Master Hornet’s progression in Hollow Knight Silksong! Learn how to find all Mask Shards and Spool Fragments to maximize HP and Silk for the ultimate build.
Starting Hollow Knight Silksong with just five HP masks and a tiny Silk meter can feel pretty rough, especially when you’re facing down aggressive enemies or trying to pull off those satisfying Silk Skill combos. The good news? Hornet’s survivability scales beautifully as you explore Pharloom – you just need to know what you’re looking for.
Unlike some games that hand you upgrades through story progression, Silksong rewards the curious explorer. Every secret passage you investigate, every suspicious wall you break, and every out-of-the-way corner you check could be hiding the fragments that’ll transform Hornet from a fragile wanderer into an unstoppable force.
⚡ Power-Up Quick Reference (TL;DR)
HP Upgrades: • Collect 4 Mask Shards = +1 HP Mask • 20 total Mask Shards available = +5 max HP possible • Look for unique audio cues when nearby
Silk Upgrades: • Collect 2 Spool Fragments = +1 Silk notch
• 18 total Spool Fragments available = +9 max Silk possible • Sound like floating thread spools
Pro tip: Master your movement abilities first – many fragments are in tricky-to-reach locations!
Why These Upgrades Matter More Than You Think
Before we dive into the collecting strategies, let’s talk about why these upgrades are game-changers. In Silksong, HP and Silk aren’t just numbers – they’re your creative freedom.
More HP means:
- Surviving those “learning moments” against new bosses
- Taking calculated risks in exploration without constant fear
- Having breathing room to experiment with different combat approaches
More Silk unlocks:
- Longer Silk Skill combos that feel absolutely incredible to pull off
- More frequent use of Bind abilities for both combat and traversal
- The confidence to use Silk abilities liberally instead of hoarding them
Think of these upgrades as investing in your enjoyment of the game. Sure, skilled players can beat Silksong with minimal upgrades, but why make it harder on yourself when exploration is so rewarding?
Mastering the Silk System: Spool Fragments Deep Dive
Silk is Hornet’s signature mechanic, and understanding how to maximize it is crucial for both combat and exploration. Unlike the original Hollow Knight’s Soul system, Silk regenerates naturally over time, making it more forgiving for new players while still rewarding smart resource management.
What Spool Fragments Look Like and Sound Like
Spool Fragments are among the most distinctive collectibles in Silksong. Picture half of a classic thread spool – you know, the kind your grandmother might have in her sewing kit – but glowing and floating mysteriously in mid-air.
The audio cue is your best friend here. When you’re close to a Spool Fragment, you’ll hear a subtle but distinctive humming sound. It’s almost musical, like the fragment is calling out to you. This sound design is brilliant because it encourages you to slow down and really listen to your environment, turning exploration into an almost meditative experience.
The Math Behind Silk Upgrades
Here’s where Silksong gets generous compared to its predecessor. You only need two Spool Fragments to add a full notch to your Silk meter, versus the four fragments needed for HP upgrades. This 2:1 ratio means you’ll see Silk improvements more frequently, which keeps the exploration loop satisfying.
With 18 total Spool Fragments scattered across Pharloom, you can potentially add nine additional Silk notches to your base meter. That’s nearly tripling your starting Silk capacity! Imagine the combo potential when you’re working with that much resource.
Silk Hearts vs. Spool Fragments: Know the Difference
This is where new players sometimes get confused. Silk Hearts and Spool Fragments both relate to your Silk meter, but they work completely differently:
- Spool Fragments: Permanent upgrades to your maximum Silk capacity
- Silk Hearts: One-time emergency refills that activate when you run out of Silk
Think of Silk Hearts as your “oh crap” button – they’ll automatically refill one bar when you’re completely empty, but they’re consumed in the process. Spool Fragments, on the other hand, are permanent investments in your character’s power.
Where to Hunt for Spool Fragments
Spool Fragments love hiding in places that require creative thinking or advanced movement skills. You’ll often find them:
- Behind breakable walls that don’t look obviously breakable
- In areas requiring specific movement abilities you might not have during your first visit
- As rewards for completing optional challenge areas that test your skills
- Occasionally in vendor inventories (though this is rare and expensive)
Pro exploration tip: If you hear that telltale humming but can’t immediately see a fragment, look up, down, and around corners. Some fragments are positioned to test your spatial awareness and movement creativity.
HP Mastery: The Mask Shard Collection Challenge
While Silk upgrades feel frequent and rewarding, HP upgrades require more patience and dedication. The 4:1 ratio for Mask Shards means each HP upgrade feels truly earned – and that’s by design.
Understanding the Mask Shard System
Mask Shards work exactly like you’d expect from the original Hollow Knight, but with Silksong’s signature polish. When you collect a shard, you’ll see one quarter of an empty mask fill in with a satisfying visual effect. Four shards complete the mask, permanently adding one HP to Hornet’s health pool.
The audio design here is just as thoughtful as with Spool Fragments. Mask Shards emit their own unique sound when Hornet gets close – a subtle chiming that’s different enough from the Spool Fragment hum that experienced players can tell them apart just by listening.
