Which Charms shine early?

Soul Catcher (more Soul per hit) and Quick Focus (faster healing) are top early picks. Since Soul fuels both healing and spells, Soul Catcher works on offense and defense. Quick Focus shortens healing windows in boss fights, raising survival sharply.

How many Charms can I equip?

Charms cost notches, and your total notch count is the cap. Explore to collect more notches — that's the real way to expand your equippable Charm budget. Balance notch cost against effect when planning a build.

How do I boost damage?

Long Nail (extended attack range) and the Fragile Strength line (raw damage) reinforce offense. Longer range means more hits with less risk of taking damage, so it's both offensive and defensive. Stack damage Charms when going for pure DPS.

What's the spell build?

Anchor on Shaman Stone (spell damage up), then layer Soul Catcher and Spell Twister for better Soul economy. Spell-focused playstyles trivialize certain bosses and suit players who don't want pure melee — both viable and fun.

Hollow Knight Best Charms｜Soul Catcher, Quick Focus, Long Nail, and Builds

Charm Fundamentals

Charms are equippable trinkets that grant effects. Each one costs notches, and your notch capacity caps how many you can run at once. The combination you choose shapes your playstyle.

You unlock more notches by exploration. More notches means stronger Charms equipped together — collecting notches is the real foundation of build flexibility. Hunt them down early.

Charm Tier List

Soul Catcher More Soul per hit — fuels both healing and spells. Works on offense and defense Quick Focus Faster healing cast. Massive survival uplift in boss fights

Long Nail Extended attack range. Hit more safely and take fewer hits Shaman Stone (spell build) Stronger spells. The core of a spell-focused build

Various specialist Charms Situational picks — slot when notches and playstyle allow

How to Build

Build	Core Charms	Goal
Survival and stability	Soul Catcher + Quick Focus	Smooth healing loops, stable boss fights
Melee and damage	Long Nail + damage Charms	Extend range and amplify hits
Spell build	Shaman Stone + Soul Charms	Boost spell damage and rotation

If unsure, start with Soul Catcher + Quick Focus to lift survival. Steady healing alone makes tough bosses noticeably easier. Once notches free up, add range or damage Charms to push the offense.

Apply to Bosses and Exploration

Once your Charms are set, push the bosses. Boss-fight strategy is in the Boss Guide, and the early-game basics including notch and Charm hunting are in the Beginner Guide.

★Honest Take: Charms Define Your Playstyle

Honestly, Hollow Knight's Charm system is where players find their personal answer to the game. Heal-focused tank, long-range safety, spell-spam — every combination is valid, and discovering the one that clicks for you is half the fun. When stuck, swap Charms before swapping skills — most walls have a Charm-shaped solution.