Rite of the Pollip: Full Silksong Quest Guide
If you have started exploring Shellwood in Hollow Knight: Silksong, you may eventually meet Greyroot and receive a strange request: collect six Pollip Hearts. At first, the Rite of the Pollip looks like a simple gathering task. In practice, it can become surprisingly frustrating because Shellwood is full of vertical routes, hazards, misleading paths, and collectibles that are much easier to reach after unlocking the right movement ability.
The good news is that the quest is straightforward once you understand what the game is actually asking you to look for. You are not searching for ordinary items lying on the ground. Pollip Hearts are hidden inside large purple flower buds scattered throughout Shellwood, and several of the locations reward careful exploration rather than simply following the main path.
This guide explains how to start the Rite of the Pollip, where to look for all six Pollip Hearts, why Cling Grip makes the quest considerably easier, and what you receive from Greyroot when the collection is complete. It also covers several small details that can save you from repeatedly crossing Shellwood.
What Is the Rite of the Pollip?
The Rite of the Pollip is a Gather Wish in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Greyroot gives the Wish in the Shellwood region and asks Hornet to collect six Pollip Hearts. The Hearts come from distinctive purple blooms found around Shellwood.
The basic objective is:
- Find Greyroot in Shellwood.
- Accept the Rite of the Pollip Wish.
- Locate six Pollip Hearts.
- Return to Greyroot.
- Receive the Pollip Pouch.
Pollip Hearts are deliverable quest items, and you can hold up to six, which is exactly the number required for the Wish. They are obtained by striking the large purple flower buds until they break and release a Heart.
The important part is recognizing the environmental clue. If you see clusters of small purple flowers or signs of Pollip growth, there is a good chance a larger collectible bloom is nearby.
Where to Start the Rite of the Pollip
The quest begins with Greyroot in Shellwood. Her small dwelling is located in the central part of the region, and speaking with her introduces the Pollip Heart request.
One useful point is that you do not need to treat this as a quest that must be completed immediately after receiving it.
In fact, trying to force your way through every Pollip location as soon as you discover Greyroot can create unnecessary frustration.
The more practical approach is:
- Accept the Wish when you meet Greyroot.
- Continue progressing through Shellwood.
- Defeat Sister Splinter.
- Obtain Cling Grip.
- Return and collect the Hearts using the improved movement options.
Several guides specifically recommend obtaining Cling Grip before attempting to finish the collection because the ability makes the vertical sections substantially easier.
Do You Need Cling Grip?
For the smoothest completion, yes, you should get Cling Grip first.
There is an important distinction, however: some Pollip Hearts can be reached before you have the ability. The problem is that other locations are positioned along vertical routes where wall-jumping is required or makes the route dramatically easier.
Cling Grip becomes available after progressing through the Shellwood section involving Sister Splinter. Once you have it, you can approach the remaining collectibles as an exploration route rather than repeatedly testing whether a jump is barely possible.
This is one of the best examples of Silksong’s approach to side quests: the game may introduce a collectible before you possess the movement tool that makes collecting it practical.
All Six Pollip Heart Locations
The exact order is not mandatory, but grouping the Hearts by their position around Shellwood makes the search much easier.
Pollip Heart #1
One Pollip Heart is located in the vertical section near the route toward Greyroot’s area.
From the central Shellwood routes, work upward through the platforms and look for the larger purple bloom. Depending on your route through the area, this can feel like an ordinary environmental detail rather than a quest objective.
The key clue is the purple flower growth surrounding the larger bloom.
Once you reach it, strike the large flower with your Needle until it breaks. The Pollip Heart drops from the destroyed bloom.
Practical tip: Do not spend too much time looking for an item sitting on a platform. The Heart is inside the flower itself.
Pollip Heart #2
Another Heart is found in the upper sections of Shellwood around the routes leading toward Bellhart.
This section involves more platforming and can be approached using the white flowers and surrounding platforms. Some routes become considerably easier after acquiring Cling Grip.
If you find yourself repeatedly falling short of a high ledge, that is a good indication that you should stop and progress further rather than treating the failed jump as a skill problem.
Several walkthroughs place this Heart around the Shellwood-to-Bellhart route and emphasize the vertical movement involved.
