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112% Completion Route PDF
112% Completion Route PDF
Overview:
The following sections detail a route through the game which gets you all of the things that count
towards 112% completion. Note that since this game is a metroidvania, there are plenty of route
variations that one can take. This particular route tries to take a balance between getting upgrades
(to ease boss battles/difficult platforming) and reducing backtracking.
Notes:
● It is generally a good idea to rest at benches you pass near to if the detour is not
significant, even if the route doesn't tell you to explicitly sit at them. The only exceptions
are when you want to take advantage of reloading your save to strategically skip some
backtracking.
● Underlined items within each step are required pickups/actions for completion percentage
(either directly or indirectly) or route progression.
● Be sure to read through each step completely. Just because a step starts with an optional
encounter doesn't mean the entire step is optional; in fact, in several cases optional
encounters are listed in the same step as required pickups.
● This route does not cover geo cache pickups due to the fact that it would add many more
steps to the guide and they aren't strictly necessary for 112%. This means you may find
yourself short on geo for some of the purchases along the route if you don't manage to
find the geo caches hidden along the route, but you shouldn't need to farm if you're
thorough in your exploration and you kill a decent fraction of the enemies along the route
(as long as you don't lose your geo by dying a second time before retrieving your shade).
Furthermore, the route now explicitly includes relics which will give large amounts of geo
when you sell them to Relic Seeker Lemm. If you're really strapped for geo, check out the
Hollow Knight Interactive Map for locations of geo caches for some quick geo.
● This route was planned out without any usage of dream gates prior to the Grimm Troupe
Ritual, however several legs of the route can be shortened if you make use of that ability.
The essence from fixed sources along the route give you an excess of 2 essence to use
on 2 dream gates once you've acquired the ability (i.e. you will have a guaranteed total of
1802 essence when you go to collect the Awoken Dream Nail), but additional essence for
more dream gates can be acquired via random enemy drops or getting the Whispering
Roots/dream bosses that are listed as optional in the route.
● The collection of all the Grimm Troupe quest flames is put near the end of the 112% route.
While this definitely is inefficient time-wise because many of these flames could be
collected earlier during your exploration, we chose not to incorporate flame-collection
earlier because it requires equipping the Grimmchild charm. We feel that losing 2 notches
for a significant portion of the game is a worse option than waiting until end-game and
doing all the flame-collection at that point.
● With the addition of the Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster content, there is now a
maximum completion percentage of 112%. The completion achievements only require
100%, so getting everything that contributes to completion percentage is no longer
required. If you only care about getting 100%, then the recommended items to skip which
contribute completion percentage are:
○ 4 Mask Shards [1%] (includes Delicate Flower mask shard, 1500 Essence mask
shard from Seer, and Crystal Guardian v2 boss fight)
○ 3 Vessel Fragments [1%] (includes Deepnest Garpede challenge and Ancient
Basin 3000 Geo Fountain)
○ Traitor Lord [1%] (half of Kingsoul charm [0.5%])
○ Trial of the Fool [1%]
○ White Palace (half of Kingsoul charm [0.5%], 1800 Essence requirement for
Awoken Dream Nail [1%]) - Note: Not obtaining the Kingsoul charm prevents
you from getting the alternate endings
○ Ascension [1%] (2400 Essence)
○ Nightmare King boss [1%] (Grimm Troupe Ritual with 9 flames collected)
○ 4 Godhome Pantheons [4%]
● If you skip the items above the only Essence requirement is 700 Essence to collect a Soul
Vessel Fragment from the Seer, which means you do not have to fight any dream versions
of bosses or complete any Whispering Roots since Warrior's Graves alone give you 1100
Essence.
