- Find the Needle upgrades increase Hornet’s direct Needle damage across four weapon stages.
- First upgrade becomes available after restoring Bellhart and defeating the local threat.
- Pale Oil is required for the second, third, and fourth upgrades.
- Act 2 access opens the next major upgrade route through the Citadel regions.
- Final upgrade requires late-game preparation, including the Secret Act 3 route.
Find the Needle upgrades: Quick Progression Map
The Needle upgrade path in Hollow Knight: Silksong is tied to exploration, major quests, and Pale Oil rather than ordinary currency. Hornet begins with the standard Needle, then improves it through four named stages. Each upgrade raises the value of regular attacks, making bosses, armored enemies, and crowded rooms easier to manage.
The first improvement is connected to Bellhart’s restoration. The later improvements require you to locate Pale Oil and return it to Pinmaster Plinney. Because the required areas unlock over several acts, trying to rush every upgrade at once can create unnecessary backtracking.
| Upgrade Stage | Main Requirement | General Timing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpened Needle | Restore Bellhart and defeat its curse source | Late Act 1 | First Needle damage increase |
| Shining Needle | Complete the first Pale Oil request | Act 2 | Second Needle damage increase |
| Hivesteel Needle | Complete the Great Taste of Pharloom Wish | Act 2 or later | Third Needle damage increase |
| Pale Steel Needle | Reach the final Pale Oil route and rescue Plinney | Secret Act 3 | Maximum listed Needle upgrade |
Sharpened Needle
The first upgrade is free after Bellhart returns to normal. Focus on reaching Shellwood and unlocking the required movement skill.
Shining Needle
This stage uses the first Pale Oil found through a Citadel-area route and Pinmaster Plinney’s request.
Hivesteel Needle
The second Pale Oil is connected to a long food-related Wish with several ingredients to collect.
Pale Steel Needle
The final stage belongs to the late-game route and requires additional preparation before Plinney can finish the work.
Treat each Needle upgrade as a progression milestone. Unlock movement abilities and regional shortcuts before hunting Pale Oil so every return trip serves another objective.
First Needle Upgrade: Bellhart and the Sharpened Needle
The first upgrade is the most direct one, but it still requires a substantial Act 1 route. You need access to Shellwood, the Cling Grip movement skill, and the ability to reach Bellhart’s curse-related boss encounter.
There are two broad ways to reach Shellwood. One route uses the Wormways entrance connected to Bone Bottom, while another follows the main path through Far Fields and Greymoor. The second route involves more mandatory encounters, so choose based on which areas you have already explored.
| Requirement | Where It Matters | Practical Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Shellwood access | Required before obtaining Cling Grip | Open the Wormways route or follow the main progression path |
| Cling Grip | Needed for upper and thorn-filled passages | Obtain it after defeating Sister Splinter |
| Bellhart restoration | Unlocks the upgrade NPC’s full service | Complete the curse objective involving Widow |
| Pinmaster Plinney | Performs the weapon improvement | Visit the upper-right shop in restored Bellhart |
Once Cling Grip is available, return to Shellwood and continue through the later passages toward the Bellhart-related objective. The boss encounter is easier to control if you avoid rushing into the center of the arena. Watch for incoming bell attacks, preserve room to retreat, and punish openings after a committed dive.
After the fight, return to Bellhart and use the elevator to reach the restored settlement. Plinney’s shop is located at the upper-right side of town. Speak with the Pinmaster there to receive the Sharpened Needle without spending Pale Oil.
Do not search for Pale Oil before completing the first Bellhart upgrade. Pale Oil is reserved for later requests, while the first Needle improvement is unlocked through the Bellhart restoration route.
Step-by-Step Route to the Shining Needle
The second upgrade begins after the first Needle improvement and requires Act 2 access. You can enter Act 2 through more than one progression route, so the exact order of your boss encounters may differ. Once Act 2 is open, speak with Plinney again to begin the Pale Oil request.
