What's in This Guide
TL;DR: Complete most town quests in Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and Songclave. Move the Flea Caravan to Pale Lake. Get 3 melodies. Do the Silk and Soul quest from the Caretaker. Choose to play the Needolin at the end.
Are You Ready for Act 3?
Before diving into this guide, here's what you should know about your current progress:
⏰ Time Investment
- • Town quests: 8-12 hours total
- • Flea hunting: 2-4 hours
- • Silk and Soul: 1-2 hours
- • Total estimate: 12-18 hours from Act 1 start
📍 Where You Should Be
- • All three towns unlocked
- • Most abilities acquired
- • Comfortable with boss fights
- • Can access Putrified Ducts, Pale Lake
Good news: You DON'T need to complete every single quest or find every collectible. This guide shows you exactly what's required.
What You Actually Need
So here's the deal: Act 3 unlocks through the "Silk and Soul" quest from the Caretaker in Songclave. But to get that quest, you need to prove you've helped the three main towns and done some other stuff.
After tons of testing by the community, we've figured out exactly what's required and what's optional.
Let's Clear Up Some Myths
❌ What You DON'T Need:
- • Beat the final boss before Act 3
- • Find ALL 52 lost fleas
- • Complete EVERY single quest
- • Do the Grand Hunts
- • Max out all abilities/upgrades
✅ What You DO Need:
- • Most wish wall quests in 3 towns
- • Move Flea Caravan to Pale Lake (~22 fleas)
- • Get 3 specific melodies
- • Access to The Cradle
- • Complete Silk and Soul quest
The Step-by-Step Roadmap
Here's your game plan. You'll tackle this in three phases: town quests, side objectives, and the final quest. Let's break it down.
Phase 1: Bone Bottom Quests
First stop: Bone Bottom. You'll need to do these 6 wish wall quests to help rebuild the town:
- Bone Bottom Repairs - Fix up the town's crumbling infrastructure
- A Lifesaving Bridge - Build some bridges so folks don't fall to their deaths
- Garb of the Pilgrims - Get some clothes for the pilgrims (they're cold!)
- Volatile Flintbeetles - Clear out those annoying explosive beetles
- The Terrible Tyrant - Hunt down this tough enemy
- An Icon of Hope - Help create a symbol for the community
The Skull Tyrant Event (CRITICAL!)
After doing enough quests, a massive boss called the Skull Tyrant will attack Bone Bottom. You NEED to beat it. This fight is tough - come prepared with healing items and upgrades.
After the fight, there's a funeral cutscene. Talk to the town leader afterward and they'll give you the Hornet Statuette. Don't leave town without getting this!
Time estimate: 3-4 hours for all Bone Bottom content
Phase 2: Bellhart Quests
Bellhart's got 7 required quests. Most are straightforward, but Trail's End is the big one here.
Standard Wish Wall Quests:
- Restoration of Bellhart - Rebuild the town
- My Missing Courier - Find the lost courier
- Silver Bells - Collect bells around the area
- My Missing Brother - Another search quest
- Bone Bottom Supplies - Run goods between towns
- Savage Beastfly - Kill this annoying boss
- Bellhart's Glory - Restore the town's good name
Trail's End Quest - THE BIG ONE
This quest is from Shakra, the map merchant who moves around the world. You need to find her in 12 different regions and either buy maps from her OR buy them from shops in Bone Bottom/Bellhart.
Where to Find Shakra:
Pro Tip: Shakra usually hangs out near the entrance to each zone or near a bench. If you can't find her, check shops in Bone Bottom and Bellhart - they sell the same maps.
After you've got all 12 maps, talk to Pavo in Bellhart to complete the quest and receive the Bellhome.
Time estimate: 4-5 hours (Trail's End takes a while!)
Phase 3: Songclave Quests
Last town! Songclave has 6 standard quests, but the real challenge here is the Final Audience quest.
