Overview
A brief description of every charm in hollow knight and how useful it is.
Row 1
Wayward Compass: Shows where you are on the map, useful for new players or if you’re struggling with navigation.
Gathering Swarm: Automatically collects all geo on the floor, not useful.
Stalwart Shell: Longer Invincibility frames after taking damage, not useful.
Soul Catcher: Collect more soul upon hitting enemies with your nail, very useful early game due to limited choice on charms.
Shaman Stone: Increases damage and size of spells, incredibly powerful charm and a must have!
Soul Eater: Greatly increases soul gained from hitting enemies with you nail, costs too many charm slots for limited results.
Dashmaster: Allows user to dash more frequently and dash downwards, fun and useful for exploring, but dashing downwards may hurt you more than it helps.
Sprintmaster: Allows you to run slightly faster, not very useful but might as well use it when exploring and you have an extra charm slot.
Grubsong: Gives the bearer soul upon taking damage, very useful charm when fighting new bosses or exploring new areas.
Grubberfly’s Elegy: Allows you to shoot weak lasers when on full health, only useful when fighting bosses on radiant.
Row 2
Fragile/Unbreakable Heart: Gives the user 2 extra masks of health, useful for boss fights.
Fragile/Unbreakable Greed: Causes enemies to drop extra geo, not useful at all.
Fragile/Unbreakable Strength: Makes the user’s nail deal more damage, very useful and strong throughout the game.
Spell Twister: Allows the use of 4 spells instead of 3 when at full soul, rarely useful but could work in a spell build.
Steady Body: Makes the user not take knock back from hitting an enemy, can be useful, but quite off putting and difficult to get used to for some players.
Heavy Blow: Makes enemies knock back further when hit by the nail, not very useful.
Quick Slash: Lets you swing your nail much faster and more frequently, the best charm in the game and a must have in all builds!
Longnail: Makes the user’s nail longer, useful for newer players.
Mark of Pride: Makes the user’s nail much longer, very useful for newer players.
Fury of the Fallen: Increases the user’s damage immensely when on 1 hp, not worth it and only use if confident in your ability to win.
Row 3
Thorns of Agony: Deals recoil damage to enemies when taking damage, very weak recoil but could be useful due to low notches.
Baldur Shell: Gives the user invincibility frames while focusing but can be broken, useful for cheesing difficult fights.
Flukenest: Transforms vengeful spirit into shotgun-like flukes, strong against close ranged bosses but difficult to get used to.
Defender’s crest: Makes user emit poison gas that does weak damage to enemies that enter it, weak but useful against certain bosses.
Glowing Womb: Uses soul to make hatchlings that attack enemies for you, very bad and should not be used unless cheesing bosses.
Quick Focus: Allows user to focus faster, very good charm throughout the game.
Deep Focus: Heal twice but take about double the time, literally does nothing, god awful charm, do not use.
Lifeblood Heart: Gives 2 extra lifeblood masks after using a bench, useful for practising boss patterns, but fragile heart is more useful.
Lifeblood Core: Gives 4 extra lifeblood masks after using a bench, useful for practising boss patterns, but fragile heart is more useful elsewhere.
Joni’s Blessing: Converts all health into lifeblood masks, but gives more lifeblood masks than regular masks, useful for learning boss patterns.
Row 4
Hiveblood: Slowly regenerates the last mask lost if not hit for a little while, useful for Path of Pain/ White Palace.
Spore Shroom: Emits an area of effect damage after using focus, also used to talk to Mister Mushroom.
Sharp Shadow: Shade cloak deals base nail damage and goes a little further, very useful for hard to hit bosses and Colosseum of Fools.
Shape of Unn: Allows the user to move while focusing, very useful and strong throughout the game!
Nailmaster’s Glory: Allows the user to charge nail arts faster, very useful and low cost in charm slots makes it a must have!
Weaversong: Spawns small weaverlings that deal weak damage to enemies, useless except for cheesing boss fights.
Dream Wielder: Allows the user to use dream nail faster and gain double soul from it, useful for easy to dream nail bosses.
Dreamshield: Spawns a shield that can take a hit for the player and deal contact damage before breaking, not very useful.
Grimmchild: Spawns small companion that attacks nearby enemies and allows the bearer to fight Grimm and his troupe, not very strong.
Carefree Melody: Gives the user a chance not to take damage, useful for double damage bosses and learning patterns.
Kingsoul: Slowly replenishes soul over time and gives user access to void heart, costs too many charms slots to use and very situational.
End of Guide
Thanks for reading this and remember charms are completely play-style based, and you should not take this guide as fact. Test out different charms to see what works for you and the way you play! Have fun!