The first Pale Oil is associated with a concealed route through the Citadel’s connected regions. The route combines vertical platforming, enemy pressure, a mechanical area, and a block puzzle. Rest at available shrines and activate shortcuts whenever possible.
Reach Act 2
Advance through the main route until Act 2 becomes available. Your path may involve the Last Judge or an alternate route through the Mist and the Exhaust Organ.
Accept the Pale Oil Request
Return to Bellhart and speak with Pinmaster Plinney after the first upgrade. The request directs you toward Pale Oil in the Citadel region.
Enter the Citadel Route
Begin near the Grand Bellway in the Choral Chambers. Travel upward through the vertical passage and locate the marked breakable window leading to the abandoned Pinmaster shop.
Open the Hidden Entrance
Rest at the First Shrine, then travel through the Cogwork Core. Defeat the Clockwork Dancers and use the lower mechanical passages to reach the Whispering Vaults.
Solve the Block Puzzle
Move the sliding wooden blocks to create a route through the hidden rooms. Pull the lever at the end to open the passage back to the Pinmaster shop and collect the Pale Oil.
The block puzzle is easier when you treat each wooden platform as a position tool rather than an obstacle. Strike blocks from the side or below to change their alignment, then use wall movement to reach the next ledge. If a block seems to create a dead end, check whether a downward strike can reset the vertical path.
| Route Segment | Main Challenge | Best Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Bellway | Long vertical ascent | Use controlled jumps and avoid unnecessary enemy fights |
| Cogwork Core | Mechanical hazards and locked access | Defeat the required guardians, then search the lower rooms |
| Whispering Vaults | Hidden passage and map route | Check upper rafters and side doors before descending |
| Sliding-block rooms | Multi-stage environmental puzzle | Move blocks in sequence and use downward strikes |
| Pinmaster shop | Final collection point | Pull the lever, then return with Pale Oil |
After collecting the oil, return to Bellhart and speak with Plinney. The reward is the Shining Needle, the second weapon stage.
Once the Shining Needle is complete, save your route knowledge around Bellhart and the Citadel. The same regions contain the next Pale Oil objective, but the second route is significantly more demanding.
Second Pale Oil: The Hivesteel Needle Quest
The third Needle stage requires the second Pale Oil. It is found in the Choral Chambers, but collecting it immediately is not possible. The oil is protected by a story-driven interaction with Loyal Mergwin and the Great Gourmand.
Begin by traveling toward the central portion of the Choral Chambers. Look for the route with tall enemies and a sequence of trapdoors. The Pale Oil is located inside a dining hall, sealed behind glass. Speaking with Mergwin starts the Great Taste of Pharloom Wish.
This quest sends you across Pharloom to gather unusual ingredients. The exact difficulty depends on which regions and shortcuts you have already opened. Complete the ingredient objectives, return to Mergwin, and present the requested items to receive the second Pale Oil.
| Quest Phase | Objective | Recommended Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Locate the dining hall | Reach the central Choral Chambers route | Bring enough healing resources for guarded corridors |
| Speak with Mergwin | Start the Great Taste of Pharloom Wish | Continue the conversation until the servant request begins |
| Gather ingredients | Find the required food items | Mark unexplored branches and activate nearby shortcuts |
| Return to the dining hall | Deliver the completed quest items | Use fast travel or regional links where available |
| Claim Pale Oil | Receive the reward after the meal | Return to Bellhart and speak with Plinney |
The most efficient approach is to combine ingredient hunting with other objectives. If an ingredient lies near a movement upgrade, boss, or map route, complete those tasks during the same trip. This reduces the amount of long-distance traversal required before the Hivesteel Needle is available.
Before Returning to Plinney:
- Complete the first Bellhart Needle upgrade
- Unlock Act 2 and begin the Pale Oil requests
- Collect the first Pale Oil from the Citadel route
- Finish the Great Taste of Pharloom Wish
- Carry the second Pale Oil back to Bellhart
Once Plinney receives the second Pale Oil, the Needle becomes the Hivesteel Needle. At this point, regular attacks are considerably more valuable against durable targets, and the upgrade is especially useful for players who prefer direct Needle strikes over elaborate tool setups.