Standard Wish Wall Quests:
- Fine Pins
- Strengthening Songclave
- The Lost Merchant
- The Wandering Merchant
- Cloaks of the Choir
- Balm for the Wounded
The Final Audience Quest - Puzzle Time!
This one's tricky. You need to find and solve three bell puzzles scattered around Songclave and the Cogwork Core. Each puzzle drops a piece of the Cogwork Heart.
What You Need to Do:
- Find the three bell puzzles in the Choral Chambers area
- Each puzzle requires you to hit bells in a specific sequence (listen to the melody!)
- Collect all three Cogwork Heart pieces
- Head to the lower Cogwork Core and use the pieces to revive the Second Sentinel
Pro Tip for Bell Puzzles: The bells will play a melody first. Listen carefully, then repeat it by hitting the bells in the same order. If you mess up, just wait a few seconds and it'll reset.
The Second Sentinel Encounters:
After reviving her, you'll need to encounter the Second Sentinel twice while fighting enemies in the Choral Chambers. These aren't full boss fights - just mini-encounters. Complete both to finish the quest.
Don't skip this! The Final Audience quest is REQUIRED for Act 3. If you're stuck, check our troubleshooting section below.
Time estimate: 3-4 hours (those bell puzzles can be confusing!)
Side Objectives: Fleas & Melodies
While you're doing those town quests, you also need to knock out these side objectives:
Move the Flea Caravan
You need to get the Flea Caravan to move to Pale Lake. Here's what that involves:
- • Find about 22 lost fleas (not all 52!)
- • Find the giant flea in Memorium
- • Find Kratt in Greymoor
- • Find Vog in Putrified Ducts
- • Discover Pale Lake
- • Tell Fleamaster Mooshka about it
Need help finding fleas? Check our Lost Fleas Guide
Collect Three Melodies
You'll need these three specific melodies:
- • Architect melody
- • Conductor melody
- • Vaultkeeper melody
You also need to unlock access to the final boss area in The Cradle. You don't have to beat the boss, just get there.
The Final Push: Silk and Soul Quest
Alright, if you've done everything above, head back to Songclave and talk to the Caretaker. They'll finally give you the "Silk and Soul" quest.
The Final Steps to Act 3:
- Accept and complete the Silk and Soul quest from the Caretaker
- Fight and defeat Grand Mother Silk - this is a tough final boss fight, come prepared!
- CRITICAL CHOICE: At the end of the fight, you'll have two options:
- ✅ Play the Needolin (choose this one!)
- ❌ Bind her (this doesn't unlock Act 3)
- Credits will roll - watch them or skip, your choice
- You'll return to the main menu
- Select "Start Game" and you'll see black tendrils around your save file
- Smash the tendrils with your needle to break through to Act 3!
Grand Mother Silk Boss Tips
This boss hits like a truck. Make sure you're ready:
- • Bring max healing items
- • Upgrade your health and abilities first
- • Learn her attack patterns (she has 3 phases)
- • Use ranged attacks when possible
- • Don't be greedy - focus on survival
Stuck? Common Issues & Fixes
Running into problems? Here are the most common issues and how to fix them:
❌ "The Caretaker won't give me the Silk and Soul quest!"
Double-check you've completed:
- • All 6 Bone Bottom quests + got the Hornet Statuette from the leader
- • All 7 Bellhart quests + got the Bellhome from Pavo
- • All 6 Songclave quests + completed Final Audience
- • Moved Flea Caravan to Pale Lake
- • Collected all 3 melodies
❌ "The Flea Caravan won't move to Pale Lake!"
Make sure you've found Kratt (Greymoor) and Vog (Putrified Ducts), discovered Pale Lake itself, and collected at least 22 fleas. Then talk to Fleamaster Mooshka.
❌ "I can't find Shakra in [region]!"
Shakra usually spawns near the main entrance or a bench in each zone. If you can't find her, just buy the map from the shops in Bone Bottom or Bellhart instead - it counts the same!
