silk and healing before the lava section is a good idea, though.

Step 1: Get the White Key

1. In the Citadel, head up through the Choral Chambers to Songclave, in the upper part of the area.
2. Rest at the Songclave bench, then look along the far right (eastern) edge of Songclave. The White Key is there, a little to the right of the bench.

Step 2: Ride the lift to Whiteward

1. Head back down to the lower-left (southwest) part of the Choral Chambers.
2. Follow the tall vertical shaft to the bottom. You'll find a white-marked elevator there.
3. Use the White Key on the lift and ride it down to Whiteward.

Step 3: Drop into the Underworks

1. Whiteward is mostly linear. Work your way through it toward the far east (right) side.
2. Find the large vertical shaft on the right and drop down into the Underworks.
3. Rest at the bench nearby. This is your checkpoint for the rest of the route.

Step 4: Cross the lava

1. From the bench, head left until you find a fan-like wheel. Strike it to get it spinning and create an updraft.
2. Glide up the current with Drifter's Cloak and keep moving left.
3. Drop into the heated area below. You'll be dealing with lava, burning platforms and falling molten drips from here on – keep moving and don't linger on any platform.
4. Watch out for bugs carrying yellow rocks. They explode in a wide radius, but you can hit them to knock them away.
5. Climb the shaft at the end, using Cling Grip on the walls. Skip the first exit and continue up to a door with a lever. Strike the lever and go through.

Step 5: Bind Clawline in the Cauldron

1. You're now in the Cauldron. Hop left across the platforms over the lava.
2. On the large stone platform, find the Weaver shrine and interact with it.
3. Hornet binds Clawline. You're done – now get out.
4. To leave, grapple from ring to ring toward the upper-right (northeast) exit. You'll need the new ability straight away, so it doubles as a tutorial.

How Clawline works

Press the Harpoon input to fire Hornet's needle straight ahead. It flies in a straight line without dropping, and once it sticks, Hornet is pulled to it. A few details worth knowing:

• It costs 1 Silk per throw, but hitting an enemy gives the Silk back.
• On enemies, it hits twice. The throw does half your needle damage, then Hornet zips in for a second half-damage hit and a small upward bounce. It's great for closing the gap on flying enemies without eating contact damage.
• Rings hold you in place until you jump off. Some rings also work like switches, weighing down nearby mechanisms or doors.
• Spikes matter. Spikes you can pogo off will bounce Hornet away; others will hurt her.
• Crests and tools apply. Needle buffs such as the Barbed Bracelet carry over to Clawline's hits.

Tips

• Head to Mount Fay next. With Clawline, you can reach Mount Fay and go after the Faydown Cloak, which gives Hornet a double jump. Together, the two abilities open up a large chunk of the map.
• Revisit old areas. If you remember gaps or rings you couldn't use in Act 1, now is the time to go back and check them.
• Use it in boss fights. Pulling yourself out of danger is often faster than dashing, and the Silk refund on hit keeps your resources topped up.
• There's more than one way in. If you've already opened other connections into the Underworks, you may be able to reach the Cauldron without the Whiteward lift. The White Key route above is the most straightforward.

Common mistakes

• Looking for it in Act 1. Clawline isn't reachable before the Citadel. If you're still in the early regions, push the main path first.
• Missing the White Key. It's on the eastern edge of Songclave, not inside the main shrine area. Search along the right-hand side near the bench.
• Standing still on lava platforms. Many platforms in the Underworks burn if you stay on them too long. Keep hopping.
• Ignoring the exploding bugs. The yellow-rock carriers explode in a wide radius. Hit them away or keep your distance.
• Forgetting the Silk cost. Every throw costs Silk, and the only way out of the Cauldron is by grappling. Keep an eye on your spool and refill it by hitting enemies.

This article was written by AI (Claude) and checked against the sources above. Games are updated regularly, so details may change.