How to Master Sequence Breaking in Hollow Knight: Silksong (Early Skill Unlocks)

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Hollow Knight: Silksong is a meticulously designed Metroidvania, but like the original, it rewards players who think outside the box. Sequence breaking—progressing in an unintended order—lets you unlock abilities early, skip bosses, and explore late-game zones ahead of schedule.

This guide compiles community-tested methods to help you master Pharloom’s most exciting skips so you can customize your playthrough and uncover hidden shortcuts.

⚙️ 1. What Is Sequence Breaking?

Sequence breaking uses advanced movement, enemy interactions, or environmental tricks to bypass intended progression gates. In Silksong, that can mean:

  • Early tools or abilities (e.g., Swift Step before reaching Deep Docks)

  • Skipping bosses like Bell Beast or Lace

  • Reaching late-game zones such as Greymoor or Shellwood without key items

It’s challenging and requires precision—but the payoff is early upgrades, unique routing, and big speedrunning potential.

Master Sequence Breaking in Hollow Knight: Silksong
🧭 2. Essential Early Sequence Breaks

A. Skip Moss Mother with Pogo Mastery

  • How: Instead of fighting Moss Mother, use tight diagonal pogo jumps on enemies and hazards to climb the right wall in Moss Grotto.

  • Reward: Quick access to Bone Bottom and its early vendors without a fight.

B. Reach Deep Docks Without Silkspear

  • How: From The Marrow, perform a damage boost—take a timed hit to launch Hornet across the spike pit near the prison area and break a hidden wall.

  • Reward: Early Swift Step dash and Deep Docks resources.

C. Obtain Drifter’s Cloak Before Lace

  • How: In Far Fields, lure explosive enemies to break the fragile floor near the Seamstress’s hut, dropping you past the Lace fight.

  • Reward: Early wind-riding and hovering for huge vertical skips.

🧗 3. Advanced Movement Techniques

  • Damage Boosting – Use enemy attacks or hazards (like lava geysers) to launch Hornet to high ledges, enabling early Shellwood access without Cling Grip.

  • Pogo Chains – Master Hornet’s diagonal pogo to bounce off enemies, hazards, or projectiles to scale vertical shafts or bypass barriers in Hunter’s March and Greymoor.

  • Ledge Canceling – Cancel landing lag by attacking the moment you touch a ledge, preserving momentum for tighter skips.

🗺️ 4. Key Zones for Sequence Breaking

Zone                Early Unlock                Break Method
Moss GrottoBone Bottom accessPogo over the right wall
The MarrowDeep Docks entryDamage boost over spikes
Far FieldsDrifter’s CloakExplosive enemy floor break
GreymoorReaper’s CrestPogo chain up wind shafts

⚠️ 5. Risks & Limitations

  • Softlocks: Skipping bosses may break quest triggers—bench before big skips.

  • Resource Shortages: Missing intended upgrades can make combat tougher (e.g., no Silkspear for webbing).

  • Patch Dependence: Updates may close these gaps. Playing offline ensures consistency.

💡 6. Community Discoveries & Tools

  • Shard Pendant Skip: Use the Magnetite Brooch from Bone Bottom to pull Shell Shards through walls for early upgrades.

  • Bench Storage: Save and quit during certain animations to store momentum for super jumps.

🎯 7. Why Sequence Break?

  • Speedrunning: Perfect for any% runs—skip bosses like Bell Beast and Lace.

  • Challenge Runs: Add self-imposed constraints, like “no tools” or “no crests.”

  • Exploration Freedom: Reach hidden lore and resources long before the intended path.

💎 Conclusion: Embrace the Glitches

Sequence breaking transforms Silksong from a linear journey into a dynamic playground. These tricks require practice but unlock unmatched freedom and replayability.

Remember:

  1. Practice in Reflection Mode to avoid save corruption.

  2. Join community forums for the latest skips.

  3. Experiment freely—Pharloom’s secrets are waiting!

Sources

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