❌ "I chose 'Bind' instead of 'Play Needolin' - am I screwed?"
Yep, you'll need to reload a save from before the fight. That's why we put it in BIG LETTERS! Always choose "Play the Needolin" to unlock Act 3.
❌ "I can't figure out the bell puzzles!"
Listen to the melody that plays, then hit the bells in the SAME order. The bells are color-coded - remember the sequence visually if the audio is hard to hear. If you mess up, wait a few seconds and it resets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I go back to Act 1/2 after entering Act 3?
A: Yes! Act 3 doesn't lock you out. You can freely explore all previous areas.
Q: Do I need to beat the final boss before unlocking Act 3?
A: Nope! You only need to reach The Cradle and have access to the boss area. You don't have to actually fight them yet.
Q: How many fleas do I REALLY need?
A: About 22 fleas total. You definitely don't need all 52. Just enough to move the caravan to Pale Lake.
Q: Are the Grand Hunts required?
A: No! Wailing Mother and Hidden Hunter hunts are completely optional for Act 3.
Q: What if I did all the quests BEFORE trying to unlock Act 3?
A: That's totally fine! As long as you completed the required ones, you're good. The Silk and Soul quest will still unlock.
Q: Can I skip any of the three towns' quests?
A: No, you need to do most quests in ALL three towns (Bone Bottom, Bellhart, Songclave) to trigger Silk and Soul.
Q: How hard is Act 3 compared to Act 1 and 2?
A: Significantly harder. Bosses hit much harder, platforming is more complex, and enemies are tougher. Make sure you're fully upgraded before diving in!
Q: What happens if I choose "Bind" instead of "Play Needolin"?
A: You get a different ending and Act 3 does NOT unlock. You'll need to reload and fight Grand Mother Silk again.
What Awaits You in Act 3
Alright, real talk: Act 3 is HARD. Like, way harder than anything you've faced so far. Here's what you're getting into:
Difficulty Spike
- • Bosses have WAY more HP and hit harder
- • Platforming sections are brutal
- • Enemies deal 2-3x damage
- • You'll need ALL your abilities mastered
Story Content
- • Major plot twists and reveals
- • New lore about Hornet's past
- • Multiple endings possible
- • Your choices matter more here
New Areas
- • Entirely new zones to explore
- • Unique environmental hazards
- • Hidden secrets and collectibles
- • Optional super-hard challenges
Preparation Tips
- • Max out your health first
- • Stock up on healing items
- • Practice parrying - you'll NEED it
- • Consider grinding for upgrades
Pro Tip: Before crossing into Act 3, make sure you've collected everything you want from Acts 1 and 2. While you can go back, it's easier to do it now. Also, create a backup save just in case!
Complete Video Walkthrough
If you prefer watching over reading, here's a full video guide that covers everything:
More Helpful Guides
Double Jump Guide
Essential ability - get the Faydown Cloak
Lost Fleas Guide
Find those 22+ fleas to move the caravan
What You Can Skip
Based on extensive community testing, these quests are NOT required for Act 3:
- • Grand Hunts (Wailing Mother, Hidden Hunter)
- • Berry Picking & Flexile Spines
- • Bugs of Pharloom & Pinmaster's Oil
- • Crawbug Clearing & Alchemist's Assistant
- • Great Taste of Pharloom
- • Greyroot quests
- • Huntress quests
- • Most courier quests (except Bone Bottom Supplies)
Wrapping Up
So there you have it - everything you need to unlock Act 3 in Silksong! Yeah, it's a lot of quests, but trust me, it's worth it. The good news is you don't have to do EVERYTHING in the game - just focus on those three town questlines, get the flea caravan moving, grab your melodies, and complete Silk and Soul.
Remember: when you fight Grand Mother Silk, PLAY THE NEEDOLIN. Don't bind her. Seriously, write it down if you have to.
You've got this, Hornet!
Act 3 is waiting. Time to show Pharloom what you're made of.
Guide last updated September 2025