Hollow Knight’s Steel Soul mode is the ultimate test of skill, patience, and precision. With permadeath enabled, every decision counts. This guide walks you through everything you need to survive and achieve 100% completion—or more—without dying once.

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1. Plan Your Completion Strategy

• What Counts Toward Completion:
  • The full game plus DLC totals 112% completion.
  • You only need 88% of the base game if you supplement with DLC content.
  • DLC Contributions:
    • Grimm Troupe (6% with banishment ending)
    • Hive Knight (1%)
    • Godtuner (1%) + 1% per Pantheon (excluding the final one)
• What You Can Safely Skip:
  • The Hunter’s Journal
  • The True Ending (Radiance)
  • The third Colosseum trial
  • Collecting all 2400 Essence
• Battle Prioritization:
  • Skip any non-essential boss.
  • Delay tough fights until you’re fully upgraded.
  • Use DLC percentages to substitute for risky content.

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2. Upgrade Early and Often

• Nail Upgrades:
  • Purchase the Lumafly Lantern to access Crystal Peak and the Dream Nail early.
  • Use the Dream Nail to collect 300 Essence and unlock a Pale Ore upgrade.
• Health Masks:
  • You can grab three masks early in Forgotten Crossroads through grub rewards and pogo techniques.
• Dream Bosses:
  • Farm dream variants like Lost Kin and Soul Tyrant for safe Essence.
  • Avoid Warrior Graves, which have unpredictable attacks.

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3. Route Planning and Navigation

• Leave a bench with a clear goal in mind.
• Write down 3–4 objectives to stay focused.
• Minimize backtracking and risky exploration.

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4. Practice on a Separate Save

• Use a normal save file to rehearse boss fights and platforming.
• Utilize Godhome DLC for Radiant difficulty practice. It’s intense, but it hones reaction time and patterns.

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5. Use Fragile Charms Without Fear

• Fragile charms don’t break in Steel Soul mode:
  • Fragile Strength: +50% nail damage
  • Fragile Heart: +2 health masks
  • Fragile Greed: Early Geo farming powerhouse

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6. Cheese Where You Can

• Exploit boss weaknesses:
  • Nosk: Use Abyss Shriek overhead.
  • Grimm: Use Shape of Unn to dodge fire bats.
  • Radiance: Use Descending Dark for iframes and damage.

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7. Geo Management

• Buy Gathering Swarm and Fragile Greed early.
• Prioritize spending on:
  • Mask Shards and Vessel Fragments
  • Key vendor items from Sly and Salubra
• Exchange Rancid Eggs for Geo at Jiji’s former location if needed.

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8. Beware of Double-Damage Areas

• Double damage threats include:
  • Crystal Peak platforming
  • Traitor Lord, Enraged Guardian, and similar bosses
• Pro tip: Keep an odd number of masks to prevent early death from double hits.

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9. Build Effective Charm Synergies

Try these combinations:

• Grubsong + Soul Catcher: Earn Soul passively and heal more often.
• Quick Focus + Shape of Unn: Heal on the move.
• Shaman Stone + Spell Twister: Boost your spell damage and spam potential.

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10. Boss Combat Techniques

• Use Stagger Windows: Charge nail arts during staggers for big damage.
• Spells Matter: Descending Dark offers invincibility; Abyss Shriek deals massive AoE.
• Maintain Position: Stay mid-screen to avoid being cornered.

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11. Take It Slow

• Steel Soul is about survival, not speed.
• Avoid unnecessary risks.
• Take breaks when stressed—fatigue kills runs.

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Final Thoughts

With the right preparation, careful planning, and a calm mindset, conquering Hollow Knight’s Steel Soul mode is completely achievable. Use this guide as your blueprint, trust your instincts, and prove yourself worthy of Hallownest’s highest challenge. Good luck, and stay alive!