In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong players are still mapping every corner of Pharloom, and the Putrified Ducts remains one of the most elusive optional regions. It is among the couple of tricky areas that are only accessed through a specific route, and the path is not in plain sight. Hornet must destroy an obstacle to reveal the entrance, which makes the journey feel like a secret within a secret. Although reaching the Putrified Ducts can be time-consuming, the area contains many points of interest that make the trip worthwhile.

The Main Route Begins in Memorium

The Putrified Ducts is mainly available from the Memorium area in Hollow Knight: Silksong. A lower part can be accessed from Bilewater, but that small section does not connect to the rest of the region. What players will find there is the Broodfeast quest and the Key of Apostate. For the full experience, the Memorium approach is required.

To start, players should enter Memorium by heading north from the Grand Bellway, all the way to the top. Next, they must use the double jump, which is a necessity, to climb the platform and access the area. In Memorium, Hornet should jump to the platform containing the lore board, then hop to the one above it. Hornet will arrive at the second level of the area, and the path will split.

Through the Enemy Corridor

Proceeding right leads to an area infested with enemies in all shapes and forms. Players must fight the small and big spiders, then keep running to stumble upon a mini-boss near the end of the path. The mini-boss can be fought or ignored completely to quickly go through the door. After that, players should look down and carefully descend the platforms to reach the bottom while avoiding the enemies that roll around. This section rewards patience more than aggression.

Go through the door to the right with the hanging sign to enter a seemingly empty room. Walk inside further and look up to find a narrow tunnel. Double jump and Clawline upward, then proceed forward to land on a bridge. At the end of the bridge is a tall climbable wall. Using a combination of skills like cling grip and double jump is essential. Between the two walls is an obstacle that can be destroyed. Carefully stick Hornet to the wall and try to destroy the rocks to reveal a path.

Head right and enter the dimly lit tunnel. Proceed further without touching the spikes, and players will eventually reach the Putrified Ducts area. It is very similar to Bilewater, especially the maggot-filled swamp that decreases Hornet's silk. Luckily, there is an item in this area that can protect Hornet from this water for a short period of time. Additionally, there is an NPC that will help reveal the locations of the fleas that were missed while exploring Pharloom.

Route Summary Table

Step
Location
Required Ability or Item
Notes

1
Grand Bellway
Double jump
Head north to the top and climb into Memorium

2
Memorium
Double jump
Jump to the lore board platform, then to the one above

3
Split path
Combat or evasion
Proceed right into the enemy-infested corridor

4
Mini-boss room
Optional fight
The mini-boss can be skipped to reach the door faster

5
Descending platforms
Careful movement
Avoid the rolling enemies below

6
Empty room
Clawline and double jump
Look up for the narrow tunnel

7
Bridge and wall
Cling grip and double jump
Destroy the obstacle between the walls

8
Dim tunnel
Spike avoidance
Reach the Putrified Ducts

9
Putrified Ducts
Silk protection item
The swamp drains silk; the item grants temporary safety

10
Lower Bilewater section
Broodfeast quest and Key of Apostate
This part is accessible separately from Bilewater

Survival and Exploration Tips

The Putrified Ducts is not a place for careless exploration. The maggot-filled swamp is one of the most punishing environmental hazards in the region because it steadily decreases Hornet's silk. Players should locate the protective item early, then use its short window to cross dangerous stretches and reach safer ground. Silk management becomes a priority, since Hornet may need healing or offensive tools while navigating enemies and spikes.

The NPC in the area is another major reason to visit. This character helps reveal the locations of missed fleas across Pharloom, making the Putrified Ducts valuable for completionists. In 2026, with many players returning to old saves or starting fresh runs, this flea-reveal service remains one of the most useful rewards in the region.

The lower section accessed from Bilewater is easy to overlook. It does not connect to the rest of the Putrified Ducts, but it contains the Broodfeast quest and the Key of Apostate. Players who only take the Memorium route may miss these items entirely. A thorough explorer should visit both approaches.

