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I still remember the day I first stepped into Pharloom back in 2025. The shimmering bells, the treacherous platforms, and the feeling that this land was even more unforgiving than Hallownest. As a die-hard fan of the original Hollow Knight, I thought I had seen everything Team Cherry could throw at me. But when I discovered the Crest system, my entire perception of the game shifted. These aren't just simple charm replacements; they fundamentally transform Hornet's moveset, turning her into a completely different warrior. After countless hours of play, multiple 112% completions, and more deaths than I care to admit, I’ve come to truly appreciate the depth these Crests add to the experience. Here’s my personal ranking of every Crest in Silksong, from the one I’d rather forget to the one that feels like Hornet’s true destiny.

7. Beast Crest – No Pogo, No Party

Let me start with the one that breaks my heart the most. The Beast Crest promises a rampaging, high-risk combat style that sounds thrilling on paper—landing hits restores silk and health, and your damage output can spike dramatically. In practice, though, its crippling flaw is the pogo. In Silksong, the airborne downward strike is essential, whether you’re bouncing over lava geysers or avoiding a boss’s sweeping attack. The Beast Crest’s pogo feels unpredictable; it sends Hornet flying at odd angles, making precision impossible. The healing mechanic is equally frustrating because you’re forced to stay glued to enemies to recover masks, which is suicide against bosses with complex patterns. Add the fact that blue tool sockets are completely absent, and you’re left with a kit that regularly feels like fighting with one arm tied behind your back. Unless you’re a masochist who enjoys self-imposed challenge runs, this Crest is best left unused.

6. Architect Crest – A Shard-Eating Machine

I have a confession: I’m a hoarder in video games. I rarely use consumables, preferring to rely on pure skill. So when I first equipped the Architect Crest, I felt physically ill watching my Shell Shards burn away with every tool activation. This Crest is all about spending Shards to power devastatingly strong blue tools. It’s undeniably effective—I’ve melted bosses in seconds that previously took me dozens of attempts. The catch? Shards might be scattered everywhere, but farming them consistently is a tedious chore, especially when the priciest tools demand hundreds per minute. I found the Architect Crest invaluable for those “emergency” sequences, like the notorious minion wave in the High Halls, or when I needed a quick burst to finish off a boss with a sliver of health. But as an everyday carry, it’s unsustainable. It’s a specialist’s tool, not a companion for the long road.

5. Shaman Crest – The Path of Magic

I stumbled upon the Shaman Crest late in my first playthrough, and my jaw dropped. After feeling disappointed that I couldn’t equip every Silk Skill simultaneously, this Crest was like a revelation. It allows you to socket two blue tools and three entire Silk Skills, turning Hornet into a ranged spellcasting nightmare. The magic waves you unleash resemble something out of a fantasy epic, dealing titanic damage from a safe distance. However, the trade-off is brutal: your silk reserves are almost entirely dedicated to offense, leaving virtually nothing for healing. For veteran players who know boss patterns inside and out, this is a rocket ship through every area. But if you’re still learning the dance of combat, one mistake means death. I only began to appreciate the Shaman Crest after I memorized every enemy tell; before that, I was a helpless glass cannon.

4. Witch Crest – Great for Fighting, Not for Healing

Unlocking the Witch Crest involves a quest so cryptic and emotionally charged that it could be a standalone game. Tying the lore of the most hidden ending directly to this Crest was a stroke of genius. In combat, the Witch Crest echoes the Beast Crest’s aggression but with its own twist: binding enemies to leech masks. The problem is that healing during boss fights becomes a mirage. The mechanic forces you to stay dangerously close to foes, and slipping away to catch your breath is nearly impossible when you’re locked in a frantic exchange. The moveset is spectacular—flame-like swipes and explosive finishers—but the difficulty spike ramps up so sharply that even after 100%ing the game, I still find myself dying to silly mistakes. It has room for three blue tools and two red ones, which is fantastic for damage, yet I only recommend it to players who have already mastered the fundamentals and want a punishing, high-damage option.

3. Reaper Crest – Reap Them Apart

The Reaper Crest was my early-game savior. You unlock it almost immediately, and its moveset feels the closest to the classic Hollow Knight experience. Attacks are slower and more methodical, reducing the need for precise diagonal pogo calculations. What truly elevates this Crest is the silk remnants left behind after each strike, which gradually boost your energy pools for both healing and powers. This subtle mechanic turns the Reaper into a consistent, forgiving choice that helped me survive my first encounters with Pharloom’s tougher gauntlets. I’ll admit, once I grew accustomed to the faster, nimbler options, the Reaper felt clumsy and sluggish. But its balanced tool distribution let me experiment with various combinations comfortably. For newcomers and those struggling with mid-game walls, the Reaper Crest is a sturdy, reliable friend.

2. Wanderer Crest – Feels Like Home

If you’re like me and still yearn for the days in Hallownest as the Knight, the Wanderer Crest will feel like coming home. The attack speed is blistering, and the pogo is the smoothest in the game—so fluid that I could chain bounces across entire rooms without touching the ground. The catch is that most of your tool sockets favor yellow tools, which are generally the least impactful in combat. Yet the raw DPS you gain from this Crest overshadows that drawback. Positioning becomes paramount; you need to be right in an enemy’s face to shred them, but the payoff is extraordinary. I unlocked it early by heading left at Moss Grotto, and I’m convinced Team Cherry intentionally placed it there as a gift for nostalgic fans. With the Wanderer Crest, I felt like the Knight reincarnated, just faster and more acrobatic.

1. Hunter Crest – Hornet’s True Self

From the moment I first equipped the Hunter Crest, something clicked. I’ve seen many players dismiss it as too wild or hard to master, but I believe this is the way Team Cherry intended us to experience Silksong. The speed, the diagonal pogo trajectories, the balance of blue and red tools—it all weaves together into a symphony of movement. The pogo attacks naturally place Hornet exactly where she needs to be, enabling seamless chain bounces even in chaotic fights. Healing is accessible enough to recover from mistakes, yet the damage output never feels lacking. And the secret upgrade from Eva in Weavenest Atla turns the Hunter Crest into an absolute monster. It embodies everything that makes Silksong its own game, not just a sequel. When I’m wearing this Crest, I stop mourning the Knight and start fully embracing Hornet’s agility and ferocity. It’s not just the strongest option; it’s the most authentic one.

After all this time in Pharloom, I’ve realized that the Crests are far more than a gimmick. They’re an invitation to rediscover the game through seven distinct lenses, each teaching you something new about patience, aggression, and resourcefulness. So go on, revisit your dusty save file, swap that Crest, and become a different warrior. Pharloom still holds secrets waiting to be uncovered.

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