Complete Walkthrough Guide
Your comprehensive guide to conquering Hallownest. Master every boss, discover all abilities, and unlock the secrets of this beautiful and challenging game.
Gameplay Mechanics
Healing & Repowering Up
Focus (Healing): Press FOCUS to heal yourself by consuming SOUL. This is crucial for survival during boss fights and exploration.
- Healing takes time - find safe moments during combat to heal
- Each heal restores one Mask (health point)
- Requires SOUL to use - gained by hitting enemies with your Nail
- Equip Quick Focus charm to heal faster
- Equip Deep Focus charm to heal two Masks at once (slower)
- Use Shape of Unn charm to move while healing
Vengeful Spirit
Vengeful Spirit is your first spell, obtained early in the game. It fires a projectile that passes through enemies, dealing damage.
- How to Use: Press the spell button (default:
ATTACK+UP) to cast - SOUL Cost: 33 SOUL per cast
- Damage: More powerful than nail strikes, especially with Shaman Stone charm
- Range: Travels horizontally until hitting a wall or enemy
- Location: Found in Ancestral Mound in Forgotten Crossroads
- Hitting multiple enemies in a line
- Attacking enemies from a safe distance
- Damaging flying enemies
- Boss fights where you need ranged attacks
SOUL Management
SOUL is the energy resource used for spells and healing.
- Gaining SOUL: Hit enemies with your Nail to gain SOUL
- SOUL Vessel: Your SOUL meter fills up as you attack enemies
- Balance: Decide whether to use SOUL for healing or offensive spells
- Soul Catcher/Soul Eater: Charms that increase SOUL gained per hit
Combat Basics
- Nail Attacks: Primary melee weapon, press attack button repeatedly
- Nail Arts: Charge attacks by holding the attack button, then release for powerful strikes
- Dashing: Use Mothwing Cloak to dash forward and avoid attacks
- Pogo: Down-slash while in air to bounce on enemies and spikes
- Parrying: Time your nail strike to deflect enemy projectiles
Abilities
Master these abilities to unlock the full potential of Hallownest exploration.
Mothwing Cloak
Function: Allows you to dash forward to traverse gaps and dodge attacks.
Location: Greenpath
How to Get: Defeat Hornet (first encounter) in Greenpath. After the fight, enter the chamber behind her to receive the Mothwing Cloak.
Usage: Essential for traversing gaps and dodging attacks. Press dash button while moving left or right.
Mantis Claw
Function: Enables wall jumping and climbing.
Location: Mantis Village (Fungal Wastes)
How to Get: Navigate through Fungal Wastes to Mantis Village. The Mantis Claw is found in a chamber at the top of the village, past the Mantis Lords area.
Usage: Jump against walls to climb. Hold jump to stick to walls and jump off them.
Monarch Wings
Function: Grants double jump ability.
Location: Ancient Basin
How to Get: Travel to the Ancient Basin (below the City of Tears). Navigate to the area below the Broken Vessel boss fight. The Monarch Wings are found in a hidden chamber.
Usage: Press jump again while in mid-air to perform a second jump. Essential for reaching high platforms.
Crystal Heart
Function: Provides super dash - a continuous dash in any direction.
Location: Crystal Peak
How to Get: Enter Crystal Peak from Forgotten Crossroads (two routes: one requires Lumafly Lantern, the other requires Desolate Dive). Navigate through the crystal-filled area. The Crystal Heart is found in the middle-right section of Crystal Peak, accessible after defeating enemies and solving platforming challenges.
Usage: Hold dash button to charge, then release for a super dash. Can break through crystal walls and travel long distances.
Isma's Tear
Function: Allows swimming in acid pools without taking damage.
Location: Royal Waterways (Isma's Grove)
How to Get: Access Royal Waterways from City of Tears (left side, requires City Crest from False Knight). Navigate to Isma's Grove (requires defeating Dung Defender to access the grove path). The tear is found in the grove after navigating through acid sections.
