Silksong Dash Location: How to Unlock Swift Step

What to know

• Swift Step (dash) unlocks both dash and sprint abilities for Hornet.
• Location lies in the Deep Docks region—at its northernmost bug-altar shrine.
• Activation via interaction grants traversal enhancements across platforms and combat.
• Dash binds to ‘C’ on keyboard or controller triggers; sprint by holding the button.

Pharloom’s winding caverns and towering platforms demand more than just cautious hops and nimble needle attacks. The arrival of Swift Step—granting dash and sprint—injects a burst of energy and control into each step of Hornet’s adventure. Discovering where to find it redefines how progress unfolds in Silksong.

Unlocking Swift Step at Deep Docks’ upper shrine

To claim Hornet’s dash ability, you must explore your way through Deep Docks toward its upper reach—where the bug-altar shrine resides. That shrine, tucked into the northernmost part of the region, holds the ancestral power that infuses Hornet with Swift Step, enabling both dash and sprint in one upgrade. Activation is simple. Simply interact with the shrine and voila!

Mapping the route: From entrance to shrine

If you don't have the map to Deep Docks yet, find Shakra and buy the map. She's a few levels below the rest bench.

A winding path lays out the journey to the shrine that unlocks Swift Step. Traverse into Deep Docks, navigate its mid-level passages, then ascend toward the high section. Take a looping motion east, then west, which brings the shrine into view. Here’s the exact location:

• Enter Deep Docks.
• Head to mid-section, exploring eastward.
• Ascend via platforms or vents to reach upper corridors.
• Double-back west toward the shrine’s northernmost niche.
• Engage with shrine to unlock Swift Step.

Dash, sprint, and Swift Step controls

Once unlocked, Swift Step assigns dash and sprint to your chosen input:

Tap to dash; hold to sprint continuously. Plus, combining dash with an attack performs a Dash-Pierce—a quick thrust forward. When paired with a jump, this sequence enables reaching elevated platforms that were previously unreachable.

What all can you do with Swift Step or dash

Prior to dash, platforming encounters with bigger gaps or aerial threats demand painstaking timing. Swift Step delivers a palpable boost—coming in clutch during exploration, evasion, or bridging risky pitfalls. Here's why dash makes such a huge difference:

• Traversal: Platform jumps become smoother; more distance covered with less friction.
• Combat: Dashing into a Dash-Pierce opens new combo dynamics and aggressive maneuvers.
• Exploration: Hidden areas and shortcuts become more accessible, rewarding curiosity.
• Game flow: Early pacing shifts—navigation feels more fluid and dynamic.

Landing Swift Step from the northern Deep Docks shrine marks a milestone in Hornet’s journey—a catalyst for better traversal, more aggressive combat, and deeper exploration. Pharloom starts to unravel at higher pace, and every leap begins to feel charged with potential.