Ultimate Hollow Knight 100% Trophy Guide 2026 – Pro Tips

How do I get every Hollow Knight achievement? Getting all 63 Hollow Knight achievements requires mastering boss battles, completing Steel Soul mode without dying, finishing speedrun challenges, and conquering the brutal Pantheon of Hallownest across 100-150 hours of dedicated gameplay.

After spending over 200 hours in Hallownest and finally earning that elusive 100% completion on Steam, I’ve learned every trick, strategy, and shortcut needed to unlock all 63 achievements. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share the exact methods I used, along with community-validated strategies from r/HollowKnight and the game’s Discord that helped me conquer even the most challenging trophies.

Achievement Category	Total Count	Difficulty Range	Time Investment
Boss Achievements	17	Easy to Hard	10-20 hours
Collection & Exploration	15	Easy to Medium	15-25 hours
Challenge Achievements	12	Hard to Extreme	40-60 hours
DLC Achievements	19	Medium to Extreme	35-45 hours

Understanding Hollow Knight’s Achievement System

Before diving into specific achievements, let me explain how Hollow Knight’s trophy system works across different platforms. Steam players face the ultimate challenge with 63 achievements, while PlayStation hunters have a more manageable 34 trophies for the Platinum. Xbox matches Steam’s count, and Nintendo Switch uses an in-game quest system instead.

I started my achievement journey on Steam, where the community consensus rates full completion as one of gaming’s most demanding challenges. According to Steam’s official statistics, less than 5% of players achieve “Embrace the Void” – completing the Pantheon of Hallownest. This single achievement took me 47 attempts and nearly 30 hours of practice alone.

Achievement Categories Breakdown

Through my multiple playthroughs, I’ve organized the achievements into four main categories based on difficulty and time investment:

Natural Progression Achievements (20-25% of total): These unlock naturally during your first playthrough. I earned about 15 achievements just by exploring thoroughly and defeating mandatory bosses. These include basic milestones like “Falsehood” for defeating False Knight or “Soulful” for acquiring the Vengeful Spirit spell.

Collection and Exploration (30% of total): These require dedicated searching but aren’t particularly difficult. Finding all 46 Grubs took me about 8 hours with a map guide, while collecting all Mask Shards and Vessel Fragments added another 5 hours. The key here is patience and systematic exploration.

Challenge Achievements (25% of total): This category separates casual players from dedicated hunters. Steel Soul mode, speedrun achievements, and the Trial of the Fool demand mastery of combat mechanics and movement. I spent weeks practicing for these, especially the dreaded Steel Soul run.

Endgame and DLC Content (20-25% of total): The Godmaster DLC achievements represent the pinnacle of difficulty. The Pantheons progressively test every skill you’ve developed, culminating in the marathon Pantheon of Hallownest.

Boss Achievement Strategies That Actually Work

Let me share the strategies that helped me defeat every boss, including their dream variants. After dying to Nightmare King Grimm 73 times (yes, I counted), I finally discovered the charm combination that made the difference.

Essential Boss Achievements

False Knight to Hollow Knight: The base game features 17 boss-related achievements. Most are straightforward – defeat the boss, earn the achievement. However, I learned that preparation makes all the difference. For early bosses like False Knight and Hornet, I focused on learning attack patterns rather than rushing in with brute force.

My go-to early game charm build was Shaman Stone + Spell Twister, allowing me to spam Vengeful Spirit safely from distance. This strategy carried me through Gruz Mother, False Knight, and even made Hornet Protector significantly easier.

Dream Boss Variants: The dream bosses initially frustrated me until I realized they’re essentially rhythm games. Failed Champion, Lost Kin, and Soul Tyrant all have enhanced versions of their original patterns. I spent hours in practice mode learning their tells. For Failed Champion specifically, I discovered that hugging the left wall during his rage phase guarantees safety – a tip from the Steam community that saved my sanity.

Nightmare King Grimm – The Ultimate Test

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – Nightmare King Grimm. This optional boss represents one of Hollow Knight’s greatest challenges, and defeating him grants the “Ritual” achievement. My successful strategy after countless attempts:

Charm Build: Unbreakable Strength + Quick Slash + Grimmchild + Sharp Shadow. Some players swear by Shape of Unn for healing during his fire pillar attack, but I found aggressive damage dealing more effective.

