Hollow Knight Best Charms: One Pick per Job
Pick by job, not by a single winner. The files rank nothing, so this page takes the cheapest charm whose own text names each job: Quick Focus to heal faster (3 notches), Longnail to reach farther (2), Soul Catcher for SOUL (2) and Wayward Compass to know where you are (1).
- Heal fasterQuick Focus3 notches
- Reach fartherLongnail2 notches
- Notches at the start3up to 10 with the shop and free ones
- Charms in the game40all in the charms database
Most "best charms" pages are opinion lists. This one is also opinion, so it says how it chooses: one job per pick and the lowest notch cost, using each charm's own game text.
On this page
Top pick
Top pick· Heal faster
Quick Focus
A charm containing a crystal lens.
- 3notches
- -no pickup pin
The best charm for each job
Eight picks, one per job, each the cheapest charm whose own text names that job.
Reach farther
Longnail
Increases the range of the bearer's nail, allowing them to strike foes from further away.
- 2notches
Hit harder when low
Fury of the Fallen
Embodies the fury and heroism that comes upon those who are about to die.
- 2notches
Gain more SOUL
Soul Catcher
Used by shamans to draw more SOUL from the world around them.
- 2notches
Survive a hit
Stalwart Shell
Builds resilience.
- 2notches
Cast spells cheaper
Spell Twister
Reflecting the desires of the Soul Sanctum for mastery over SOUL, it improves the bearer's ability to cast spells.
- 2notches
Run faster
Sprintmaster
Bears the likeness of a strange bug known only as 'The Sprintmaster'.
- 1notch
Know where you are
Wayward Compass
Whispers its location to the bearer whenever a map is open, allowing wanderers to pinpoint their current location.
- 1notch
What to wear as your notches grow
Loadouts that add up to the notches you have at each point: 3 at the start, Salubra's four, then the free ones.
3 notches (a new save)
3 of 3 notches. Longnail 2, Wayward Compass 1.
5 notches (Salubra's second)
5 of 5 notches. Quick Focus 3, Longnail 2.
7 notches (all of Salubra's)
7 of 7 notches. Quick Focus 3, Longnail 2, Gathering Swarm 1, Sprintmaster 1.
10 notches (the free ones too)
10 of 10 notches. Quick Focus 3, Soul Catcher 2, Longnail 2, Fury of the Fallen 2, Wayward Compass 1.
How we ranked them
One job per pick, then the lowest notch cost, then the charm's own text
Three steps decide each pick.
- Job: what the charm's own text says it does (heal, reach, SOUL, speed, map).
- Cost: among charms with the same job, the lowest notch cost.
- Text: the game's description sets the claim. Nothing here comes from a damage test.
What the files cannot tell you
The files give notch costs and descriptions, not damage, healing or SOUL numbers, so no charm is called best at "damage" in general.
Common mistakes
- Treating a pick as a ranking of damage. The files have no damage numbers for charms.
- Forgetting the fragile ones. Fragile Heart's own text says it "will break if its bearer is killed".
- Spending all notches on one job. Quick Focus alone is 3 of your 3 starting notches.
All data
Show tablesHide
The reasons behind each pick and the notch arithmetic.
The best charm for each job
Eight picks, one per job.
Quick Focus: heal faster. A charm containing a crystal lens. Increases the speed of focusing SOUL, allowing the bearer to heal damage faster. It costs 3 notches. It uses the whole starting budget, so take it when you are ready to spend all three notches on healing. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Longnail: reach farther. Increases the range of the bearer's nail, allowing them to strike foes from further away. It costs 2 notches. The cheapest charm in the files that changes the nail's range. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Fury of the Fallen: hit harder when low. Embodies the fury and heroism that comes upon those who are about to die. When close to death, the bearer's strength will increase. It costs 2 notches. Two notches for a strength rise that only starts near death. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Soul Catcher: gain more soul. Used by shamans to draw more SOUL from the world around them. Increases the amount of SOUL gained when striking an enemy with the nail. It costs 2 notches. SOUL is what you heal and cast with, and this is the cheapest charm that raises the gain. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Stalwart Shell: survive a hit. Builds resilience. When recovering from damage, the bearer will remain invulnerable for longer. Makes it easier to escape from dangerous situations. It costs 2 notches. Invulnerability lasts longer after damage; it does not add masks. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Spell Twister: cast spells cheaper. Reflecting the desires of the Soul Sanctum for mastery over SOUL, it improves the bearer's ability to cast spells. Reduces the SOUL cost of casting spells. It costs 2 notches. The only charm in the files that cuts the SOUL cost of a spell. Pickup: City of Tears (Ruins1_30).
Sprintmaster: run faster. Bears the likeness of a strange bug known only as 'The Sprintmaster'. Increases the running speed of the bearer, allowing them to avoid danger or overtake rivals. It costs 1 notch. One notch, the cheapest way to move quicker. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
Wayward Compass: know where you are. Whispers its location to the bearer whenever a map is open, allowing wanderers to pinpoint their current location. It costs 1 notch. One notch; it shows your position on the map. Pickup: no pickup room in our data.
What to wear as your notches grow
Each loadout adds up to the notches you have at that point.
| Notches | Charms | Used |
|---|---|---|
| 3 notches (a new save) | Longnail + Wayward Compass | 3 of 3 notches |
| 5 notches (Salubra's second) | Quick Focus + Longnail | 5 of 5 notches |
| 7 notches (all of Salubra's) | Quick Focus + Longnail + Gathering Swarm + Sprintmaster | 7 of 7 notches |
| 10 notches (the free ones too) | Quick Focus + Soul Catcher + Longnail + Fury of the Fallen + Wayward Compass | 10 of 10 notches |
About these numbers
These pages read the game files of build 1.5.78.11833 (2021). Steam now has 1.5.12620 (March 2026) with fixes and no new areas; PinDrop has not re-read that build.
Charm costs and texts are on the charms page. 40 charms in all; pickup pins open on the charm layer.
Pages to keep open
Related pages
Sources
PinDrop is fan-made and not affiliated with Team Cherry.