Discover the best early game quests (Wishes) in Hollow Knight Silksong. Complete guide to Berry Picking, Lost Fleas, Grindle’s Prison, and more essential side quests for new players.
Why Silksong’s “Wishes” Are Worth Your Time
One of the most charming aspects of Hollow Knight Silksong is how it handles side quests. Instead of the typical RPG quest log, Team Cherry introduces us to “Wishes” – and when you complete one, the game delightfully announces “Wish Granted!” It’s a small touch that perfectly captures Silksong’s whimsical yet mysterious atmosphere.
But here’s the thing: not all Wishes are created equal, especially in the early game when every upgrade matters. After exploring Pharloom extensively, I’ve identified the quests that will give you the biggest bang for your buck when you’re just starting out. These aren’t just busy work – they’re strategic investments in Hornet’s abilities that will pay dividends throughout your entire playthrough.
Ready to dive in? You can start your journey on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch.
The Must-Do Early Game Wishes
1. Berry Picking: Your First Major Upgrade
Location: Bone Bottom (North of town)
Quest Giver: Moss Druid
Reward: Druid’s Eye trinket
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
This should be your absolute first priority once you reach Bone Bottom. The Moss Druid needs three Mossberries for her magical brew, and in return, you’ll get the Druid’s Eye – a trinket that restores Silk when you take damage. In a game where Silk management is crucial for both combat and exploration, this early safety net is invaluable.
Pro Tips for Berry Hunting:
- Look for enemies with a distinctive green glow – they’re carrying berries
- Some berries are hidden in hard-to-reach spots, making this a great excuse to practice your movement skills
- Don’t stop at three! Extra berries can be traded for Rosaries (the game’s currency) later
For complete berry locations, check out our comprehensive Mossberry guide.
2. The Lost Fleas: A Traveling Reward
Location: The Marrow (Mid-section)
Quest Giver: Mooshka and the traveling band
Reward: Flea Brew trinket + fast travel option
Difficulty: Moderate
This quest is more involved but offers fantastic rewards. You’ll need to track down five lost fleas across multiple biomes including The Marrow, Hunter’s March, Deep Docks, Far Fields, and Greymoor. It sounds daunting, but you’ll naturally find most of them during normal exploration.
What makes this special:
- Flea Brew trinket: Temporarily boosts movement and attack speed – perfect for tough encounters
- Travel option: Unlocks a resting point outside Haunted Bellhart, which becomes incredibly useful for navigation
- Natural progression: Forces you to explore areas you might otherwise rush through
The movement speed boost alone makes this quest worth prioritizing. In Silksong’s fast-paced combat, every bit of extra speed can mean the difference between a successful dodge and taking damage.
3. Grindle’s Dilemma: A Moral Choice with Practical Rewards
Location: The Marrow (Prison area)
Quest Giver: None (unmarked quest)
Reward: Straight Pin tool
Difficulty: Easy
Here’s where Silksong shows its Soulslike DNA. You’ll discover Grindle trapped in a prison cell, and the game presents you with a classic moral dilemma: free him or leave him be. But here’s the interesting part – no matter what you choose, you still get the reward.
The Straight Pin tool is essentially throwing knives, and they’re surprisingly useful for:
- Taking out enemies from a distance
- Hitting switches or targets you can’t reach
- Dealing with flying enemies that are annoying to fight up close
My recommendation? Make the choice based on your role-playing preference. The mechanical outcome is the same, but your decision adds to the narrative experience. For more insight into this choice, see our detailed Grindle guide.
4. Volatile Flintbeetles: Monster Hunter Meets Metroidvania
Location: Bone Bottom (Quest board – unlocks after progression)
Quest Giver: Quest board
Reward: Memory Locket
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
This quest transforms Silksong into something resembling Monster Hunter. You’ll track down Flintbeetles by following scraps and environmental clues, then engage in what are essentially mini-boss fights. The Memory Locket reward is crucial – it unlocks additional nodes in your Crest system, allowing you to equip more Tools and Trinkets.
Tracking tips:
- Look for glowing scraps and disturbed ground
- The Marrow is your best starting point since it’s closest to Bone Bottom
- Each Flintbeetle has unique attack patterns, so study them before engaging
The Memory Locket might seem like a small upgrade, but the ability to equip additional gear becomes increasingly important as you progress. For more details on optimizing your Crest setup, check our Memory Locket expansion guide.
