Hollow Knight: Silksong – Memory Locket Locations and Tips

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Memory Lockets are essential for upgrading your Crests, which let you equip more tools to enhance Hornet’s abilities. As you explore the sprawling kingdom of Pharloom, these items unlock new ways to customize your gameplay, making them a critical part of your adventure. This guide covers everything you need to know about Memory Lockets, from how to use them to where to find them, ensuring you can make the most of Hornet’s potential.

Understanding Memory Lockets and Crests

Memory Lockets are special items that expand the slots on your Crests, which are equippable resources determining Hornet’s skills and abilities. Unlike the charms in the original Hollow Knight, Silksong’s tools are equipped onto Crests, with each Crest offering a unique playstyle. Expanding a Crest with a Memory Locket allows you to equip additional tools, such as weapons (red), defense (blue), or exploration (yellow) items. However, each expansion is permanent, so you’ll want to think carefully about which Crest to upgrade.

Where to find Memory Lockets

Memory Lockets are scattered throughout Pharloom, either as collectibles in hard-to-reach areas or as items available for purchase. Here are three confirmed locations based on available information:

• Mort’s Shop in Far Fields:
  • Cost: 150 Rosaries
  • Details: You can purchase one Memory Locket from Mort in Far Fields. This is a one-time purchase, so plan your Rosary spending accordingly.
  • Tip: Far Fields is accessible early in the game, making this a good option for an early Crest upgrade.
• Hunter’s March:
  • Location: Found on a corpse in the rightmost area of Hunter’s March, just before the Chapel of the Beast.
  • Details: This Memory Locket requires exploration to reach, so keep an eye out for hidden paths or platforms leading to the corpse.
  • Tip: Use Hornet’s traversal abilities, like vaulting off enemies or striking through objects, to access this area.
• Greymoor, Moorwing Boss Arena:
  • Location: Found to the right of the Moorwing boss arena in Greymoor, past the floor fan, in the upper section of the room.
  • Details: After defeating the Moorwing boss, navigate past the floor fan and use Hornet’s vaulting or climbing abilities to reach the upper section where the Memory Locket is located.
  • Tip: Watch for environmental hazards like the fan’s airflow, which may require precise timing to bypass.

Since Memory Lockets are relatively rare, it’s wise to explore thoroughly and check with merchants like Shakra or Pebb in other regions (e.g., The Marrow or Bone Bottom) for potential additional Lockets. Always prioritize areas with visual cues like hidden walls or suspicious dead ends, as these often conceal valuable items.

How to use a Memory Locket

Using a Memory Locket is straightforward but requires access to a bench, which serves as a rest point in the game. Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Access the Crest Menu: Sit at a bench and press the Q button (on keyboard) to open the Crest menu, where you’ll see your available Crests and their slots.
2. Select a Crest to Expand: Choose the Crest you want to upgrade. Each Crest has small dots near its circles, indicating potential slots for tools. The color of the dot (red, blue, or yellow) shows the type of tool it will support.
3. Apply the Memory Locket: Select a dot and hold the Z button until the circle transforms into the Crest’s symbol, consuming the Memory Locket. This unlocks a new slot for a tool.
4. Equip a Tool: Once the slot is unlocked, you can assign a tool to it at the bench, enhancing Hornet’s abilities based on the Crest’s style.

Be cautious: once a Memory Locket is used on a Crest, it cannot be undone, so consider which Crest aligns best with your preferred combat or exploration style.

Strategic tips for using Memory Lockets

To make the most of your Memory Lockets, consider these tips:

• Choose Your Crest Wisely:
  • Different Crests unlock unique combat styles. For example, the Reaper Crest might focus on aggressive play, while others emphasize defense or mobility. Wait until you’ve unlocked multiple Crests (via story progression or cutscenes) before committing your Lockets.
  • Example: One player regretted using a Memory Locket on the Reaper Crest, as it didn’t suit their playstyle, and the upgrade was permanent.
• Prioritize Tool Types:
  • Red slots (weapons) enhance Hornet’s offensive capabilities, blue slots (defense) improve survivability, and yellow slots (exploration) aid in navigating Pharloom’s complex map. Decide which aspect of gameplay you want to strengthen.
• Balance Exploration and Purchases:
  • Rosaries, the game’s currency, are earned by defeating enemies or finding hidden caches. Save enough to buy the Memory Locket from Mort, but don’t neglect exploration for free Lockets like those in Hunter’s March or Greymoor.
• Check for Hidden Areas:
  • Pharloom is filled with secret rooms and breakable walls. Use Hornet’s needle to strike suspicious surfaces or vault off enemies to reach high platforms where Memory Lockets might be hidden.

Tools and Crests: Why you need Memory Lockets

Memory Lockets are crucial because they directly impact how many tools you can equip, which in turn shapes your experience in Silksong. Tools replace the charms from the original game and offer a range of active and passive abilities.

For example, some tools might let you deal more damage, while others improve your healing or movement. Expanding Crests with Memory Lockets gives you more flexibility to mix and match tools, adapting to Pharloom’s challenging bosses and intricate platforming sections.

Here’s a quick overview of tool types and their benefits:

By unlocking more slots, you can create a build that suits your playstyle, whether you prefer aggressive combat, cautious exploration, or a balanced approach.

Should you go after Memory Lockets first?

Memory Lockets are a game-changer for tailoring Hornet’s abilities, but they’re not the only items worth pursuing in Hollow Knight: Silksong. If you enjoy customizing your playstyle and experimenting with tools, prioritize finding Memory Lockets early to expand your Crests.

However, if you’re struggling with health or navigation, you might want to focus on collecting Mask Shards (for extra health) or map items like the Compass and Quill first. Weigh your needs based on how comfortable you feel with Pharloom’s challenges, and use this guide to track down Memory Lockets efficiently. With careful planning, you’ll be weaving through Silksong’s world like a true princess of Hallownest.