Silksong Silk Soar, Silk Heart & Sylphsong — All Abilities and Where to Get Them

Silk Soar is the ability that transforms Silksong's movement from "a series of jumps" into true aerial control: Hornet flings her needle upward on a thread of silk and rockets to wherever the needle sticks — including the ceiling, which lets her gain a full screen of height instantly. This guide covers everything about Silk Soar and the silk-ability family around it: how to unlock it, exact controls, the Silk economy it runs on, and the supporting abilities (Silk Heart, Sylphsong) that make it sustainable.

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Silk Soar: The Super Jump, Explained

What it is

Silk Soar (the community also calls it the Super Jump or High Jump) is an ability Hornet acquires in Act 3 of Hollow Knight: Silksong. Mechanically, it's the game's answer to Hollow Knight's double-jump/upward dash — but tuned for Hornet's silk movement identity:

• Hornet flings her Needle into the sky (or ceiling) on a thread of silk, then rockets up to where the needle sticks.
• It works vertically: aimed up, it's a super jump; aimed at a ceiling, it carries Hornet to the ceiling line itself.

Where to unlock it

Silk Soar is unlocked at the bottom of the Abyss, reachable during Act 3 progression. The Abyss is a late-mid-game region; you can't grab Silk Soar early because the path there is gated by earlier abilities. (Game8 and the Silksong wiki both list the Abyss bottom as the unlock location; the Hollow Knight Wiki tags it as an Act 3 acquisition — same answer, since the Abyss deep route opens in Act 3.)

Exact controls

• Gamepad: hold the button mapped to Harpoon (default Left Trigger)
• Keyboard: hold S (the default Harpoon key) — press down + Harpoon to trigger
• How it works: look downward, hold the Harpoon button; Hornet throws the needle upward and follows it. Let go to stop at the needle's position (aiming higher/at a ceiling sends you further).

The cost: 1 strand of Silk

Every Silk Soar use costs 1 strand of Silk. This is the key constraint — you can't spam it indefinitely:

• Silk regenerates over time (first strand: 1.5 seconds; subsequent strands: 4.25 seconds each)
• Only one strand regenerates at a time, and the timer resets whenever your Silk amount changes (including when you strike enemies)
• Striking enemies replenishes Silk — combat is the fast way to refill, which is exactly why Silk Soar is designed for combat areas, not just traversal

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The Silk Ability System: Ancestral Arts vs. Silk Skills

Silksong divides Hornet's moves into two categories, and knowing which is which helps you plan upgrades:

Silk Soar is a Silk Skill (active, consumes Silk). The passive side of the system is where Silk Heart and Sylphsong live.

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Silk Heart: Raising Your Silk Cap

Silk Heart is a collectible that increases the cap of Silk you can regenerate by 1 strand. Details:

• There are 3 Silk Hearts in total — the cap increases with each one you collect
• Base regeneration: 1.5 seconds for the first strand, 4.25 seconds for each strand after
• Only 1 strand regenerates at a time, and any change in your Silk amount (striking enemies, spending Silk) resets the timer
• Silk Hearts are typically found in the silk-themed areas (associated with Grand Mother Silk's cocoons — the same silk ecosystem as Silkeaters and Styx's farm)

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Sylphsong: Infinite Silk at Benches

Sylphsong is a passive Ancestral Art — the community's favorite quality-of-life ability:

• Effect: when Hornet rests at a Bench, her spool rapidly refills with Silk to its maximum
• Comparison: players describe it as Silksong's version of Salubra's Blessing from the original Hollow Knight (the charm that refilled Soul at benches)
• How to get it: bind a mysterious being named Eva at Weavenest Atla, which requires 6 upgraded Crests — a significant mid-to-late game investment, but one that fundamentally changes resource management (you enter every area at full Silk)

When to prioritize Sylphsong

• Exploration-heavy stretches: start every new area at max Silk — no more rationing
• Boss gauntlets: full Silk before every attempt, which is massive for silk-heavy builds
• Completionist runs: needed before the hardest optional content, where dying (and losing Silk economy) is punishing

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Advanced Silk Soar Techniques

Silk Soar isn't just a "go up" button — the community has built a whole movement meta around it:

1. Ceiling-targeting: aim at a low ceiling to launch horizontally — the needle sticks into the ceiling and Hornet follows its line, covering long horizontal distance at height.
2. Combat re-positioning: in boss fights, Silk Soar is both an escape (out of the way) and a set-up (drop-attacks from the needle's height). It costs 1 Silk — refill by tagging the boss with a quick strike.
3. Sequence-breaking exploration: with the full Silk cap, you can reach high ledges early in an area that map designers intended for later — the classic "am I supposed to be here" moment.
4. The Sea of Sorrow connection: the upcoming free DLC (see our Sea of Sorrow guide) was announced as being "built for Hornet's sharper, faster style" — the announcement trailer is wall-to-wall Silk Soar, so expect the expansion's hardest content to demand mastery of this ability.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get Silk Soar in Silksong?

Reach the bottom of the Abyss during Act 3 and pick it up. It's a mandatory progression ability, not an optional find.

How do you use Silk Soar?

Hold the Harpoon button (Left Trigger on controller, S on keyboard) while aiming down; Hornet throws her needle upward and launches to it. Each use costs 1 strand of Silk, which regenerates over time or by striking enemies.

How many Silk Hearts are there in Silksong?

Three. Each collected Silk Heart raises your regenerable Silk cap by 1 strand.

What does Sylphsong do in Silksong?

It's a passive Ancestral Art that rapidly refills Hornet's Silk to maximum whenever she rests at a Bench. Unlock it by binding Eva at Weavenest Atla after collecting 6 upgraded Crests.

What is the difference between Ancestral Arts and Silk Skills?

Ancestral Arts are passive abilities (like Sylphsong's bench regeneration); Silk Skills are active moves that consume Silk (like Silk Soar). Silk Heart sits in the middle — a collectible that raises the Silk cap powering both.

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Related guides: Silksong DLC — Sea of Sorrow · Silksong Characters & NPCs · How Long Is Hollow Knight

Last updated: August 11, 2026.