5. Bugs of Pharloom: The Long Game
Location: Halfway Home (Greymoor)
Quest Giver: Nuu
Reward: Various (ongoing)
Difficulty: Ongoing throughout game
This is Silksong’s version of a bestiary quest, and while it won’t be completed until much later in the game, starting it early is crucial. Nuu wants to catalog every creature in Pharloom, creating something like a biological database.
Why start this immediately:
- Retroactive progress: Enemies you’ve already defeated count toward completion
- Natural exploration incentive: Encourages thorough exploration of each area
- Knowledge is power: Learning enemy patterns helps in future encounters
The key is making sure you kill multiple instances of each enemy type you encounter. This quest rewards methodical exploration over speed-running through areas. Our Hunter’s Journal bestiary guide has comprehensive enemy information to help you track your progress.
The Hidden Quests: Unmarked but Essential
6. Simple Key Collection: Unlock Secret Areas
Where to find: Various locations (Pebb in Bone Bottom sells one for 500 Rosaries)
Reward: Access to secret areas with valuable loot
Difficulty: Varies by location
Simple Keys aren’t tied to a specific quest, but they’re arguably more important than many official Wishes. These rare items unlock alternate routes and hidden areas throughout Pharloom. The investment feels steep early on – 500 Rosaries is a significant chunk of change – but the payoff is worth it.
Strategic approach:
- Always buy keys when available – they’re rarer than you think
- Keep a mental map of locked doors you’ve encountered
- Prioritize Deep Docks – one key here unlocks a challenging but rewarding area
For specific key locations and door guides, our Simple Key and Heavy Gate guide covers all the essential spots.
7. Mask Shard Hunting: Health is Wealth
Where to find: Throughout Pharloom (shops, hidden areas, exploration)
Reward: Increased health (every 4 shards = 1 health upgrade)
Difficulty: Varies widely
While not technically a quest, Mask Shard collection should be treated with the same priority as any official Wish. Health upgrades in Silksong are precious, and the sooner you start collecting shards, the easier subsequent challenges become.
Hunting strategies:
- Check every shop – merchants sometimes stock rare shards
- Attack suspicious walls – false walls hide many secrets
- Explore thoroughly – shards are often in out-of-the-way locations
Essential Quest Management Tips
Prioritization Strategy
Based on my experience, tackle these quests in this order:
- Berry Picking (immediate Silk recovery benefit)
- The Lost Fleas (movement boost + travel convenience)
- Bugs of Pharloom (start early for retroactive progress)
- Simple Key purchasing (when you have spare Rosaries)
- Volatile Flintbeetles (when you’re comfortable with combat)
Smart Resource Management
Early game Rosaries are precious. Here’s how to spend wisely:
- Prioritize essential upgrades first (check our merchant buying priority guide)
- Save for Simple Keys when you see them
- Don’t hoard indefinitely – some upgrades pay for themselves through improved efficiency
Navigation and Discovery
The interconnected nature of Silksong means you’ll be revisiting areas constantly. Make this work for you:
- Use our maps guide to plan efficient routes
- Mark points of interest mentally or with screenshots
- Combine quest objectives when possible to minimize backtracking
What This Sets You Up For
Completing these early quests doesn’t just give you immediate rewards – they establish patterns and habits that serve you throughout the entire game. You’ll develop better exploration instincts, learn to balance risk and reward, and understand how Silksong’s interconnected systems work together.
More importantly, the upgrades you earn create a positive feedback loop. Better health and Silk management let you tackle tougher challenges, which unlock better rewards, which make future challenges more manageable. It’s the Metroidvania progression loop at its finest.
From here, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle more advanced content like challenging boss fights, complex traversal puzzles, and the deeper mysteries of Pharloom. The foundation you build with these early quests will support every aspect of your journey through this beautiful, dangerous kingdom.
Need more specific help? Check out our essential beginner tips or our comprehensive beginner’s guide for even more strategic advice on conquering Silksong.
Ready to start granting some wishes? The kingdom of Pharloom awaits, and with these quests as your guide, you’ll be well-prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.