Pollip Heart #3
The third Heart is associated with the central and upper portions of Shellwood.
One reliable strategy is to use the central bench as your navigation reference. From there, explore the nearby vertical passages and look for the purple flower clusters.
This is a good point to slow down and inspect the environment instead of rushing from room to room. The Pollip blooms are visually different from ordinary background vegetation, and once you know what they look like, they become much easier to recognize.
Some routes around this section also connect with the paths used to progress toward the Shellwood boss and Cling Grip.
Pollip Heart #4
The fourth Heart is one of the reasons Cling Grip is so valuable.
It is positioned along a route where vertical movement becomes important, and the collectible is not simply sitting beside the main walkway. You need to use the area’s walls and platforms to reach the correct height.
When searching this section, pay attention to ceilings and seemingly unnecessary vertical shafts. Silksong frequently uses these spaces to hide optional items.
If you already have five Hearts and are struggling to find the last few, do not assume you missed something obvious on the main road. The remaining Hearts are deliberately placed in locations that reward exploration and movement mastery.
Pollip Heart #5
Another Heart can be found by exploring the upper and central portions of Shellwood rather than staying on the most obvious route.
The useful landmark here is the area’s platform-heavy vertical structure. Move through the rooms around the central routes and check for purple flower clusters above or beyond the normal travel path.
This is also where having Cling Grip changes the experience. Instead of trying to improvise difficult jumps, you can climb, reposition yourself, and approach the flower from a safer angle.
That matters because Shellwood’s hazards can turn a simple collectible into an annoying sequence of repeated attempts.
Pollip Heart #6
The sixth Heart is the one most likely to make players think the quest is bugged or incomplete.
It is tied to the route through Bellhart and an area that is not immediately available from the most obvious Shellwood paths. After reaching the relevant upper Bellhart section, you can work your way back toward Shellwood through a previously inaccessible route.
Eventually, you encounter a section containing a vine barrier and purple Pollip growth. Breaking through the vines reveals the final collectible flower.
This is an important lesson for the quest: the final Pollip Heart is not simply another item waiting somewhere around Greyroot’s immediate neighborhood. Its location is connected to the wider area’s progression and alternate routes.
The Fastest Way to Approach the Quest
If your goal is to finish the Rite of the Pollip without unnecessary backtracking, use this order:
First, accept the Wish.
There is no reason to ignore Greyroot when you encounter her. Accepting the request means you can collect Hearts naturally as you explore.
Second, continue the main Shellwood progression.
Do not repeatedly return to Greyroot after every Heart. Shellwood’s layout makes unnecessary backtracking expensive in both time and patience.
Third, defeat Sister Splinter and obtain Cling Grip.
This is the biggest practical improvement for the quest.
Fourth, sweep the central and upper Shellwood areas.
Once you have wall-jumping, revisit the vertical rooms and search specifically for purple Pollip blooms.
Finally, check the Bellhart-connected route for the remaining Heart.
If your counter says five out of six, this is especially important. The last Heart’s route is easy to overlook because it depends on access from another section.
What Happens After You Collect Six Hearts?
Once you have all six Pollip Hearts, return to Greyroot in Shellwood.
Speak with her and complete the conversation to turn in the Wish. Your reward is the Pollip Pouch, a Blue Tool.
The reward is more useful than its simple quest-giver description might suggest.
The Pollip Pouch applies venom to equipped Red Tools, causing compatible attacks to inflict additional damage over time. The effect does not apply to every tool, so it is important to think about your loadout rather than treating the Pouch as a universal damage upgrade.
Is the Pollip Pouch Worth Using?
For players who regularly use offensive Red Tools, the answer is generally yes.
The Pouch occupies a Blue Tool slot, so the real question is not simply whether the poison is useful. You are trading that slot against another Blue Tool that might provide defense, utility, mobility, or another combat benefit.
The Pouch makes the most sense when:
- You frequently use Red Tools.
- You are fighting enemies with enough health for damage-over-time effects to matter.
- You prefer aggressive combat.
- Your current Blue Tool setup has room for an offensive option.
It can be particularly interesting in longer encounters because the poison effect continues doing work after the initial hit. The Pouch has also been used in recommended combat setups for difficult boss encounters.
