Unlocking Power: How Much More Damage Does Shaman Stone Do?

The Shaman Stone is a powerful charm in the game, Hollow Knight, renowned for its ability to significantly enhance spell damage. So, exactly how much more damage does it provide? The core benefit of the Shaman Stone is that it boosts the damage of spells by 33-51%, depending on the specific spell. This substantial increase allows for devastating offensive capabilities, enabling you to defeat enemies quickly and more efficiently. The exact percentage increase for each spell will be detailed below.

Shaman Stone Damage Boost Breakdown

The Shaman Stone doesn’t uniformly increase all spell damage by the same amount, but it greatly increases most spells. Here’s a breakdown of the enhanced damage each spell receives:

Vengeful Spirit

• Base Damage: 4
• Damage with Shaman Stone: 5
• Total Damage (Vengeful Spirit): The charm increases the damage per projectile to 5, resulting in 45 total damage. This boost is crucial for taking down early-game enemies efficiently.

Shade Soul

• Base Damage: 40
• Damage Increase with Shaman Stone: 33%
• Total Damage (Shade Soul): The enhanced damage per projectile is 80 after applying the 33% increase. This jump in damage makes Shade Soul a powerhouse for taking down stronger enemies and bosses.

Flukenest + Shaman Stone

• Fluke Projectiles Size Increase: On average, the projectiles are 31.9% bigger which increases the chance of each one hitting the target.
• Defender’s Crest + Flukenest Combo: While the Shaman Stone doesn’t directly increase damage output by adding 33% here it increases the damage frequency, resulting in roughly 29 damage. The damage is delivered more rapidly rather than being delivered at a higher amount per instance.

Descending Dark/Desolate Dive

• Damage Increase: While not stated exactly the spell benefits from the standard increase of 33-51% damage.
• Other Benefits: This spell is already powerful due to its invincibility frames. The increased damage on top of that allows this spell to really do some major damage.

It’s important to note that Shaman Stone only affects spells. Passive abilities like Glowing Womb are not enhanced by the Shaman Stone’s damage boost.

Why is Shaman Stone so Effective?

The Shaman Stone’s effectiveness lies in its ability to significantly augment spell damage output. This boost has several advantages:

• One-shot potential: Many enemies can be defeated with a single spell, even from safe distances. This is especially useful for dealing with ranged attackers, and it helps control crowds without being too close.
• Boss fights: The increased damage from spells helps to whittle down the health bars of bosses, making the fights much more manageable and efficient, especially when combined with other damage-boosting charms.
• Speedrunning: The Shaman Stone is particularly valuable for speedrunning due to its easy acquisition and significant impact on damage. This makes it a must-have item for competitive gameplay.
• Early-game power boost: The ability to use spells that do damage at the beginning of the game makes this a great choice, as the Shaman Stone can be obtained relatively early in the game, before other damage boosts, making it one of the most important damage buffs early on.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What exactly does the Shaman Stone do?

The Shaman Stone charm increases the damage of spells by approximately 33-51%, varying depending on the specific spell, and slightly increases the size of the Shade Soul projectile. It does not affect passive abilities or nail damage.

2. Does Shaman Stone work with Glowing Womb?

No, Shaman Stone does not affect Glowing Womb because it’s a passive charm, rather than a spell. Shaman Stone only enhances actual spells cast by the Knight.

3. How does Shaman Stone interact with Flukenest?

Shaman Stone increases the size of Fluke projectiles by approximately 31.9%. When paired with Defender’s Crest, it doesn’t increase damage amount, but increases damage frequency, resulting in approximately 29 damage.

4. Is Shaman Stone only good for damage?

While damage is a primary benefit, the Shaman Stone also allows for better crowd control and faster elimination of threats and adds to a better efficiency of gameplay with the ability to kill most small enemies with just one spell. This versatility makes it a good choice in several areas of the game.

5. Can Shaman Stone be obtained early in the game?

Yes, the Shaman Stone can be found relatively early in the game, making it accessible before other damage-boosting options. It’s located in the Forgotten Crossroads, making it easily acquired even at the beginning.

6. How does Shaman Stone compare to other damage-boosting charms?

Shaman Stone is superior for spell damage, while others like Unbreakable Strength enhance nail damage. Fragile Strength and Quick Slash require more effort to acquire. Shaman Stone is often favored for its early availability and significant spell power boost.

7. How do I obtain Shade Soul?

The upgrade to Vengeful Spirit, Shade Soul, requires collecting the Shopkeeper’s Key in Crystal Peak. It can be found to the left of the room where the Crystal Knight is first encountered.

8. What are the base damages of Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul?

The base damage of Vengeful Spirit is 4 per projectile, while the base damage of Shade Soul is 40.

9. Does the Shaman Stone affect Descending Dark?

Yes, while the exact amount is not stated the Shaman Stone will still increase the damage by 33-51%, similar to other spells.

10. What is the benefit of Descending Dark other than damage?

Descending Dark grants the Knight 0.4 seconds of invincibility and allows breaking certain floors, which provides both defensive and traversal advantages.

11. Where can I find Descending Dark?

Descending Dark is found in the Crystallized Mound sub-area of Crystal Peak, accessible after obtaining the Crystal Heart.

12. What is the best combination with Shaman Stone?

Shaman Stone + Spell Twister is a great combo for aggressive spell-heavy gameplay, enabling faster and more frequent spell usage. Shaman Stone + Flukenest is great for a shotgun-style approach.

13. What does Unbreakable Strength do?

Unbreakable Strength increases nail damage by 50%. This is great for players who favor melee attacks rather than relying solely on spells.

14. How does Spell Twister work?

Spell Twister decreases the Soul cost for spells by 25%, allowing for more frequent spell casting. This, paired with Shaman Stone’s damage buff, is a powerful combo.

15. Is Shaman Stone important for speedrunning?

Yes, the Shaman Stone is invaluable for speedrunning. Its accessibility and significant damage increase to spells allow for faster completion of areas, faster boss fights, and an overall better clear time.

Conclusion

The Shaman Stone is a vital charm in Hollow Knight, providing a significant boost to spell damage. Its impact on gameplay is substantial, making it a must-have for players looking to maximize their offensive capabilities. Understanding exactly how the Shaman Stone enhances each spell, as well as its potential synergies with other charms, will give you a strategic advantage in your journey through Hallownest. Whether you’re aiming to quickly progress through the game, take down formidable bosses, or just enhance your spells, the Shaman Stone is essential for any player looking to make the most out of their spells.