I’ll be straight with you: in Hollow Knight: Silksong, tools are the name of the game. I learned that the hard way in the Moss Grotto, juggling Hornet’s Compass and a few defensive Crests and still feeling like I was one slot short of a full kit. Then I stumbled onto Eva’s chamber, and everything clicked. The game quietly lets you unlock a universal tool slot that applies across all Crests, regardless of their individual capacity. That is a huge deal, especially if you’re like me and refuse to leave a bench without a navigation tool equipped.

Where To Find Hornet’s First Crest Expansion

The early bird catches the worm, and in Silksong that worm is a universal Vestricrest. You can unlock the universal tool slot and several other Crest upgrades as early as Act 1. The only prerequisite? You need to have defeated Widow above Bellhart. After you free the town and unlock the Needolin Weaver ability, backtrack all the way to the starting area in the Moss Grotto. On my first run, I completely missed it because I was too busy chasing map pins.

Look for a skull-shaped door on the right side of the map. When you play your instrument, the door opens. I stood there scratching my head before I pieced that together. From there, head deeper into the depths until you meet a mysterious NPC named Eva in her chamber.

Talk to Eva and you’ll receive an upgraded Hunter’s Crest plus the first universal Vestricrest for slotting an additional tool across all Crests — but only if you’ve spent a minimum of 3 Memory Lockets before this point. If you’re running on empty, don’t bother knocking yet. I had to backtrack and farm a few extra Lockets, and honestly, it was worth every second.

As a little bonus, travelling farther to the right of the elevator shaft leads to an area of the Marrows with one of Hornet’s mask shards. You only need a bit of parkour and a couple of destructible walls.

How To Unlock Additional Crest Slots

Here’s where things get a little murky. Eva encourages you to come back later, but she doesn’t exactly spell out the trigger. After plenty of trial and error, I figured out the next Vestricrest — the one that allows an additional universal defensive tool — requires you to have spent 6 Memory Lockets and unlocked at least 5 Crests. No shortcuts, no hand-holding.

Eva also keeps upgrading your Hunter’s Crest as you spend more Memory Lockets. Her final offering, though, is a completionist’s marathon: you need to collect and fully unlock every Crest available in Act 2. Return for the last time and Eva hands over the Sylphsong ability, which lets you generate silk while resting at benches, plus a trophy for your effort. I won’t lie — that final step is no walk in the park. But Sylphsong is an absolute game changer for long exploration sessions.

Why I Rate This Upgrade So Highly

I’d argue these upgrades are some of the best early-game bang for your buck in Silksong. The universal Vestricrest is basically an ace up your sleeve across every Crest you own. Pair it with Hornet’s Compass and you can wander off the beaten path without sacrificing defense or utility. If you’re the kind of player who hates backtracking, hunting down every Crest might sound like overkill. But trust me — the universal enhancements and Hunter’s Crest upgrades are the real prize, not just a shiny completion badge.

As of 2026, the community has settled on this route as one of the strongest early power spikes you can chase. I still see players sleeping on Eva’s upgrades because the requirements feel obscure, but once you know the recipe, it’s straightforward.

? Quick checklist:

• Defeat Widow above Bellhart to unlock the Act 1 route.

• Spend at least 3 Memory Lockets before visiting Eva.

• Find the skull-shaped door on the right side of the Moss Grotto map.

• For the second slot, spend 6 Memory Lockets and unlock 5 Crests.

• For the final reward, collect and fully unlock every Act 2 Crest.

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