As Hornet delves ever-deeper into the mysterious, labyrinthine tunnels of Pharloom in Hollow Knight Silksong, she faces enemies who’re both many times her size and easily her equal in terms of speed and dexterity.
Most of the time, the only way Hornet will be able to strike back against her foes is using her trusty Needle. Wielded like a fencer’s foil, Hornet’s Needle provides the rapier point to end almost any altercation.
However, against Silksong’s biggest bosses, it can feel like you’ve brought, well, a Needle, to a sword fight. But to even the odds ever so slightly, Hornet can track down Tools and Buffs which upgrade her Needle, increasing the damage, range and attack speed of her precious poker.
Here’s where you can track down the upgrades to unlock the Shining Needle and Hivesteel Needle for a much-needed damage boost. We’ve also listed the locations of other optional upgrades which increase the range and speed of your primary weapon, so you’re packing the pointiest Needle Silksong can offer.
Hollow Knight Silksong Needle Upgrades
How to upgrade the Needle in Silksong
The main way to upgrade your Needle in Silksong is by completing Wishes for Pinmaster Plinney in the Threadspun Town of Bellhart.
First, in true Metroidvania style, you will need to collect the following Skills: Silk Spear, Swift Step, Drifter’s Cloak and Cling Grip. The locations of these are shown on the map below:
This is to first reach and then defeat the Widow boss in Bellhart. After the Widow is dealt with, you will be able to speak to Pinmaster Plinney in his workshop near the top of town.
As a reward for saving the townspeople, the Pinmaster will sharpen your Needle, increasing its damage. However, to get further upgrades, you will need to complete further Wishes.
How to get the Shining Needle
For the next Needle upgrade, you need to complete the Pinmaster’s Oil Wish in Act 2. This involves collecting your first vial of Pale Oil from a room between the Choral Chambers and Whispering Vaults.
The location of the Pale Oil is shown on the map below:
How to get the Hivesteel Needle
Finally, to get the most potent Needle upgrade, you will have to complete the Great Taste of Pharloom Wish set by the Loyal Mergwin in the Choral Chambers.
This tasks you with collecting 5 gruesome dishes from the furthest reaches of Pharloom. These include the Mossberry Stew, Vintage Nectar, Courier’s Rasher, Crustnut and Pickled Muckmaggot.
The locations of these items, as well as their associated Wishes, are shown on the map below:
Other optional Needle Upgrade locations
Throughout your journey in Silksong, you can also take on additional Wishes to gather powerful rewards which also increase Hornet’s strength in combat.
Below, we’ve embedded an interactive map showing the locations of where to find them, as well as table listing their effects and how to obtain them:
| Hollow Knight Silksong Needle Upgrades | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name: | Effect: | Location: |
| Silkspear | Gives Needle a ranged attack which uses Silk | Mosshome, below Shellwood |
| Barbed Bracelet | Increases incoming damage while increasing Needle’s damage | Bottom of Sinner’s Road |
| Flintslate | Sharpens Needle’s point to increase damage | Deep Docks |
| Longpin | Allows Needle to pierce tough shells | Behind the Wood Wasp nest at the lower border between Shellwood and Bellhart |
| Needle Strike | Gives Needle a charge attack with increased damage | Train with the Pinstress on the Blasted Steps below the Sands of Karak |
| Longclaw | Increases the range of Needle | Complete the Broodfeast Wish in the Putrefied Ducts just above Bilehaven |
| Pin Badge | Reduces the time needed to charge Needle Strike | Take the Fatal Resolve Wish from Bellhart in Act 3 and defeat the boss in Mount Fay |
| Cross Stitch | A Silk Skill which lets Needle deflect enemy attacks and counterattack | Defeat the boss in the Exhaust Organ to the left of Bilewater and above the Sinner’s Road |
For more useful items and locations, here are our maps of where to find every Mask Shard in Hollow Knight Silksong and every Lost Flea.