Crests reshape how Hornet swings her needle and how many tools she can carry. They are the heart of every build.
Crests are Silksong's class system. Per the wiki, tools and skills are equipped in slots on a Crest, and each Crest changes how 
Hornet attacks with her needle.
The Crest you wear decides two things at once: your needle moveset and how many red, blue, yellow, and Silk Skill slots you have. Swapping Crests rebuilds your whole playstyle.
According to the wiki, each Crest starts with a set number of slots unlocked, and some are opened later with Memory Lockets. The right Crest turns a loose collection of 
tools into a real build.
This guide explains how Crests work, lists every usable Crest and its style, and shows how slots and Memory Lockets shape your loadout.
Silksong's class system, tied to your needle and slots.
Seven playable crests, each with a distinct style. Red, blue, yellow, and Silk Skill slots vary per crest.
Memory Lockets unlock locked slots.A Crest does two jobs: it sets Hornet's needle attack style and it defines her tool slots. Per the wiki, tools and skills are equipped into slots on the Crest, so the Crest is the frame your whole build hangs on.
Each Crest starts with a varying number of red, yellow, blue, and Silk Skill slots unlocked. The wiki specifies that some slots are locked until you spend Memory Lockets to open them.
You acquire and swap Crests as you progress, and you change them at benches. Picking a Crest is the single biggest decision in shaping how Hornet plays.
Match your Crest to your tools, not the other way around. In actual play, a Crest heavy on red slots wants offensive tools, while a balanced Crest suits a mixed defensive setup.
There are seven usable Crests, each with its own needle style and slot spread. Here is what the wiki says each one does.
| Crest | Needle style |
|---|---|
| Hunter | Lethal strikes; the evolved form builds focus with successive hits |
| Reaper | Heavy arcing slashes that reap extra Silk from enemies |
 Wanderer | Short, swift, precise strikes |
 Beast | Savage slashes; bind for a wild fury that steals life |
 Witch | Sweeping needle swings that leech life through roots |
| Architect | Spinning screw attack; craft tools from shell shards |
 Shaman | Cast the blade forward; strengthen Silk Skills with runes |
The wiki also lists the Cursed and Cloakless Crests as special states with no tool slots. The seven above are the ones you actually build around.
Slots are where Crests and tools meet. Per the wiki, each Crest exposes a different mix of red, blue, yellow, and Silk Skill slots, and several start locked.
You open locked slots with Memory Lockets. According to the wiki, spending them expands a Crest's capacity, so collecting Lockets directly widens how many tools you can run at once.
The wiki notes the Vesticrest is a separate option that provides tool slots independent of your equipped Crest, letting you carry a few favorites no matter which Crest you wear. Combined, these decide your build ceiling.
The best Crest is the one that matches your tools and playstyle, not a single overall winner. Each leans into a clear fantasy.
The Hunter Crest is the reliable all-rounder and a strong default, with the evolved version rewarding aggression. The Reaper suits Silk-hungry spell builds, the Beast rewards reckless lifesteal aggression, and the Witch leans into leeching sustain.
For crafters, the Architect's shell-shard tool crafting is unmatched, while the Shaman is the pick for Silk Skill and spell-focused play. Match the Crest to how you want to fight Pharloom's bosses.
Crests pair with tools to build Hornet. These guides cover the rest of her arsenal and journey through Pharloom.
Game data and screenshots adapted from hollowknight.fandom.com, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. Original content remains the property of the wiki contributors and Team Cherry.