Finally, the mini-boss near the end of the enemy corridor is optional. Fighting it may feel satisfying, but ignoring it is a valid strategy for players who want to preserve health and silk. The door is close enough that a quick escape is possible. Once inside the empty room, the real challenge becomes vertical navigation: Clawline, double jump, cling grip, and a sharp eye for the destructible obstacle.

With its hidden entrance, silk-draining swamp, optional mini-boss, and flea-revealing NPC, the Putrified Ducts is more than a detour. It is a compact test of everything Hollow Knight: Silksong asks from Hornet: mobility, combat awareness, environmental survival, and curiosity. The route from Memorium is long, but every step leads to rewards that justify the effort. For players aiming to complete Pharloom in 2026, the Putrified Ducts deserves a place on the map.

Once the Putrified Ducts are fully mapped and its rewards collected, many players start planning their next journey through Pharloom or looking for another challenging metroidvania to sink into. Comparing prices before buying can make that next adventure much easier on the wallet, especially when storefront discounts rotate quickly.

For anyone hunting for a discounted copy of Silksong, a DLC, or a similarly demanding action-platformer, DealNest is worth a look. It gathers current offers in one place, so you can browse game deals today before deciding where to spend your Geo—or your real-world currency.

I still remember the exact moment I stopped treating Hollow Knight: Silksong like a myth and started treating it like a real game. When Team Cherry finally released its long-awaited Metroidvania on all platforms, I felt the same mix of disbelief and relief that had been building since 2019. The game did not just arrive—it landed with force. On OpenCritic, it holds a 95/100 Top Critic Average, with 100% of critics recommending it. On Steam, it sits at 91% positive despite recurring complaints about difficulty. For me, that tension is the point: Silksong is brutal, beautiful, and unapologetically demanding.



The Long Wait Was Not a Joke—Except When It Was

I followed Silksong from its brief 2019 announcement trailer through years of near silence. Team Cherry showed a few trailers here and there, but updates were rare. That quiet period turned into a strange community ritual. Fans made clown memes about Silksong, and I laughed at them because I was in them. Every Nintendo Direct, every showcase, every random Tuesday became a chance to put on the makeup again. The joke was never really about hating the game. It was about how much we wanted it and how little we knew.

Now that Silksong is out, those memes are mostly retired. The conversation has shifted to boss fights, tools, Crests, and the game's steep learning curve. I have seen plenty of players celebrate its difficulty and plenty of others bounce off it. That split feels healthy. A sequel to Hollow Knight was never going to be easy, and Team Cherry did not pretend otherwise.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Inherited the Clown Crown

If any game rivaled Silksong for the longest gap between announcement and release, it was Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Nintendo first revealed it at its E3 2017 press conference, two years before Silksong's announcement. At the time, the game was literally just a logo. Nintendo said Bandai Namco's studios in Japan and Singapore would develop it, but that plan did not hold. In 2019, Nintendo restarted development because the initial version failed to meet internal expectations. Retro Studios, the original Metroid Prime team, took over. Retro had been working on an unannounced Switch platformer called Harmony, but that project was canceled to prioritize Metroid Prime 4.



For years, Metroid Prime 4 existed as a promise and a punchline. I remember watching fans ask for a trailer at every Direct, only to get another round of clown memes. Nintendo did not release a single trailer until June 2024. That reveal confirmed a 2025 release window for the Nintendo Switch. Later, Nintendo announced a Nintendo Switch 2 version with enhanced visuals and smoother frame rates. Even after multiple showings, Nintendo stayed oddly quiet about the exact release date, which made me nervous. I had already seen Silksong slip through enough windows to fear another delay into early 2026.



What 2026 Looks Like Now

By 2026, the waiting game is finally over. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has launched as a Nintendo exclusive for Switch and Switch 2, and the enhanced version on the newer hardware delivers the smoother frame rates and cleaner visuals Nintendo promised. I have spent time with both games now, and the contrast is fascinating. Silksong is a handcrafted, punishing 2D labyrinth from a small team. Metroid Prime 4 is a first-person sci-fi adventure from a veteran studio that had to rebuild its project from scratch. Both took years to reach players, but they took very different roads.

