Hollow Knight: All Abilities And How To Get Them (2024)

It’s not easy getting around the world of Hollow Knight. Hallownest is full of unreachable ledges, blocked pathways, searing hot pools of acid, and other fun obstacles. Without the right ability or piece of equipment, you won’t be able to make it very far.

There are several different abilities in Hollow Knight. Some of them improve movement and combat, some will let you traverse previously unreachable areas, and others are just useful if you want to get a little more lore. So, if you’ve been looking for a specific ability to help you get through this tough Metroidvania, this guide will help you find every ability in the game.

Updated November 16, 2023, by Sean Murray: Need to make sure you've got all the abilities in Hollow Knight? We've got you covered in this guide, now with improved formatting and more links to other helpful Hollow Knight topics.

Mothwing Cloak

This item gives you one of the very first abilities in the whole game. To find it, you must reach Greenpath. Once there, you should have your first encounter with Hornet, a very important character in the Hollow Knight universe. When you see her, she’ll run away from you. Chase after her until you reach the area marked on the map above.

When you finally catch up to her, she’ll insult you before beginning a boss fight. Once you’ve defeated her, she’ll fly off in a huff. In the area where you just fought her, you’ll see a corpse that looks suspiciously like you; on it will be the Mothwing Cloak.

Mantis Claw

The Mantis Village is an area located within the Fungal Wastes region. It’s home to a variety of Mantis enemies who do quick slashing attacks that can demolish you in no time. When you reach the Fungal Wastes, travel down until you start to encounter the Mantises. Keep going, and you’ll reach an area where the ground looks less fungal and more like wooden platforms. Head west and you should come across a switch. Hit it and a wall above you will open up.

Go back, and you’ll be able to make your way up by jumping on a ledge. Make your way here while avoiding or fighting the Mantises, and you’ll see shelves with little hooks on them. In front of them will be the Mantis Claw.

Crystal Heart

To get the Crystal Heart, you need to reach Crystal Peak, a mine where infected miners gather mysterious pink crystals. This area is initially very dark and hard to navigate. You’re going to need to purchase a Lumafly Lantern for 1800 Geo from Sly when he opens up his store in Dirtmouth. Then, head east from the Forgotten Crossroads and you should wind up at the location marked above.

With the lantern, you’ll be able to see through the darkness. Pay the 50 Geo tollgate to get inside; make your way through Crystal Peak until you reach the part of the map shown below.

Now you’ll have to go through a tough platforming area filled with rotating platforms, conveyor belts, lasers, and plenty of spikes. At the end will be a deactivated Crystal Golem. Remove its Crystal Heart, and now you can zip across the gaps of Hallownest.

Monarch Wings

When you reach the Ancient Basin, make your way through this area until you reach a boss fight with the Broken Vessel. When you beat him, head to the next area and you’ll obtain the Monarch Wings.

Isma’s Tear

To gain Isma’s Tear, you need to have gained access to The Royal Waterways. Make your way through this area, and you’ll make it to a boss battle with the Dung Defender. Defeat him, and there will be a switch to the right for you to hit. Do so, and then head to the marked location on the map above.

Use the Crystal Heart to get across this gapand reach Isma’s Grove. Fly across the pools of acid ahead and deal with the Sentry enemies who roam around. Head through this area, and you’ll reach Isma’s Tear, which is hanging from some kind of branch.

Dream Nail/Dreamgate

Dreams are an important part of Hollow Knight’s lore. With the Dream Nail, you can access the thoughts and dreams of friendly NPCs or certain bosses and enemies. You can even take on optional bosses by traveling into dreams.

To get the Dream Nail, you need to get to the Resting Grounds. There are a few different ways to get here, but the easiest way is to get the Tram Pass. It can be found in an abandoned train car in the Failed Tramway region of Deepnest. After you find that, head to the location in the Forgotten Crossroads marked on the map above.

Use the Tram Pass on this tram to get to the Resting Grounds. Head east, and you should reach the home of a moth known as The Seer. She’ll give you the Dream Nail, which can gather a resource called Essence. Gathering Essence will earn you rewards from The Seer.

Once you’ve gathered 900 Essence, return to The Seer, and you’ll gain an ability called the Dreamgate.

Shade Cloak

You may have seen some strange walls of shadowy black energy called Shade Gates that you can’t get past throughout Hallownest. To get past these, you need to obtain the Shade Cloak, which is a sort of upgrade to your Mothwing Cloak.

First, you need to get the King’s Brand. This is found in Kingdom’s Edge marked on the map above. You’ll need to survive another boss fight with Hornet before you can get this item. After you defeat her, you’ll reach the Cast-Off Shell and can pick up the King’s Brand. Now head on down to the Ancient Basin to the spot marked below.

The seal here will open once you present the King’s Brand. Now you’re in The Abyss, which is a dark, difficult, and spooky area of the game. Get to the bottom and head east. You’ll come across a large sea of Void that you won’t be able to get past.

Head up via the platforms above, and you’ll reach a lighthouse. Turn it on to get rid of the Void Tendrils in your way. Now you can use the Crystal Heart to fly across the sea and reach the other side.

Keep going forward, and you’ll reach a creepy-looking fountain of black ooze being held by a giant bug statue. Jump into the ooze and sit there until you absorb the power of the Shade Cloak. This will let you get past those Shade Gates and even dash through enemy attacks.

World Sense

Many Hollow Knight players may not know that this ability exists as it’s often the very last one you acquire in the game. Getting it is fairly straightforward. Kill all three Dreamers – which includes Lurien The Watcher, Herrah The Beast, and Monomon The Teacher – and head to The Temple Of The Black Egg in the Forgotten Crossroads.

The masks of The Dreamers will crack the seal inside, allowing you to head in. This is where you go to initiate the final boss fight of the game. Just before that battle, there’s a bench and lore tablet inside. Reading the tablet will give you the World Sense ability. When you go into your inventory screen, it’ll now tell you how much of the game you’ve completed.