The 20-Shard Journey: Your HP Progression Path
With 20 total Mask Shards available, you’re looking at a potential 5 additional HP masks beyond your starting health. This progression feels perfectly paced – you’ll typically find 1-2 shards per major area, ensuring steady but meaningful power growth throughout your journey.
Here’s what this progression typically looks like:
- Early game (1-2 extra masks): Survival becomes much more forgiving
- Mid game (3-4 extra masks): You can take risks and experiment with strategies
- Late game (5 extra masks): You’re a HP powerhouse ready for the toughest challenges
Advanced Shard Hunting Strategies
Mask Shards often require more than just keen eyes – they demand mastery of Silksong’s interconnected systems:
Environmental Challenges: Many shards are locked behind puzzles that require you to understand environmental mechanics or use crafting materials creatively.
Vendor Purchases: Unlike fragments hidden in the world, some shards can be bought from various merchants. This creates interesting resource management decisions – do you spend your currency on immediate upgrades or save for that expensive shard?
Challenge Areas: Some of the most rewarding Mask Shards are tucked away in optional areas that test specific skills. These aren’t just hidden – they’re earned through demonstrating mastery.
The Lifeblood System: Temporary Power Boosts
While you’re hunting for permanent upgrades, don’t overlook Lifeblood Masks – those distinctive blue hearts that provide temporary HP boosts. These work differently from your permanent masks in important ways:
- They’re consumed first when you take damage, protecting your real HP
- They can’t be restored using Bind abilities or other healing methods
- They stack on top of your maximum HP, potentially giving you massive temporary health pools
Lifeblood creates fascinating strategic decisions. Do you rush into a challenging area while you have extra blue hearts, or do you save them for a specific encounter? There’s no wrong answer, but understanding when to be aggressive versus conservative with Lifeblood can dramatically improve your success rate.
Exploration Strategies That Actually Work
Here’s the real secret to finding all these upgrades: systematic exploration with backtracking. Silksong is designed to reward players who revisit areas with new abilities, and many fragments are deliberately placed to encourage this loop.
The “Suspicious Wall” Technique
Not all breakable walls look obviously breakable. Some of Silksong’s best-hidden fragments are behind walls that blend seamlessly with their surroundings. Train yourself to:
- Attack walls that seem slightly different in texture or color
- Listen for hollow sounds when you strike surfaces
- Pay attention to environmental cues that suggest secrets
The “Return and Conquer” Method
Many fragments require abilities you won’t have during your first visit to an area. Keep mental notes (or actual notes!) of:
- Platforms that seem just out of reach
- Passages blocked by obstacles you can’t currently overcome
- Areas that feel deliberately inaccessible
Resource Management for Upgrades
While exploring, don’t forget to stock up on healing items and maintain your equipment. Some of the most valuable fragments are in dangerous areas where you’ll need every advantage.
Building Your Perfect Progression Route
There’s no single “correct” order for collecting these upgrades, but there are definitely more and less efficient approaches. Here’s a framework that works well for most players:
Early Priority: Movement First Focus on collecting fragments in areas you can already access while working toward movement upgrades. Your dash abilities will unlock access to many more fragments.
Mid Priority: Balanced Growth Once you have basic movement down, alternate between HP and Silk upgrades based on your playstyle. Prefer Silk Skills? Prioritize Spool Fragments. Like to tank damage? Focus on Mask Shards.
Late Priority: Completionist Cleanup Save the most challenging fragments for when you have a full toolkit. Some late-game areas practically require maximum upgrades to navigate safely.
Common Collection Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Mistake #1: Ignoring Audio Cues Many players explore with music turned up or while distracted. Those audio cues for fragments are genuinely helpful – use them!
Mistake #2: Not Marking Inaccessible Areas It’s easy to forget where you saw that tantalizing fragment you couldn’t reach. Keep notes or mental markers for backtracking.
Mistake #3: Vendor Oversight Don’t forget to check vendor inventories regularly. Some merchants sell fragments, and their stock can change as you progress.
Mistake #4: Rush-Mode Exploring Silksong rewards patient, thorough exploration. Rushing through areas means missing fragments tucked into corners or hidden behind subtle environmental cues.
The Satisfaction Factor: Why This System Works
What makes Silksong’s upgrade system so satisfying isn’t just the mechanical benefits – it’s how perfectly the progression is paced. Each fragment feels earned rather than handed to you, and the audio-visual feedback makes every discovery feel like a genuine treasure find.
The fact that you need multiple fragments for each upgrade also creates natural mini-goals throughout your exploration. Instead of one massive grind, you get frequent small victories that add up to significant power growth.
Your Upgrade Journey Rewards
Maximizing your HP and Silk isn’t just about the numbers – it’s about unlocking Silksong’s full potential. With maxed upgrades, you’ll be able to:
- Experiment freely with risky strategies and advanced techniques
- Survive learning encounters against Silksong’s most challenging bosses
- Chain together epic Silk combos that feel like combat poetry
- Explore dangerous areas with confidence instead of constant fear
- Focus on mastery rather than basic survival
The real reward is transformation – turning Hornet from a vulnerable explorer into a force of nature who can handle whatever Pharloom throws at her.
Ready to Start Your Collection? Get Hollow Knight Silksong on your preferred platform:
Happy hunting, and may your fragments be plentiful!
