When we first started exploring Hallownest, we thought charms were just minor stat boosters. After spending hundreds of hours with The Knight and testing every single one of the 45 charms available, we realized how profoundly wrong we were. The Hollow Knight charms tier list we are sharing today represents countless hours of gameplay, community discussion, and optimization testing. Charms are not just passive bonuses. They are the foundation of every build, every boss strategy, and every playstyle in this masterpiece from Team Cherry.
If you are struggling with a particular boss or simply want to understand which charms will serve you best throughout your journey, this guide breaks down everything you need to know. We cover S-tier essentials that should be in every serious build, situational charms that shine in specific contexts, and the underperformers you can safely ignore. We also dive into charm synergies and full build recommendations that the community has refined over years of play.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Hollow Knight Charm System
Before we rank the charms, you need to understand how the system actually works. Each charm has a notch cost that determines how many notches you need to equip it. Your maximum notch capacity starts at 3 but can be expanded to 11 through various in-game upgrades. This limitation is what makes charm selection meaningful. You cannot simply equip everything. You must make choices.
There are two categories of charms: fragile and unbreakable. Fragile charms break when you die, while unbreakable versions persist through death. The fragile variants are generally considered wasteful since death is common, especially during boss fights. We recommend converting fragile charms to unbreakable versions through the charm lover at the edge of the Crossroads whenever possible.
Overcharming is another mechanic worth understanding. If you equip charms beyond your notch limit, you suffer a debuff that reduces your maximum soul and makes you take extra damage. Many newer players accidentally overcharm and wonder why they are struggling. Always respect your notch limit unless you are intentionally using overcharm for a specific challenge run.
S-Tier Charms – The Absolute Best in Hollow Knight
These are the charms that define what we consider the best charms Hollow Knight has to offer. Each one delivers exceptional value relative to its notch cost, and most experienced players consider them essential for any serious build.
Quick Slash is arguably the single best charm in the game. This 3-notch charm increases your nail attack speed by 40%, allowing you to deal damage faster than any other method. In a game where many bosses have brief opening windows, being able to land more hits transforms your damage output. We used Quick Slash for every Pantheon run and never felt it was the wrong choice.
Mark of Pride costs 3 notches but extends your nail range significantly. This charm excels in both boss fights and exploration. Bosses like Nightmare King Grimm become noticeably easier when your attacks can connect from further away. The extended range also helps with platforming challenges where you need to hit distant enemies.
Shaman Stone is a 2-notch charm that increases spell damage by 34%. If you build your playstyle around spells like Abyss Shriek or Descending Dark, this charm dramatically amplifies your effectiveness. Combined with other spell-focused charms, Shaman Stone creates devastating burst damage potential.
Spell Twister costs 2 notches and reduces the soul cost of spells by 33%. This charm enables spell-heavy builds that would otherwise drain your soul too quickly. When paired with Shaman Stone, you get both more damage and better efficiency. Many players consider this combination essential for endgame content.
Unbreakable Strength is the unbreakable version of Fragile Strength. At 3 notches, it increases your nail damage by 50%. Unlike the fragile version, you never have to worry about losing this boost after death. For players who want maximum nail damage without the fragility risk, this is the definitive choice.
Voidheart is a 1-notch charm that removes the damage penalty from using the Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul spells on your own shade. This charm has become legendary in the community because it enables what players call the “soul master” strategy. By rapidly casting spells and healing from the soul generated, you can trivialize many challenging encounters. The notch efficiency of Voidheart is unmatched.
The S-tier charms share common characteristics. They all provide substantial benefits that directly address common gameplay challenges. They are all unbreakable or have unbreakable versions available. Their notch costs are reasonable relative to their power, making them accessible for most build configurations.
A-Tier Charms – Excellent Choices for Most Builds
A-tier charms are not quite as universally dominant as S-tier, but they remain excellent choices that belong in most serious builds. The difference is often about fit rather than power level.
