Silksong: What to do before Act 3

What to know

• Act 3 introduces void corruption across Pharloom, making enemies stronger and exploration more demanding.
• Certain fights, quests, and journal entries become missable or significantly harder once Act 3 begins.
• Unlocking Act 3 requires completing the Silk and Soul wish and a specific choice during the Grand Mother Silk boss fight.
• Players often recommend backing up saves and grinding resources like rosaries beforehand for a smoother experience.

Silksong's brain-numbing difficulty and ultra-aggressive requirements for progression can put players off. But it (among several other things) is what will be cause for the game's longevity and insane replay value. For $20, players gain access to a game that they can continue playing for years to come (hopefully it won't take that long to finish though). But even within the game, there are some progressions and transitions that feel a little more consequential than others.

The transition from Act 2 to Act 3 is exactly that - an escalation in both story and challenge! It's a moment that's best treated as a save-state decision. Players across the board agree that a handful of concrete tasks are either required to trigger the Silk & Soul ending (which moves the story into Act 3) or are strongly recommended so nothing valuable is missed or made harder later.

But there are several things you MUST complete to avoid Silksong's Act 3 being the insufferable void-infested monotony of continuous failure that it can be. Take it from this Reddit user:

Downsides of starting Silksong Act 3 too early

There are several elements that are completely locked out if you rush your way to Silksong's Act 3.

There are so many hidden things and NPC interactions that you won't be able to return to them once you get to Act 3. Why? Because they will all disappear, change irreversibly, or simply die!

The fight against Shakra, the mapmaker, is a key missable boss.

You'll need to complete her Trail's End wish and then summon her by ringing the bell in Greymoor for a sparring match that adds a unique Hunter's Journal entry.

Greyroot's second quest, which is tied to the Witch's Crest and the Twisted Child ending, also becomes inaccessible.

Two optional journal entries vanish entirely once Act 3 triggers, much to the dismay of completionists aiming for the 100% achievement—though extras like Shakra's entry don't count toward it.

If you haven't completed these, we highly recommend you take your time exploring and finishing them before you head to Act 3.

What gets harder in Act 3

There are certain changes that are bound to happen in Act 3. You'll find that everything is buffed up and covered by the void. The Forebrother Signis in Deep Docks spawn void enemies, while Disgraced Chief Lugoli's fight blocks a needle upgrade with his void-infused form and massive health pool.

On top of that, the enemies are tougher, with increased health, new attacks, and random "voiding" effects that can occur on any foe.

Almost all optional content, such as arenas and side bosses, gains artificial difficulty through doubled health pools and void infusions, turning manageable encounters into grueling tests.

Areas like Deep Docks and Bellhart see dramatic shifts. Void masses in the room pre-void enemies until they're destroyed. However, random voiding persists.

If that weren't all, grinding for rosaries also gets less efficient with fewer rewards post-Act 3. Even mini-games like pin throwing or dice yield rewards that shift to the Thieves' Shop if missed (with potential despawns). Act 3, by every account, is nothing but waves of darkness, death, and despair, over and over again (but in a masochistic, fun way).

Hidden areas and collectibles to hunt down before advancing to Act 3

Silksong's Pharloom has several little areas that are very well hidden and can only be found through thorough exploration pre-Act 3. These include Weavenest Atla (east of Moss Grotto), Sands of Karak (northwest of Blasted Steps), and the Memorium (above Choral Chambers and east of Cogwork Core). Make sure not to miss them.

Next up, try to get to Wisp's Thicket, a location near Greymoor. But to get there, you'll first need to acquire Double Jump ability atop Mount Fay, and which you can only unlock before Act 3.

Other collectibles that you should focus on before Act 3:

• Mask Shards - Aim to get 16/20.
• Full needle upgrades - Up to 4 are possible in Act 2.
• As many fleas as possible - Target 28/30 to relocate the caravan.
• Collect all maps from Shakra.
• Acquire Architect, Conductor, and Vaultkeeper melodies.
• Stock up on items from the shops.

Grind resources in Act 2

Farming for rosaries will slow down considerably in Act 3. So you should stockpile as many rosaries as you can in the preceding act. Here's how to do so:

1. Find the best grinding spots. The hallways flanking the clock dancers boss is a good example of quick repeatable enemy respawns yielding high rosaries.
2. Equip charms that boost drops or speed, such as those enhancing silk drain negation, or multiply cogfly followers for aid in combat.
3. Farm as many rosaries as you can. We'd suggest going as high as 3000+ rosaries to buy all final charms and upgrades.
4. Do mini-games like endless pin throwing for bonus rosaries.

Unlocking Act 3 without missing key pre-requisites

The exact (and we mean EXACT) trigger that begins Act 3 is not known, yet. Given that different players have been able to advance to Act 3 without completing all quest or finding all the lost fleas, it's safe to say that you don't have to do them all. Nevertheless, you have to do most of them, and it's best to prep extensively first:

Step 1: Complete all core wishes across the main locations such as Songclage, Bone Bottom, and Bellhart, including Pharloom's Crown, Liquid Lacquer, Queen's Egg, and others from the full list of wishes.

Additionally, even though you don't need to do the needle upgrade quest, it is recommended that you do so before Act 3.

Step 2: After finding 25 fleas, move the Flea Caravan to Putrified Ducts (which is their final destination).

Step 3: Gather 'Silk and Soul' wish components. Get Maiden's Soul from Bone Bottom (may require second Skull Tyrant fight), Hermit's Soul from Bell Hermit via fake wall in Bellway, Seeker's Soul from Bilewater's abandoned bellhome, and Snare Setter from Weavenest Atla.

Step 4: Deliver components to the Caretaker in Songclave to activate the 'Silk and Soul' quest.

Step 5: During the Grand Mother Silk fight in The Cradle, opt to play Needolin post-victory instead of binding her, triggering credits and Act 3 upon reloading.

Step 6: After the credits roll, you'll return to the main menu. Here, choose 'Start Game' and clear the black tendrils on your save file. This will start Act 3.

Find the full guide to unlocking Act 3 here.

If you like, you can duplicate your save files to prevent permanent locks and explore multiple paths (leading to different endings). On PC, copy files from C:\Users[username]\AppData\LocalLow\Team Cherry\Silksong to backup, or rename for slot swaps. Console players can use cloud saves or USB drives to revert, though without in-game duplication.

Silksong's final Act is no joke. It will challenge your skills, your patience, and your preparation. So make sure you spend a good amount of time in Act 2 completing quests, interacting with NPCs, gathering rosaries, and exploring. Because once Act 3 begins and the void takes over, you won't be able to return to the colorful Pharloom as it stood before.