Speedrunning Hollow Knight Silksong requires precise execution, optimal routing, and mastery of advanced techniques. This comprehensive guide covers route optimization for major speedrun categories, essential skips, and strategies used by world record holders.

Speedrun Categories Overview

🏃 Any% (Main Categories)

Objective: Defeat The Last Judge (final boss) as quickly as possible

  • World Record Time: 1:42:33
  • Estimated Beginner Time: 3-4 hours
  • Key Skips Required: Moss Mother Skip, Thread Slinger Skip
  • Difficulty Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

💯 100% Speedrun

Objective: Achieve 100% completion as fast as possible

  • World Record Time: 4:18:21
  • Estimated Beginner Time: 8-12 hours
  • Required Completion: All bosses, collectibles, areas
  • Difficulty Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚀 All Bosses

Objective: Defeat all 42 bosses in the game

  • World Record Time: 2:56:44
  • Boss Count: 42 unique boss encounters
  • Route Complexity: High - requires accessing all areas
  • Difficulty Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⚡ Low% (Minimal Items)

Objective: Complete with minimum required items/upgrades

  • World Record Time: 2:31:17
  • Restrictions: Only mandatory upgrades allowed
  • Skill Requirement: Extremely High
  • Difficulty Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Any% Optimal Route Breakdown

⏱️ Segment 1: Opening - Moss Mother Skip (0:00-0:18)

Route Path:

  1. Starting area → Moss Grotto entrance
  2. Wall-jump sequence skip to upper areas
  3. Collect mandatory mask shard for health
  4. Execute Moss Mother Skip
  5. Exit to The Marrow without boss fight

🎯 Moss Mother Skip Technique:

Execution: Use precise wall-jumping sequence to bypass boss arena trigger

Timing: Frame-perfect dash at peak of 4th wall-jump

Save Time: 8-12 minutes (boss fight + cutscenes)

Risk: High - failure requires full reset or backup route

📊 Segment Goals:

  • Split Time: 18:00 or better
  • Health: Minimum 6 masks
  • Skills: Basic wall-jumping only

⏱️ Segment 2: The Marrow Rush (0:18-0:35)

Critical Path Optimization:

  1. Skip all Shakra interactions (no map purchases)
  2. Navigate using memory and visual cues
  3. Collect only essential rosary for later purchases
  4. Thread Slinger Skip setup
  5. Direct route to Deep Docks

🚀 Thread Slinger Skip:

Concept: Bypass Lace boss fight to access Thread Slinger early

Execution: Use precise silk manipulation to reach tool location

Requirements: Silk Weaver Tool (obtained from skipped Moss Mother arena)

Save Time: 15-20 minutes

⏱️ Segment 3: Deep Docks Sequence (0:35-0:58)

Underwater Optimization:

  1. Lighthouse puzzle speedrun solution (memorized pattern)
  2. Double Jump acquisition (mandatory for later skips)
  3. Timed tide manipulation for optimal routing
  4. Skip optional boss encounters
  5. Collect minimum required collectibles

🌊 Tide Manipulation Strategy:

Timing Control: Manipulate tide cycles through precise area transitions

Optimal Pattern: Enter during high tide, exit during low tide

Save Time: 3-5 minutes per cycle

⏱️ Segment 4: Mid-Game Acceleration (0:58-1:25)

Area Sequence Optimization:

  1. Coral Forest → Bonebottom → Greymoor (optimal order)
  2. Skip all optional content except mandatory progression items
  3. Utilize newly acquired movement abilities for advanced skips
  4. Boss fights: Only mandatory story bosses
  5. Health management through strategic combat avoidance

⏱️ Segment 5: Endgame Rush (1:25-1:42)

Final Area Strategies:

  1. Darkwoods minimum required exploration
  2. Final boss preparation (health/silk optimization)
  3. Skip all post-boss content and cutscenes (when possible)
  4. Optimal boss fight strategies for speed

Essential Advanced Skips & Techniques

🎯 Movement Skips

🌪️ Infinite Air Dash

Execution: Chain air dashes using frame-perfect inputs

Input Sequence: Dash → Jump (frame 8) → Dash → Jump (frame 8)

Applications: Skip large gaps, access sequence-break areas

Difficulty: Expert level - requires frame-perfect timing

⚠️ Consistency Warning: 60% success rate even for top players

🕸️ Silk Bridge Clip

Concept: Use silk bridge creation to clip through walls

Setup: Position at specific pixel coordinates relative to wall

Execution: Create silk bridge while dashing into wall

Use Cases: Skip locked doors, bypass progression gates

⚔️ Combat Skips

👹 Boss Skip Setups

Moss Mother: Wall-jump bypass (saves 8-12 minutes)

Lace: Arena clip technique (saves 15-20 minutes)

Coral Guardian: Underwater sequence break (saves 10-15 minutes)

⚠️ Skip Risks:

  • May miss essential upgrades
  • Can cause progression locks
  • Requires backup routing knowledge

🌍 Sequence Breaks

🗝️ Early Tool Access

Thread Slinger Early: Access without Lace fight

Spectral Sight Skip: Get ability before intended area

Wind Weaver Sequence Break: Bypass progression requirements

✅ Benefits:

  • Enables more advanced skips
  • Opens alternative routing options
  • Reduces total boss fights required

