As you navigate through the enthralling world of Hollow Knight: Silksong, you will encounter intriguing metallic circles suspended from ceilings. These circles appear to lead somewhere significant and cannot be accessed through traditional means such as pogoing or climbing; instead, they require a grappling hook to utilize effectively.
Fortunately, once you venture into the Citadel and successfully defeat the Cogwork Dancers, you will be on the brink of unlocking this essential grappling mechanism. As you progress, a list of objectives will present itself, and the most reasonable one to pursue can be found in the lower-left section of the map.
This guide assumes you have already vanquished the Cogwork Dancers and explored the Citadel as thoroughly as possible. Be sure to secure the Bellway located in the bottom right of the Choral Chambers, as it significantly streamlines your backtracking efforts.
We will commence our journey from the room where the Cogwork Dancers were defeated. This room provides four distinct pathways, but our primary focus is on the downward route, granting access to the Cogwork Core. Prepare yourself for some platforming that evokes the challenge of the White Palace.
Cogwork Core
As you delve into this gear-filled maze, begin by descending and sending enemies falling off ledges while avoiding the dangerous gears. Your goal is to reach the bottom, then navigate around the central area to start ascending the right side by using pogo jumps off gears and climbing walls.
Upon reaching the top, be sure to activate the available shortcuts to make future navigation easier. Afterward, progress to the right, where you’ll encounter additional platforming challenges and formidable enemies that can likewise be dispatched by sending them over the ledge into the gears below.
As you continue rightward, you’ll finally reach the large gear you previously couldn’t access horizontally. This time, you can rotate it and continue on to the right, leading you to a brand-new area. Don’t forget to explore the uppermost section and break through the ceiling to collect the map for this region.
Whispering Vaults
Advancing further, proceed all the way to the right and begin your descent, removing blocks that may impede your route. If you’re interested in acquiring some oil for a nail upgrade, you can enter the first door on the left. Otherwise, continue rightward.
As you traverse this dimly lit room, continue your descent further downwards. You can rearrange the blocks in this area to facilitate faster navigation for your next visit, although it is not essential. Keep descending until you emerge in the room below the collapsible floor where you previously had the opportunity to acquire oil. Here, activate the lever to ease your future backtracking. Situated below this lever, you will find a sign featuring three masks.
Welcome to The Stage, a location you may have previously glimpsed. Continue left until you discover a lever; activate it, climb up the wall, and traverse over The Stage, where you can then drop down in front of a painting depicting Trobbio.
Trobbio
For a comprehensive analysis of the boss fight against Trobbio, please refer to our complete boss guide on Trobbio. Here, I will briefly cover strategies for defeating him. First, retreat to the central area of the Choral Chambers, then take a moment to rest on the bench at the Bellway, which is the nearest safe spot.
Equipping a crest that enhances your agility and quickness will prove invaluable. Additionally, a powerful damage source, like the Drill tool found in the Underworks, will be advantageous.
During the encounter, Trobbio will unleash numerous explosions, fireworks, and bouncing projectiles. Maintain your agility to dodge effectively and heal when needed. Strike when he reappears, targeting him during moments of vulnerability, and with persistence, you will defeat him.
Upon his defeat, claim the Claw Mirror as your reward. Consider visiting another bench before proceeding rightward, which will lead you to an elevator that takes you deeper into the Underworks, where you’ll obtain your much-needed grappling hook.
The Underworks
Initiate your journey by heading left across fragile platforms above spikes. While there are several alternative paths to explore, stay focused on crossing the large pit and entering the left-side door, which leads to a bench.
Continuing down this leftward path, slide down to break a fan open, and let the wind carry you upwards. You will arrive at a steep drop filled with hot coals and airborne enemies. If your nail is double upgraded, dispatch them in one or two hits.
Keep falling until you reach the scalding magma at the bottom, then head right, but be cautious of the explosive beetles in this area. This section presents challenging platforming with timed lava falls, which becomes manageable with patience and the ability to stall in the air for healing.
Once you spot a small floating platform above, execute wall jumps to reach safety. Climb all the way up the tunnel, and soon, you will encounter the second left door with a lever.
Clawline
Now within The Cauldron, you must undertake ambitious leaps across a vast lava pit. Each jump is achievable with the right combination of run, jump, and dash into a glide, but precision is crucial.
After a series of successful leaps, you will find yourself on a substantial stone platform on the left. Here, you can locate another Weaver statue, bind to it, and acquire the Clawline, a tool that will allow you to propel forward even without direct contact.
With this new ability in tow, you will need to navigate your way out of the area intact. Utilize your grappling skill on the rings to the right, ascending upwards. Though you can retrace your steps, exploring new areas with your Clawline will prove more exciting.
The Clawline empowers you to cross virtually any horizontal gap, enabling you to hook onto enemies and ascend to the top. This will lead you back to the bench, granting you the freedom to explore as you wish.
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