Keep a written or map-based note of ingredient locations. The Great Taste of Pharloom Wish covers multiple regions, and revisiting the dining hall without the required items does not advance the upgrade.
Final Needle Upgrade: Pale Steel Needle
The final upgrade is connected to the Secret Act 3 route. It is not an early-game detour, and attempting to force access before completing the required late-game objectives can lead to confusing dead ends.
You must progress through the Flea-related storyline far enough to reach the final destination of the Flea Caravan in the Putrified Ducts. After Secret Act 3 begins, return to Bellhart and accept the Wish that sends you to Fleatopia.
At the festival, complete the three available flea games: Flea Juggle, Flea Dodge, and Flea Bounce. The goal is to achieve a sufficiently strong score across the activities, after which the festival reward provides the third Pale Oil.
| Final Route Stage | What to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Secret Act 3 | Unlock the late-game act | Opens the final Pale Oil chain |
| Flea Caravan | Help the caravan reach its destination | Enables the Fleatopia festival |
| Fleatopia festival | Play all three flea games | Provides the final Pale Oil reward |
| Shellwood rescue | Find and rescue Plinney | Allows the Pinmaster to return |
| Bellhart return | Bring Plinney the Pale Oil | Unlocks the Pale Steel Needle |
The final complication is Plinney’s temporary absence. During Act 3, the Pinmaster must be rescued in Shellwood before the final weapon service becomes available again. Complete that rescue, return to Bellhart, and deliver the final Pale Oil.
The reward is the Pale Steel Needle, the last upgrade in this progression. Because the route combines act progression, collectible support, minigames, and a rescue objective, it is best handled as a late-game completion goal rather than a priority immediately after entering Act 3.
Finish nearby Flea Caravan objectives and Shellwood tasks in the same expedition whenever possible. The final upgrade has several prerequisites, so grouping them limits repeated travel.
Needle Upgrade FAQ and Route Priorities
Use the following priorities when planning a first playthrough:
- Get movement abilities before chasing difficult vertical routes.
- Restore Bellhart as soon as its main objective becomes available.
- Revisit Plinney after each major act transition.
- Treat Pale Oil as a quest item, not a general shop resource.
- Use shortcuts and shrines before entering long multi-room challenges.
- Save the final upgrade for a late-game cleanup route.
| Upgrade | Priority | Main Difficulty | Best Time to Pursue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpened Needle | High | Shellwood access and Bellhart boss | Late Act 1 |
| Shining Needle | High | Citadel traversal and block puzzle | Early or mid Act 2 |
| Hivesteel Needle | Medium | Multi-region ingredient Wish | Mid Act 2 or later |
| Pale Steel Needle | Late-game | Secret Act 3 and Plinney rescue | Final progression phase |
Q: How many Needle upgrades are available?
The progression has four named weapon stages: the initial Needle, Sharpened Needle, Shining Needle, Hivesteel Needle, and Pale Steel Needle as the final listed improvement.
Q: Where do I get the first Find the Needle upgrade?
The first upgrade is obtained from Pinmaster Plinney in restored Bellhart after you reach Shellwood, obtain Cling Grip, and complete the Bellhart curse objective.
Q: Do all Needle upgrades require Pale Oil?
No. The first upgrade is tied to Bellhart’s restoration. Pale Oil is needed for the next three improvements.
Q: What is the hardest part of the final upgrade route?
The last route combines Secret Act 3 progression, the Flea Caravan festival, three flea games, and a Shellwood rescue before Plinney can complete the weapon.
Prioritize the first two upgrades for normal progression, pursue Hivesteel Needle when the ingredient route is convenient, and reserve Pale Steel Needle for late-game completion.