Nailmaster’s Glory costs only 1 notch but reduces the cooldown for nail arts by 75%. If you enjoy using Abyss Shriek, Cyclone Slash, or Dash Slash, this charm makes them available almost constantly. The community has mixed feelings about nail arts in general, but we believe Nailmaster’s Glory makes them genuinely useful. This charm is particularly valuable for Steel Soul mode where you want every advantage.
Steady Body prevents your character from sliding back when you attack mid-air. This 1-notch charm is controversial in the community. Some players hate the feel of Steady Body, while others swear by it for precise platforming and boss fights. We recommend testing both with and without this charm to find your preference. The fact that it costs only 1 notch makes experimentation easy.
Quick Focus is a 3-notch charm that increases healing speed by 33%. For boss fights where you need to heal between attack patterns, this charm can save your run. The faster healing is particularly valuable when combined with other defensive options. However, some players find that avoiding damage entirely is better than healing, making this charm situational for skilled players.
Soul Catcher costs 2 notches and increases soul gained from hitting enemies by 20%. This charm directly addresses soul generation, which is crucial for spell-heavy builds. Combined with Grubsong, Soul Catcher creates a powerful engine for soul accumulation. Many top-tier builds include both of these charms.
Grubsong costs 1 notch and grants 1 additional soul when you take damage. While the amount seems small, the passive soul generation adds up significantly over a long boss fight. We found that Grubsong works particularly well with Quick Focus since you are likely taking damage while healing anyway. The synergy makes both charms more effective.
Longnail is a 1-notch charm that extends nail range by 30%. Similar to Mark of Pride but less powerful, Longnail still provides meaningful range improvement for nail-focused builds. If you cannot yet afford Mark of Pride, Longnail serves as an excellent temporary option.
A-tier charms tend to have niche applications that make them stars in specific build types while being less critical for others. The key to using A-tier charms effectively is understanding when their particular benefits align with your chosen playstyle.
B-Tier Charms – Situational but Solid
B-tier charms are not bad by any means. They simply require specific conditions or playstyles to shine. If you understand when to use these charms, they can be valuable additions to your loadout.
Flukenest is a 4-notch charm that converts your Vengeful Spirit spell into a horde of autonomous flukes that damage enemies. The damage output is respectable, but the 4-notch cost is steep for a spell transformation. We found Flukenest most effective against multiple weaker enemies rather than single tough bosses. The flukes can also interfere with your positioning, making precise combat more difficult.
Fury of the Fallen costs 2 notches and increases your damage by 50% when you are at or below 25% health. This charm rewards aggressive play at low health, which is inherently risky. For Steel Soul mode, Fury of the Fallen is generally too dangerous despite its impressive damage boost. However, for regular runs where death is not catastrophic, this charm can turn close calls into victories.
Sharp Shadow costs 2 notches and extends your dash distance while causing your shadow to damage enemies. This charm enables a mobility-focused playstyle that avoids direct confrontation. We found Sharp Shadow particularly useful against bosses with tight attack windows, allowing you to stay safe while dealing damage. The extended dash also helps with platforming sections.
Thorns of Agony costs 2 notches and damages enemies when you take damage. The damage is modest, but the charm can add up over a fight with frequent hits. We recommend Thorns of Agony for early game when you are still learning boss patterns. The passive damage can help close out fights where you are taking many small hits.
Shadeling is a 3-notch charm that causes your Shade to deal damage when you use Shade Soul. The damage scaling is interesting, but the charm competes directly with other essential spell modifiers. We found Shadeling most useful in extended fights where the accumulated shade damage becomes significant.
Gathering Swarm costs 1 notch and attracts nearby soul orbs automatically. While this charm does not increase damage or defense directly, the quality-of-life improvement is substantial. We recommend Gathering Swarm for exploration runs where you are picking up geo and soul from multiple sources. The automatic collection saves time and keeps you focused on navigation.
B-tier charms demonstrate that Hollow Knight rewards understanding over powerleveling. Choosing the right situational charm for the right fight can be more effective than blindly equipping the highest-rated options.
C-Tier Charms – Niche Uses Only
C-tier charms have limited applications but can still serve specific purposes for players who understand their strengths.