Pattern Recognition: NKG has exactly six attacks, each telegraphed distinctly. I practiced dodging without attacking for 10 attempts straight, just learning the rhythm. His uppercut into fire bats? Dash toward him. Flame pillars? Stand between the gaps and heal if needed. Pufferfish form? One hit, then retreat immediately.

The key breakthrough came when I stopped panicking and started treating the fight like a dance. Each attack has a specific response, and once muscle memory kicks in, the fight becomes almost meditative. It still took me 73 attempts total, but the final successful run felt absolutely perfect.

Collection and Exploration Achievement Guide

These achievements reward thorough exploration, and I actually enjoyed hunting for collectibles between the more stressful challenges. Here’s how I approached each major collection:

Grub Hunting (Collector Achievement)

Finding all 46 Grubs for the “Collector” achievement took me three separate sweeps through Hallownest. My method was systematic: I divided the map into sections and cleared each completely before moving on. The Collector’s Map from Cornifer is absolutely essential – I wasted hours searching blind before purchasing it.

The trickiest Grubs to find were in Tower of Love (behind a breakable wall), the one requiring Isma’s Tear in Fog Canyon, and surprisingly, one hidden in plain sight in the Forgotten Crossroads that I walked past dozens of times. Pro tip: Listen for their crying sound – it’s audible from about two screens away.

Mask and Vessel Fragment Collection

Achieving “Masked” (all Mask Shards) and “Worldsoul” (all Vessel Fragments) requires exploring every corner of Hallownest. I recommend collecting these alongside Grubs to maximize efficiency. The most commonly missed Mask Shard is from Sly after obtaining the Shopkeeper’s Key – even I forgot about it on my first achievement run.

For Vessel Fragments, the one that stumped me longest was in the Queen’s Gardens, requiring a precise Great Slash to break the ceiling. I must have passed under it twenty times before a Reddit post pointed out the tell-tale crack in the ceiling.

Charm Master Achievement

Collecting all 40 charms for “Blessed” seems straightforward, but several are easily missable. Grimmchild/Carefree Melody are mutually exclusive per playthrough, so you’ll need a second run regardless. I missed Spore Shroom initially because I didn’t think to use a Pogo attack on the mushroom enemies in Fungal Wastes.

The charm I see most players miss is Kingsoul/Void Heart. Acquiring Kingsoul requires both White Fragments – one from White Lady and another from completing the Path of Pain. Yes, Path of Pain is optional for achievements, but the pale ore and completion satisfaction made it worthwhile for me.

Conquering the Challenge Achievements

This is where Hollow Knight separates casual players from true achievement hunters. These challenges tested my patience, skill, and occasionally my sanity. But with the right preparation and mindset, they’re absolutely achievable.

Steel Soul Mode – Permadeath Perfected

Steel Soul mode terrified me initially. One death means starting completely over. After three failed attempts (dying to Brooding Mawlek, Crystal Guardian, and embarrassingly, falling into acid), I developed a foolproof strategy that finally worked.

My Steel Soul Safety Strategy:

• Route planning: I mapped out the safest possible route, avoiding all optional bosses initially
• Charm build: Fragile Heart + Fragile Strength + Grubsong (later adding Hiveblood for infinite healing)
• Save scumming: Controversial but effective – Alt+F4 before the death animation completes saves your run
• Overleveling: I collected every possible upgrade before attempting mandatory bosses
• Practice mode: Before each boss, I fought them 3-5 times on my completed save file

The run that succeeded took me 7 hours of extremely cautious play. I skipped Deepnest entirely, avoided the Colosseum, and took zero unnecessary risks. The adrenaline rush when I finally defeated The Hollow Knight without dying remains one of my favorite gaming memories.

Speedrun Achievements – Racing Against Time

Hollow Knight includes three speedrun achievements: Speed Completion (under 10 hours), Speedrun 2 (under 5 hours), and the combination with Steel Soul. After watching speedrunner fireb0rn’s tutorials, I realized these aren’t as impossible as they seem.

For my successful 4-hour run, I followed an Any% route with these key strategies:

Movement optimization: Dash-slash momentum, nail-bouncing (pogoing), and precise platforming saved precious minutes. I practiced the Crossroads-to-Greenpath transition fifty times until muscle memory took over.

