To acquire the Mantis Claw ability in Hollow Knight, players must navigate through several interconnected areas, specifically moving from the Forgotten Crossroads to the Fungal Wastes and ultimately reaching the Mantis Village. Below is a structured breakdown of the process involved in obtaining this vital ability, which allows you to perform wall jumps and greatly enhances your exploration capabilities.

Step-by-Step Guide to Acquiring the Mantis Claw

1. Progressing to the Fungal Wastes
– Start from the Forgotten Crossroads: Begin your journey in the Forgotten Crossroads. Here, you need to utilize your Mothwing Cloak, which enables your character to dash, essential for traversing specific gaps.
– Navigate towards the Stag Station:
– Move left from the Forgotten Crossroads area and continue heading down until you reach the stag station. This location serves as a waypoint for fast travel and also leads you towards the next area.

– Enter the Fungal Wastes:
– After reaching the stag station, look for the entrance to the Fungal Wastes. Ensure that you’re prepared for some tricky jumps, as there are areas that require precise usage of your dash ability to progress safely through the passageways[1][3].

2. Finding the Mantis Village
– Explore the Fungal Wastes:
– Once inside the Fungal Wastes, you will find various new enemies, flora, and terrain typical to this area.
– Your goal is to make your way toward the Mantis Village, where the Mantis Claw is located. Look out for the distinctive mantis enemies, which signify that you are approaching your destination[1][2][3].

3. Defeating the Boss in Mantis Village
– Encounter the Boss:
– Upon entering the Mantis Village, you will face a mini-boss. This enemy is a critical hurdle, and defeating it is necessary to unlock the Mantis Claw ability.
– Ensure you are well-equipped and have enough health and items to handle this confrontation.

– Acquire the Mantis Claw Ability:
– Once you defeat the boss, you will be granted the Mantis Claw. This ability enables you to perform wall jumps, opening up numerous new pathways and further enhancing your mobility in the game[2].

Benefits of the Mantis Claw
Acquiring the Mantis Claw significantly boosts your ability to traverse the game’s environment, as it allows wall jumping. This new mobility feature will enable you to access previously unreachable locations and is pivotal for progression towards acquiring other abilities such as the Crystal Heart and Monarch Wings (the double jump ability), which further enhance exploration and combat options within the game[2].

Additional Resources
For visual learners, several step-by-step video guides from established Hollow Knight content creators provide comprehensive tutorials. These videos include routes, exact map locations, and strategies for overcoming specific obstacles as you journey from the Hot Springs bench through the Fungal Wastes to obtain the Mantis Claw[1][4][5].

By following these outlined steps, players can successfully navigate to the Mantis Village and secure the Mantis Claw, unlocking a new level of exploration in Hollow Knight.