Hollow Knight has three spell families and six spells in total: each base spell has one upgrade. Find them in the Ancestral Mound, Soul Sanctum, Crystal Peak, Fog Canyon, and the Abyss. The list below gives each location and prerequisite; it is not a mandatory route order.
All six Hollow Knight spells at a glance
| Spell family | Base spell | Upgrade | Cast direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward projectile | Vengeful Spirit — Snail Shaman, Ancestral Mound | Shade Soul — locked side wing in Soul Sanctum | Neutral |
| Downward slam | Desolate Dive — reward for defeating Soul Master | Descending Dark — Crystallised Mound, Crystal Peak | Down |
| Upward attack | Howling Wraiths — Overgrown Mound, Fog Canyon | Abyss Shriek — the Abyss | Up |
Every spell costs SOUL, which you replenish by striking enemies. Use CAST or QUICK CAST; hold the indicated direction for the downward and upward spell families. Spell controls and SOUL
How to get Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul
Vengeful Spirit: Ancestral Mound
Receive Vengeful Spirit from the Snail Shaman in the Ancestral Mound in Forgotten Crossroads. Cast with CAST or QUICK CAST without holding a direction; it sends a spirit forward to damage enemies in its path. Vengeful Spirit location and description
Shade Soul: Soul Sanctum
- Obtain the Shopkeeper’s Key.
- Give the key to Sly’s shop access, then buy the Elegant Key from Sly.
- Use the Elegant Key on the locked side-wing door in Soul Sanctum.
- Defeat the Soul Warrior guarding the room to reach Shade Soul.
Shade Soul is the upgraded forward projectile; cast it without holding a direction. Shade Soul and Elegant Key route
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- 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 get Desolate Dive and Descending Dark
Desolate Dive: defeat Soul Master
Defeat Soul Master in Soul Sanctum, in the City of Tears. Desolate Dive is the boss reward; cast it while holding DOWN to slam into the ground. Desolate Dive source
Descending Dark: Crystallised Mound
Find the Snail Shaman’s corpse in the Crystallised Mound in Crystal Peak to obtain Descending Dark, the upgrade to Desolate Dive. Hold DOWN and cast. Descending Dark location and description
Rank #2
![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- 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.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
How to get Howling Wraiths and Abyss Shriek
Howling Wraiths: Overgrown Mound
Search the Overgrown Mound in Fog Canyon, near the entrance connecting to Queen’s Gardens, for Howling Wraiths. Hold UP and cast to release the upward attack. Howling Wraiths location
Abyss Shriek: the Abyss
Find Abyss Shriek in the Abyss. It upgrades Howling Wraiths; hold UP and cast to use it. Abyss Shriek location
Rank #3
![Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mOgOC8xEL._SL160_.jpg)
- 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.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
Spell controls and resource use
- Neutral: Vengeful Spirit and Shade Soul.
- Hold UP: Howling Wraiths and Abyss Shriek.
- Hold DOWN: Desolate Dive and Descending Dark.
CAST and QUICK CAST both work for spellcasting. All six spells consume SOUL, so plan to use them around your available resource and replenish it by hitting enemies. Spell controls and SOUL Vengeful Spirit cast input Howling Wraiths cast input
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
![HOLLOW KNIGHT [E10]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gHoLA9kNL._SL160_.jpg)
- Includes four giant bonus content packs: Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all modern trimmings
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash, and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries
- 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
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