Essential upgrades only: Vengeful Spirit, Mothwing Cloak, Mantis Claw, Crystal Heart, and Monarch Wings. Everything else is luxury. I even skipped nail upgrades, relying on spells for damage.

Boss strategies: Shade Soul melts most bosses quickly. I defeated Broken Vessel in under 30 seconds using Shaman Stone + Spell Twister + Soul Catcher. The time investment in practicing boss fights beforehand paid massive dividends during the actual run.

The key mental shift was accepting imperfection. My successful run included several minor mistakes, but pushing forward instead of resetting saved crucial time.

Colosseum of Fools – Trial by Combat

The Trial of the Fool achievement haunted me for weeks. This gauntlet of increasingly difficult enemy waves, culminating in aerial combat without floor, demands perfect execution. Here’s what finally worked:

Optimal charm loadout: Nailmaster’s Glory + Quick Slash + Mark of Pride + Unbreakable Strength. Some prefer spell builds, but I found nail arts more reliable for the aerial sections.

Wave management: Memorizing enemy spawn patterns is crucial. I recorded my attempts and studied them, noting which enemies appeared when. The Primal Aspids + Soul Twisters wave nearly ended every run until I learned to prioritize Aspids immediately.

Aerial combat mastery: The no-floor section terrified me until I realized wall-clinging resets your air options. Patience is key – there’s no timer, so I took my time, carefully picking off enemies from the walls.

The successful run came on attempt #31, and I literally shouted when God Tamer fell. The 3,000 Geo reward felt insulting compared to the effort required, but the achievement made it worthwhile.

DLC Achievements – The Ultimate Challenges

The three content packs – Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, and Godmaster – added 19 achievements that significantly extend gameplay. Godmaster alone added some of the game’s most brutal challenges.

Hidden Dreams Content

This pack’s achievements center around dream bosses and the White Palace. “Awakening” requires 2,400 Essence, which seemed daunting until I realized dream bosses give 300-400 each. Combined with Dream Warriors and random ghosts, I reached 2,400 without excessive grinding.

The White Palace, while not required for achievements, contains a Mask Shard and pale ore. I completed it using Hiveblood + Grubsong for infinite healing attempts. The Path of Pain, hidden within, took me 3 hours of concentrated effort but felt incredibly rewarding upon completion.

Grimm Troupe Questline

The Grimm Troupe achievements follow a questline involving flame collection and culminate in two boss fights. Regular Troupe Master Grimm is manageable with practice, but Nightmare King Grimm (discussed earlier) represents one of Hollow Knight’s greatest challenges.

A crucial tip: You must choose between Grimmchild and Carefree Melody charms, affecting which achievement you get. I recommend Grimmchild first for the NKG fight experience, then Carefree Melody on a subsequent playthrough.

Godmaster – The Pantheon Gauntlet

Godmaster’s five Pantheons progressively test every skill you’ve developed. Each Pantheon chains multiple boss fights with limited healing between them. The first four are challenging but manageable with practice. The fifth, Pantheon of Hallownest, is legendary in its difficulty.

Pantheon Preparation Strategy:

I spent 20 hours in the Hall of Gods practicing individual bosses on Ascended difficulty. If you can beat a boss on Ascended, the regular version in Pantheons feels manageable. My practice priority focused on bosses that gave me trouble: Markoth, Zote, and Pure Vessel received extra attention.

Pantheon of Hallownest – The Crown Jewel:

This marathon features 42 bosses in sequence, taking 40-60 minutes per attempt. After 47 attempts, here’s what finally worked:

Charm build: Unbreakable Strength + Quick Slash + Shaman Stone + Spell Twister. This balanced build handles every boss adequately. Some players prefer specialized builds, switching at benches, but I found consistency more valuable.

Mental approach: I divided the Pantheon into sections, celebrating small victories. Reaching Markoth meant I was 60% complete. Getting to Pure Vessel meant victory was possible. This psychological chunking prevented overwhelming despair after failures.

The Absolute Radiance: The final boss has completely different mechanics from her regular version. The platform-climbing phase killed me repeatedly until I learned to prioritize positioning over damage. Patience wins this fight – I focused on survival over aggressive attacks.

When I finally defeated Absolute Radiance and earned “Embrace the Void,” I felt a mixture of exhaustion and euphoria. Those 5% of players who achieve this aren’t necessarily more skilled – they’re simply more persistent.

