The Witch Crest is a late‑game reward that requires a specific chain of exploration and quest steps across Bilewater, Shellwood, and Greymoor. This guide lays out the exact route, prerequisites, and purchase points to reliably obtain it, plus usage tips once you have it.

What the Witch Crest does

The Witch Crest grants Hornet sweeping whip‑like swings and on‑hit life drain. It provides two red tool slots and three blue tool slots. Its in‑game text reads: “Whip the needle in sweeping swings. Leech the life of foes through twisted roots.”

Requirements and preparation

Before you start, make sure you can meet the following gates and purchases. This reduces backtracking and keeps the quest moving.

  • 90 Rosaries to buy the Bilewater map from Shakra (map merchant).
  • The Clawline Ancestral Art to break a key wall en route to Bilewater.
  • Progress to access the Whispering Vaults, Shellwood, and Greymoor regions.
  • Completion of the Rite of the Pollip task (destroy six Pollip flowers to obtain the Pollip Fruit), required to hand over the quest item later.
  • At least 260 Rosaries to purchase a cure component during the Greymoor stage.

Part 1 — Reach Bilewater and pick up the Twisted Bud

Step 1: Buy the Bilewater map from Shakra for 90 Rosaries. This gives you a clear reference for the route and helps verify you’re in the right rooms.

Step 2: Travel up the Grand Bellway and go east through The Stage into the Whispering Vaults. Enter the lower section of the Vaults to position for the hidden passage.

Step 3: Find the concealed route above the eastern exit of the lower Vaults room. Check the ceiling ledges along the top of that chamber to reveal the correct path.

Step 4: Move east until you reach a breakable wall. Use the Clawline Ancestral Art to bust through and open the path downward into Bilewater.

Step 5: Explore the opening chambers of Bilewater to locate the Twisted Bud (a crying infant‑like creature). Pick it up to begin the quest chain.

Step 6: Rest at the nearby bench you can unlock after collecting the Bud. This provides a safe return point and stabilizes progress.

Part 2 — Deliver the Twisted Bud in Shellwood

Step 1: Travel to Shellwood and find Greyroot. This NPC is the intended recipient of the Twisted Bud.

Step 2: Confirm you have completed the Rite of the Pollip (six Pollip flowers destroyed, Pollip Fruit obtained). If you have not, complete it now so Greyroot will accept the Bud.

Step 3: Hand over the Twisted Bud to Greyroot. After the handoff, Hornet will be afflicted, pushing the story into the next phase and granting the Rite of Rebirth.

Part 3 — Cure the parasite in Greymoor and receive the crest

Step 1: Go to Greymoor and locate the locked bellhouse on the western edge. Enter to meet Yarnby and accept the Infestation Operation related to your cure.

Step 2: Travel to Sinner’s Road and search the upper eastern stretch marked by hanging cages. Look for the NPCs Benjin and Crull there.

Step 3: Purchase the Steel Spines from Benjin and Crull for 260 Rosaries. This item is needed to progress the cure.

Step 4: Return to Yarnby at the bellhouse to complete the operation. After the cutscene, you’ll receive the Witch Crest.

Using the Witch Crest effectively

Move set and sustain: The Witch Crest’s wider arcs hit multiple targets more consistently, and the life drain offsets chip damage during boss pressure or dense enemy packs. Expect more forgiving spacing on swings and incremental healing as you connect.

Slot planning: With two red and three blue slots, you can run a high‑pressure kit while still reserving defensive space. If you’ve been collecting Memory Lockets, you can open additional slots to fit a fuller offensive/defensive blend without sacrificing survivability.

Example loadouts: A boss‑focused setup might pair a red damage booster and an emergency heal item with three blue tools that improve Silk uptime, speed the bind window, or add burst on bind. For exploration‑heavy segments, keep one red slot for reliable ranged coverage and invest blue slots into mitigation or mobility buffs to reduce attrition.

Tips and common blockers

Hidden Vaults path: If you miss the Bilewater route, re‑check the lower Whispering Vaults room and probe the ceiling above the eastern exit; the correct path sits above eye level and is easy to overlook.

Breakable walls: A cracked segment east of that hidden route must be broken with Clawline. If progress stalls, sweep for subtle wall seams before backtracking.

Pollip gating: Greyroot won’t accept the Twisted Bud until the Rite of the Pollip is done. If the handover fails, verify you have the Pollip Fruit and that all six flowers were cleared.

Can’t find Yarnby or the Sinner’s Road duo: Make sure you’ve watched the Chapel of the Witch sequence and reached Greymoor’s western bellhouse. In Sinner’s Road, search the upper‑east platforms with the hanging cages for Benjin and Crull. If NPCs don’t appear, leave the area to reset it, then re‑enter from a bench or nearby transition.

Rosary budget: You’ll need a total of 350 Rosaries on hand (90 for the map, 260 for Steel Spines). If short, run a quick farming loop in a dense enemy zone before visiting Sinner’s Road.

Follow the route above in order—Bilewater pickup, Shellwood delivery, Greymoor cure—and you’ll reliably secure the Witch Crest and its 2R/3B slot profile.