In the sprawling, melancholic world of Hallownest, the Knight’s power is not just measured by the sharpness of their Nail or the intensity of their spells, but by the versatility of their Charms. Charm Notches are the essential currency of character customization in Hollow Knight. They dictate how many mystical accessories the Knight can wear simultaneously, effectively acting as the "equipment weight" or "slot capacity" for your character build.

Every player begins their journey through King’s Pass with a mere 3 Charm Notches. To survive the increasingly brutal encounters in the later stages of the game, locating the 8 additional notches is not optional—it is a survival necessity. A fully upgraded Knight can hold a maximum of 11 Charm Notches, allowing for devastating combinations that can turn even the toughest boss fights into manageable encounters.

Quick Overview of Charm Notch Locations

For those seeking a rapid reference, here is where all 8 additional notches can be found:

  • Salubra’s Shop (Forgotten Crossroads): 4 Notches (Requires owning 5, 10, 18, and 25 charms respectively).
  • Fungal Wastes: 1 Notch (Defeat two Shrumal Ogres in the northern region).
  • Fog Canyon: 1 Notch (Located in a hidden room requiring Isma’s Tear or Monarch Wings).
  • Colosseum of Fools (Kingdom's Edge): 1 Notch (Reward for completing the Trial of the Warrior).
  • Grimm Troupe (Dirtmouth): 1 Notch (Reward for defeating Troupe Master Grimm).

Acquiring a new Charm Notch also serves a secondary, immediate benefit: it fully restores the Knight's health upon pickup.

Why Charm Notches Define the Hollow Knight Experience

The brilliance of the Hollow Knight combat system lies in its limitations. Each Charm carries a "Notch Cost," ranging from a single slot (like Wayward Compass or Gathering Swarm) to a staggering five slots (Kingsoul). Without expanding your capacity, you are restricted to basic utility.

When you reach the maximum of 11 notches, the game truly opens up. You can combine high-tier charms like Quick Slash (3 slots), Fragile/Unbreakable Strength (3 slots), and Shaman Stone (3 slots), while still having room for a utility charm or a defensive buff. Understanding the acquisition path of these notches is the key to transitioning from a fragile wanderer to a legendary vessel.

The Path of the Merchant: Salubra’s Four Notches

The most straightforward way to increase your capacity early in the game is by visiting Salubra in the Forgotten Crossroads. Her shop is located near the bottom-right of the area, accessible after defeating the False Knight and obtaining the Mothwing Cloak (or performing a difficult pogo-jump on the environment).

Salubra is a "Charm Lover," and she will only sell her precious notches to someone who shares her passion. This means you must collect a specific number of individual charms before each notch becomes available for purchase.

1. Salubra’s First Notch

  • Cost: 120 Geo
  • Requirement: Own 5 Charms
  • Strategy: By the time you reach Salubra, you likely have the Wayward Compass and Soul Catcher. Buying cheap charms like Gathering Swarm and Stalwart Shell from Sly in Dirtmouth is the fastest way to hit this threshold.

2. Salubra’s Second Notch

  • Cost: 500 Geo
  • Requirement: Own 10 Charms
  • Strategy: As you explore Greenpath and Fungal Wastes, you will naturally find charms like Thorns of Agony and Dashmaster. Combined with Leg Eater’s "Fragile" charms, reaching 10 is relatively easy in the early-to-mid game.

3. Salubra’s Third Notch

  • Cost: 900 Geo
  • Requirement: Own 18 Charms
  • Strategy: This requires deeper exploration. Finding charms hidden in secret rooms or rewards from NPCs (like the Grubfather) is essential. At this point, you should have explored about 50% of the map.

4. Salubra’s Final Notch

  • Cost: 1400 Geo
  • Requirement: Own 25 Charms
  • Strategy: This is a late-game goal. You will need to hunt down almost all standard charms found in the world. Note that the "Kingsoul" or "Void Heart" and Grimm Troupe charms count toward this total.

The Shrumal Ogre Challenge in Fungal Wastes

Deep in the northern part of the Fungal Wastes, just below the entrance to Fog Canyon and near the Leg Eater's location, lies a room that seems like a dead end. However, once you enter, the gates lock, and you are forced to fight two Shrumal Ogres.

