The Complete 2025 Guide to Hollow Knight's 45 Charms: From Wayward Compass to Void Heart
In the vast, silent kingdom of Hallownest, a tiny vessel's journey is defined not just by its nail and spells, but by the silent whispers of power it collects along the way—the Charms. Think of them as the secret spices in a master chef's kitchen; the right combination can turn a desperate struggle into an elegant dance. For a new Knight stumbling through Forgotten Crossroads, that humble Wayward Compass isn't just a tool—it's a lifeline, a friendly whisper saying, "Hey, you're here, don't panic." And for the seasoned warrior facing the Radiance, a perfectly tuned build of Quick Slash and Mark of Pride becomes the difference between glorious victory and crushing defeat. These 45 trinkets, scattered across every mossy grotto and fiery peak, are the very soul of customization in Team Cherry's masterpiece.
Your Starter Kit: The 1-Notch Wonders 🌟
Starting with just a few precious notches, these affordable charms are your first friends in a hostile land. Most are tucked away in shops or gifted after early challenges.
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Wayward Compass: The beginner's best friend. It just shows you where you are on the map. Simple, but oh boy, does it save you from getting hopelessly lost in the Fungal Wastes!
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Steady Body: This little guy stops your knockback when you strike. It sounds minor, but trust me, it lets you stand your ground and just wail on enemies. A game-changer for mastering combat flow.
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Sprintmaster: Gotta go fast! This charm is a non-negotiable must for any Grub-hunting or charm-collecting spree. Zooming through areas feels so good.
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Dream Wielder: Lets you gather more Soul from your Dream Nail hits. Super handy for keeping your spells topped up while exploring.
Personal Pick: When I first started, I never took off Wayward Compass and Steady Body. They're like training wheels that teach you the fundamentals of navigation and combat without holding your hand.
The Sweet Spot: 2-Notch Powerhouses ⚔️
This is where builds start to get interesting. With 18 options, the 2-notch category has something for every playstyle. But a word of warning!
| Charm Name | What It Does | Special Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fragile Heart | Adds 2 extra masks (health). | Breaks on death! Repair with Leg Eater for 150 Geo. Can be made Unbreakable later. |
| Fragile Greed | Earn more Geo from enemies. | Same deal—breaks on death. A risky investment for early geo farming. |
| Dashmaster | Reduces dash cooldown, increases walk speed. | The heart of any speedy, evasive build. Feels incredible to use. |
| Sharp Shadow | Makes your Shadow Dash longer and deal damage. | Pair with Dashmaster for a 50% cooldown reduction. You basically become a teleporting buzzsaw! |
| Longnail | Increases your nail's reach. | A safe, reliable choice for keeping dangerous foes at bay. |
| Baldur Shell | Creates a shield while you Focus (heal). | A literal lifesaver for beginners learning boss patterns. It lets you heal safely and learn those "oh crap" moments. |
Pro-Tip Combo: Dashmaster + Sharp Shadow. This duo lives permanently in my late-game setup. Darting through boss attacks and slicing through them never gets old. I lost count of how many times this combo saved my shell!
The Big Investments: 3-Notch Game Changers 💎
Now we're talking serious commitment. Spending three notches means these charms need to pull their weight.
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Quick Focus: Heal faster. In boss fights where healing windows are tiny, this charm is worth its weight in Pale Ore. It's the difference between getting that crucial mask back or eating another hit.
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Quick Slash: Swing your nail much, much faster. DPS (damage per second) heaven. Against tanky bosses or in the Colosseum of Fools, this can melt health bars. The sound of rapid-fire clinks is so satisfying.
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Mark of Pride: A bigger range boost than Longnail. For nail purists, this is often the go-to. It lets you poke bosses from a safer distance.
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Fragile Strength: Increases your nail damage by a whopping 50%. But yes, it breaks on death too. Repair costs 350 Geo. This is the ultimate offensive charm for players who are confident in their skills. It too can be upgraded to an Unbreakable version.
Hot Take: Some 3-notch charms feel a bit... niche. Lifeblood Core gives you four extra blue masks, but you can't heal them by Focusing. It's like a temporary buffer, but once it's gone, it's gone. And Flukenest changes your Vengeful Spirit spell into a slow, weird blob. Not my cup of tea, but some swear by it!
Niche & Notorious: The 4-Notch Club 🛡️
These four charms demand almost your entire early-game notch budget. They're powerful but come with significant trade-offs.
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Hiveblood: Slowly regenerates your last lost mask of health. Amazing for treacherous platforming sections (like the White Palace) where you take lots of small hits. It's like having a persistent, patient little bee nurse following you around.
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Deep Focus: Makes your Focus healing restore 2 masks instead of 1, but takes longer. Fantastic against slow, predictable bosses where you have big windows to heal. Doubling your efficiency is huge.
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Joni's Blessing: Converts all your masks into permanent, blue Lifeblood masks. You get a bigger health bar... but you can never heal. For me, that's a deal-breaker. The anxiety of watching your health slowly whittle away with no recourse? No thank you!
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Soul Eater: Defeating enemies grants way more Soul. This is the ultimate grinding charm. If you need to farm Soul for a big spell-heavy fight or just want to blast everything with spells, this is your pick.
The Crown Jewel: The 5-Notch Kingsoul 👑
There is only one. The Kingsoul is a legendary charm that costs a staggering five notches. Its effect? The Knight passively absorbs limitless Soul over time.
Sounds incredible, right? Well, here's the catch: that massive cost locks you out of almost any other charm. Most veteran players find that a combo of cheaper charms offers more overall power and flexibility. But its true value isn't in combat—it's in lore and progression. The Kingsoul is the key that unlocks the deepest secrets of the Abyss, leading to the Void Heart, and ultimately, the game's most profound endings. It's a symbol more than a tool.
The Final Piece: The Zero-Notch Void Heart 🕳️
We save the most unique for last. The Void Heart costs no notches at all. And it doesn't give you a damage boost, faster healing, or extra health. Its power is narrative. Equipping it changes the world, opening the path to four of Hallownest's six possible conclusions. It's the final piece of the Knight's journey, a quiet transformation that speaks louder than any combat buff ever could.
So there you have it, the full family of 45. From the humble, helpful charms that guide you in the beginning, to the powerful, build-defining centerpieces, and finally to the enigmatic keys that unlock the kingdom's deepest truths. Finding them all is a journey in itself—a testament to Hallownest's incredible depth. The real magic is in the experimentation. Mix, match, and find what speaks to your style. After all, every Knight's journey is their own. What will your build be?