Delving into Damage: How Much Soul Does in Hollow Knight?

The concept of “Soul” in Hollow Knight is multifaceted, serving as both a resource for spells and a core mechanic tied to the game’s combat system. This article focuses on the damage aspect of Soul, specifically examining the damage output of various Soul-based abilities and spells within the game. It’s important to understand that Soul itself doesn’t directly inflict damage; rather, the spells and abilities powered by Soul are the damage dealers. So, how much damage do these Soul-powered attacks actually do? The answer varies depending on the specific ability used and any upgrades you’ve acquired.

Soul Damage Breakdown: Spells and Abilities

Vengeful Spirit & Shade Soul

The most fundamental Soul-based offensive ability is the Vengeful Spirit. This projectile spell inflicts 15 base damage. However, this spell can be upgraded to Shade Soul, which boasts a significantly higher 30 base damage. The Shade Soul is also a larger projectile, making it easier to hit enemies. An important consideration with these spells is that, sometimes, they can hit an enemy twice if the first hit knocks them back into the projectile’s path, increasing the overall damage.

Desolate Dive/Descending Dark

This Soul-based ability involves the Knight plunging down and attacking in an area around them. Desolate Dive is the initial ability obtained from defeating the Soul Master and does a base damage of 15. Upon finding an upgrade this evolves into the Descending Dark, which does a base damage of 20 with a larger AOE. These abilities have also been known to hit an enemy multiple times if positioned correctly.

Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek

Howling Wraiths is a powerful area-of-effect spell. The initial spell does 25 base damage to enemies caught within its range. When upgraded to Abyss Shriek the damage is boosted to a substantial 40 base damage and with an increased area-of-effect. Similar to other spells, it is possible to hit an enemy twice with this spell.

Understanding Damage Modifiers

It’s critical to remember that the base damage figures above are subject to changes based on several factors:

• Charms: Certain charms can significantly impact damage output. For example, the Shaman Stone charm increases the damage of spells by 33%.
• Fragile Strength/Unbreakable Strength: When equipped this charm provides a 50% increase to damage done by the players nail attacks. This does not affect spells.
• Enemy Weaknesses/Resistances: Some enemies may have vulnerabilities or resistances to spell damage, causing actual damage to vary.
• Overcharmed Status: If the player has more charms equipped than notches, this will double all damage received and does not affect spell damage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the base damage of the Nail in Hollow Knight?

The base nail damage varies depending on its upgrade level. Unupgraded, the nail deals 5 damage, while the fully upgraded Pure Nail inflicts 21 damage.

2. Can nail arts be affected by charm buffs?

Nail arts are not affected by charms such as Fragile Strength or Unbreakable Strength. These only affect the basic nail attack. However they can be affected by the Fury of the Fallen bonus.

3. How much SOUL can the Knight hold?

The maximum amount of SOUL the Knight can hold is 99. However, upon death, this amount shrinks to 66 until the Shade is slain.

4. How does the Overcharmed status work?

The Overcharmed status is triggered when you equip more charms than you have notches to hold them. While in this state, the player takes double damage, and their attacks are unaffected. It takes 5 attempts to activate Overcharmed for the first time.

5. What is the most difficult challenge in Hollow Knight?

The hardest task in Hollow Knight is generally considered completing the Pantheon of Hallownest, which entails defeating all of the game’s bosses consecutively without dying.

6. What is the easiest ending to get in Hollow Knight?

The easiest ending is achieved by defeating the Hollow Knight without possessing the Void Heart. This is the ending most players get on their first playthrough.

7. How many endings are there in Hollow Knight?

There are a total of 5 endings in Hollow Knight. Three are from the base game and two are added through the Godmaster DLC.

8. Does Hollow Knight have a canon ending?

According to Team Cherry, all Hollow Knight endings are considered equally canon, giving the player the choice of how their story unfolds.

9. How many charm notches are available?

The player begins with 3 charm notches, and can find an additional 8 during the course of the game, for a total of 11.

10. What are some good charms for Soul Master?

Good Charms for the Soul Master fight include Soul Catcher, Shaman Stone, and Spell Twister for a spell-casting approach. If you prefer using the nail try Longnail, Mark of Pride, or Fragile Strength.

11. How much health does Nightmare King Grimm have?

Nightmare King Grimm has 1500 health. This makes the fight one of the longest and most difficult in the game.

12. Is the Hiveblood charm worth it?

The Hiveblood charm is a decent pick if the Knight can effectively dodge enemy attacks. This charm allows for a slow regeneration of masks without needing to heal normally.

13. How is Soul used in Hollow Knight?

Soul is the resource used to power spells and is collected by hitting enemies with the players nail. The Soul meter is represented by a circle on the player’s HUD.

14. Does the Unbreakable Strength bonus apply to nail arts?

The Unbreakable Strength bonus, which increases nail damage by 50%, does not apply to nail arts. It only applies to the standard nail attack.

15. What is the Pure Vessel?

In the game’s lore, the Hollow Knight, also known as the Pure Vessel, was chosen by the Pale King to contain the Radiance and stop the spread of the infection. However, it’s later shown that the vessel was not so pure.

Conclusion

Understanding the intricacies of Soul damage in Hollow Knight is essential to mastering the game’s challenging combat. The strategic use of Soul-based spells, combined with the appropriate charms, can significantly enhance your offensive capabilities. While Soul itself isn’t the damage dealer, the powerful spells it empowers, like the Shade Soul, Descending Dark, and Abyss Shriek, are crucial for success in the perilous world of Hallownest. By understanding how these abilities work and how to maximize their damage potential, players can become more efficient and effective warriors in this captivating adventure.