Dream Nailing most spirits in Hollow Knight consumes them and gives the Knight 1 Essence. But be careful in the Spirits’ Glade: striking any resident spirit makes Revek attack, and his blows deal 2 Masks of damage. The Traitor’s Child is an exception to the usual spirit behavior.
What happens to most spirits?
Outside the Spirits’ Glade, Dream Nailing most spirits consumes them and grants 1 Essence. The Hollow Knight Wiki’s Spirits entry documents this as the general outcome.
That Essence is a small pickup, not progress toward the game’s completion total or the Essence requirement for fully awakening the Dream Nail. The Dream Nail’s listed 2,400-Essence threshold concerns all in-game rewards and achievements; spirit Essence does not count toward the completion and awakening measures described in the Spirits entry. See the Dream Nail reference for the reward threshold.
Why is the Spirits’ Glade different?
Dream Nailing any spirit in the Spirits’ Glade triggers Revek, its guardian. His attacks deal 2 Masks of damage, so interacting with a spirit there carries a real combat risk. Revek warns, “The bugs within this glade are under my watch. Treat them with respect and you may remain, but raise your nail and you’ll contend with me,” according to the Revek reference.
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- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
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- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
- Leap into minds with the Dream Nail. Uncover a whole other side to the characters you meet and the enemies you face.
How to Dream Nail Revek afterward
- Dream Nail the other spirits in the Glade, accounting for Revek’s attacks as you do.
- Leave the Glade, then enter it again.
- Revek will be sullen and can then be Dream Nailed for 1 Essence.
After the other spirits are gone, Revek says, “The glade has stilled. It’s so quiet, yet I feel… failure? In this place, I once performed a task, but what was it?.. It’s so hard to recall. Surely it was important? How could I forget such a thing?” The line is attributed to Revek in the same reference.
Does every spirit disappear?
No. The Traitor’s Child is excluded from the general rule that Dream Nailing spirits consumes them. The Spirits entry documents this exception, so do not assume that every ghost-like character behaves like an ordinary spirit.
Rank #2
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- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Does consuming a spirit free it or destroy it?
The reference describes spirits as dream-made forms of deceased bugs, but that description does not establish what consuming one means metaphysically. The confirmed gameplay outcome is that most spirits disappear and yield 1 Essence; whether that represents release, destruction, or something else is not settled by the cited material.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
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- Includes four giant bonus content packs: Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all modern trimmings
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- Forge your own path. The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face, and find your own way forward
Rank #3
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- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
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