Game
Announced
Released
Key development note

Hollow Knight: Silksong
2019
2025
Team Cherry stayed quiet for years, fueling clown memes

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
E3 2017
2025
Rebooted in 2019; Retro Studios took over from Bandai Namco



The clown memes are dead now. I do not miss the uncertainty, but I do miss the shared absurdity a little. There was something oddly bonding about waiting for a game that felt like it might never arrive. Silksong and Metroid Prime 4 both turned that waiting into a community language. When the games finally launched, the language changed from jokes to impressions, complaints, favorite bosses, and favorite weapons.

The Real Lesson From Two Long Waits

I think the lesson is not that delays are good. They are not. Metroid Prime 4's reboot cost years and canceled another project. Silksong's silence frustrated even the most patient fans. But both cases show that a long wait does not automatically mean a bad game. It means development is messy, especially when a small team or a rebooted studio is trying to meet impossible expectations.



As a player in 2026, I am just glad I can finally talk about these games as games. Silksong earned its 95/100 OpenCritic average and its 91% Steam positivity, even if its difficulty keeps some players at arm's length. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally crossed the finish line and gave Switch and Switch 2 owners a new Samus adventure. The clown makeup is off. The controllers are on. And for once, the only mystery left is what Team Cherry and Retro Studios will do next.

That curiosity about what comes next tends to send me back through older catalogs, and it is easy to forget how expensive a backlog can get when every long-awaited release lands in the same window. Between Silksong, a new Samus adventure, and the steady stream of indies that fill the gaps in between, most players I know are trying to stretch a budget across far more games than they can finish. I have started being more deliberate about when I buy, waiting for the moments when prices actually drop instead of grabbing things at launch out of habit.

Lately I have been checking best game deals before committing to anything, and it has changed how I approach the hobby. Finding a discount on a title I was already curious about makes it easier to take a chance on the weirder, smaller releases that big studios would never fund, which is exactly the kind of variety that keeps this medium interesting between the blockbusters.

In the vast, labyrinthine kingdom of Pharloom, a map is more than a tool—it's a lifeline. I've spent countless hours wandering through Hollow Knight: Silksong, and I've learned that every Rosary counts. So when I discovered that the Putrified Ducts map could be acquired for free, I dropped everything to track it down. Here's how I did it, step by step, so you can save your Rosaries for more important things—like upgrades and fast travel.

Unlike most maps in Silksong, which require you to find a mapmaker and pay a hefty sum, the Putrified Ducts map is simply sitting on a table. No transaction, no haggling. Just a free map waiting to be claimed. But getting there is no walk in the park. The area is accessible only from the Memorium, not from Bilewater as some might think. The top part of the Putrified Ducts is hidden behind a secret path, and if you're not careful, you'll miss it entirely.

Start at the Memorium entrance and head up to the first door on your right. Proceed forward, cutting down any enemies in your path. Soon, you'll drop down near a door marked with a sign. Enter it and perform a double jump to access a secret path. This leads you to a large bridge. Here, you'll need to use your Clawline to the left, double jump, then Clawline to the right, and finally climb the wall. Look for a breakable part—destroy it and avoid the spikes inside as you run to the right. This brings you to the Putrified Ducts.

Step
Action

1
Start at Memorium entrance, go up to first door on right

2
Proceed past enemies, drop down near door with sign

3
Enter, double jump into secret path to large bridge

4
Use Clawline left, double jump, Clawline right, climb wall

5
Destroy breakable part, avoid spikes, run right to Putrified Ducts

6
Jump down from bridge, avoid swamp with maggots

7
Proceed right across platforms, jump to higher one, continue to door

8
Enter next room, glide down to Bellway sign, pay Rosaries for fast-travel/bench

9
Return outside, glide down to left room

10
Walk to end, jump up to bait veins, get carried up, break free

11
Approach table, take Putrified Ducts map for free

Once you're in the Putrified Ducts, jump down from the bridge, but beware of the swamp infested with maggots. Slowly proceed right across the platforms until you can jump to a higher one. Keep moving in the same direction, fighting or avoiding enemies, until you reach a door. Hornet can reach this door from either a lower or higher path, but I found the higher one to be safer. The lower path is filled with annoying flying enemies that have ranged attacks, plus those veins that trap you. It's also closer to the swamp, so one misstep and you'll lose silk.

