Hollow Knight: Silksong – All Red Tools (Damage Values, Best Ones, Locations)

Skills in Silksong are… lackluster. Tools are the thing that will carry a smart player to defeat most of the bosses and easily pass by some of the more annoying mobs. Unfortunately, most of use have to decide which tool we want to use mainly on vibes. Well, not anymore. After a few hours of testing and with the help of a little health bar mod, I’ve managed to see exactly how much damage each tool does, with each tool upgrade, and to finally decide, based on pure math, which red tool is the best in Silksong.

If you have any questions or need any extra help, please hit me up on Discord, since I’m always available there!

Best Red Tools in Silksong

I’m going to start off with a simple answer in regards to tools. They do not scale in any way in regards to your Needle upgrade level, like skills. Tools are completely independent, and they only get buffs from Tool Pouch upgrades.

Based off of pure damage potential using both the max damage and max ammo, Delver’s Drill is the best red tool by far in Silksong. With full ammo and maximum damage output, you can defeat any of the bosses in the game just using this tool.

Below you can find a simplified table with the max potential damage and ammo for all the tools, along with the max total damage one of these tools can do to an enemy in a single run without rest. Numbers with a * next to them are based on my personal max results, and they could possible deal more damage if you manage to hit the target more times.

For detailed data on why these are the results or to see where you can find this tool, scroll past the table below or use the Jump To bubble floating in the right top corner.

Tool	Max U4 Damage	Max Ammo	Max Potential Damage
Straight Pin	17	24	408
Threefold Pin	25	20	500
Sting Shard	35	12	420
Tacks	70	10	700
Longpin	17	20	340
Curveclaw	50*	16	800*
Curvesickle	34*	16	544*
Throwing Ring	14	20	280
Pimpillo	51	6	306
Conchcutter	35*	16	560*
FD Silkshot	20	30	600
TA Silkshot	18	24	432
O Silkshot	34	16	544
Delver’s Drill	98	18	1764
Cogwork Wheel	56*	16	896*
Cogfly	60	8	480
Rosary Cannon	3	80	240
Voltvessels (Spear)	77	10	770
Voltvessels (Bola)	85	10	850
Flintslate	N/A	6	N/A
Flea Brew	N/A	6	N/A
Plasmium Phial	N/A	6	N/A

All Red Tools in Silksong

The U stands for Tool Pouch Damage upgrade. So U2 would mean 2 dots in Tool Pouch Damage.

The tools are ordered the same way you would find them in the tool selection menu.

Straight Pin

Damage:

• U0 – 5 dmg
• U1 – 6 dmg
• U2 – 9 dmg
• U3 – 14 dmg
• U4 – 17 dmg

Max Capacity: 24

Location: On the upper level of Grindle’s cell in the Marrow.

Threefold Pin

Each pin hitting the same target will deal lower damage. Hitting multiple targets makes the secondary pins more powerful.

Damage:

• U0 – 4 + 2 + 1 dmg / + 4 dmg (on secondary target)
• U1 – 5 + 2 + 1 dmg / + 5 dmg (on secondary target)
• U2 – 7 + 3 + 2 dmg / + 7 dmg (on secondary target)
• U3 – 11 + 5 + 3 dmg / + 8 dmg (on secondary target)
• U4 – 14 + 7 + 4 dmg / + 10 dmg (on secondary target)

Max Capacity: 20

Location: Hidden side room at the top of Craw Lake.

Sting Shard

Damage:

• U0 – 5 x 2 dmg
• U1 – 5 x 2 dmg
• U2 – 5 x 3 dmg
• U3 – 5 x 6 dmg
• U4 – 5 x 7 dmg

Max Capacity: 12

Location: Purchase from Forge Daughter in Deep Docks for 140 Rosaries and 1 Craftmetal.

Tacks

Each tack hits twice before disappearing.

Damage:

• U0 – 10 x 2 dmg
• U1 – 10 x 2 dmg
• U2 – 10 x 3 dmg
• U3 – 10 x 6 dmg
• U4 – 10 x 7 dmg

Max Capacity: 10

Location: Complete the Roach Guts Wish in Sinner’s Road.

