Hollow Knight Tier List — Current Rankings

This Hollow Knight tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Characters Rankings

Detailed Characters Analysis

Spell Build (S-Tier)

Spell builds maximize Soul generation and spell damage. Shaman Stone (33% spell damage) combined with Spell Twister (20% reduced spell cost) lets you spam Shade Soul and Abyss Shriek for devastating DPS. This is widely considered the strongest build for boss fights because spell damage outscales nail damage significantly.

Best with: Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, Soul Eater Stat focus: Spell damage charms first, then soul generation, then survival

Nail Build (A-Tier)

Nail builds focus on sustained melee DPS with Quick Slash (faster nail swings), Mark of Pride (longer reach), and Unbreakable Strength (50% more nail damage). This build has consistent damage output and generates Soul quickly through frequent hits. Less burst damage than spells but more forgiving.

Best with: Quick Slash, Unbreakable Strength, Mark of Pride, Steady Body Stat focus: Nail upgrade level, attack speed, nail range, then damage

Hybrid (S-Tier)

The Hybrid build combines nail speed with spell power — Quick Slash generates soul rapidly, Shaman Stone maximizes spell damage, and Unbreakable Strength keeps nail hits relevant. This is the most versatile build and excels in every situation from exploration to boss fights.

Best with: Quick Slash, Shaman Stone, Unbreakable Strength, Mark of Pride or Spell Twister Stat focus: Nail upgrades, spell damage, attack speed

Charm Tank (B-Tier)

The defensive build stacking survival charms: Quick Focus (faster healing), Shape of Unn (move while healing), Baldur Shell (shield during healing), and Joni's Blessing (more HP but no healing). Good for learning boss patterns since you can tank more hits and heal more safely.

Best with: Quick Focus, Shape of Unn, Deep Focus, Grubsong Stat focus: Healing speed, mask count, soul recovery on hit

Speedrun Build (A-Tier)

Speedrun builds minimize charm notches spent on survival and maximize mobility and damage. Shaman Stone plus Spell Twister for efficient spell burst, with Dashmaster for faster movement. This build assumes you won't get hit much and punishes every boss opening with maximum damage.

Best with: Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Dashmaster, Grubsong Stat focus: Movement speed, spell burst damage, soul efficiency

Weapons Rankings

Weapons Analysis

Coiled Nail: The third nail upgrade (13 damage), available from the Nailsmith in the City of Tears for 800 Geo plus a Pale Ore. This is the upgrade that makes the mid-game feel manageable. The jump from 9 damage (Channelled Nail) to 13 damage significantly speeds up enemy kills.

Pure Nail: The final nail upgrade (21 damage) costing 4000 Geo and three Pale Ore. With Unbreakable Strength equipped, each hit deals 32 damage. Getting the Pure Nail requires finding Pale Ore from Grubs (Grubfather reward), Crystal Peak, and Nosk in Deepnest. It is the single biggest damage increase in the game.

Dream Nail: Found in the Resting Grounds, it doesn't deal combat damage but generates 66 Soul per hit (6x normal) and lets you enter dream realms. Use it on staggered bosses for massive Soul refills. It also reads NPC thoughts for lore and unlocks Dream Boss rematches.

Nail Arts: Three charged attacks learned from Nailmasters: Great Slash (2.5x damage forward), Dash Slash (2.5x with dash momentum), and Cyclone Slash (multi-hit spin). Only one can be charged at a time. Great Slash is the most practical — charge during downtime and release when the boss creates an opening.

Shade Soul: The upgraded Vengeful Spirit spell that passes through enemies hitting multiple targets. With Shaman Stone equipped, it deals 44 damage per hit. It has horizontal range across the entire screen. Shade Soul is the primary damage spell for most builds and excels against bosses with wide hitboxes.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in Hollow Knight centers on nail combat and charm system. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one.

What's strong right now:

• Spell Build with Coiled Nail is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
• soul meter builds are gaining ground as players find new synergies.
• Hybrid remains essential for learning hard content.

What's underrated:

• Nail Build is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
• Dream Nail offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

• Pure Speedrun Build builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

For full build guides, see Hollow Knight builds. For progression help, check the walkthrough.