Silksong Blasted Steps walkthrough and map location

Hornet leaps through Blasted Steps in Silksong
(Image credit: Team Cherry)

The Blasted Steps in Silksong are a platforming maze with no clear map location, as well as a hideously tough fight with the Last Judge at the summit. There's also no shortage of enemies, a gambler who'll take you for all your worth, and several dead ends and optional boss fights that definitely make this one of the more all-or-nothing zones in Hollow Knight Silksong. To help you get through it, I've got a clear walkthrough of the route, what you need to know, and ultimately the path up and through the Blasted Steps, with all the key locations marked for your reference.

All map locations for the Blasted Steps in Silksong

Map of all key locations and the route in Blasted Steps in Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Below we'll show you all the key locations in the Blasted Steps in Silksong, including the critical path to progress (the orange line) and where to get the map. We've also included the built-in markers for benches and fast travel, so you know where they are.

  1. Shakra and map location. In the bottom right of this room, Shakra is available to buy the local map of the area. It'll cost you 70 Rosaries.
  2. Mask Shard. You won't be able to get this the first time around – you'll need to come back with the Clawline and Silksong double jump power to ascend through the gap in the ceiling.
  3. Craftmetal. A hole in the ground in the bottom right of the room leads to a network of tunnels with Craftmetal at the end.
  4. Last Judge boss fight. The mandatory boss encounter is the whole point of this region. Yes, the bench back next to the fast travel point is the closest one – you'll have to run back the whole way.
  5. Great Conchflies boss fight. A pair of burrowing enemies that charge at you, similar to the Great Beastfly in the Silksong Hunter's March region. Killing one is enough to drive the other away and end the encounter.
  6. Pinstress. This NPC will teach you the Needle Strike – a charge attack – when spoken to.
  7. Lumble the Lucky. A bug who you can gamble Rosaries with by rolling dice. If you wait to let go of the dice until Hornet turns her wrist around, you'll always win. If you clear Lumble of money completely, he'll give you the Magnetite Dice badge.
  8. Grindle the Merchant. Going to this tunnel with the double jump and Faydown Cloak will allow you to access your thieving friend.
  9. Lost Flea. At the top of the tunnel is one of the Silksong fleas.

How to get through Blasted Steps in Silksong

Hornet bounces through Blasted Steps in Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Most of Blasted Steps is a vertical platforming challenge, where players have to ascend through the area to the top. The path through is marked on the map in the section above, as mentioned, but there's a few things to keep in mind about this:

  • Watch the wind. The wing will periodically blow hard to the right, throwing off your ability to glide. This can be beneficial if you need a push in that direction, but dangerous if you're trying to float to the left.
  • You can bounce on the hanging bells (as shown above). The Silksong pogo jump can be used on the small bells hanging on chains, so you can bounce for extra air.
  • Watch out for enemies. The flying foes that spit bouncing projectiles are particularly dangerous. I recommend avoiding foes where possible rather than engaging with them, at least until you've got a checkpoint nearby.

Ultimately the important thing is to be patient and not rush. Benches in Blasted Steps are few and far between, and the last thing anybody would want is to be set back.

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Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

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