(Alternate path: Don't save Zote and get the "Neglect" achievement by coming back at any
point after getting Mantis Claw and hitting Zote's skull. Note that not saving Zote locks you
out of optional Grey Prince Zote boss)
6. Grub [7/46] guarded by Moss Knight
7. Open Greenpath stag station [140 Geo], sit at bench -> collect Wanderer’s Journal relic
behind breakable wall from flower trap -> Hornet boss [3/17] -> Mothwing Cloak ability [1/9]
8. (Optional: Head left to Lake of Unn for Quirrel encounter in building)
9. Backtrack for Thorns of Agony charm [4/40]
6. Climb up further (Quirrel encounter), go right, then drop down -> collect Wanderer’s Journal
relic -> Crystal Heart ability [3/9]
7. Collect 2 Grubs [14/46] (Crystal Heart room, central crusher room)
8. Deep Focus charm [8/40] after laser challenge room
9. Grub [15/46] in shortcut passage back to Dirtmouth (behind mimic and breakable wall) ->
unlock elevator back to Dirtmouth
10. Head back to bench (or reload save to skip some backtracking if you sat at the bench) and
go down past crusher room to get Grub [16/46]
11. Pass through dark room in bottom right of area and drop into big pit
Leg 11 - Resting Grounds:
1. Pick up Dream Nail ability [4/9]
2. Whispering Root for 20 Essence [20/2400]
3. Pick up Dreamshield charm [9/40] behind fake wall
4. Hit lever to unlock Resting Grounds stag station
5. Take stag to City Storerooms
Leg 16 - Deepnest:
1. Buy map from Cornifer [38 Geo]
2. Collect Hallownest Seal relic -> Circle around and fall down to hot spring, bench
3. Super dash -> breakable wall for Grub [22/46] -> Nosk boss [8/17] -> collect Pale Ore [1/6]
4. Circle up/left -> collect Grub [23/46] using super dash -> Failed Tramway bench (Cloth
encounter)
5. Open shortcut back to first part of Deepnest; get Tram Pass from far left of Failed Tramway
6. Corpse Creeper enemy gauntlet -> King’s Idol relic pickup (If Zote saved in Greenpath,
optional encounter: rescue Zote)
7. Go back down past hot spring (Quirrel encounter) -> Take tram to Ancient Basin
6. Collect Grub [25/46] in passage leading to Broken Vessel requiring double jump
7. Double jump up to Palace Grounds, and open up Hidden Station stag station [300 Geo] ->
take stag to Dirtmouth
Leg 18 - Upgrades:
1. Buy Elegant Key [800 Geo] from Sly (automatically turn in Shopkeeper's Key) -> collect
Mask Shard [7/16] from Bretta's hut
2. Take stag to King’s Station; (Optional: collect Hallownest Seal relic using nail pogo on stag
station roof spikes) -> Relic Seeker Lemm visit for Geo -> buy Channeled Nail upgrade [800
Geo, 2/4]
3. Head back up to Soul Sanctum and use Elegant Key -> get Shade Soul spell upgrade [3/6]
after Soul Warrior mini-boss
4. Go to City Storerooms and take stag to Hidden Station -> take tram further right to
Kingdom's Edge
Leg 19 - Hive:
1. Open breakable wall for entrance to Hive -> get bench
2. Whispering Root for 20 Essence [68/2400]
3. Collect Grub [26/46] using super dash & double jump
4. Use Hive Guardian (big bouncing bee) to open wall to Mask Shard [8/16, +1 HP] -> open
shortcut
5. Hive Knight boss [10/17] (Optional: Hive Queen Vespa spirit) -> Hiveblood charm [14/40]
6. Exit Hive and head up into passage back to Waterways, collect Grub [27/46] with double
jump -> (Optional: Open breakable shortcut back to Waterways at end of passage)
7. Use dive spell before breakable wall shortcut for Grub [28/46] in Hive sub-section
6. (Optional: Use dive spell for Fossilized Goam for Hunter's Journal)
7. Visit Leg Eater in Fungal Wastes, pay 86 Geo to see his stuff, and buy the Fragile Heart,
Fragile Greed, and Fragile Strength charms [960 Geo, 31/40] with Defender's Crest
equipped for the Geo discount
(BUG: If you have Defender’s Crest equipped when you first talk to Leg Eater and you pay
the 86 Geo for him to sell you stuff, prices will be at original level even though he claims he’s
giving a discount. You must exit the room and re-enter to actually get the discount.)
