Last Updated, 1st October
Hey everyone, Mike here. With over three years of diving deep into the most competitive and immersive RPGs out there, I’ve seen my share of game changing mechanics. Through my blog, I love sharing practical insights that help you level up your skills, focusing on what actually works, not just what’s trendy. Today, we’re journeying back into the hauntingly beautiful, and punishing, world of Hallownest.
Welcome, fellow adventurer! Are you ready to elevate your little Knight from a wandering bug into a god slaying legend? In the vast, interconnected kingdom of Hollow Knight, your charms are not just simple trinkets. They are the very core of your power, the secret sauce that separates a frustrating boss attempt from a glorious victory. The game boasts more than 40 unique charms, and sifting through them to find the perfect loadout can feel as daunting as navigating Deepnest without a map! But that’s exactly why I’m here. I’m going to cut through the noise and guide you through the absolute best charms this masterpiece has to offer. We will explore what makes them the cream of the crop, where you can find these treasures, and most importantly, how to combine them for truly devastating results. Did you know certain charm pairings create secret synergies that the game never tells you about? Let’s unlock that hidden potential together and turn your playthrough into an epic tale.
Key Takeaways
For those who want the info fast, here are the top 6 charms you should absolutely get:
- Unbreakable Strength: A massive 50% boost to your nail damage.
- Quick Slash: Drastically increases your nail attack speed.
- Shaman Stone: Powers up your spell damage and size.
- Mark of Pride: Significantly extends the reach of your nail.
- Quick Focus: Allows you to heal much faster.
- Grubberfly's Elegy: Fires a projectile from your nail when at full health.
Unbreakable Strength: The Ultimate Nail Power Up
Let’s start with the undisputed champion for any player who loves using their nail. Unbreakable Strength is widely considered one of the most powerful charms in the entire game, and for good reason. This charm massively amplifies your primary weapon’s damage. Every single encounter, from a lowly Vengefly to a dream boss, becomes significantly quicker and more manageable. Bosses that once felt like damage sponges will melt before your eyes.
- What it does: It increases your Nail damage by a staggering 50%.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: Your journey for this charm begins with purchasing its fragile version, Fragile Strength, from the vendor Leg Eater in the Fungal Wastes for 600 Geo. To make it unbreakable, you must first summon the Grimm Troupe. Once they are in Dirtmouth, speak to the NPC named Divine. She will offer to consume the fragile charm and, for a hefty price of 15,000 Geo, return it to you in its permanent, unbreakable form.
Quick Slash: Unleash a Flurry of Attacks
If your combat philosophy is “the best defense is a good offense,” then Quick Slash will become your best friend. This charm is a complete game changer for aggressive players. It dramatically speeds up your nail swings, letting you dish out an absurd amount of damage in a very short time. This rapid attack speed also means you gather SOUL much faster, allowing for more frequent healing or spell casting. When paired with Unbreakable Strength, you become a nail swinging machine of destruction.
- What it does: This allows the bearer to slash much more rapidly with their nail.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: You can find this gem hidden away in Kingdom’s Edge. You need to travel to the far eastern side of the area, beyond Nailmaster Oro’s hut. There, you will find a breakable floor. Use the Desolate Dive or Descending Dark spell to smash through it and claim your prize.
Shaman Stone: Amplify Your Spellcasting Prowess
Maybe you prefer to keep your distance and obliterate your foes with soul powered magic. If that sounds like you, then the Shaman Stone is a non negotiable part of your build. This charm provides a huge damage boost to all of your offensive spells. Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul become screen clearing projectiles. Howling Wraiths and Abyss Shriek turn into boss melting pillars of energy. It is an essential component for any spell focused Knight.
- What it does: It increases the damage of all spells and also increases the size of your Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul projectiles.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: This is one of the more accessible top tier charms. You can purchase it for a mere 220 Geo from Charm Lover Salubra’s shop, located in the southeastern corner of the Forgotten Crossroads.
Mark of Pride: Superior Reach for Safer Combat
Positioning is everything in Hollow Knight. Staying a safe distance from enemy attacks is vital for survival, and the Mark of Pride charm helps you do just that without giving up your offensive pressure. It significantly extends the reach of your nail, allowing you to hit enemies before they can even think about hitting you. This extra range is invaluable against bosses with large or unpredictable hitboxes, making fights much more forgiving. It is a direct upgrade to the Longnail charm, offering a greater reach for just one extra notch.
