There are six Pale Ore pieces in Hollow Knight, exactly enough to pay for every Nail upgrade that requires Ore. The final upgrade, Pure Nail, costs 4,000 Geo and three Pale Ore. You can find the six pieces through three world pickups and three milestone rewards.
Where to find all six Pale Ore pieces
Three pieces are found in the world or earned by defeating a boss; the other three come from completing milestones and claiming the reward from its giver.
Ancient Basin
Look west of the tram station, near the main entrance to Ancient Basin. Two Lesser Mawleks guard the Ore; defeat them to collect it. Hollow Knight Wiki: Pale Ore
Hallownest’s Crown in Crystal Peak
The Ore is at the peak, inside the base of the Radiance statue. Mantis Claw is required to reach it; Monarch Wings and Crystal Heart are recommended for the route. Hollow Knight Wiki: Pale Ore
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Nosk’s lair in Deepnest
In the room west of the Hot Spring, find and break the wall leading to Nosk’s lair. Defeat Nosk to receive the Pale Ore. Hollow Knight Wiki: Pale Ore
Grubfather in Forgotten Crossroads
Rescue 31 Grubs, then return to Grubfather in Grubhome to claim the Ore reward. Hollow Knight Wiki: Grubfather
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The Seer in Resting Grounds
Collect 300 Essence and speak to the Seer to claim the Pale Ore reward. Hollow Knight Wiki: The Seer
Trial of the Conqueror in Kingdom’s Edge
Complete the Colosseum of Fools’ second trial, the Trial of the Conqueror. Its first-completion reward includes Pale Ore; the listed entry fee is 450 Geo. Hollow Knight Wiki: Trial of the Conqueror
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Which Pale Ore source should you pursue?
The sources have different gates, so the most convenient one depends on your abilities and preferred challenge. The three world pickups are in Ancient Basin, Crystal Peak, and Deepnest; the three milestone rewards require Grubs, Essence, or arena completion.
| Source | Gate or task | How you receive it |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient Basin | Defeat two Lesser Mawleks | Collect the world pickup |
| Crystal Peak | Mantis Claw required; Monarch Wings and Crystal Heart recommended for the route | Collect the pickup at Hallownest’s Crown |
| Deepnest | Break into Nosk’s lair and defeat Nosk | Boss reward |
| Grubfather | Rescue 31 Grubs | Return to Grubfather in Grubhome |
| The Seer | Gather 300 Essence | Claim the reward from the Seer |
| Colosseum of Fools | Complete the Trial of the Conqueror; 450 Geo entry fee is listed | First-completion reward |
Pickups can be collected when you reach them, while the three milestone rewards require returning to an NPC or finishing the trial. The Colosseum trial is a combat gauntlet, while the Grubfather and Seer rewards depend on exploration and accumulated progress. There is no single best order independent of your current unlocks and progress.
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- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds, and ruined cities
- 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
How much Pale Ore and Geo do Nail upgrades need?
The Nailsmith is in the western part of the City of Tears. The first refinement uses Geo only; each of the next three requires both Geo and Pale Ore. Costs and base damage for each Nail are:
| Nail | Base damage | Geo cost | Pale Ore cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Nail | 5 | Starting equipment | 0 |
| Sharpened Nail | 9 | 250 | 0 |
| Channelled Nail | 13 | 800 | 1 |
| Coiled Nail | 17 | 2,000 | 2 |
| Pure Nail | 21 | 4,000 | 3 |
The Ore requirements for Channelled, Coiled, and Pure Nail add up to all six pieces. Paying for all four refinements costs 7,050 Geo in total. Hollow Knight Wiki: Nail
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Missing a Pale Ore? Check pickups and reward givers
Because three Ore pieces come from NPC rewards rather than obvious world pickups, check the reward sources as well as the locations where Ore sits in the environment. A player may have claimed a reward earlier and forgotten where it came from.
- Revisit Ancient Basin west of the tram station if you have not cleared the Lesser Mawleks.
- Check Hallownest’s Crown in Crystal Peak and the breakable route to Nosk in Deepnest.
- Speak with Grubfather after rescuing 31 Grubs.
- Speak with the Seer after reaching 300 Essence.
- Check whether you completed the Trial of the Conqueror and claimed its first-completion reward.
When upgrading, the Nailsmith confirms the trade: “I see you have some Pale Ore. A rare, fine metal, that. Give me the ore and some Geo for my efforts, and I’ll reforge your nail to make it stronger.” Hollow Knight Wiki: Nailsmith
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