Usage: Automatically protects you from acid damage. Essential for exploring Royal Waterways and other acid-filled areas.
Shade Cloak
Function: Upgrades Mothwing Cloak to dash through enemies and their attacks.
Location: The Abyss
How to Get: Defeat Hornet in her second encounter (Kingdom's Edge) to receive King's Brand, which unlocks the Abyss. Travel to the Abyss (below Ancient Basin) and navigate to the bottom to obtain the Shade Cloak.
Usage: Dash now phases through enemies and projectiles. Essential for late-game areas and boss fights.
Dream Nail
Function: Allows you to enter the dreams of NPCs and enemies, collect Essence, and access hidden areas.
Location: Resting Grounds
How to Get: Travel to Resting Grounds (accessible from Crystal Peak or City of Tears). The Dream Nail is given to you by the Seer after entering her chamber. You must collect Essence to upgrade it.
Usage: Use on sleeping NPCs, defeated bosses, and special objects to gain Essence and unlock dream bosses.
Dreamgate
Function: Creates a fast-travel point you can teleport to from anywhere.
Location: Resting Grounds (Seer)
How to Get: Collect 900 Essence and return to the Seer in Resting Grounds. She will unlock the Dreamgate ability.
Usage: Use Dream Nail + Focus to create a gate. Use Dream Nail again to teleport to your set gate. Change location by creating a new gate.
Desolate Dive
Function: Spell that makes you leap into the air and slam down, creating a shockwave that damages enemies and breaks fragile floors.
Location: Soul Sanctum (City of Tears)
How to Get: Defeat Soul Master in the Soul Sanctum (City of Tears). The spell is obtained as a reward after the boss fight.
Usage: Press FOCUS/CAST + DOWN to perform Desolate Dive. Creates a shockwave on impact that damages enemies and can break through certain floors to reveal hidden areas. Costs 33 SOUL per cast.
Descending Dark
Function: Enhanced version of Desolate Dive with increased damage, larger area of effect, and provides invincibility frames.
Location: Crystal Peak (Crystallised Mound)
How to Get: In Crystal Peak, navigate to the Crystallised Mound in the eastern part. Break the crystal containing a Snail Shaman to obtain Descending Dark.
Usage: Press FOCUS/CAST + DOWN to perform Descending Dark. Deals more damage than Desolate Dive and provides 0.4 seconds of invincibility frames, making it excellent for dodging attacks while dealing damage. Can break fragile floors. Costs 33 SOUL per cast.
Charms
Charms provide various enhancements and abilities. Each charm uses Notch slots.
Essential Combat Charms
| Charm | Notches | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaman Stone | 3 | Increases spell damage by 33% | Salubra (Forgotten Crossroads) - 220 Geo |
| Quick Focus | 3 | Focus (healing) is 33% faster | Salubra (Forgotten Crossroads) - 800 Geo |
| Longnail | 2 | Increases nail attack range by 15% | Salubra (Forgotten Crossroads) - 300 Geo |
| Mark of Pride | 3 | Increases nail attack range by 25% | Mantis Lords reward (Fungal Wastes) |
| Fragile/Unbreakable Strength | 3 | Increases nail damage by 50% | Leg Eater → Divine (City of Tears) |
| Fragile/Unbreakable Heart | 2 | Increases maximum health by 2 masks | Leg Eater → Divine (City of Tears) |
| Fragile/Unbreakable Greed | 2 | Increases Geo dropped by enemies | Leg Eater (Fungal Wastes) - 250 Geo → Divine (Dirtmouth) - 9000 Geo |
| Steady Body | 1 | Prevents knockback when attacking with nail | Salubra (Forgotten Crossroads) - 120 Geo |
SOUL & Spell Charms
| Charm | Notches | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Catcher | 2 | Increases SOUL gained per hit by 33% | Ancestral Mound (Forgotten Crossroads) - Free |
