The Hollow Knight nail isn’t just your weapon—it’s your lifeline in the perilous depths of Hallownest. From the first encounter with the simplest enemies to intense battles against dream bosses, your nail defines your combat potential. To survive and thrive, mastering every aspect of nail upgrades is essential.
The early stages of Hollow Knight introduce players to basic combat with the Old Nail, but as the game unfolds, so does your ability to forge stronger versions. Upgrading your nail isn’t just about hitting harder—it’s about unlocking new playstyles, engaging with secret lore, and facing endgame content on your own terms.
What is the Nail in Hollow Knight?
The nail in Hollow Knight functions as your main melee weapon. In the lore of the game, it’s considered a sword-like weapon crafted from ancient materials. Initially called the Old Nail, it can be enhanced through upgrades to become devastatingly powerful.
Each upgrade not only increases nail damage in Hollow Knight but also represents a milestone in the Knight’s journey through Hallownest.
Where to Upgrade Your Nail in Hollow Knight?
Upgrading your nail in Hollow Knight requires two key components:
- Geo (the in-game currency)
- Pale Ore (a rare upgrade material)
You must visit the Nailsmith, located in the western region of the City of Tears. This NPC is essential for every major nail upgrade in Hollow Knight. As you progress and gather more Pale Ore, return to him for successive enhancements.
Nail Upgrade Costs and Requirements
The Knight’s Nail can be upgraded a total of four times (yielding five tiers including the base Old Nail). To reach Pure Nail, you must spend a total of 6 Pale Ore (0 + 1 + 2 + 3). Once the Pure Nail is obtained, it cannot be upgraded further.
| Nail Version | Geo Cost | Pale Ore Required | Damage Output |
| Old Nail | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Sharpened Nail | 250 | 0 | 9 |
| Channelled Nail | 800 | 1 | 13 |
| Coiled Nail | 2000 | 2 | 17 |
| Pure Nail | 4000 | 3 | 21 |
The Pure Nail in Hollow Knight is the final form, granting the highest damage and considered the ultimate melee weapon in the game.
All Pale Ore Locations
To fully upgrade your Nail to the maximum (Pure Nail), you need six Pale Ores in total — note that the first upgrade (Old → Sharpened) does not require a Pale Ore. Here’s where to get them:
- Ancient Basin – In a hidden room west of the tram station, guarded by two Lesser Mawleks.
- Seer’s Reward – Given by the Seer after collecting 300 Essence.
- Hallownest’s Crown (top of Crystal Peak) – Embedded in the statue of the Radiance at the summit of Crystal Peak.
- Deepnest / Nosk’s Lair – After defeating Nosk, break a wall in his lair to reveal a Pale Ore.
- Grubfather Reward (Forgotten Crossroads) – Given by Grubfather as reward for rescuing 31 grubs.
- Colosseum of Fools (Trial of the Conqueror) – Completing the Conqueror trial in the Colosseum rewards a Pale Ore.
Exploring these areas is critical to unlocking your nail upgrades in Hollow Knight and becoming a formidable force.
Nail Masters and Their Techniques
Three powerful NPCs known as the Nailmasters each teach you a unique combat skill. Finding them isn’t necessary for pure upgrades but greatly enhances your versatility in combat.
Nailmaster Oro (Kingdom’s Edge)
- Teaches Nailmaster’s Dash Slash
- Charges a powerful forward-slashing attack
Nailmaster Mato (Howling Cliffs)
- Teaches Nailmaster’s Cyclone Slash
- Unleashes a spinning slash that hits multiple times
Nailmaster Sheo (Greenpath)
- Teaches Nailmaster’s Great Slash
- Performs a high-damage horizontal slash
Mastering these abilities makes you a true nail master in Hollow Knight, expanding your toolkit beyond standard attacks.
How ExitLag Enhances Your Hollow Knight Experience
While Hollow Knight is a single-player game, performance can still affect immersion. Input lag, stutters, or frame drops—especially on PC—can ruin the flow of combat. ExitLag optimizes system routing, improving input responsiveness and frame pacing.
Players using ExitLag report smoother gameplay during intense moments like boss fights, dash chaining, and platforming sequences. This is particularly useful when executing tight combos with your upgraded nail in Hollow Knight, ensuring precision.
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Nail Damage Hollow Knight: Why It Matters
The difference between 5 and 21 damage may seem minor until you’re battling Nightmare King Grimm or Pure Vessel. With each enemy having specific health values, higher nail damage in Hollow Knight significantly reduces fight duration and risk.
