The Knight fights with one weapon, the Nail, backed by Nail Arts and spells. This hub gathers every combat tool in one place.
Hollow Knight has a single weapon. Per the wiki, the Knight wields the Nail, a bladed melee weapon, for the entire game. There are no swords, bows, or guns to swap between, only one nail that you sharpen over time.
According to the wiki, you make that nail stronger in three ways: upgrading it at the 
Nailsmith, learning Nail Arts from the Nailmasters, and equipping damage 
Charms. Spells add a ranged option on top.
The wiki notes that this tight toolkit is deliberate. In practice, mastering one weapon deeply rather than juggling many is the core of Hollow Knight combat.
This hub covers the nail and its upgrade tiers, the three Nail Arts, the combat spells, the Charms that boost damage, and links to every related guide.
The Nail is the only weapon, upgraded across five damage tiers.
Three Nail Arts add charged attacks learned from the Nailmasters.
SOUL spells give a ranged and dive option alongside the nail.
Charms raise damage, range, and attack speed.Per the wiki, the Nail starts as the Old Nail and can be upgraded four times by the Nailsmith in the City of Tears. Each tier costs Geo and, after the first, 
Pale Ore.
| Nail | Damage | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Old Nail | 5 | Default |
| Sharpened Nail | 9 | 250  Geo |
| Channelled Nail | 13 | 800 Geo, 1 Pale Ore |
| Coiled Nail | 17 | 2,000 Geo, 2 Pale Ore |
| Pure Nail | 21 | 4,000 Geo, 3 Pale Ore |
According to the wiki, there are six Pale Ore in the whole game, and the full upgrade path uses three of them. In actual play, the jump from Old Nail to Pure Nail roughly quadruples your base melee damage.
Per the wiki, the Nailsmith lives on the far western edge of the City of Tears, past the infected mushroom growths. In real runs, getting at least the Channelled Nail before the midgame bosses saves a lot of grief.
Per the wiki, Nail Arts are charged attacks taught by the three Nailmasters. You charge by holding the attack button, then release for a powerful strike.
According to the wiki, learning all three Arts and visiting the master who waits for them rewards the 
Nailmaster's Glory Charm, which removes the charge time on Nail Arts. In practice, that Charm turns the Arts from a niche tool into a real combat option.
Per the wiki, spells spend SOUL for ranged and area damage. There are three spell lines, each with a base and an upgraded form.
Shade Soul, the strongest horizontal spell.
An upward scream that becomes Abyss Shriek.
A downward slam that becomes 
Descending Dark.According to the wiki, spells share the same SOUL meter you use to heal, so every cast is a tradeoff. In actual play, Shade Soul is the go-to burst for bosses while the dive doubles as a movement tool.
Per the wiki, several Charms make the nail hit harder, reach farther, or swing faster. They are the third pillar of Hollow Knight combat alongside upgrades and Arts.
Raise nail damage by 50 percent. Quick Slash increases attack speed by 32 percent.
Extend nail range by 15 and 25 percent.The wiki specifies that Steady Body and Heavy Blow tune knockback rather than raw damage. In real runs, pairing Quick Slash with a Strength Charm is the classic high-damage melee setup.
This hub connects to the deeper guides on every part of combat. Pick a thread to follow the nail, the Charms, or the foes it faces.
Game data and screenshots adapted from hollowknight.fandom.com, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. Original content remains the property of the wiki contributors and Team Cherry.