Before I continue, let me emphasize how crucial the Clawline is. Without it, you can't traverse the gap on the bridge. Similarly, the double jump is mandatory for reaching the secret path and for some platforming sections. So if you're attempting this early, make sure you have these abilities. I learned this the hard way when I first tried without the Clawline—let's just say it didn't end well.

The swamp with maggots is particularly nasty. Those little critters can swarm you and drain your health quickly. I recommend taking them out from a distance if possible, or just sprinting past them. The platforms are your friend; stay on them and avoid falling into the muck.

Upon entering the next room, glide down slowly until you see the Bellway sign. Head inside and pay some Rosaries to unlock fast travel and a bench to rest. This is a crucial checkpoint. Once you're done, return outside and glide the rest of the way down to enter the left room. Walk until the end and jump up to bait the veins. This will trap Hornet and effortlessly carry her up without taking any damage. Before the plant at the top consumes her, smash the attack button to break free and land on the floor. Approach the table at the end and take the Putrified Ducts map for free. No Rosaries required.

I was overjoyed. Not only did I save Rosaries, but I also unlocked a valuable map that would make exploring the rest of Pharloom much easier. Now I can freely explore or revisit any old areas I missed. The map reveals all the hidden routes, benches, and fast travel points, turning a confusing maze into a manageable adventure.

So there you have it. The Putrified Ducts map is a hidden gem that every Silksong player should grab early. It's a bit of a trek, but the reward is well worth it. Just remember to bring your Clawline and double jump abilities, and be prepared for a few tricky jumps. Happy exploring!

? Quick Tips:

?️ Always prioritize maps in new areas.

? Save Rosaries for fast travel and upgrades.

⚔️ Use the higher path to avoid flying enemies.

? Watch out for the maggot swamp.

? Use Clawline and double jump effectively.

If you're the type who loves hunting down every secret and squeezing value out of every purchase, that same mindset can pay off outside of Pharloom too. Keeping tabs on game deals is a smart habit, whether you're looking for your next indie obsession or a title to fill the wait for more Silksong updates.

That's where check game prices comes in handy—DealNest lets you compare costs across stores so you can grab a bargain without the guesswork. It's a simple way to stay thrifty in real life, just like you are with Rosaries in the game.

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As a longtime Hollow Knight fan who has been deep in Silksong’s 2026 meta, I can tell you that the Magnetite Dice is one of those tools that sounds like a joke until it saves your run. ? It is a Yellow Tool, and its in-game description claims it brings luck to the wearer. After testing it across dozens of boss attempts, I can confirm that description is vague for a reason: the Dice gives you a small chance to completely ignore an attack that would have damaged you. That is not a guarantee. It is more like a parachute that opens only when the wind feels like it.

What the Magnetite Dice Actually Does

Let me be blunt: the Magnetite Dice is not a god-mode button. It is a probability trinket. When equipped, there is a low chance that an incoming hit will deal zero damage. You might survive a fatal blow one moment and then eat a full combo the next. The emphasis is on low chance. If you are expecting consistent defense, you will be disappointed. If you are expecting a tiny, chaotic edge in a boss fight, you will get exactly that.

Because it is a Yellow Tool, it competes with a surprisingly shallow pool of offensive options in that color. For many builds, that makes the Magnetite Dice a must-equip for boss fights and elite enemy encounters. I slot it whenever I know a single mistake could end a long attempt.

Where to Find Lumble the Lucky

To get the Magnetite Dice the honest way, I made my way to the Blasted Steps. You can access this area after acquiring the Wall Jump ability in Shellwood and then heading to the top-left part of the map. Once inside, I worked through the platforming section and climbed until I reached the Bellway Station. After interacting with the bench, I headed left and down, where a passage leads to Lumble the Lucky.

Lumble is a gambler. He asks you to play a game of dice with him. The game is purely random. A win grants you 4 Rosaries, while a loss sets you back 4 Rosaries. The key to winning the Tool is to play and win 40 Rosaries from Lumble. The catch is that you need ten net wins, and every loss pushes you backward. If you rely on raw luck, this can take up to an hour.

