As of 2026, I have replayed Hollow Knight: Silksong enough times to treat Pharloom like a second home, and the Curveclaw is still one of the most satisfying tools I can slot into a crest. It is not a flashy ultimate ability; it is a small, arched sharpbone that I throw like a boomerang, and it bounces off flying enemies with the kind of crisp, petty satisfaction that makes me grin every time. If you are tired of Skarr gnats and other aerial pests hovering just beyond my needle range, this is the tool you want. Here is exactly how I got it, both before and after the Act 2 changes. 🪃

The Pre-Act 2 Route: Drifter's Cloak First

Before I could even think about buying the Curveclaw, I needed mobility. The key prerequisite is the Drifter's Cloak, which I earned by completing the Flexile Spines quest in Far Fields. Without that cloak, the air currents in Hunter's March are more tease than traversal. Once I had the cloak, I headed to the area marked on my map. Hunter's March sits between Bone Marrow and Far Fields, so most players will pass through it naturally unless they detour through Deep Docks.

Using the air currents, I floated my way to the top and found the entrance to the cave of the secret vendor, Mottled Skarr. Inside, I spotted a few ropes with Shards sticking out of them. The trick here is simple but easy to miss: hug the left wall and jump a few times. That opens a secret passageway leading to the Hunter's March secret vendor. After a brief platforming section, I finally reached Mottled Skarr.

The secret passage is less a doorway than a rumor in the rock—a whisper I had to press my ear against. 🕯️

At the vendor, I could purchase a host of items, but the one I wanted was the Curveclaw for 140 Rosary Beads. The description only becomes readable after purchase. Once I equipped it while resting on a bench, I could throw an arched sharpbone at both flying and grounded enemies. It is a wonderful complement to normal attacks, especially when a flying enemy thinks it has found a safe altitude.

Act 2: When Mottled Skarr Is Dead

If you have reached Act Two of Silksong and progressed past the Underworks into the Coral Chambers, you will find that Mottled Skarr is dead, killed by an unknown attacker. That sounds like a dead end, but it is not. I still got the Curveclaw, and I did not have to travel far.

By this point, I had the wall jump ability, Cling Grip, so I could access the cavern above. I simply exited the cave into the open and used the wall climb ability on the surface right above the cave entrance. From there, I reached the floating platform. Then I moved to the cave on the left, where Skarr forces ambushed me inside.

After defeating all the enemies, the locked area opened up. I picked up the Curveclaw to the left of the cave, strapped to a rope. The dead vendor is like a clock with its hands torn off—the shop still exists, but the hour of easy purchase has passed. ⏳

Why the Curveclaw Still Matters in 2026

Post-launch patches have not changed the core appeal of the Curveclaw. In 2026, it remains a reliable answer to flying enemies that would otherwise force me into awkward jumps or risky needle swings. The boomerang arcs like a fishing line cast into a storm, hooking winged enemies and dragging them back into my rhythm. 🎣

It also works on grounded foes, which makes it more flexible than a strictly anti-air tool. I like to weave it between normal attacks when a fight gets crowded. It is not going to replace your primary damage, but it fills a specific, annoying gap in Pharloom's combat puzzle.

Quick Checklist

• 🗺️ Find Hunter's March between Bone Marrow and Far Fields.

• 🧥 Get Drifter's Cloak from the Flexile Spines quest in Far Fields.

• 🌬️ Use air currents to reach the top and enter the vendor cave.

• 🧗 Hug the left wall inside and jump to reveal the secret passage.

• 💰 Buy Curveclaw from Mottled Skarr for 140 Rosary Beads before Act 2.

• 🪦 If Mottled Skarr is dead, use Cling Grip above the cave entrance.

• ⚔️ Clear the Skarr ambush in the left cave and grab the Curveclaw from the rope.

Final Thought

I have seen a lot of players panic when they discover Mottled Skarr's corpse in Act 2. I did too, briefly. But Silksong rarely punishes you without leaving a thread to pull. The Curveclaw is still obtainable, and in some ways the backup route feels more like a classic Hunter's March secret: a wall, a jump, an ambush, and a reward strapped to a rope. If you are building a tool loadout for the later acts, I would not skip it. 🪃

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