Longpin

Passes through enemies, being able to hit multiple ones.

Disclaimer: doesn’t deal more damage to enemies with damage reduction.

Damage:

• U0 – 5 dmg
• U1 – 6 dmg
• U2 – 9 dmg
• U3 – 14 dmg
• U4 – 17 dmg

Max Capacity: 20

Location: In a hidden room right above the exit out of Bellhart into Shellwood, reachable from the eastern Rest Bench in Shellwood.

Curveclaw

I’ve seen the Curveclaw hit a single enemy a maximum of 5 times, but I think it should be possible in the right angle to get even more.

Damage:

• U0 – 3 dmg per hit (my max: 15 dmg)
• U1 – 4 dmg per hit (my max: 20 dmg)
• U2 – 6 dmg per hit (my max: 30 dmg)
• U3 – 8 dmg per hit (my max: 40 dmg)
• U4 – 10 dmg per hit (my max: 50 dmg)

Max Capacity: 16

Location: Purchase from Mottled Skarr for 140 Rosaries in the northern part of Hunter’s March. If you’ve reached Act 2 and Mottled Skarr isn’t… there, you’ll have to go to the end of the floor above.

Curvesickle

Upgraded version of the Curveclaw. For some reason, with this one I can’t seem to get more than 2 hits on one enemy, especially if they’re smaller.

Damage:

• U0 – 5 dmg per hit (my max: 10 dmg)
• U1 – 6 dmg per hit (my max: 12 dmg)
• U2 – 9 dmg per hit (my max: 18 dmg)
• U3 – 14 dmg per hit (my max: 28 dmg)
• U4 – 17 dmg per hit (my max: 34 dmg)

Max Capacity: 16

Throwing Ring

Can hit all enemies with one throw. Gets debuffed from upgrade 3 and doesn’t deal the same damage to all secondary enemies.

Damage:

• U0 – 4 dmg
• U1 – 5 dmg
• U2 – 7 dmg
• U3 – 11 dmg / + 8 dmg (secondary targets)
• U4 – 14 dmg / + 10 dmg (secondary targets)

Max Capacity: 20

Location: Complete Trail’s End Wish to meet Shakra everywhere. Her locations: Bone Bottom, The Marrow, Deep Docks, Far Fields, Greymoor, Bellhart, Shellwood, Blasted Steps, Wormways, Hunter’s March, Sinner’s Road, Mount Fay, Sands of Karak, and Bilewater. You’ll know you met her there if you can purchase a map of that location or already have it.

Pimpillo

Damage:

• U0 – 15 dmg
• U1 – 19 dmg
• U2 – 26 dmg
• U3 – 42 dmg
• U4 – 51 dmg

Max Capacity: 6

Location: Reach the upper left corner of Greymoor and use 1 Craftmetal at the table. You’ll need at least the Cling Grip skill to get up there.

Conchcutter

I’ve seen the Conchcutter hit a single enemy a maximum of 5 times, but I think it should be possible in the right angle to get even more.

Damage:

• U0 – 2 dmg per hit (my max: 10 dmg)
• U1 – 2 dmg per hit (my max: 10 dmg)
• U2 – 3 dmg per hit (my max: 15 dmg)
• U3 – 6 dmg per hit (my max: 30 dmg)
• U4 – 7 dmg per hit (my max: 35 dmg)

Max Capacity: 16

Location: In Coral Tower, Sands of Karak.

Silkshot

There’s 3 variants of Silkshot, depending on who fixed the Ruined Tool. They all use 1 Silk to shoot.

