Hollow Knight: Silksong Abilities
Every Hollow Knight: Silksong movement ability and Silk Skill – from Swift Step and Clawline to the Faydown Cloak and Silk Soar – and where to get them.
Hornet's toolkit grows as she climbs. Movement abilities such as Swift Step, Cling Grip and the Clawline open new parts of the map, while Silk Skills are powerful attacks that cost silk. Our guides cover the Clawline and the Faydown Cloak step by step.
Movement and key abilities
Roughly in the order you get them · 9 abilitiesSwift Step
Movement · Dash and sprint. Found at a shrine in Deep Docks.
Drifter's Cloak
Movement · Glide. Made by the Seamstress in Far Fields after her quest.
Cling Grip
Movement · Wall jump. Found in Shellwood after beating Sister Splinter.
Needolin
Needolin & tunes · Hornet's instrument – opens sealed doors and lets you hear others' thoughts. Beat the Widow in Bellhart.
Clawline
Movement · Throw a harpoon and pull yourself forward. Found in the Underworks' Cauldron.
Read our guide →Faydown Cloak
Movement · Double jump. The reward for climbing Mount Fay, which needs the Clawline.
Read our guide →Silk Soar
Movement · A charged super jump, found in the Abyss in Act 3. Needed to finish the game.
Elegy of the Deep
Needolin & tunes · A Needolin tune learned after the Abyss. Opens memories such as Verdania.
Beastling Call
Needolin & tunes · A Needolin tune from beating the Bell Eater in Act 3. Calls you back to the last Bellway you used.
Silk Skills
Six skills · equip in a crest's skill slot · 6 abilitiesSilkspear
Silk Skill · Throws the needle forward through every enemy in a line. Found at a shrine in Mosshome, early on.
Thread Storm
Silk Skill · A whirl of silk that hits enemies all around Hornet. Hidden high up in Greymoor.
Sharpdart
Silk Skill · Dash forward through enemies, damaging them. From a shrine in the Wormways.
Cross Stitch
Silk Skill · A parry: block a hit and counter for big damage. Beat the Phantom in the Exhaust Organ.
Rune Rage
Silk Skill · Explosions of light around Hornet. Beat the First Sinner in The Slab.
Pale Nails
Silk Skill · Summons nails that home in on enemies. Found in The Cradle in Act 3, after Grand Mother Silk.
Combat and passive upgrades
3 abilitiesBind
Combat & passive · Spend a full silk spool to heal. What it does exactly depends on your crest.
Needle Strike
Combat & passive · A charged needle attack, taught by the Pinstress once the Great Conchflies are beaten.
Sylphsong
Combat & passive · A passive from Eva in Weavenest Atla: resting at a bench also refills your silk.
Section images: official Hollow Knight: Silksong trailers (Team Cherry, Nintendo of America / YouTube).
Good to know
Abilities open the mapBlocked paths usually need a new movement ability. Note them and come back.
One skill at a timeSilk Skills cost silk and go in your crest's skill slot – swap them at a bench.
Play the NeedolinTry the Needolin near strange doors and characters. It opens secrets.
Our Hollow Knight: Silksong articles on this
Sources
Reference page written by AI (Claude) and checked against the sources above. Games change with every patch – the patch this page was last checked for is shown at the top.