Upgrading your nail can mean the difference between a clean kill or taking damage in prolonged engagements. It’s not just a numerical boost—it’s a strategic advantage.
Enemies That Scale with Nail Power
Some enemies become less threatening when your nail is upgraded:
- Mantis Lords
- Watcher Knights
- Radiance
- God Tamer
For these and other challenging foes, every point of nail damage matters.
Hollow Knight Nail: Unlocking Charm Synergies and Endgame Secrets
Beyond raw upgrades, the hollow knight nail interacts with several charm combinations and secret mechanics that unlock its full potential. If you’re aiming to dominate the Pantheon or unlock alternate endings, this part of the guide will elevate your gameplay even further.
How Charms Boost Your Nail Power
Several charms directly or indirectly enhance your nail damage hollow knight or modify how your attacks behave. These can be combined for devastating effects.
Must-Have Nail Synergy Charms:
- Fragile Strength / Unbreakable Strength
- Boosts nail damage by 50%. A game-changer in every fight.
- Boosts nail damage by 50%. A game-changer in every fight.
- Quick Slash
- Greatly increases attack speed. Works exceptionally well with upgraded nails.
- Greatly increases attack speed. Works exceptionally well with upgraded nails.
- Mark of Pride
- Extends nail range. Lets you hit enemies from a safer distance.
- Extends nail range. Lets you hit enemies from a safer distance.
- Longnail
- A weaker version of Mark of Pride but can be stacked with it.
- A weaker version of Mark of Pride but can be stacked with it.
- Nailmaster’s Glory
- Reduces charge time for Nailmaster arts. Ideal for bosses.
- Reduces charge time for Nailmaster arts. Ideal for bosses.
Nail Build Examples
High Damage Boss Build:
- Unbreakable Strength
- Quick Slash
- Nailmaster’s Glory
- Mark of Pride
Exploration/Speed Build:
- Longnail
- Dashmaster
- Quick Slash
- Grubsong
Each combination enhances your hollow knight nail upgrades in practical ways depending on your objectives. Boss-rush? Exploration? There’s a nail-focused build for it.
Hidden Nail Lore: The Art of the Nail
As you unlock each hollow knight nail upgrade, you also uncover bits of lore connected to the Nailsmith and the Nailmasters. The game hints at a lost tradition of nail art, once revered among warriors.
After the Knight acquires the Pure Nail, the Nailsmith steps outside his workshop and asks the Knight to strike him down. If the Knight complies, the Nailsmith falls into the waters below, triggering the Purity achievement. If the Knight refuses, the Nailsmith relocates to Sheo’s hut in Greenpath, and speaking to him there grants the Happy Couple achievement. This choice reflects the solemn legacy of the Nail as more than a mere weapon — it ties into the Nailsmith’s obsession and the spiritual weight of its craftsmanship.
How ExitLag Supports Seamless Hollow Knight Performance
Although Hollow Knight is an offline experience, technical hiccups can ruin the immersion. Input latency, micro-stutters, or frame pacing issues are common when running the game on mid-range or under-optimized PCs.
ExitLag helps optimize system routes and GPU/CPU priority management to maintain smoother frame pacing and responsiveness. Players report:
- Lower input delay when executing perfect dodges or attacks
- Improved responsiveness in boss arenas
- Fewer frame drops in heavy areas like Deepnest or Godhome
For precision-heavy gameplay like executing Nailmaster arts or perfectly-timed pogo attacks, ExitLag ensures every input counts.
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Endgame Impact of the Pure Nail
Unlocking the hollow knight pure nail doesn’t just complete your arsenal—it impacts how you approach the most difficult content:
Pantheon of Hallownest:
The added damage reduces boss cycles significantly, especially when paired with strength-boosting charms.
Dream Bosses:
Enemies like Grey Prince Zote and Nightmare King Grimm are dramatically easier with higher nail damage.
Alternate Endings:
Although the endings themselves aren’t determined by your nail, having the pure nail hollow knight unlocks paths that require advanced combat, such as completing the full Pantheon for the secret ending.
FAQ: Hollow Knight Nail Questions Answered
Yes, but it’s extremely difficult. Some players have completed “nail-less” or low-damage runs, but these are challenge routes not recommended for first-time players.
It only boosts nail damage in Hollow Knight, not spell damage. For magic builds, other charms like Shaman Stone are more effective.
The Nailmaster Hollow Knight characters teach you combat techniques, while the Nailsmith upgrades your nail damage. Both are essential for full progression.
All game images used in this blog belong to Team Cherry. They are used for informational/educational purposes only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation with the rights holders.
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