Three Useful Insights Players Often Miss
1. The quest is really an exploration tutorial
The Rite of the Pollip looks like a collection quest, but it quietly teaches you how Silksong expects you to explore.
You learn to recognize environmental clues, revisit areas after gaining movement abilities, and distinguish a blocked route from a route you simply have not approached correctly.
That makes the quest more useful than its reward alone suggests.
2. Do not measure progress by how many flowers you have seen
This is an easy mistake.
Seeing purple flowers does not necessarily mean you have found every Pollip Heart in that area. The important object is the larger bloom containing the Heart. Small purple flowers are often environmental indicators that point you toward the collectible.
In other words, follow the ecology, not just the collectible itself.
3. The last Heart changes how you should think about Shellwood
Many players search Shellwood as though it were a self-contained room-by-room checklist. The final Heart demonstrates why that approach can fail.
Shellwood connects to other regions and contains routes that become meaningful only after progression. When a collectible seems completely absent, ask whether another region provides the entrance rather than assuming you missed a hidden wall.
That mindset is useful throughout Silksong, not just for this Wish.
Common Mistakes When Completing Rite of the Pollip
Trying to finish it too early
You can encounter the quest before having all the movement tools that make it convenient. There is little benefit in forcing difficult routes prematurely.
Ignoring vertical spaces
Shellwood is heavily vertical. If you only check the main horizontal paths, you will miss collectibles.
Forgetting the Bellhart connection
If you have collected five Hearts and cannot find the sixth, reconsider your route through Bellhart and the connected Shellwood passages.
Returning to Greyroot too soon
There is no advantage to repeatedly traveling back after every individual Heart. Collect several at once and return when the full set is ready.
Treating the Pollip Pouch as an automatic best-in-slot tool
The Pouch is strong in the right setup, but it costs a Blue Tool slot. Its value depends on the Red Tools you actually use.
FAQ
How many Pollip Hearts are needed for the Rite of the Pollip?
You need six Pollip Hearts to complete Greyroot’s Wish. The Hearts are found inside large purple Pollip blooms throughout Shellwood and connected areas. Once all six are collected, return them to Greyroot to complete the quest.
Where do you start the Rite of the Pollip?
The quest starts by speaking with Greyroot in Shellwood. She is found in her small dwelling in the central portion of the region and gives Hornet the request to gather Pollip Hearts.
Do you need Cling Grip for the Rite of the Pollip?
Cling Grip is not necessary for every single Heart, but it is strongly recommended for completing the collection efficiently. Several locations involve vertical routes where wall-jumping is required or makes access substantially easier.
What is the reward for completing Rite of the Pollip?
Greyroot rewards Hornet with the Pollip Pouch, a Blue Tool. It applies venom to compatible equipped Red Tools, adding damage-over-time effects to their attacks.
Where is the sixth Pollip Heart?
The sixth Heart is associated with the Bellhart-connected route and an area that becomes accessible through progression. Look for a route back toward Shellwood containing a vine barrier and Pollip growth; breaking through it leads to the final Heart.
Is the Pollip Pouch good for combat?
It can be very effective if your build regularly uses compatible Red Tools. Because it occupies a Blue Tool slot, however, you should compare its poison damage with the defensive or utility benefit of whatever Blue Tool you would otherwise equip.
Conclusion
The Rite of the Pollip is one of those Hollow Knight: Silksong Wishes that seems simple until you actually try to complete it. Greyroot needs six Pollip Hearts, but finding them requires more than walking around Shellwood and picking up obvious collectibles.
The most reliable strategy is to accept the Wish early, continue your Shellwood progression, defeat Sister Splinter, obtain Cling Grip, and then perform a deliberate sweep of the vertical areas. Remember that the final Heart involves the Bellhart-connected route, which is why a five-of-six collection can feel incomplete.
Once you return all six Hearts to Greyroot, the reward is the Pollip Pouch, giving compatible Red Tools a venom-based damage-over-time effect.
More importantly, the quest teaches a broader lesson about Silksong: when an item seems unreachable or missing, the solution is often not a more difficult jump. It may be a new ability, a different entrance, or simply the willingness to return to a familiar place with a different perspective.
