Silksong Item Mirrors Hollow Knight Gameplay

Hollow Knight: Silksong serves as the sequel to the original game, yet players quickly discover it plays quite differently. With a new protagonist and moveset, the mechanics and abilities may challenge some players, especially during Silksong's more demanding platforming sequences. Luckily, if you prefer the original feel, you can revert to the Hollow Knight moveset relatively early in the game.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Silksong's early stages, including the first two major abilities and an early boss. If you haven’t fully explored the Deep Docks area, consider waiting to read this until later.

Hornet’s default moveset stands in stark contrast to the Knight’s in Hollow Knight. She has greater attack range, but her Needle strikes are slightly slower. Additionally, she can’t “pogo” off enemies in the same way—unlike the Knight’s straight downward slash, Hornet must angle her silk diagonally at 45 degrees to bounce. This adjustment makes certain platforming challenges feel trickier until you master her abilities.

While I personally recommend sticking with and mastering Hornet’s intended moveset, there may be situations where the Knight’s style offers an advantage—or you might simply prefer it. To do so, you’ll need the Wanderer’s Crest, an alternate tool crest with different ability slots compared to the default Hunter’s Crest.

Unlocking the Wanderer’s Crest requires a few steps: defeat the Bell Beast and acquire Hornet’s sprint ability in Deep Docks. You’ll also need a Simple Key, easily bought from the merchant in Bone Bottom. If you’ve already used that key, you’ll need to locate another.

With the key, head up into Mosshome and go as far west as possible. In the elevator room leading back to Bone Bottom, dash across the wide gap and continue west into the Wormways. Proceed through this area westward and downward until you reach a small hut where the crest awaits. For a visual guide, refer to the video above.

The Wanderer’s Crest can make combat slightly tougher, particularly at a distance, but may ease exploration. Remember, you can swap crests anytime at a bench to test which fits your playstyle. With Silksong just beginning, who knows—more crests with unique abilities could be waiting to be discovered!

Hollow Knight: Silksong is available now, and we’re actively expanding our Wiki guides to cover everything you’ll need for your journey through Pharloom. Our ongoing review will be updated with a final score once we complete the game.