| Soul Eater | 4 | Increases SOUL gained per hit by 65% | Hidden area in Resting Grounds |
| Spell Twister | 2 | Reduces SOUL cost of spells by 33% | Soul Sanctum (City of Tears) |
| Grubsong | 1 | Gain SOUL when taking damage | Grubfather - Rescue 10 Grubs |
Defensive & Utility Charms
| Charm | Notches | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorns of Agony | 1 | Deal damage when hit | Greenpath - Found on the ground after a parkour challenge |
| Baldur Shell | 2 | Protects while focusing (healing) | Howling Cliffs - Behind a Baldur |
| Shape of Unn | 2 | Move while focusing (healing) | Unn's Lake (Greenpath) |
| Deep Focus | 4 | Heal 2 masks at once (slower) | Crystal Peak - Hidden area |
| Quick Slash | 3 | Attack 1.5x faster with nail | Kingdom's Edge - Colosseum reward |
| Sharp Shadow | 2 | Dash deals damage and extends dash distance | Deepnest - Hidden area |
| Dashmaster | 2 | Reduces dash cooldown by 33% and allows dashing again after pogoing | Fungal Wastes - Beneath a statue below Mantis Village |
| Hiveblood | 4 | Regenerates last mask of health over time if no further damage taken | The Hive (Kingdom's Edge) - Easternmost room, after defeating Hive Knight |
Special & Late-Game Charms
| Charm | Notches | Effect | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoul | 5 | Generates SOUL continuously, opens Abyss | Combine the 2 White Fragments together |
| Void Heart | 0 | Essential for true ending | Abyss - After Kingsoul |
| Grubberfly's Elegy | 3 | At full health, nail attacks fire projectile | Grubfather - Rescue all 46 Grubs |
| Wayward Compass | 1 | Shows location on map | Iselda (Dirtmouth) - 220 Geo |
| Gathering Swarm | 1 | Automatically collects Geo | Sly (Dirtmouth) - 300 Geo |
Grub Locations
About Grubs
There are 46 Grubs scattered throughout Hallownest, trapped in glass jars. Rescuing them rewards you with Geo, Mask Shards, Charm Notches, and Charms.
- Rewards: Return to the Grubfather in the Forgotten Crossroads to claim rewards
- 10 Grubs: Unlocks Grubsong charm
- 46 Grubs: Unlocks Grubberfly's Elegy charm and complete collection rewards
Grub Locations by Area
| Area | Count | Key Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Forgotten Crossroads | 6 | Scattered throughout, some require dash ability |
| Greenpath | 5 | Hidden behind walls, requires exploration |
| Fungal Wastes | 4 | Some in Mantis Village area |
| City of Tears | 5 | In buildings and hidden alcoves |
| Crystal Peak | 4 | Requires Crystal Heart for some locations |
| Royal Waterways | 4 | Some require Isma's Tear for acid areas |
| Ancient Basin | 2 | Hidden in side passages |
| Kingdom's Edge | 3 | Scattered throughout the area |
| Deepnest | 4 | Hidden in dark tunnels |
| Howling Cliffs | 2 | Near the entrance and hidden areas |
| Resting Grounds | 1 | In the main area |
| Queen's Gardens | 3 | Hidden behind breakable walls |
| Fog Canyon | 2 | Requires careful navigation |
| Other Areas | 1 | Various hidden locations |
- Listen for their cries - they make distinct sounds
- Break false walls - many are hidden behind breakable walls
- Revisit areas after getting new abilities
- Use Wayward Compass and markers on your map
- Check every nook and cranny - they're often in hidden alcoves
Interactive Maps
Interactive Map Resources:
Thank you Scripters War for these excellent map resources!
Special thanks to Steam ID: tziglone and Reddit user: Baziston for the map!
Boss Guide - All 46 Bosses
Master every encounter with detailed strategies and location directions.