Needle Sharpening: A Guide to Upgrading Your Weapon in ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong’

In the expansive and dangerous world of Pharloom, Hornet’s Needle is more than just a weapon; it is her primary tool for survival and progression. The initial damage of your Needle is enough to get you through the early game, but as you delve into deeper, more treacherous regions and face more formidable bosses, you will quickly find that you need more power. Fortunately, just like the Nail in the original Hollow Knight, the Needle can be upgraded multiple times. This guide will walk you through the steps to sharpen your Needle, a process that is essential for overcoming the game’s toughest challenges and a key part of your character progression.

The process of upgrading the Needle is tied directly to your progress in the main story and requires you to find specific NPCs and materials. Unlike the first game, where upgrades required currency and a material, Silksong simplifies the process while still making it a major quest. Your first upgrade is free, but subsequent upgrades will require you to find a rare material called Pale Oil, which is scattered throughout the kingdom in key locations. The journey to fully upgrade your Needle is a true test of exploration and combat skill.

Upgrade 1: Sharpening the Needle in Bellhart

Your first opportunity to upgrade the Needle comes after you have completed a major milestone in Act 1. This upgrade is given to you by a character named Pinmaster Plinney, a needlesmith who is initially trapped by a curse in the town of Bellhart. To free him and the rest of the town’s inhabitants, you must defeat a formidable boss named the Widow, who resides in the upper reaches of the Bellhart area. This is a main quest, so you can’t miss it.

• Prerequisites: You must first defeat the Widow boss to lift the curse on Bellhart. You’ll need to use your traversal skills, like the new Cling Grip, to reach the boss’s lair.
• Location: Once the town is free, head to the upper half of the Bellhart settlement. Pinmaster Plinney’s shop is on the upper-right side of the area. He will be so grateful for your help that he will offer to sharpen your Needle for free.
• Reward: This first upgrade significantly boosts your Needle’s damage, making the rest of Act 1 much more manageable. It’s a vital step for any player looking to take on the game’s more difficult enemies.

Upgrades 2 and 3: The Quest for Pale Oil

After your first free upgrade, Pinmaster Plinney will tell you that the Needle can be improved even further if you can retrieve a rare material called Pale Oil. There are multiple vials of this material scattered across Pharloom. Each time you bring a vial back to him, he will provide you with another upgrade. Finding these is a major part of the game’s progression, and they are often rewards for completing challenging quests or solving environmental puzzles.

• Pale Oil 1 (Whispering Vaults): The first vial of Pale Oil can be found in the Whispering Vaults, a sub-zone of the Citadel. You’ll need to solve a crate puzzle in a large room to access the area where the Pale Oil is located. This puzzle requires you to carefully strike the crates to create a path that leads to the hidden material.
• Pale Oil 2 (“The Great Taste of Pharloom” Quest): A second vial of Pale Oil can be acquired by completing a lengthy side quest called “The Great Taste of Pharloom.” This quest, which is a key part of the Wish system in Bellhart, requires you to find a variety of rare ingredients from different regions of the world. The quest will reward you with Pale Oil, which you can then take back to Pinmaster Plinney for your next upgrade.
• Pale Oil 3 (“Ecstasy of the End” Quest): The final upgrade requires a third vial of Pale Oil, which is part of a late-game quest called “Ecstasy of the End.” This quest is a major undertaking that is only available after you have entered Act 3 and rescued all of the Lost Fleas. You must complete a series of minigames at the Flea Caravan to receive the final vial.

The Importance of Upgrading Your Needle

The damage output of your Needle is the most important factor in a boss fight. Each upgrade provides a substantial increase in damage, which can shorten the length of difficult battles and make boss patterns feel more manageable. Without these upgrades, you will find yourself struggling to deal with the high health pools of later-game enemies and bosses. The search for Pale Oil also serves as an excellent way to guide your exploration, pushing you into new areas and encouraging you to engage with the game’s world and its many secrets. So, if you’re feeling underpowered, don’t hesitate to seek out Pinmaster Plinney and begin your quest to sharpen your Needle; your future self will thank you for it.