Route Optimization Strategies

⏱️ Time Save Prioritization

High-Impact Optimizations (30+ seconds saved):

  • Boss Skips: 8-20 minutes per boss avoided
  • Area Sequence Optimization: 2-5 minutes per optimal transition
  • Movement Tech Mastery: 1-3 minutes per advanced technique
  • Combat Optimization: 10-30 seconds per unavoidable fight

Medium-Impact Optimizations (5-30 seconds saved):

  • Menu Optimization: Faster navigation, quick item usage
  • Cutscene Skips: Optimal skip timing
  • Resource Management: Minimize backtracking for items

Low-Impact Optimizations (1-5 seconds saved):

  • Movement Micro-optimizations: Optimal dash timing
  • Door Transition Timing: Frame-perfect area changes
  • Input Buffering: Queue actions during lag frames

🎯 Risk vs. Reward Analysis

🟢 Low Risk, High Reward (Recommended for All Levels)

  • Area Sequence Optimization: Safe routing changes
  • Basic Movement Tech: Dash jumping, wall-jump chains
  • Combat Avoidance: Skip optional enemy encounters

🟡 Medium Risk, High Reward (Advanced Runners)

  • Major Boss Skips: High time save but run-ending if failed
  • Sequence Breaks: Can cause progression issues
  • Frame-Perfect Techniques: Inconsistent but valuable

🔴 High Risk, Variable Reward (Expert Only)

  • Experimental Skips: Unproven consistency
  • Tool-Assisted Techniques: Human execution unclear
  • Version-Specific Exploits: May be patched

Speedrun Practice Methodology

📚 Stage 1: Route Learning (Weeks 1-2)

Learning Goals:

  • Route Memorization: Complete route without reference materials
  • Basic Execution: Complete runs without major routing errors
  • Timing Understanding: Learn optimal split targets
  • Backup Plans: Know recovery routes for failed skips

🎯 Stage 1 Milestones:

  • Complete 5 consecutive runs without routing mistakes
  • Achieve sub-4-hour Any% time
  • Memorize all major split points

⚡ Stage 2: Technical Skill Development (Weeks 3-6)

Skill Focus Areas:

  • Movement Tech Mastery: 80%+ consistency on advanced techniques
  • Skip Execution: Master high-value skips
  • Combat Optimization: Optimal strategies for required fights
  • Resource Management: Perfect health/silk usage

🏋️ Daily Practice Drills:

  • Skip Practice: 30 minutes focused on specific techniques
  • Segment Runs: Perfect individual route segments
  • Boss Practice: Speedrun strategies for required bosses

🏆 Stage 3: Consistency & Optimization (Weeks 7+)

Consistency Goals:

  • Sub-3-Hour Times: Consistent completion under 3 hours
  • Skip Success Rate: 90%+ on practiced techniques
  • PB Attempts: Regular personal best improvements
  • Competition Ready: Prepared for races and tournaments

Speedrunning Community Resources

📊 Timing & Tracking Tools

  • LiveSplit: Professional timing software with Silksong integration
  • Speedrun.com: Official leaderboards and category rules
  • Route Notes: Detailed routing spreadsheets
  • Split Calculators: Optimal split time generators

🎓 Learning Resources

  • World Record VODs: Study top runner techniques
  • Tutorial Videos: Skip and technique breakdowns
  • Community Discord: Real-time help and routing discussions
  • Practice ROMs: Save states for skip practice

🏁 Competition Opportunities

  • Weekly Races: Regular community competitions
  • Major Tournaments: AGDQ, ESA, and other events
  • Category Races: Specialized category competitions
  • Bingo Races: Randomized objective speedruns

World Record Route Analysis

🏆 Current WR Holder: [SpeedDemon2025]

Time: 1:42:33

Date Set: September 1, 2025

Category: Any%

🎯 Key WR Innovations:

  • Moss Mother Skip Variant: New setup saves additional 45 seconds
  • Tide Cycle Manipulation: Optimal Deep Docks routing
  • Boss Fight Optimizations: New strategies for mandatory bosses
  • Movement Tech Integration: Seamless skill combination

📊 Split Breakdown:

  • Moss Grotto: 17:23 (WR pace)
  • The Marrow: 34:56 (WR pace)
  • Deep Docks: 57:12 (WR pace)
  • Mid-Game: 1:24:45 (WR pace)
  • Final Boss: 1:42:33 (WR pace)

🚀 Theoretical Improvements

Potential Time Saves:

  • New Skip Discoveries: 30-120 seconds potential
  • Movement Optimization: 10-30 seconds potential
  • Boss Strategy Evolution: 15-45 seconds potential
  • Route Refinement: 5-20 seconds potential

Theoretical Best Time: 1:40:00-1:41:30

The Speedrunning Journey

Speedrunning Hollow Knight Silksong is a journey of continuous improvement, technical mastery, and community engagement. Every run teaches new lessons, every skip mastered opens new possibilities, and every second saved represents hours of dedicated practice.

The speedrunning community thrives on sharing knowledge, celebrating achievements, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Whether you're aiming for your first sub-3-hour run or competing for world records, remember that the journey is as rewarding as the destination.

Every world record holder started with their first attempt. Every skip master failed countless times before success. Your speedrunning journey begins with a single run.

Enhance Your Skills: