Best Hollow Knight Charms for Beginners: A Guide to Early Game Power-Ups

Navigating Hallownest with the Right Charm Builds

Hollow Knight is an enchanting yet challenging journey through a decaying bug kingdom. While its beautiful art style and captivating lore draw you in, the deep combat and extensive exploration truly hook you. For new players, the sheer number of Charms can be overwhelming. Which ones should you equip? How do they even work?

Don't worry, little ghost! Charms are your best friends in Hallownest, offering unique abilities and stat boosts that can significantly impact your gameplay. Equipping the right charms can turn a frustrating boss fight into a triumphant victory and make exploration far more manageable.

This guide will break down the best early-game charms for beginners, focusing on utility, accessibility, and how they can empower you to confidently explore the fungal wastes and beyond.

Understanding Charms: The Basics

Before we dive into the best charms, let's cover the fundamentals:

• Charm Notches: Each charm consumes a certain number of "notches" (the small slots in your equipment menu). You start with 3 notches and can find more as you explore Hallownest.
• Equipping Charms: You can only equip charms if you have enough available notches.
• Charm Synergies: Some charms work exceptionally well together, creating powerful "builds."
• Overcharming: You can equip charms that exceed your notch count, but you'll take double damage from all sources. This is generally NOT recommended for beginners!

Top 5 Beginner-Friendly Charms (And Where to Find Them!)

These charms are chosen for their early accessibility, low notch cost (mostly), and significant impact on a new player's experience.

1. Wayward Compass (1 Notch)

• Effect: Shows your position on the map.
• Why it's great for beginners: Hallownest is vast and complex, and getting lost is common. The Wayward Compass is an absolute lifesaver for navigation, especially in the early game when you're just starting to map out areas. It frees you up to focus on combat and exploration without constantly opening your map.
• Location: Purchased from Iselda and Cornifer's shop in Dirtmouth for 220 Geo. This should be one of your very first purchases!

2. Shaman Stone (3 Notches)

• Effect: Increases the power of your spells (Vengeful Spirit/Shade Soul, Desolate Dive/Descending Dark, Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek) by 33%.
• Why it's great for beginners: Spells are incredibly powerful, often out-damaging your nail in the early game. Many bosses can be easily cheesed or significantly sped up with strong spell usage. This charm makes your already useful spells devastating.
• Location: Purchased from Salubra in the Fungal Wastes for 220 Geo. You'll need to defeat the False Knight to gain access to the Fungal Wastes.

3. Soul Catcher (2 Notches)

• Effect: Increases the amount of SOUL gained when hitting enemies with your nail.
• Why it's great for beginners: More SOUL means more healing (FOCUS) and more spells! This charm ensures you'll almost always have enough SOUL to heal a mask or cast a crucial spell, especially during prolonged fights or challenging exploration segments.
• Location: Dropped by the Elder Baldur in the Ancestral Mound, a sub-area within the Forgotten Crossroads (just before the False Knight arena). You'll likely pick this up very early on.

4. Grubsong (1 Notch)

• Effect: Gain SOUL when you take damage.
• Why it's great for beginners: Let's be honest, you're going to take damage as a new player. Grubsong turns those mistakes into opportunities, providing precious SOUL that you can immediately use to heal. It's a fantastic safety net.
• Location: Awarded by the Grubfather in the Forgotten Crossroads after rescuing 10 Grubs.

5. Longnail (2 Notches)

• Effect: Increases the range of your nail attacks.
• Why it's great for beginners: This charm makes combat significantly safer. You can hit enemies from a greater distance, allowing for more forgiving positioning and reducing the risk of taking retaliatory damage. Great for reaching flying enemies or maintaining distance from dangerous foes.
• Location: Purchased from Salubra in the Fungal Wastes for 300 Geo.

Early-Game Charm Builds for Success

Now that you know the best individual charms, let's put them together!

Build 1: The "Safe Explorer" (Early Game Focus)

• Charms: Wayward Compass (1), Grubsong (1), Soul Catcher (2), Longnail (2)
• Total Notches: 6
• Why it works: Excellent for new explorers. You won't get lost, you'll gain soul when hit, generate soul easily with nail strikes, and hit enemies from a safer distance. This makes early areas much less punishing.

Build 2: The "Spell Slinger" (Once you have Shaman Stone)

• Charms: Shaman Stone (3), Soul Catcher (2), Spell Twister (2)
• Total Notches: 7
• Why it works: If you find yourself relying on spells often (which you should!), this build supercharges them. You'll generate soul quickly, cast powerful spells, and more frequently. Great for early bosses like the False Knight, Hornet (Greenpath), and Massive Moss Charger.
  • Note: You get Spell Twister from the Soul Master boss in the Soul Sanctum (City of Tears), which is a bit later but still accessible for a beginner.

Where to Find More Notches

As you progress, finding more charm notches is crucial for equipping stronger builds. Here are some early locations:

• Charm Lover Salubra: Buy one from her in the Fungal Wastes after acquiring 5 charms (120 Geo).
• Fungal Wastes Secret: Found in a secret area in the Fungal Wastes, near Leg Eater.
• Fog Canyon: Within the Stone Sanctuary (requires Isma's Tear to access safely).
• Forgotten Crossroads: Defeat the Gruz Mother.

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Conclusion

Charms are fundamental to your success in Hollow Knight. By understanding how they work and picking the right ones for your playstyle, even new players can overcome Hallownest's initial challenges with greater ease. Experiment with these beginner-friendly options, explore the world, and most importantly, enjoy every moment of this unforgettable adventure!

Good luck, little ghost. May your path be clear and your charms ever potent!