8. Whispering Root in the connector leading to Fog Canyon gives 20 Essence [256/2400]
Leg 26 - Fog Canyon:
1. Collect Hallownest Seal relic -> charm notch [6/8] in exploding egg challenge room
2. Explore left passage under challenge room -> buy map from Cornifer [150 Geo]
3. Backtrack, drop to bottom and take last left passage -> super dash from elevated ledge on
right side of Teacher's Archive room for Grub [33/46]
4. Enter Teacher's Archive (Quirrel encounter outside Archive) and fight Uumuu boss [11/17] ->
(Optional: Charged Lumaflys entry for Hunter's Journal) -> put Monomon the Teacher
dreamer [1/3] to rest after Quirrel encounter
5. Open shortcut back to rest of Fog Canyon, take upper left passage -> Hallownest Seal relic
pickup -> complete Squit enemy gauntlet in Overgrown Mound for Howling Wraiths spell
[4/6]
6. Climb back up to Greenpath
Leg 27 - Greenpath:
1. Collect Wanderer’s Journal relic -> Head left; Massive Moss Charger mini-boss
2. Collect Geo chest, Grub [34/46], cut down platform, and collect Vessel Fragment [4/9]
3. Head right to Stone Sanctuary -> first collect Mask Shard in top right [12/16, +1 HP] ->
challenge No Eyes warrior's grave [1/7] for 200 Essence [456/2400]
4. Drop back down through Fog Canyon to Queen's Station; collect Hallownest Seal relic by
double-jumping next to Willoh -> Take stag to King's Station
Leg 28 - City of Tears:
1. Collect Wanderer’s Journal relic -> Collect Vessel Fragment [5/9] after Sentry enemy
gauntlet room above King's Station
2. Climb up elevator shaft to Colosseum
Leg 29 - Kingdom's Edge:
1. Complete Trial of the Warrior (If Zote saved in Greenpath & Deepnest: fight Zote as final
boss - "Rivalry" achievement) & Trial of the Conqueror [550 Geo, 2/3] for a charm notch [7/8]
and Pale Ore [4/6] respectively
2. Descend to bench in tent, head right for Hornet boss [12/17] -> collect King's Brand ability
[7/9]
3. Wanderer’s Journal relic above breakable planks -> Use King's Station shortcut to go back to
City and enter broken elevator shaft
Leg 30 - Royal Waterways:
1. Pass through Dung Defender's room (Dung Defender encounter) -> use dive spell in room
under bench to enter sub-area of Waterways -> beat Flukemarm boss for Flukenest charm
[32/40]
2. Return to broken elevator shaft to fall down into Ancient Basin; (Optional: Whispering Root
for 35 Essence) -> Collect Wanderer’s Journal relic
Leg 31 - Ancient Basin:
1. Bench and equip Fragile Heart & Joni's Blessing & Lifeblood Heart (1 Lifeblood mask safety
margin) -> head down and unlock the Abyss
2. Go past Lifeblood door (15 Lifeblood masks to open) to acquire Lifeblood Core charm [33/40]
(Note: At fork, take left path for permanently missable Arcane Egg relic [not required for
completion]; door cannot be re-opened after charm pick-up)
3. At bottom of Abyss, head left until dead-end room -> use Howling Wraiths to receive Abyss
Shriek spell upgrade [5/6]
4. Head right and climb up to top of lighthouse to turn light on
5. Continue right and acquire Shade Cloak ability [8/9] -> Arcane Egg relic pickup using Shade
Cloak -> (Optional: Void Tendrils entry for Hunter's Journal behind fake ceiling and black
barrier)
6. Climb back up to top of Abyss (Hornet encounter), call tram (re-equip regular charm set) and
go to Deepnest
Leg 32 - Deepnest:
1. Head down to get Sharp Shadow charm [34/40] after shade dash i-frame challenge room;
(Optional: Garpede entry for Hunter's journal behind fake wall)
2. Head up for garpede nail pogo challenge room to get a Vessel Fragment [6/9, +1 Soul
Vessel]
3. Take tram back to Ancient Basin -> take stag from Hidden Station to Dirtmouth -> use
elevator to get up to Crystal Peak
(Alternate path: Spare the Nailsmith -> visit Nailmaster Sheo's hut in Greenpath, see Leg 18
step #1 to get "Happy Couple" achievement)
4. Head up middle building under Dreamer using double jump, grab bench,
5. Complete Lance Sentry/Great Husk sentry room to unlock doors; head up and open shortcut
in left passageway to Soul Sanctum building