Dashmaster costs 2 notches and reduces dash cooldown by 50% while also increasing dash distance slightly. The cooldown reduction is redundant if you already use Sharp Shadow, and the distance increase is smaller than what Sharp Shadow provides. We found Dashmaster most useful for speedrunners who need maximum mobility without committing to shadow-based combat.
Wayward Compass costs 1 notch and reveals the direction of the nearest bench when you are outside a room. This charm is essentially useless once you know the map layouts. For your first playthrough, Wayward Compass can reduce backtracking frustration. After you are familiar with Hallownest, the charm becomes dead weight.
Stalwart Shell costs 2 notches and prevents knockback when you take damage. The charm sounds useful in theory, but we found that maintaining position after a hit rarely matters more than other defensive options. Stalwart Shell might shine in specific boss fights where knockback timing is critical, but we struggled to find consistent applications.
Heavy Blow costs 2 notches and increases enemy knockback when you hit them. The effect is noticeable but generally not beneficial. Knocking enemies away extends fight duration and can disrupt your own combo patterns. We recommend avoiding Heavy Blow unless you have a specific strategy that requires enemy repositioning.
Stinger costs 1 notch and increases the damage and range of your stair attack. The stair attack is already powerful, but Stinger makes it genuinely devastating. We found Stinger useful for exploration when you want to one-shot certain enemies. However, for boss fights where stair attacks are risky, Stinger provides limited value.
C-tier charms often represent missed potential. The developers clearly intended these charms to fill specific roles, but other charms accomplish the same goals more efficiently. Use C-tier charms when you are experimenting with playstyles or completing specific challenges that highlight their strengths.
D-Tier Charms – Generally Skip These
D-tier charms underperform compared to other options. We recommend avoiding these charms unless you are specifically experimenting or pursuing a challenge run.
Defender’s Crest costs 2 notches and surrounds you with a damaging aura while also increasing your attack power slightly. The damage aura sounds impressive until you realize it interferes with healing and often pushes enemies away from your nail attacks. The community widely considers Defender’s Crest one of the weakest charms in the game.
Glowing Womb costs 2 notches and periodically spawns baby creatures that chase enemies. The creatures deal minimal damage and die quickly. We found Glowing Womb more of a novelty than a practical combat option. The soul cost of spawning creatures adds up, and the damage output does not justify the investment.
Grimmchild costs 2 notches and summons a weak flying companion that damages enemies. Despite being part of the Grimm Troupe storyline, Grimmchild is consistently rated as one of the worst charms in community discussions. The damage is negligible, and the creature often interrupts enemy staggers, preventing you from landing critical hits during vulnerability windows.
Carefree Melody costs 2 notches and has a chance to block incoming damage. The blocking chance is too low to be reliable, and the charm provides no other benefits. We understand the appeal of defensive charms, but Carefree Melody simply does not deliver consistent value. The community prefers other defensive options like Quick Focus or Steady Body.
Void Fragile Strength is a fragile version of Unbreakable Strength that costs 3 notches. The fragility makes this charm nearly unusable for serious content. Death is common in Hollow Knight, and losing your primary damage boost is catastrophic. Always use Unbreakable Strength instead.
The pattern with D-tier charms is clear. They either provide minimal benefits, interfere with core combat mechanics, or have reliability issues that make them inconsistent. Focus your notch investment on higher-tier charms for much better results.
Best Charm Combos and Synergies in Hollow Knight
This is where we address one of the biggest content gaps we found in other Hollow Knight charms tier lists. Understanding why certain charms work together matters as much as knowing which individual charms are powerful.
The most popular community build combines Soul Catcher, Grubsong, Quick Focus, and Spore Shroom. This hybrid setup generates soul through both hitting enemies and taking damage, then accelerates healing while providing a damage-over-time aura. The build excels in extended fights where you can safely heal between attack patterns. We used this configuration for multiple Pantheon attempts with great success.
Another powerful combination pairs Shaman Stone with Spell Twister for spell-focused combat. By reducing soul costs and increasing spell damage simultaneously, you can cast roughly twice as many spells at significantly higher damage. This combo is particularly effective against bosses with weak nail hitboxes where spell damage is more reliable.