The Save-Scum Method That Actually Works

Luckily, there is a way to cheese through this while also ensuring you win. I used it, and it turned a frustrating hour into a manageable ritual.

First, make sure you have rested at the nearby bench.

Play with Lumble until you have a 16–20 Rosary lead.

Once you have that lead, simply Save and Quit. You will be teleported back to the bench.

Go back to Lumble. If you lose three times consecutively, quit the game without saving. This returns you to that 16–20 Rosary mark.

Keep saving your progress once every 12 Rosaries gained. Repeat until the Dice is yours.

This method is like save-scumming a casino where the dealer is a bug with a death wish. It is not elegant, but it works.



The Easier Act 1 Method

There is a second method to acquire the Dice, and it is far less stressful. It involves completing the first Act and reaching the Coral Chambers inside the Citadel. Once you do that, you can revisit Lumble the Lucky only to find him lying dead. You can interact with the item near him, which is the Dice. No gambling, no save-scumming, no RNG. Just a sad discovery and a free Tool.

If you are already past Act 1, this is the route I recommend. If you are still early and want the Dice before a difficult boss, the Lumble method is your only option.

Why the Magnetite Dice Matters in Combat

The Magnetite Dice’s description states that it is believed to bring luck to the wearer. Even though this description can be a little vague, equipping it and trying it in combat will give you some idea of what it does. The tool makes it so that there is a small chance that an attack that would hit and deal damage to you will not deal any damage.

You might think this tool is overpowered, but the emphasis should be on the low chance. The chances of the effect triggering are very low. Even though it can sometimes save you in situations where you would be dead otherwise, you will not find it useful all the time. The tool is Yellow, and with how few offensive tools you have for that color, this is a must-equip for boss fights or enemy encounters.

Attribute
Detail

Tool Type
Yellow Tool

Effect
Small chance to negate incoming damage

Best Use
Boss fights, elite enemies, desperate escapes

Acquisition
Lumble dice game or Act 1 Coral Chambers corpse

RNG Level
High, but manageable with save-scumming

I treat it like a ghost in the machine that occasionally rewrites my death sentence. It is a lottery ticket where the prize is one more second of life. Sometimes that second is all you need to land the final hit.

Final Thoughts for 2026

As of 2026, the Magnetite Dice remains one of Silksong’s most interesting Yellow Tools. It has not been nerfed into oblivion, and it has not been buffed into a mandatory slot. It sits in that perfect sweet spot of unreliable but unforgettable. If you are early in the game, use the save-scum method at Blasted Steps. If you are late, just finish Act 1 and pick it up from Lumble’s corpse. Either way, equip it before your next boss attempt. The Magnetite Dice is not a shield. It is a rumor of a shield. And sometimes that rumor is enough.

If the Dice hunt has you thinking about how much time you have sunk into Hallownest's successor, or if you are still deciding whether to pick up Silksong for a friend who has not yet made the jump, it is worth watching for a sale rather than paying full price on impulse. Metroidvanias in particular tend to cycle through discounts fairly often, and the difference between a full-price purchase and a seasonal deal can cover a good chunk of your next indie purchase.

Rather than refreshing store pages every few days, you can use a tracker that aggregates discounts across platforms. Sites like DealNest make that easier by collecting current offers in one place, so before you commit to a purchase — or gift someone a copy — it is worth taking a minute to check game prices and see whether patience will save you a few dollars.

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Every so often a boss fight stops feeling like a wall and starts feeling like a conversation. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, that conversation happens high inside the Exhaust Organ, where an old master of the needle waits in silence for a challenger worth their time. Phantom is optional — a detour on the long road toward the Citadel — yet the duel they offer has become one of the most beloved encounters in all of Pharloom, a fast and elegant dance that recalls Grimm and the Mantis Lords far more than the grinding brutality of the Last Judge. Beat them, and the reward is not merely a second route forward, but one of the strongest silk arts the game has to offer.

