Isma's Grove & The Watcher's Spire - Hollow Knight Guide - IGN (2024)

This page of the IGN Hollow Knight wiki guide includes instructions on how to return to the Royal Waterways, find Isma’s Grove and obtain Isma’s Tear, then locate and ascend the Watcher’s Spire in the City of Tears.

For information on other sections, be sure to check out the rest of our IGN wiki guide Walkthrough. To learn how to obtain the various Collectibles Hollow Knight has to offer, visit our pages on Charms, Spells, Mask Shards, and more.

After acquiring the Shade Cloak and returning to the City of Tears, proceed back down into the Royal Waterways. You can reach it by descending through the shaft just right of the statue to the Hollow Knight, which we unlocked after defeating the Dung Defender.

Returning to the shaft, hop down the left side and take the first exit on the left. This leads to the Dung Defender arena, so progress through the area and follow the winding tunnels back to the next area below. Now back in the central hub of the Royal Waterways, follow the walkway down and to the far bottom right side, then hop down the hole and into the next area.

Follow the path as it curves left, then drop down the shaft, dispatching the Flukefeys as you go. The bottom of the chasm is filled with acid, but we’ll soon do something about that, so hop up on the ledge to the right and continue following the path until you reach a ledge which sports some pink crystals.

Charge up the Crystal Heart and fly to the right. You’ll soar through the exit, in between the spiked sections in the next area, and into next screen, where the Royal Waterways continue.

If you don’t air stall to stop early, you’ll land on a section of wall which drops down into the acid, so wall-jump left, slide down, and use the Crystal Heart to fly to the next wall. Wall-jump up onto the next ledge and head right, then hop up the platforms and kill the Hwurmps, then hop up onto the ledge at the top right corner of the shaft.

Once on the ledge, wall-jump up the wall on the right side and head right once you reach the top. Here you’ll find a warning that “Only those who prove their honour in combat may enter the grove beyond.” Since the sign was written by The Defender, and we already bested him in single combat, we can continue right and into Isma’s Grove.

Once you enter the next area, wall-jump up at the first opportunity, then kill the Winged Sentries and wall-jump up the left wall. Jump and dash onto the ledge on the right and continue along the path. Drop down one of the shafts and you’ll enter a battle arena.

Dispatch the various Sentries to clear the arena and unlock the gates, then head right and drop down the shaft, following the path until it drops you into Isma’s Grove. Hop along the platforms to the right and you’ll soon reach a glowing green droplet, suspended from a branch which is growing from what is, presumably, Isma’s body.

Inspect the glowing ball to absorb Isma’s Tear and gain immunity to the pools of acid which may be found throughout Hallownest.

Now that you are immune to acid pools, drop off the ledge and head under Isma’s platform into a hidden shaft on the right. Hop up the walls to find a Grub, then continue further up the shaft to another acid pool leading to the left.

Swim through the pool and back to the area above, then follow the upper path around, then drop down the shaft on the left side and proceed back into the area to the left. Hop back up onto the ledge where the Dung Defender left his warning sign, then head left, across the gap and up the left side.

At this point you’ll see a green tube of liquid running in the background, and you’ll soon come to a shaft leading up. Wall-jump to the top, then head right. Follow the path until the scenery changes and you arrive at a lit doorway.

Step through it and wall-jump up the shaft, then take the exit on the left side and you’ll enter a dwelling in the City of Tears. Hit the lever on the left-side wall to open the door, then step through to return to the City of Tears.

Now that you are back on the streets of the City of Tears, head left and take the upper path into the next area. Now that you are back inside some of the more opulent areas of the City of Tears, take the first elevator up, then head left and stop when you reach the glass section of the floor.

Now that we have the Monarch Wings, we can reach a new area, so double-jump up to the ledge on the left and hop up through the ceiling, and into the next area.

Head right and hop up onto the central platform, kill the Winged Sentries, then wall-jump and dash to the top of the shaft and head left. Head through the exit on the left to find the area Bench, then return to this area and drop down, following the winding path and killing the various bugs in your way, then drop down into the small arena below.

Dispatch the Heavy Sentry and the Winged Sentry, then head right and hit the lever in the ceiling to unlock the gate in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Hop down and head through the newly opened gate and follow the path up. You’ll soon encounter a broken elevator, so continue along the path and wall-jump up the elevator shaft and land on the ledge to the left. Hit the lever to unlock a shortcut back to the area Bench, then continue right along the path and up into the next area.

Once there, follow the path on the first level all the way to the left and into the next screen, then hit the lever to unlock a shortcut between the Watcher’s Tower and Soul Sanctum.

If you acquired the Elegant Key from Sly after finding the Shopkeeper’s Key in Crystal Peak, you can now access the Vengeful Spirit Spell upgrade, Shade Soul. Head left and into Soul Sanctum, then wall-jump up to the elevator on the left and take it up two stops.

Once you reach the top, exit to the right and into the next area, where you first fought a floating Spell Twister. Hop up the platforms and into the area above, then take the first left and proceed into the next area. From there, take the elevator all the way up, past the broken wall where Cornifer’s Bench is, and follow the path to reach a locked door.

Use the Elegant Key to open the door, then head through the door to find an arena with floating Mistakes and a Soul Warrior. Destroy the Warrior, then follow the path left. Wall-jump up to the next level, then inspect the device at the center of the room to absorb the Void essence and obtain the potent Shade Soul Spell.

Hit the lever on the right to unlock a shortcut back to the elevator. Drop down and retrace your steps until you arrive back in the Watcher’s Spire.

Once you are back in the Watcher’s Spire, ascend the left side path and you’ll find an elevator. Take the elevator up, then follow the path left and into the next area.

Take the elevator in the next area to the top, then stop just after stepping off the elevator. Double-jump into the air and slash the weakened ceiling until you destroy it. Wall-jump up to the top and head right and you’ll find some rope holding up a ceiling fixture.

Destroy it and the fixture will crash to the ground, smashing the shell of one of the giant beetles in the next room, and making what happens next a little easier. Head back down and enter the arena to begin the fight with the Watcher Knights.