Quick Slash, Mark of Pride, and Unbreakable Strength create the ultimate nail-focused build. This combination maximizes both attack speed and damage output while extending your effective range. The total notch cost is 9, which is steep but achievable with full notch upgrades. We recommend this build for players who prefer melee combat in all scenarios.
For defensive play, combining Steady Body, Quick Focus, and Longnail provides reliable healing, consistent positioning, and adequate range. This build sacrifices damage for survivability, making it ideal for Steel Soul mode where a single death ends your run. The notch cost is manageable at 5 total notches.
The key to effective charm synergy is understanding your soul economy. Charms that generate soul pair naturally with charms that consume soul. Charms that improve healing pair well with charms that let you take calculated risks. Experiment with combinations that match your preferred playstyle rather than copying builds blindly.
Recommended Charm Builds for Every Situation
Different challenges require different approaches. Here are our recommended Hollow Knight charm builds for various content types.
For general exploration and game completion, we recommend Mark of Pride, Soul Catcher, Grubsong, and Gathering Swarm. This balanced setup provides range for safe engagement, soul generation for spells and healing, and automatic collection for efficient geo gathering. The total cost of 7 notches is achievable early in the game.
If you are tackling Pantheon bosses, use Quick Slash, Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, and Voidheart. This aggressive spell-nail hybrid build maximizes damage output while maintaining soul efficiency. The combination of Quick Slash for nail windows and enhanced spells for burst damage handles most boss attack patterns effectively.
Steel Soul mode requires a more defensive approach. We recommend Steady Body, Quick Focus, Longnail, and Nailmaster’s Glory. This 6-notch build focuses on consistent healing, precise positioning, and nail art availability for burst damage. The survival-oriented setup reduces risk without sacrificing too much damage potential.
For speedrun attempts, consider Quick Slash, Sharp Shadow, Dashmaster, and Mark of Pride. This mobility-focused build maximizes movement options while maintaining damage output. The combination of fast dashing and extended range allows you to skip sections and defeat enemies quickly.
Early game players should prioritize Soul Catcher, Grubsong, Steady Body, and Wayward Compass. These affordable charms provide fundamental benefits without requiring significant progression. The total cost of 5 notches fits easily within early notch limits.
Each build represents hours of community testing and refinement. We encourage you to experiment with variations that match your skill level and playstyle preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Hollow Knight charms?
The best charms in Hollow Knight are Quick Slash, Mark of Pride, Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Unbreakable Strength, and Voidheart. These S-tier charms provide exceptional value relative to their notch costs and form the foundation of most endgame builds.
What is the best charm build in Hollow Knight?
The best charm build depends on your playstyle. For spell-focused combat, use Shaman Stone and Spell Twister. For nail-focused builds, combine Quick Slash with Mark of Pride and Unbreakable Strength. A balanced build using Soul Catcher, Grubsong, and Quick Focus works well for general content.
How many notches do you need for the best charms?
The best charms range from 1 to 3 notches each. A complete endgame build typically requires 9-11 notches total. You can expand your notch capacity by finding nail masters and defeating key bosses throughout the game.
Which charms should I get first in Hollow Knight?
Focus on acquiring Soul Catcher and Grubsong early since they improve soul generation. Steady Body is also valuable for beginners due to its 1-notch cost and consistent positioning benefits. Save expensive charms like Quick Slash for later when you have expanded notch capacity.
Final Thoughts on the Hollow Knight Charms Tier List
We hope this Hollow Knight charms tier list helps you navigate the complex charm system with confidence. The 45 charms available offer tremendous build diversity, and understanding which ones deliver the best value transforms your gameplay experience. We have found that investing time in charm selection pays dividends throughout every playthrough.
The community continues to discover new synergies and refine build recommendations. We encourage you to experiment beyond this guide and find combinations that match your preferred playstyle. Hollow Knight rewards mastery, and charm optimization is a lifelong journey even after you complete the main content in 2026.
Whether you are tackling your first Pantheon, attempting Steel Soul mode, or simply exploring Hallownest for the first time, the right charms make a measurable difference. We wish you success in your journey through the darkness below.