Forge Daughter Damage:

• U0 – 6 dmg
• U1 – 8 dmg
• U2 – 10 dmg
• U3 – 17 dmg
• U4 – 20 dmg

Max Capacity: 30

Twelfth Architect Damage:

• U0 – 3 + 1 + 1 dmg
• U1 – 4 + 2 + 1 dmg
• U2 – 6 + 3 + 2 dmg
• U3 – 8 + 4 + 2 dmg
• U4 – 10 + 5 + 3 dmg

Max Capacity: 24

Original Damage:

• U0 – 10 dmg
• U1 – 13 dmg
• U2 – 18 dmg
• U3 – 28 dmg
• U4 – 34 dmg

Max Capacity: 16

Location: Pick up the Ruined Tool in the hidden lower area of Bilewater and fix it either at Forge Daughter, Twelfth Architect, or by yourself at the bench in the top par of Mount Fay.

Delver’s Drill

You can deal 7 hits max with the drill.

Damage:

• U0 – 4 dmg per hit (max: 28 dmg)
• U1 – 5 dmg per hit (max: 35 dmg)
• U2 – 7 dmg per hit (max: 49 dmg)
• U3 – 11 dmg per hit (max: 77 dmg)
• U4 – 14 dmg per hit (max: 98 dmg)

Max Capacity: 18

Location: At the bottom of the Underworks, past a really annoying and dangerous platforming part.

Cogwork Wheel

I’ve seen the Cogwork Wheel hit a single enemy a maximum of 8 times, but I think it should be possible in the right angle to get even more. My average was around 6 though.

Damage:

• U0 – 2 dmg per hit (my max: 16 dmg)
• U1 – 2 dmg per hit (my max: 16 dmg)
• U2 – 3 dmg per hit (my max: 24 dmg)
• U3 – 6 dmg per hit (my max: 48 dmg)
• U4 – 7 dmg per hit (my max: 56 dmg)

Max Capacity: 16

Location: WIP

Cogfly

The Cogfly can deal 6 hits max before disappearing.

Damage:

• U0 – 3 dmg per hit (max: 18 dmg)
• U1 – 4 dmg per hit (max: 24 dmg)
• U2 – 6 dmg per hit (max: 36 dmg)
• U3 – 8 dmg per hit (max: 48 dmg)
• U4 – 10 dmg per hit (max: 60 dmg)

Max Capacity: 8

Location: WIP

Rosary Cannon

Uses Rosaries as ammo. Not a fan.

Damage:

• U0 – 1 dmg per hit
• U1 – 2 dmg per hit
• U2 – 2 dmg per hit
• U3 – 3 dmg per hit
• U4 – 3 dmg per hit

Max Capacity: 80

Location: WIP

Voltvessels

Two tools in one. Bola is better for AOE and Spear is better for single enemy damage. Max damage written for bola is for getting both balls to hit the same enemy, which is very hard.

Spear Damage:

• U0 – 5 dmg, + 3 x 6 dmg from column (max 24 dmg)
• U1 – 6 dmg, + 4 x 6 dmg from column (max 30 dmg)
• U2 – 9 dmg, + 6 x 6 dmg from column (max 45 dmg)
• U3 – 14 dmg, + 8 x 6 dmg from column (max 62 dmg)
• U4 – 17 dmg, + 10 x 6 dmg from column (max 77 dmg)

Bola Damage:

• U0 – 5 dmg, + 3 x 4 dmg from explosion (max 29 dmg)
• U1 – 5 dmg, + 4 x 4 dmg from explosion (max 37 dmg)
• U2 – 5 dmg, + 6 x 4 dmg from explosion (max 53 dmg)
• U3 – 5 dmg, + 8 x 4 dmg from explosion (max 69 dmg)
• U4 – 5 dmg, + 10 x 4 dmg from explosion (max 85 dmg)

Max Capacity: 10

Location: WIP

Flintslate

+60% damage with Needle.

Max Capacity: 6

Location: WIP

Flea Brew

Increase speed.

Max Capacity: 6

Location: WIP

Plasmium Phial

Add one extra heart.

Max Capacity: 6

Location: WIP

All Yellow Tools That Help with Damage

Barbed Bracelet

Increases damage from base attack and Needle Strike (charged attack) by 20%. (Example: 21 base needle damage to 26. 5 to 6.)