Combat Tactics

Shrumal Ogres are slow but dangerous due to their predictable yet high-damage attacks. They have two main moves:

  1. Head Slam: They slam their heads into the ground, creating a small shockwave.
  2. Acid Spore Spray: They shake and release orange blobs of infection that linger in the air.

The Strategy: The key here is spacing. In our experience, the most effective way to handle this duo is to focus on one at a time. Use your Vengeful Spirit or Shade Soul spell to hit both simultaneously when they are lined up. If you have the Dashmaster charm, use the extra mobility to dash away when they begin their head-slam animation. Once both are defeated, the Charm Notch will drop in the center of the arena.

Navigating the Hazards of Fog Canyon

The notch in Fog Canyon is arguably the most frustrating one to reach because it is visible very early in the game but remains inaccessible without specific late-game abilities. It is located in the northeastern section of the map, tucked away behind a series of acid pools and narrow thorns.

Required Abilities

To reach this notch, you generally need one of two things:

  • Isma’s Tear: This allows you to swim in acid, making the path trivial.
  • Monarch Wings (Double Jump): While harder, a skilled player can use the double jump and wall-climbing (Mantis Claw) to bypass some of the acid hazards.

The Hidden Path: Look for a breakable wall or a narrow ceiling opening near the area where Cornifer is found (or was found). The room is filled with explosive jellyfish (Oomas). Be extremely careful not to hit the larger ones, as their homing cores deal two masks of damage and can easily end a run. Slow, deliberate movement is the winner here.

The Trial of the Warrior: Colosseum of Fools

Located at the very top of Kingdom's Edge, the Colosseum of Fools is the ultimate test of combat endurance. The first trial, the Trial of the Warrior, rewards the Knight with a Charm Notch upon its first completion.

Trial Breakdown

The Trial of the Warrior consists of several waves of enemies, including Shielded Fools, Sharp Baldurs, and Mutated Flies.

  • Wave Management: In the mid-sections, the floor will disappear, leaving only small platforms or walls to cling to.
  • The Boss: The trial culminates in a fight against Zote the Mighty (if you saved him earlier, though he deals no damage) or simply a final rush of heavy hitters.

Expert Tip: Before entering the Colosseum, ensure you have at least a "Channelled Nail" (Level 2 upgrade). Charms like Grubsong are invaluable here, as they provide Soul whenever you take damage, allowing you to heal during the brief pauses between waves.

Defeating the Master of the Dance: Troupe Master Grimm

The final notch is tied to the Grimm Troupe DLC. After summoning the Troupe in the Howling Cliffs, you must progress through their questline by collecting flames across Hallownest using the Grimmchild charm.

Once you have collected enough flames, you must face Troupe Master Grimm in a duel in Dirtmouth.

The Grimm Fight

Grimm is a "dance-like" boss. His attacks are rhythmic and telegraphed:

  1. Fire Bats: Jump over the middle bats and dash through the gap.
  2. Spike Floor: Stand in the gaps; there is no need to jump.
  3. Dash and Uppercut: Dash away, then stand slightly to the side to avoid the falling fireballs.
  4. Pufferfish Phase: Stay at the edge of the arena and make small jumps over the fireballs.

Defeating Grimm does not kill him; it earns his respect. A chest containing a Charm Notch will appear in the tent immediately after the fight. Note that you cannot get this notch via the "Banishment" ending until after you have interacted with the questline to the point of the fight.

The Secret Art of Overcharming: Risk vs. Reward

Hollow Knight features a hidden mechanic known as Overcharming. This allows you to equip one extra charm even if you don't have enough notches left.

How to Overcharm

  1. Fill all but one or two of your notches.
  2. Select a charm that requires more notches than you have left.
  3. Attempt to equip it repeatedly. On the fifth attempt, the charm will "crack" into place.

The Consequence

While Overcharmed, you will see a purple glow around your health bar. Every source of damage you take is now doubled. A standard 1-mask hit becomes 2 masks; a 2-mask hit from a Primal Aspid or a late-game boss becomes a devastating 4-mask blow.

When to use it?

Overcharming is a niche strategy, but it is incredibly powerful in the Hall of Gods (Godhome DLC). In "Radiant" difficulty fights, the Knight dies in a single hit regardless of damage multipliers. In this specific scenario, the downside of Overcharming is completely negated. You can equip the most expensive, high-damage charms (like Soul Eater and Quick Slash) to end the fight as quickly as possible without any additional risk.

