Hollow Knight: Silksong is brilliant. Team Cherry managed to follow up arguably the most beloved indie game of the 2010s, delivering a sequel that is a proper continuation and expansion of everything that came before it. Like its predecessor, Silksong is pretty difficult. In fact, the game is arguably harder than Hollow Knight, especially since its exposure could attract people who are not intimately familiar with the latter or the Metroidvania genre.
If you love everything about Silksong's gameplay, gorgeous visuals, and lore, but wish it had an easy mode, you might want to check out the mod scene. Unsurprisingly, the community has already released files designed to reduce some of the most frustrating aspects, making for a more immediately accessible experience. Just to be crystal clear, I recommend starting with the vanilla version, as it is nothing short of masterful; however, if you are contemplating dropping the game due to its difficulty, these mods make Silksong easier and might provide enough help to change your mind.
How To Install Silksong Mods
Some downloads might outline unique installation procedures, but most of Silksong's Nexus Mods use BepInEx. The process is pretty simple.
- Download the "BepInEx" zipped file that matches your system
- Extract its files and add them to Silksong's install folder. I placed "BepInEx" in Silksong's "Content" folder.
- Start and exit the game, which will create all the required "BepInEx" folders. You can also create the "plugins" folder manually and add it to "BepInEx."
- Download a mod and then add its.dll file to the "plugins" folder. They should work once you load the game.
The above was tested on the PC Game Pass version of Silksong.
Stakes of Marika - Rebirth Anywhere
No More Long Runbacks To Silksong's Bosses
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: Kassant
Hollow Knight: Silksong uses the typical Soulslike formula of having rest spots (aka benches) that serve as your reset point following death. While not extremely rare by any stretch of the imagination, most maps have about two benches, so you could have to travel through multiple screens following a defeat. Add the fact that some benches need to be unlocked using Rosaries, a currency that is difficult to come by in Act 1, and you might find yourself stuck in a frustrating loop of "death-runback-death-repeat."
The "Stakes of Marika - Rebirth Anywhere" mod causes you to respawn from the current screen rather than at a bench. Basically, you revive at the most recent entry point that you used, nearly putting you back at the same spot that you died. The mod also included a "turn off" functionality, where you can press F8 to respawn at the last bench that you used. You can even create a custom respawn point.
From all Silksong QOL mods, "Stakes of Marika - Rebirth Anywhere" arguably makes the biggest difference and is definitely worth trying for anyone who is contemplating dropping the game due to its difficulty.
No Double Damage
Enemy And Boss Attacks Deal Just One Mask Damage
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: Baiker
Somewhat notoriously, Silksong loves to dish out double damage, with quite a few bosses and mob enemies having attacks that take away two of Hornet's masks. Some environmental damage also goes for double, which is fun. Considering you start with five masks and have to work HARD to expand that limit, Hornet seems like she is made of glass and comes across as weak, especially during the first few hours when she does not have the tools and agility to compensate for her low defense.
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The "No Double Damage" mod delivers what its title promises: attacks take away only one mask. This mod makes Silksong far easier, all the while preserving the core gameplay loop without undermining it. You still need to master the mechanics and be on top of your game to defeat bosses, as they can take you out quickly with a flurry of attacks (remember, combos deal the same amount of damage since they consist of multiple attacks); however, you are just not punished as harshly for every single mistake.
As far as I can tell, this mod does not impact environmental damage.
Increase Player Damage
Silksong's Enemies No Longer Take Forever To Defeat
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: stebars
Silksong's decision to increase damage taken compared to Hollow Knight is compounded by Hornet needing arguably too long to defeat enemies, requiring her to land 4–6 attacks to kill many mobs, even in the early sections. This element reflects Silksong's birth as a DLC for Hollow Knight, as the game does not ease players into the action.
"Increase Player Damage" automatically boosts your damage by two, making fodder enemies go down in 2–3 hits, which feels about right for many of them. This mod is especially great for flying enemies who love to run away after every hit. Bosses will also go down a lot quicker, as this mod impacts damage to all opponents and not just mobs.
You can change the multiplier in the mod's config file, even making Silksong harder if you want!
Double Rosaries
Earn Enough Rosaries To Buy Everything You Need
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: BlueRaja
While the drop rate improves considerably in Act 2, Silksong is stingy with Rosaries during its initial hours. Although Silk is plentiful, to the point that you will reach the 400 limit without issue, Hornet struggles to find enemies that drop Rosaries during Act 1, which can be frustrating since you have so many things to buy. Bone Bottom's Pebb has plenty of tempting options, including a Simple Key that needs 500 Rosaries. Then, there is Shakra and her maps, along with the Forge Daughter's store in Deep Docks, which has a few useful Tools.
It is not just that very few early enemies drop Rosaries, but that they give out a pitiful amount, considering how rare they are. "Double Rosaries" does, well, what it advertises. Enemies drop twice as many Rosaries, and you can alter the multiplier to increase that amount to three, four, etc. This mod mostly eliminates the need to grind during Silksong's first few hours, enabling you to get to the good stuff quicker.
Silksong has other Rosary mods that are worth mentioning. For example, "All Enemies drop Rosary Beads" changes things so that all enemies drop five Rosaries, while "Never Lose Rosaries" allows you to keep your Rosaries after death. If you have "Stakes of Marika - Rebirth Anywhere" active, you might as well add "Never Lose Rosaries" since you will respawn near Hornet's cocoon anyway.
AutoMap
Silksong's Map Updates Instantly Rather Than Just After Resting At A Bench
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: WheresWolfgang
As you play through Silksong, you will eventually hear the echoes of a (slightly) haunting song, belonging to Shakra. Dotted throughout the campaign, t his NPC regularly appears to sell maps to Hornet, allowing her to keep track of areas as she explores them. Rather than automatically changing as you run through screens, Silksong's maps update once you rest on a bench. Narratively, this kind of makes sense, as these points present Hornet with an opportunity to catch her breath and update the map.
In practice, this decision is a minor annoyance that makes maps less useful, at least while exploring. "Automap" ensures that the information updates immediately rather than just on benches. Out of all the mods mentioned in this discussion, "Automap" is the least game-altering, but it is also a change that makes things easier without impacting the core gameplay.
Shadow Dash
Hornet Dashes Through Enemies Without Suffering Damage
- Nexus Mods Link
- Creator: Null_993
Hornet is pretty immobile at first, but that changes once she acquires Swift Step, which happens relatively quickly in the campaign. Silksong goes from good to fantastic once this mechanic is unlocked, as it grants players the mobility to deal better with the hard-hitting enemies and their long movesets. Traversal becomes way, way more enjoyable after Hornet learns how to dash, especially since it feels so good to execute.
Now, Swift Step is extremely valuable in combat, but it has one pretty big limitation: No invincibility frames. This means that you cannot dodge through an enemy or an attack without taking damage, which is also how the basic dash works in Hollow Knight. Touching a downed boss causes damage, so this aspect has a notable impact on the gameplay.
"Shadow Dash" is a Silksong mod that enables Hornet to Swift Step through enemies without losing a mask, basically adding the Dark Souls roll. This mod has a HUGE impact on the gameplay and makes Silksong easier since you do not have to be as precise with your timing.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Released
- September 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
