Silksong Tools Tier List — Best Red, Blue, and Yellow Tools Ranked
How tier rankings work
Tools are ranked by three factors: damage-per-silk (DPS adjusted for silk cost), utility breadth (how many situations the tool helps in), and skill ceiling (how much the tool's effectiveness depends on player skill). S-tier tools score high on all three. D-tier tools have a niche use case that doesn't justify a slot.
Tier placement assumes an Act 1 / early Act 2 playthrough. Some tools rise dramatically once upgraded at Tool Stations; the table below lists base tier and notes which tools improve significantly with upgrades.
Color categories explained
| Color | Role | Typical silk cost | Slot count by Crest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Red | Offensive attack tools | 5-12 silk per use | Hunter 2, Reaper 3, Witch 1, Wanderer 1 |
| Blue | Blue | Defensive/support tools | 0-8 silk per use | Hunter 1, Reaper 0, Witch 2, Wanderer 1 |
| Yellow | Yellow | Utility/traversal tools | Mostly free (charges) | Hunter 1, Reaper 0, Witch 2, Wanderer 2 |
Red tools (offensive) ranked
| Tool | Silk cost | Damage | Tier | Best use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threaded Sword | Threaded Sword | 8 | 180 (silk-dash) | S | Boss counters during recovery windows |
| Sting Shard | Sting Shard | 10 | 100 (3-hit volley) | S | Ranged boss DPS, vertical reach |
| Straight Pin | Straight Pin | 5 | 60 | A | Cheap ranged poke, ammo for chip damage |
| Throwing Pin | Throwing Pin | 7 | 85 | A | Mid-range, faster than Straight Pin |
| Compass Spike | Compass Spike | 12 | 140 (rebounds) | B | Tight corridor fights, rebounds back |
| Beastfly Stinger | Beastfly Stinger | 9 | 70 (homing) | B | Niche; homes onto last enemy hit |
| Bone Blade | Bone Blade | 6 | 55 | C | Cheap but lower DPS than Straight Pin |
| Pinstool | Pinstool | 11 | 45 (3 pins) | D | Outclassed by Sting Shard at every range |
Verdict: Threaded Sword for boss DPS, Sting Shard for ranged pressure, Straight Pin as cheap ammo. Skip Pinstool — it's strictly worse than Sting Shard.
Blue tools (support) ranked
| Tool | Silk cost | Effect | Tier | Best use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drifter's Cloak | Drifter's Cloak | 6 | 1.2 sec invincibility | S | Boss combos — Lace, Sister Splinter |
| Bell Sprig | Bell Sprig | 0 (charges) | +6 silk per drink | A | Pre-boss silk top-up |
| Silkspeed Brew | Silkspeed Brew | 0 (charges) | +30% Bind speed (60s) | A | Long boss attempts |
| Memorial Crest | Memorial Crest | 8 | Mark a spot for fast Bind | B | Long traversal sections |
| Bandage | Bandage | 0 (charges) | Restore 1 mask over 4 sec | C | Out-of-combat heal; risky in combat |
| Stinger Salve | Stinger Salve | 0 (charges) | +10% damage (30s) | C | Niche, short duration |
Verdict: Drifter's Cloak is mandatory in every loadout that has a blue slot. Bell Sprig is the second pick. Silkspeed Brew is excellent for long boss attempts but expensive to refill.
Yellow tools (utility) ranked
| Tool | Type | Tier | Best use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clawline | Clawline | Traversal (grappling) | S | Vertical mobility in Far Fields, Citadel |
| Lockpicks (3) | Lockpicks | Utility (per-use) | A | Locked Act 1 chests; cheap from Frey |
| Bell Whistle | Bell Whistle | Lure enemies | A | Stealth/exploration |
| Trap Wire | Trap Wire | Place trap on floor | B | Defensive setups vs minibosses |
| Bone Compass | Bone Compass | Auto-reveal nearby map | B | Mapping unfamiliar zones |
| Smoke Pellet | Smoke Pellet | Brief enemy stun | C | Niche; outclassed by Drifter's Cloak |
Verdict: Clawline is non-negotiable once you reach Far Fields. Lockpicks early game, Bell Whistle for stealth runs. Drop Smoke Pellet — Drifter's Cloak does the same job better.
Loadout recommendations by playstyle
Loadouts vary by Crest. Hunter Crest's 4-slot balance lets you run a generalist loadout. Reaper's 3 red slots demand a ranged-attack focus. Witch's 5 slots with -25% tool cost rewards heavy red tool use. Wanderer's 2 yellow slots prioritize traversal.
