How to Get All the Pale Oils in Hollow Knight: Silksong

In this comprehensive guide, dive into the locations and requirements for snagging all three Pale Oils in Acts 2 and 3, allowing for maximum weapon upgrades at the Sharpening Master and yielding significantly more boons with each stab from Hornet.

Ah, the Pale Oil! Such a critical yet elusive item in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It’s as if someone concocted a mystical recipe using unicorn tears and the essence of frustration. With only three available, each oil becomes exponentially harder to procure than the last. Here’s a ranking based on difficulty and the amount of sanity one might retain while hunting them down.

Locations of All the Pale Oils in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Before diving into the nitty-gritty, here’s a quick rundown of where to find the elusive Pale Oils:

• Citadel: Stashed in a shop to the right of the Choir Alcoves, but good luck accessing it through the Whispering Vaults.
• Citadel: Available after fulfilling the Delicate Taste Wish from Pharloom.
• Rotten Conduits: Locate all the game’s fleas and win every trial in Fleabotopia during Act 3.

Don’t forget to deliver these oils to the Sharpening Master in Clochelle. Bring along an impressive heap of Pearls — think 500 for the second one and 680 for the third. Oh, and for the final sharpening, saving Pinley in the woods is a prerequisite, but he will still charge a premium. Isn’t the thrill of saving adorable creatures delightful?

The First Pale Oil

Here comes the ‘easiest’ and ‘quickest’ oil to collect—but easier is a relative term. Embark on your grand adventure to the Citadel to trigger Act 2. The Pale Oil appears conveniently displayed in a shop window. Ah, but reaching it? That’s where the fun begins! Gear up to climb to the upper corridor and engage in an epic showdown with the mechanical duo guarding the entrance to the Mechanical Core. Enjoy!

Next up is a terribly annoying section filled with gears masquerading as platforms. Take a right exit to navigate through the spinning corridor’s side path. This will dump players into the Whispering Vaults. Aim for the room in the bottom left of that area. Squeeze through a mini puzzle involving moving boxes around to clear the way for this oh-so-mysterious shop housing the Pale Oil.

Here’s a handy map leading to that Pale Oil, starting from the First Sanctuary, Chantsoir, located at the top right of the Citadel, serving as your new camping ground.

The Second Pale Oil

Just when one might have considered things too simple, welcome to the second oil, where the fun quickly escalates. Pop into the restaurant located in the Citadel to converse with a rather chipper servant. He’ll gladly trade that Pale Oil he guards, in exchange for five rare ingredients. What an imaginative chap!

For a granular breakdown, see the guide on Pharloom’s Delicate Taste Wish, but here’s the short version of ingredients required:

• Verdant Berry Soup scooped from the Druid in the Bone Pit.
• Vintage Nectar purchasable from the Tavern Keeper in Sombervale.
• Courier Lard requiring timely delivery from Clochelle after rescuing the two couriers.
• Acorn found in the magical corners of the Karak Sands region.
• Marinated Brouefrasse dropped by the boss Lugoli in the Kitchen of Fishers’ Path.

The Third Pale Oil

Now onto the grand and glorious finale! The ultimate upgrade awaits. Begin the quest in the Rotten Conduits, located just right of the Pale Lake in the area.

• Gather as many Fleas as possible and relocate the Flea Caravan thrice. First stop, Sombervale, then the Eroded Steps, and finally, to the Rotten Conduits. For that last move, ensure most of the game’s fleas are located and the Pale Lake found. Chat with the Flea Master after each successful whimsy move to trigger the necessary transportation, assuming conditions are met. Magic!

• Dive into the spoiler-rich territory here. It’s crucial to reach Act 3 to complete this ultimate phase. This part only unlocks after defeating the last boss, reloading, accomplishing the Silk and Soul Wish, and then vanquishing that last boss yet again. Tidy up and return to Fleabotopia in the Rotten Conduits after saving all the Fleas.

• And now for the grand finale! A grand celebration is in order, wherein first place in all three trials is mandatory to nab that Pale Oil. Depending on skill level, this could be a fun romp or a total nerve-wracking trial. Expect to bounce on fleas, evade them, and even juggle them like an expert flea dealer. Enjoy the festivities!