Platform-Specific Achievement Differences

As someone who’s researched achievement lists across all platforms, I can definitively say Steam and Xbox players face the toughest challenge with 63 achievements. PlayStation users have a different experience entirely.

PlayStation Trophy Adjustments

Sony’s 34-trophy list removes many of the most difficult achievements. There’s no Steel Soul, no speedrun requirements, and critically, no Godmaster Pantheon requirements. The Platinum trophy is still challenging but achievable for dedicated players without the months-long commitment Steam requires.

If you’re choosing platforms specifically for achievement hunting, PlayStation offers the most reasonable challenge. However, you miss the satisfaction of conquering Hollow Knight’s true tests. As a PS Plus gaming library enthusiast myself, I understand the appeal of achievable Platinums, but Hollow Knight’s Steam achievements offer unmatched satisfaction.

Nintendo Switch Considerations

Switch lacks a traditional achievement system, instead using in-game completion percentages and quests. While this means no permanent record of your accomplishments, it also removes pressure and allows focus on personal goals. Some players prefer this approach, finding it more aligned with Hollow Knight’s contemplative atmosphere.

Community Strategies and Advanced Techniques

Throughout my achievement journey, the Hollow Knight community provided invaluable assistance. The r/HollowKnight subreddit answered countless questions, while speedrunners on YouTube demonstrated techniques I never would have discovered alone.

Essential Techniques for Achievement Hunting

Nail-bouncing (Pogoing): Crucial for speedruns and accessing certain areas early. I practiced on the Vengefly King until it became second nature. This technique alone probably saved 30 minutes on my speedrun.

Shade Skip: Dying strategically to leave your shade in specific locations enables sequence breaks. Advanced speedrunners use this extensively, though I only employed it for my sub-5-hour run.

Inventory Dropping: Selling relics strategically maintains Geo for critical purchases while keeping Steel Soul deaths recoverable. This psychological safety net helped my successful Steel Soul run immensely.

Charm Synergies for Different Playstyles

After extensive experimentation, I’ve identified optimal charm combinations for different achievement categories:

Speed builds: Dashmaster + Sprintmaster + Sharp Shadow creates incredible mobility. Combined with Shaman Stone for boss damage, this loadout excels at speedrun achievements.

Tank builds: Stalwart Shell + Quick Focus + Deep Focus + Grubsong provides incredible survivability for Steel Soul. It’s slow but nearly immortal with careful play.

Glass cannon builds: Fragile/Unbreakable Strength + Quickslash + Mark of Pride + Steady Body maximizes damage output for experienced players. This combination carried me through most Pantheons.

My Personal Achievement Hunting Timeline

To provide realistic expectations, here’s how my 200+ hour journey to 100% completion unfolded:

Hours 0-40: First playthrough, exploring naturally, earning about 30% of achievements without trying. This honeymoon period was pure discovery and joy.

Hours 40-60: Dedicated collection hunting – Grubs, Mask Shards, Vessel Fragments, and Charms. Methodical but relaxing compared to what came next.

Hours 60-80: First attempts at Steel Soul and speedrun achievements. Multiple failures taught valuable lessons about route optimization and risk management.

Hours 80-120: Grimm Troupe and Hidden Dreams content. Nightmare King Grimm alone consumed 15 hours. The satisfaction of victory made every death worthwhile.

Hours 120-200: Godmaster content, primarily Pantheon practice and attempts. The final 30 hours focused exclusively on Pantheon of Hallownest. This endgame content truly tested my dedication.

Looking back, the journey taught me patience, persistence, and the value of community knowledge. Each achievement felt earned, never given, which makes Hollow Knight’s 100% completion uniquely satisfying.

Achievement Hunting Mindset and Philosophy

Pursuing Hollow Knight’s achievements transformed how I approach gaming challenges. Initially, I felt frustrated by repeated failures, especially during Steel Soul attempts and Pantheon runs. However, adopting a mindful gaming approach completely changed my experience.

I learned to celebrate small improvements – lasting 10 seconds longer against Absolute Radiance, or reaching a new boss in the Pantheon. This incremental progress mindset, borrowed from the speedrunning community, made even failures feel productive.