Strategic Build Recommendations by Notch Count

How you manage your notches changes as you progress through Hallownest. Here are our recommended builds for different stages of the game.

Early Game (3 - 5 Notches)

  • The Explorer: Wayward Compass (1), Gathering Swarm (1), Soul Catcher (2).
    • Goal: Mapping the world and collecting Geo.
  • The Combatant: Fragile Strength (3), Steady Body (1).
    • Goal: Maximizing DPS against early bosses like Hornet.

Mid Game (6 - 8 Notches)

  • The Spellcaster: Shaman Stone (3), Spell Twister (2), Grubsong (1).
    • Goal: Utilizing the high damage of Descending Dark and Shade Soul.
  • The Nail Master: Mark of Pride (3), Fragile Strength (3).
    • Goal: Keeping distance from enemies while dealing heavy melee damage.

Late Game (11 Notches)

  • The God-Slayer: Unbreakable Strength (3), Quick Slash (3), Shaman Stone (3), Steady Body (1), Grubsong (1).
    • Goal: The most balanced high-DPS build in the game, combining fast melee hits with powerful spells.
  • The Tank: Quick Focus (3), Deep Focus (4), Grubsong (1), Stalwart Shell (2), Spore Shroom (1).
    • Goal: Maximum survivability for players struggling with platforming or slow-paced boss fights.

How to optimize your Charm Notch search?

If you are aiming for a 112% completion run, prioritizing Charm Notches is better done in a specific order to minimize backtracking.

  1. Early Geo Farm: Get the first two notches from Salubra as soon as you have 500 Geo.
  2. Mantis Claw Acquisition: Immediately head to the Fungal Wastes to grab the Shrumal Ogre notch once you have the wall-jump ability.
  3. The Grimm Troupe: Activate this as soon as you have the Dream Nail. The fight with Grimm is easier if done before the endgame bosses.
  4. Isma’s Tear: Prioritize getting this from the Royal Waterways. It unlocks the Fog Canyon notch and makes general traversal significantly safer.
  5. Trial of the Warrior: Save this for when you have at least 7 or 8 notches. The extra power makes the waves go by much faster.

Summary of Charm Notch Mechanics

Charm Notches represent the strategic ceiling of Hollow Knight. While the game can be beaten with the starting 3 notches by a highly skilled player, the additional 8 notches provide the tools necessary to experiment with the game's 45 unique charms. Whether you are building a "Nail Build" focused on raw physical power or a "Soul Build" focused on devastating spells, the number of notches you possess will always be the deciding factor in your combat efficiency.

Remember that while Geo is important, the requirement for Salubra’s notches is owning the charms themselves. Never pass up a chance to buy a new charm from a vendor or investigate a suspicious wall—it might just be the last piece you need to unlock your next notch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Charm Notches count toward the 112% completion percentage?

Surprisingly, no. While Charms themselves count toward completion, the actual Notch upgrades do not contribute to the game's completion percentage. However, they are practically required to defeat the bosses that do count toward that percentage.

What happens if I lose my Charms?

If you die, your charms remain equipped. The only exception is the "Fragile" series (Strength, Heart, Greed) sold by Leg Eater. If you die while wearing them, they will break and must be repaired by Leg Eater for a Geo fee. This is why many players prioritize upgrading them to "Unbreakable" versions via Divine in the Grimm Troupe.

Can I get more than 11 notches with mods?

Yes, on the PC version of Hollow Knight, there are several mods (like the "Charm Cost Rebalance" mod) that either reduce the cost of charms or allow for infinite notches. However, for the official base game experience on PC or consoles, 11 is the hard cap.

Why can't I buy the notch from Salubra even though I have the Geo?

Check your charm collection. Salubra is very strict about her requirements. If she won't sell to you, you likely haven't reached the threshold of 5, 10, 18, or 25 charms yet. Go talk to Sly in Dirtmouth or explore hidden areas in Greenpath and the Queen’s Gardens to find more.

Is Overcharming worth it for a first playthrough?

Generally, no. For a new player, taking double damage is a death sentence. It is better to stick to your limit until you have mastered a boss's patterns and are confident you can complete a fight without taking more than one or two hits.

Does the Void Heart take up a notch?

No. Once you obtain the Void Heart (which replaces the Kingsoul), it occupies zero notches. This effectively frees up 5 slots that were previously taken by the Kingsoul, making it one of the most significant power spikes in the game.