If you’ve made it to Act 3 in Hollow Knight: Silksong, you’re probably looking for some challenging endgame content. The Fatal Resolve quest delivers exactly that—a cat-and-mouse chase across some of the game’s trickiest platforming sections, culminating in a satisfying duel with the mysterious Pinstress.
This Wayfarer quest isn’t just about the fight, though. It’s about following the breadcrumbs, mastering Mount Fay’s unforgiving verticality, and earning one of the game’s most useful tools for charged attack builds. Let’s break down everything you need to know.
What Is the Fatal Resolve Quest?
Fatal Resolve is an Act 3 Wayfarer quest that sends you on a pursuit across Pharloom. The Pinstress—a wandering warrior with a penchant for dramatic confrontations—wants one final duel where the stakes are absolute: winner takes all, including the right to deliver the finishing blow.
Quest Rewards:
- Pin Badge Tool – Reduces Needle Strike charge time (huge buff for charged attack builds)
- Completion of a challenging Wayfarer wish
- Satisfaction of conquering Mount Fay’s platforming gauntlet
How to Start Fatal Resolve (Act 3 Quest Requirements)
Before you can chase down the Pinstress, you’ll need to meet these conditions:
- Reach Act 3 – This quest doesn’t appear until late game
- Visit Bellhart – Head to the Wishing Board in this hub area
- Accept the “Fatal Resolve” wish from the board
Once accepted, your objective is clear: find the Pinstress not once, but twice, before the final confrontation begins.
Pro Tip: Make sure you’ve unlocked Silk Soar before attempting this quest. While not strictly required, it makes certain sections of Mount Fay significantly easier to navigate.
First Stop: Pinstress’s House in the Blasted Steps
Your initial destination is the western edge of Blasted Steps, near where it connects to the Sands of Karak.
Navigation Route:
Starting point: Blasted Steps Bellway (fast travel point)
- Head right from the Bellway station
- Glide downward past several hanging cages
- Watch for a blue flag decorated with pins on your left side—this is your landmark
- Platform your way through this section, continuing in the same general direction
- You’ll eventually reach a zone with heavy storm effects (wind and weather)
- Use the floating balloons to gain altitude
- Enter the house marked by the pin flag
Inside, you’ll find a bench for resting and a note revealing that the Pinstress has moved on to Mount Fay. At least you can save your progress here before the real challenge begins.
What I Appreciate Here: The game doesn’t just throw a quest marker at you. You’re genuinely tracking someone through environmental storytelling—the blue pin flag is such a nice detail that makes the world feel lived-in.
The Real Challenge: Tracking Pinstress Through Mount Fay
This is where Fatal Resolve transitions from a simple fetch quest to a legitimate platforming challenge. Mount Fay’s first vertical section is notoriously difficult, and now you’re navigating it while following a trail.
Finding the Clues
The Pinstress leaves a gruesome but helpful trail: bodies impaled with pins. Interact with these to confirm you’re on the right track. Think of them as checkpoints for your investigation.
If you’re confident in your platforming skills and have Silk Soar unlocked, you can actually skip some of these markers and head directly to her location at the top. But for first-time climbers, following the trail is the safer bet.
The Climb: Step-by-Step Navigation
Mount Fay demands precision. Here’s the safest route up:
Lower Section:
- From the bottom, double jump to grab the left wall
- Climb and transfer to the right side using temporary platforms
- Use Clawline to harpoon an enemy and reach the ring above
- Wall-cling on the left side and ascend to the platform with silk flowers
Mid Section:
- Use the left wall as a springboard to reach the ring on the right
- Jump onto vertical temporary platforms (timing is crucial here)
- Switch to the left wall and climb to the warming light station
- Navigate the spike-lined wall section carefully—one mistake sends you back down
Upper Section:
- After reaching another warming light, ascend the vertical platform (watch for spikes)
- Clawline enemies to gain height—this is the quickest method
- Land on a metal platform marked with a pin (checkpoint!)
- Continue using enemy harpoons and rings to ascend
- Inspect a body to get the next tracking update
Final Stretch:
- Rest at the bench if you’re low on health (seriously, do it—the fight is next)
- Clawline into rings and use wall jumps to navigate left
- Either harpoon the spikes on the right to reach the top platform, OR glide down and use enemies/platforms to ascend (safer option)
- Double jump left to find a suspicious blue figure covered in snow
- Hit it several times to wake up the Pinstress
Reality Check: This section took me three attempts my first playthrough. The temporary platforms have tight timing windows, and the enemy harpoon sections require you to commit to movements mid-air. Don’t get discouraged if you fall—there are warming lights strategically placed for recovery.
The Pinstress Boss Fight (Fatal Resolve Final Duel)
After all that climbing, you’d think the game would give you a breather. Nope! The Pinstress immediately challenges you to a duel.
Combat Overview:
Movement Pattern: Highly mobile—she’s constantly jumping and repositioning
Attack Style: Ranged pin throws and aerial strikes
Key Strategy:
- Stay mobile yourself—standing still is death
- Watch for her jump arcs to predict landing positions
- Parry her ranged attacks when possible (builds Soul quickly)
- Use the Pin Badge afterward to make future Needle Strike builds even stronger
The fight isn’t impossibly difficult, but it does test whether you’ve mastered Hornet’s mobility toolkit. Think of it as a final exam for all the platforming skills you just used.
Why Fatal Resolve Is Worth Your Time (Rewards and Lore)
Beyond the challenge and the lore, this quest rewards you with the Pin Badge—a tool that genuinely transforms charged attack playstyles. If you’re running a Needle Strike-focused build (especially in Act 3), this tool is borderline essential.
The reduced charge time means you can:
- Punish enemy openings more reliably
- Integrate charged attacks into regular combat flow
- Deal significantly more DPS against bosses
Essential Prep Tips for the Fatal Resolve Quest
Before starting this quest, make sure you have:
- Silk Soar unlocked – Makes Mount Fay climbing much more forgiving
- Clawline mastery – You’ll be harpoon-jumping constantly
- Full health and Soul – Don’t start the climb at half health
- Patience – Mount Fay is designed to be challenging
Related Resources
Want to maximize your Act 3 experience? Check out these guides:
- All Crests Locations & Upgrades – Power up before tackling late-game quests
- Act 3 Ultimate Endgame Build Guide – Best use cases for Pin Badge
- All Tools Complete Locations – Don’t miss crucial abilities
Where to Play Hollow Knight: Silksong
Ready to experience this quest yourself? Silksong is available on multiple platforms:
- PC: Steam Store
- Nintendo: Switch 2 Edition
- PlayStation: PS Store
- Xbox: Xbox Store
Ending Note: After Fatal Resolve
Fatal Resolve exemplifies what makes Silksong’s side content so compelling—it’s not just about fighting a boss. You’re tracking a character through environmental storytelling, mastering some of the game’s most demanding platforming, and earning a reward that actually impacts your build strategy.
The Mount Fay climb might test your patience, but reaching the summit and finally confronting the Pinstress feels earned in a way that simple quest markers never could. Plus, that Pin Badge makes the struggle entirely worthwhile for anyone running charged attack builds.
Good luck with the climb, and may your harpoons always find their mark!
