In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Rosary Beads take the place of Geo as the main currency, but they function very differently from what players might remember in the original adventure. Instead of piling up quickly from nearly every defeated enemy, beads are far rarer and demand careful collection, making every piece feel valuable. This scarcity changes the pace of progression and encourages players to think strategically about how they gather and spend them.
Mastering the different ways to earn Rosary Beads is essential, as they’re needed for everything from buying maps and tools to unlocking key upgrades from Pharloom’s merchants. Whether exploring dangerous new areas, taking down powerful enemies, or uncovering hidden stashes, knowing how to build up your stockpile can be the difference between struggling and thriving in Hornet’s journey.
Here’s everything you need to know about collecting Rosary Beads in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
How to collect Rosary Beads in Silksong
One of the most consistent ways to build up Rosary Beads in Hollow Knight: Silksong is by hunting down the bead strings scattered across Pharloom. These rope-like structures hang from ceilings, drape over statues, or sit hidden in mounds of earth. Smashing them releases red beads worth one and silver beads worth five, but there’s a catch: the beads scatter and roll the moment they’re freed. If you don’t grab them quickly, they’ll vanish, which makes timing and awareness crucial when farming this source.
Certain enemies can also provide a steady supply of beads, but not just any bug will do. Only humanoid foes, resembling twisted pilgrims rather than simple creatures, drop them consistently. They’re a reliable farming option, though the drawback is that they don’t immediately respawn when you revisit an area.
Alongside these drops, Pharloom is filled with statues that function much like Geo nodes from the original game. These require multiple hits to break, but reward you with a satisfying payout. Chests hidden throughout the world also add another layer of discovery, offering bursts of Rosary Beads for those who take the time to thoroughly explore every corner of the kingdom.
Early game Rosary Beads farming strategy
One of the best spots to farm Rosary Beads early in Hollow Knight: Silksong is in The Marrow, just beyond Bone Bottom in the Moss Grotto. Once you meet the map seller Shakra, head left into a chamber swarming with corrupted pilgrims who attack the moment they see you.
This location is ideal because it packs multiple enemies that reliably drop beads, has a nearby bench to reset them, and offers a quick path back to Shakra’s shop. By resting at the bench and clearing the room repeatedly, you can quickly farm enough currency to buy all of Shakra’s essential items, including maps and the Compass.
Another smart way to manage your currency comes from Rosary Strings and Frayed Rosary Strings. These consumables act like emergency savings, protecting your beads from being lost when you die. Since you don’t recover all lost beads after death, they’re invaluable for avoiding setbacks.
The best strategy is to save these strings as a safety net rather than breaking them immediately. Hold onto them until you’re at a merchant and need the extra boost to complete a purchase, ensuring your hard-earned beads aren’t wasted after an unlucky defeat.
Uses of Rosary Beads in Hollow Knight Silksong
In Hollow Knight: Silksong, every merchant in Pharloom deals strictly in Rosary Beads, leaving Shell Shards with no role in trade. Beads quickly become the lifeblood of your journey, since they’re required for everything from maps and navigation tools sold by Shakra to the Quill that lets you mark your own discoveries. It is also needed for upgrades and consumables offered by other vendors scattered across the kingdom.
If you want to make exploration smoother, it’s wise to prioritize buying the Compass and maps early on. Pharloom’s interconnected areas can be overwhelming, and having the right tools ensures you won’t lose track of where you’ve been or miss critical paths.
Learning how to reliably farm and manage Rosary Beads right from the start means you’ll always have the currency needed to grab upgrades and resources that make surviving Silksong’s dangerous world far more manageable.
For more on Hollow Knight: Silksong, check out our guide on all the achievements and how to get them.