?️ Where the Old Master Waits

Phantom lives at the very top of the Exhaust Organ, a region tucked inside Bilewater. It can be reached first through Sinner's Road, and later through the Putrefied Docks and the Whispering Vaults, acting as a bridge between Lower Pharloom and the Citadel. Before any of that, though, a traveler must first survive the Mist.



The Mist is a dense, disorienting puzzle, and brute force will not solve it. The rules are simple once understood:

Play your Needolin near spirit moths and follow the path they reveal.

Only take exits that the spirit moths themselves indicate.

Defeat wraiths the moment they appear — never let them accumulate.

Carry a dependable trap that is both aerial and ranged, so wraiths in tight corners can be cleared safely.

Once inside the Organ proper, the climb continues. Steam exhaust vents punish careless movement, and the way up is a vertical gauntlet of paths and platforms. Two habits make the ascent bearable: strike every stray spool you pass to refill silk for the fight ahead, and sit on the bench up and to the left of the central chamber module before committing.



⚔️ Reading the Blade

Phantom is a medium-difficulty boss with a move list only slightly longer than what the early game has trained a player to expect — appropriate for an encounter that serves as the midgame handoff. They carry four moves in the first phase, and the second phase adds exactly one more with no other significant changes. The real challenge is a health pool that sits right alongside the Last Judge's for sheer bulk.

Knowing when to heal matters more than knowing when to strike.

Window
What to do

Just after dodging an Aerial Pin Pull
Heal slightly off the ground, in the farthest corner

Immediately after escaping a Music of the Light
Heal, or lay a trap

During staggers
Free healing and free damage



Trap placement works beautifully in the same windows. Tacks, Silkshot, and Sting Shard all perform wonders against Phantom, and every one of them hits harder with the Pollip Heart tool equipped.

? Silk Arts and Sharp Answers

Silk Storm earns its place here for bonus damage whenever spare silk allows, while Silkspear remains useful but less impressive, thanks to how many of Phantom's attacks sweep quickly and horizontally.

Silk Storm: best used while jumping over Phantom during their Triple Stab or Pin Pull.

Silkspear: best used after a Music of the Light, or after dodging an Aerial Pin Pull.



Phantom's attacks are strikingly close to Hornet's old repertoire. Their movement is nimble and graceful, matching Hornet's own running speed, which means standing still is a death sentence. Most of their attacks demand a dash to avoid, and accurate pogo strikes are the key to keeping the fight from dragging.

? The Final Roar

Near the end, Phantom roars and vanishes, launching a five-hit series of downward slams that land one right after another. Swerve between each impact. Do not attempt to heal or set traps until the fifth and final strike has landed and Phantom has come to rest. This is not a true phase transition so much as a last-ditch effort to prove superiority — and it is where careless challengers die.



? The Prize: Cross Stitch

Phantom is entirely about precision and reaction — fitting, given what they leave behind. As a reward for honorably ending their vigil, the victor receives the very parry ability Phantom used against them: Cross Stitch.



Cross Stitch parries all enemies and counters most attack types, and it remains one of the most satisfying silk powers well into the late game. Even players who have already reached the Citadel are strongly encouraged to turn back, climb the Exhaust Organ one more time, and claim it. Some fights are worth the walk back. This one is worth the whole journey.

For anyone still waiting on the sidelines, the barrier to entry is smaller than it looks — Silksong regularly dips below its sticker price if you know where to shop, and the savings are worth pocketing before you commit to the climb through the Exhaust Organ. Sites like DealNest aggregate discounted offers across storefronts, so a quick check there can turn a full-price purchase into a bargain. If you've been holding off on joining Hornet's journey until the price felt right, browsing the cheapest steam keys available is a sensible first step.

It's a small detour, but one that mirrors the game's own philosophy: patience and preparation pay off. Scout the deal, secure the copy, and then get back to the part that actually matters — learning Phantom's rhythm until that five-slam finale stops being terrifying and starts being routine.

I’ll be straight with you: Bilewater is a nasty piece of work. I’d heard whispers about the Seeker’s Soul in Hollow Knight: Silksong, but I didn’t realize it would send me through one of the game’s most miserable optional areas. Still, as of 2026, if you’re chasing the secret Act 3, you need this creepy little item. So here’s how I got it, how I used it, and what I wish I’d known before I took the plunge.