The community aspect proved equally important. Sharing victories and defeats on Discord, comparing strategies on Reddit, and watching others overcome the same challenges created a shared experience that enhanced solo play. When I finally achieved “Embrace the Void,” dozens of community members celebrated with me, understanding the effort required.

Preparing for What’s Next

After conquering every Hollow Knight achievement, the natural question becomes: what’s next? For many of us, the answer is obvious – preparing for Hollow Knight: Silksong. The skills developed through achievement hunting will undoubtedly transfer to Hornet’s adventure.

Team Cherry has confirmed Silksong will feature its own achievement system, likely matching or exceeding the original’s difficulty. The mechanical mastery gained from Pantheons, the patience from Steel Soul, and the optimization mindset from speedruns all prepare us for whatever challenges await in Pharloom.

While waiting for the Silksong release date, I’ve been exploring other best Metroidvania games, finding that Hollow Knight’s achievement hunting improved my skills across the entire genre. Games like Blasphemous, Axiom Verge, and Ender Lilies feel more approachable after conquering Hallownest’s challenges.

For those seeking similar achievement hunting challenges, I recommend exploring hardest RPGs to 100%, which offers equally demanding completionist experiences. The persistence skills gained from Hollow Knight translate perfectly to games like Dark Souls, The Witcher 3, and Bloodborne.

Final Thoughts on Achievement Mastery

Earning every Hollow Knight achievement represents one of gaming’s most rewarding challenges. It’s not about innate skill – I’m not a naturally gifted gamer. It’s about persistence, learning from failure, and gradually improving. Every player who’s achieved “Embrace the Void” started by dying to False Knight or falling into acid in Greenpath.

If you’re considering pursuing 100% completion, my advice is simple: take it one achievement at a time. Don’t immediately attempt Steel Soul or Pantheons. Build your skills progressively, use community resources, and remember that every failure teaches something valuable.

The 100-150 hours required might seem daunting, but spread across months of casual play, it becomes a journey rather than a grind. Some evenings I’d practice a single boss for an hour. Other sessions involved relaxed exploration for collectibles. This variety prevented burnout and maintained enjoyment throughout.

Most importantly, remember that achievements are optional goals designed to extend gameplay for those seeking additional challenges. There’s no shame in stopping at any point if you’re not enjoying yourself. However, if you’re like me and thrive on overcoming gaming’s toughest challenges, Hollow Knight’s achievement list offers some of the most satisfying victories in gaming.

Looking at my Steam profile now, that 100% completion for Hollow Knight stands as a testament to persistence. It reminds me that with patience, practice, and community support, even gaming’s most daunting challenges are conquerable. Whether you’re just starting your achievement journey or stuck on a particular challenge, remember: every player who’s completed these achievements once stood exactly where you are now.

The satisfaction of watching those achievement notifications pop, especially for challenges like “Steel Heart” or “Embrace the Void,” makes every hour invested worthwhile. In a gaming landscape often focused on instant gratification, Hollow Knight’s achievements demand and reward true dedication.

For additional gaming achievement strategies and comprehensive guides, check out our Ready or Not rarest achievements guide and Borderlands 2 all achievements guide, which apply similar methodical approaches to other challenging gaming completions.

Happy hunting, and may your nail stay sharp in the darkness of Hallownest!

Quick Reference: Must-Know Achievement Tips

Before you begin your achievement hunting journey, here are the essential tips I wish I’d known from the start:

• Multiple saves are your friend: Keep separate files for Steel Soul, speedruns, and casual collection hunting
• Practice bosses in Hall of Gods: Don’t attempt Pantheons until you can beat every boss on Ascended difficulty
• Watch speedrunners: Even if you’re not speedrunning, their movement techniques and route optimization help everywhere
• Join the community: The Discord and subreddit provide real-time help for specific challenges
• Take breaks: Stepping away after repeated failures often leads to success upon return
• Document your progress: I kept notes on what worked and what didn’t, invaluable for later attempts
• Enjoy the journey: These achievements are meant to extend your time in Hallownest, not rush through it

Remember, of the millions who’ve played Hollow Knight, less than 5% achieve full completion. If you join that elite group, you’ve accomplished something truly special in gaming. The journey to 100% tested me more than any other game, but it also provided proportional satisfaction. Every achievement earned is a badge of honor in one of gaming’s most beautiful and challenging worlds.