Best Hunter Crest loadout (generalist)
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red 1 | Threaded Sword | Primary boss DPS via silk-dash |
| Red 2 | Straight Pin | Cheap chip damage / ranged poke |
| Blue | Drifter's Cloak | Invincibility window for boss combos |
| Yellow | Clawline (or Lockpicks early) | Traversal in Far Fields / Act 1 lockpicks |
Best Witch Crest loadout (tool DPS)
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Sting Shard | -25% cost makes 3-volley spam viable |
| Blue 1 | Drifter's Cloak | Still mandatory |
| Blue 2 | Silkspeed Brew | Pair with Sting Shard spam runs |
| Yellow 1 | Clawline | Vertical control |
| Yellow 2 | Bell Compass | Auto-map for boss arena scouting |
Best Reaper Crest loadout (boss DPS)
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red 1 | Threaded Sword | Silk-dash counter — Reaper's slow swing benefits |
| Red 2 | Sting Shard | Ranged DPS during phase transitions |
| Red 3 | Compass Spike | Rebounds reward boss arenas with walls |
Tools to avoid (D-tier reasoning)
- Pinstool — 11 silk for 45 damage across 3 pins. Sting Shard does 100 damage for 10 silk. No reason to use Pinstool.
- Smoke Pellet — brief enemy stun, but most bosses are unstunnable and trash mobs die faster from a single needle swing.
- Bandage — restores 1 mask over 4 seconds. Bind costs 9 silk and is instant. Bandage is only useful if you have zero silk AND a safe room.
- Stinger Salve — +10% damage for 30 seconds. The duration is too short to matter in a typical boss attempt, and Reaper Crest gives +25% damage permanently.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single best tool in Silksong?
Drifter's Cloak (blue). The 1.2 seconds of invincibility for 6 silk is the best survival tool in the game, especially against Lace's three-hit combo and Sister Splinter's dash attack. Every blue slot in your loadout should include Drifter's Cloak unless you're on Reaper Crest (which has no blue slot).
Where do I get Threaded Sword?
Drops from breakable urns in Marrow — specifically the urn cluster in the room west of the Marrow rest point. You can also buy a duplicate from Frey in Bone Bottom for 120 rosaries after defeating Moss Mother. The tool itself is reusable; you only need one copy in your inventory.
Are tools worth upgrading?
Yes, for S and A tier tools. Each upgrade meaningfully improves the tool's stats (damage, silk cost, or duration). Tool Stations cost Tool Cores (miniboss drops) plus rosaries. Prioritize Threaded Sword and Drifter's Cloak upgrades first. Skip upgrading C/D tier tools — invest cores in your loadout staples.
Can I swap tools between Crests?
Each Crest has its own saved tool layout. When you switch Crests, your previous tool loadout is preserved on that Crest. You can re-equip the same tool on multiple Crests if you own multiple copies (some tools drop multiple times in different zones).
How do I unlock more tool slots?
Tool slots are tied to Crest, not progression. Hunter has 4 slots, Reaper 3, Witch 5, Wanderer 4 (different color distribution). The max slot count of 5 is locked to Witch Crest. There is no way to add slots to a Crest — you switch Crests to change slot configurations.
Do tools work against all enemies?
Most tools work universally, but some bosses have specific tool immunities. Sister Splinter shrugs off Throwing Pin and Sting Shard projectiles when she's in armored phase 2 (her shell deflects them). Threaded Sword and Drifter's Cloak work against every boss. Check individual boss guides for tool restrictions.
Sources & verification
Coloured pills follow our four-tier source policy.
Continue this guide path
- ›Hollow Knight: Silksong Beginner Guide — Silk, Crests, and Your First HoursSilksong plays nothing like Hollow Knight 1 even though it looks similar. This beginner guide covers silk healing, the Crest system, what to grab in your first few hours, and the mistakes that will get you killed.
- ›Silksong Silk Economy Guide — Bind Math, Capacity Upgrades, and Tool BudgetingSilk is the single most important resource in Silksong. This guide breaks down exactly how much silk you earn per hit, the Bind math behind healing, and how to budget silk between healing and tools.
- ›Best Crest for Act 1 Silksong — Hunter, Reaper, or Wanderer?Act 1 has four Crests available but most players default to whatever they unlocked last. This guide ranks every Act 1 Crest by Build flexibility, boss-clear rate, and rosaries-per-hour earning.