Long story short, Seeker’s Soul is tucked inside a shell home in Bilewater. It’s close to the Key of Apostate spot, so if you’re already hunting that key, you can kill two birds with one stone. I did exactly that, and it felt like a small mercy in an otherwise brutal zone.

There are two ways to reach it. I tried both because I’m a glutton for punishment.

Route 1: The Southern Slog

Start in Bilewater’s southern edge.

Pass through Sinner’s Road.

Push north until you hit the top section of Bilewater.

This route is the “classic” way, and by classic I mean it can kick your teeth in. You’ll face several waves of enemies, and then you’ll run into Groal, a boss who doesn’t believe in warm-ups. The worst part? There’s no nearby bench. If you fall in combat, you’re sent back to the last bench you visited. I learned that the hard way, and let me tell you, walking back felt like Groundhog Day.

Route 2: The Putrified Ducts Shortcut

Enter Bilewater from the northern side.

Use the Putrified Ducts route.

Drop into the top section and grab the Seeker’s Soul.

This is the route I recommend. It’s safer, faster, and it skips Groal entirely. The catch? You need the Double Jump skill, which means you can’t pull this off early. It’s a midgame route, plain and simple. If you have Double Jump, take it. If you don’t, maybe go do something else first, because the southern route is a real gauntlet.

Route
Entry Point
Boss?
Requirement
Verdict

Southern
Sinner’s Road
Groal
None, but high risk
? Only if you hate yourself

Northern
Putrified Ducts
None
Double Jump
✅ Best route

Once I grabbed Seeker’s Soul, I stared at my inventory like, “Okay, what now?” The answer is: not much, at least at first. Seeker’s Soul is required to unlock the secret Act 3 in Silksong. But it’s not a solo act. You need three other souls, and two of them only become obtainable after you promise the Silk and Soul Wish. So until you trigger the Silk and Soul quest—and that takes a fair bit of prerequisite work—Seeker’s Soul just sits in Hornet’s inventory like a weird paperweight.

That’s the thing that tripped me up. I thought I’d missed a prompt or a hidden door. Nope. The game just wants you to hold onto it. So if you’re in the same boat, don’t panic. It’s not bugged; it’s just waiting for the rest of the quest chain to catch up.

While you’re collecting pre-quest items, there’s another one worth grabbing: the Snare Setter. I picked it up from Weavenest Atla, and it’s a handy tool to have in your pocket. Here’s how I did it.



First, go to Bone Bottom and find the door that requires the Needolin song. Play the song, and you’ll be transported down into Weavenest Atla. Once you’re down there, look for a wall you can climb. Climb up until you spot a route at mid-height on the left side. Slip into that hidden route, then find another way up. Keep heading up, and you’ll eventually spot the Snare Setter sitting on top of a desk. Grab it, and you’re golden.

I’ll admit, I walked past that hidden route twice before I saw it. The game doesn’t exactly roll out a red carpet. But once you know where to look, it’s not too bad. Just keep an eye out for climbable walls and side paths.

So, what’s the bottom line? If you’re aiming for the secret Act 3 in 2026, you need Seeker’s Soul. Take the Putrified Ducts route if you have Double Jump. If you don’t, prepare for a rough ride through Sinner’s Road and Groal. And remember: Seeker’s Soul is only one piece of the puzzle. The Silk and Soul Wish quest has to be active before the other souls even show up. Until then, let it sit in your inventory and gather dust.

Would I do it again? Maybe. Bilewater still gives me the heebie-jeebies, but the payoff is worth it. If you’re going for 100% or just want to see what Act 3 has in store, don’t skip this one. Just bring patience, a fully upgraded Hornet, and maybe a snack. You’re going to need it.

All this waiting around for quest chains to unlock is a good reminder that gaming often involves a lot of patience — and sometimes a lot of money, too. Whether you're stocking up on metroidvanias to fill the gap between Silksong sessions or hunting for your next obsession, a steam deal finder like DealNest makes it easy to track price drops across your wishlist without lifting a finger. It won't help you beat Groal, but it might save you enough to afford a few extra snacks.