Hollow Knight Guide: Tips, Tricks, and Secrets

Welcome to our Hollow Knight guide, where we'll help you get the most out of Team Cherry's brilliant Metroidvania, uncover all its secrets, and learn how to survive the dark and dangerous depths of Hallownest.

Beginner tips

• Buy the Quill, the Wayward Compass charm, and the map for each area as soon as possible. The game's world is extremely labyrinthine, and it is very easy to get lost without anything to use as a reference. The Quill lets you update your map with the places you have explored whenever you rest at a bench, helping you find your way around.
• Prioritize healing over spells. Both healing and casting offensive spells consume SOUL, so it is always wise to keep some in reserve in case things go wrong.
• Look for the right moment to heal during battles. Focusing takes a few moments, and if the process is interrupted, you will lose some of your SOUL without recovering any health.
• A very effective technique for fighting bosses and groups of enemies is to jump above them and attack downward. This lets you strike them from above and bounce off them, which you can use both to dodge attacks and to keep attacking from a relatively safe position. However, bear in mind that some bosses can defend themselves against this technique.
• If you get stuck and do not know how to proceed, open your map and look for any unexplored gaps. This will show you which places you have yet to visit, potentially revealing the way forward or an alternative route.
• Do not focus solely on completing the story. Take your time to explore and get lost in its labyrinthine passages. Hollow Knight is one of the most open-ended Metroidvanias when it comes to choosing your path, so if something catches your eye and you want to find out what it hides, do not be afraid to follow your instincts. You might discover an optional route, a useful secret, the main path, or even a new ability that opens up many more areas.
• Always keep some money (Geo) with you when you head out to explore. You will probably need it to unlock Stag Stations, which serve as fast-travel points, purchase items from hidden shops, or gain access to certain benches.
• Once you obtain the Dreamgate ability after collecting 900 Essence, you will be able to place a marker and teleport back to it whenever you want. Placing it in Dirtmouth is usually a good idea, as it allows you to return to a safe location with easy access to fast travel whenever you venture too deeply into an area that is difficult to leave. Another useful option is to place the Dreamgate just before a boss battle, allowing you to return quickly and restart the fight without having to travel all the way back each time.
• One particularly useful charm is Steady Body. It only takes up one notch and prevents you from being knocked backward when striking enemies. This makes it easier to land several consecutive hits and keeps you from being pushed into pits or traps during battles that involve platforming.
• Upgrade your Nail at the Nailsmith whenever you can. The extra damage will make the most difficult battles much easier.
• Do not give up! Hollow Knight features some very challenging moments that can become frustrating if you lose patience. If you are struggling with a boss, you can always leave it for later and explore somewhere else, take a different route, or, most importantly, try different charm combinations until you find one that truly helps you during the fight.