- What it does: It increases the range of your Nail attacks by 25%.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: This charm is your reward for proving your worth against the Mantis Lords in the Mantis Village. After you defeat these graceful and challenging bosses, a previously locked door in their arena will open. The charm awaits you inside.
Quick Focus: Heal Faster in the Heat of Battle
We’ve all been there. You’re down to your last mask in a frantic boss fight, desperately looking for a tiny window to heal. Quick Focus is the charm that creates those windows for you. By speeding up the time it takes to focus SOUL and heal, this charm can be a literal lifesaver. Opportunities that were once too short to heal in suddenly become viable, dramatically increasing your survivability in the game’s toughest encounters, like the Pantheons.
- What it does: It increases the speed of focusing SOUL to heal by 33%.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: You can purchase this incredibly useful charm from Charm Lover Salubra in the Forgotten Crossroads for 800 Geo. You will need to have purchased a few of her other items before this one becomes available.
Grubberfly’s Elegy: Ranged Attacks for Your Nail
This charm offers a completely unique playstyle modification. Grubberfly’s Elegy transforms your standard nail into a ranged weapon, as long as you maintain full health. Each swing launches a projectile that travels across the screen, allowing you to deal with pesky flying enemies and damage bosses from a safe distance. While the condition of being at full health can be demanding, its power in certain situations is undeniable. It is particularly effective for clearing rooms of weaker enemies without taking any risks.
- What it does: When you are at full health, your nail will fire beams of white hot energy with each slash.
- Notch Cost: 3
- How to get it: This charm is a heartfelt gift. It is a reward from the Grubfather in the Forgotten Crossroads after you have found and rescued all 46 of his Grub children scattered throughout Hallownest.
Advanced Charm Strategies and Builds
- Knowing the best charms is only half the battle. The real magic happens when you start combining them. If you’re tackling the game’s ultimate challenges, you need the right setup.
- For the Pantheons, a powerful and reliable build is Unbreakable Strength (), Quick Slash (), Mark of Pride (), and Shaman Stone (). This combination totals Notches. Since you can only acquire a maximum of Notches in the game, this build requires the “Overcharmed” state, meaning you must equip the final charm while already at max notches. This penalty involves taking double damage, but for veteran players tackling Godhome challenges, the incredible nail damage, range, and powerful spells are often worth the risk.
- When thinking about a best charms tier list, the six we have discussed here are firmly in the “S Tier”. Other fantastic “A Tier” charms include Longnail, Spell Twister, and Soul Catcher, which are great options before you acquire the top tier ones.
- Many of Salubra’s best charms are on this list. She sells both Shaman Stone and Quick Focus, making her shop an essential stop for any player looking to get powerful early.
- So, how do you get the best charms in Hollow Knight? It comes down to a mix of thorough exploration to find hidden ones like Quick Slash, defeating major bosses like the Mantis Lords for the Mark of Pride, and saving up your Geo for powerful purchases and upgrades like Unbreakable Strength.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the absolute six best charms to see you through the darkest depths of Hallownest. From the pure, unadulterated power of Unbreakable Strength and Quick Slash to the tactical advantages offered by Shaman Stone and Mark of Pride, these charms will give you a serious edge. The life saving utility of Quick Focus and the unique ranged power of Grubberfly’s Elegy provide amazing options for any playstyle. The key takeaway should be this: don’t be afraid to experiment. The true genius of Hollow Knight’s charm system is its flexibility. Mix and match these charms, find the combinations that click with your style, and you will be ready to face any challenge the kingdom throws at you. Now get out there, little Knight, and show them what you’re made of! I’d love to hear about your favorite charm combinations, so drop them in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Unbreakable Strength is generally considered the most powerful charm for its universal 50% damage boost to the nail, which is your primary weapon for the majority of the game.
The first charms you should aim to buy are Shaman Stone and Quick Focus from Salubra. Shaman Stone offers a huge power boost early on for a low price, and Quick Focus greatly improves your survivability.
Unbreakable Strength provides the biggest damage increase for your nail. For spells, the Shaman Stone provides the largest damage boost.
Charms themselves are not weak to anything. The "weakness" of the charm system is that you have a limited number of notches, so you must make strategic choices about which charms to equip, as you cannot use them all at once.
There are a total of 45 different charms you can collect in Hollow Knight. You can equip a number of them at once, limited by your 11 maximum charm notches.