6. Continue up and grab the Grub [38/46] guarded by the Great Husk Sentry and Lance Sentry
7. Fight the Watcher Knight boss [13/17]
8. Collect Hallownest Seal relic & Geo chest -> put Lurien the Watcher dreamer [2/3] to rest
9. Take stag from King's Station to Queen's Station
Leg 36 - Queen's Gardens:
1. (Optional: If you have more than 3350 Geo and you used a Simple Key to open the Pleasure
House in the City of Tears, use 100 Geo to open account with Millebelle & put in at least
2500 Geo -> sit at Queen’s Station bench -> return and knock down cardboard bank) ->
enter Queen's Gardens; (If Cloth saved in Ancient Basin: Cloth encounter) -> buy map from
Cornifer [150 Geo] and take bench after Mantis Petra enemy gauntlet (Optional: Caelif &
Fera Orthop spirit)
2. Collect Love Key and open shortcut back to Fungal Wastes; (Optional: Inspect Moss
Prophet)
3. Backtrack and get Whispering Root for 29 Essence [640/2400]
4. Get bench [150 Geo] -> (Optional: side-trip to Deepnest for Mask Maker encounter, dive
spell on Mask Maker for extra dialogue) -> Mantis Traitor/Mantis Petra/Spiny Husk enemy
gauntlet -> collect Grub [39/46] behind fake wall
5. After room with jumping bugs, head up through hidden passage with many booby-trap plants
for Grub [40/46]
6. Hallownest Seal relic pickup -> unlock Queen’s Gardens stag station [200 Geo], hit lever to
open shortcut, and use bench
7. Challenge Marmu warrior's grave [3/7] for 150 Essence [790/2400]
8. Continue up in area -> open shortcut -> get Grub [41/46] after super dash challenge room
9. Take a quick side-trip to collect the Whispering Root in Greenpath for 44 Essence [834/2400]
10. Backtrack and head left to fight Traitor Lord boss [14/17] (If Cloth saved in Ancient Basin:
Cloth joins fight) -> White Lady gives White Fragment [36.5/40]
11. Take stag from Queen's Garden to Queen's Station
Leg 37 - Fungal Wastes:
1. Challenge Elder Hu warrior's grave [4/7] on the right side of the area for 100 Essence
[934/2400]
2. Get the Whispering Root in the room above Mantis Village for 18 Essence [952/2400]
3. Use double jump to access Fungal Core, fall all the way down to collect the Mask Shard
[14/16] at the entrance to Deepnest
Leg 38 - Deepnest:
1. Walk to the Failed Tramway bench
2. Challenge Galien warrior's grave [5/7] for 200 Essence [1152/2400]
3. Head down left to enter big room on the left side of Deepnest -> (Optional: Whispering Root
for 45 Essence) -> get the Grub [42/46] -> pick up Weaversong charm [37.5/40] in Weaver's
Den (entrance is behind a breakable wall and Stalking Devout)
4. Continue left into Distant Village (Optional: side-trip for Mid-Wife encounter) -> complete the
Beast's Den for Grub [43/46] and to put Herrah the Beast dreamer [3/3] to rest (Hornet
encounter)
(Note: Must get trapped to access permanently missable Hallownest Seal relic [not required
for completion])
5. Unlock the Distant Village stag station [250 Geo] and travel to the newly unlocked Stag Nest
(Alternate path: Visiting the flame (carried by Brumm) in Deepnest and then going to the
Nightmare Lantern in Howling Cliffs allows you to banish the Grimm Troupe [17/17] -> talk to
arefree Melody charm [40/40] to replace the
new bug in Dirtmouth (Nymm) who gives you C
Grimmchild charm you lose by banishing the Troupe - "Banishment" achievement)
Note (Fragile charms): Divine disappears if you choose to banish the Grimm Troupe, but you
can pick up any Fragile charm she still had from the ground where her tent used to be.
Leg 45 - End-Game:
1. Take stag to King's Station -> climb up elevator to reach Colosseum (Tiso encounter if Tiso
talked to at all 3 previous encounters), complete Trial of the Fool [800 Geo, 3/3]
2. (Optional: If you used a Simple Key to open the Pleasure House, collect King’s Idol relic ->
defeat Pale Lurker for Simple Key)
3. Go to King’s Station -> take stag to City Storerooms; Soul Tyrant dream boss in Soul
Sanctum
4. Drop down to Royal Waterways -> use Simple Key on coffin in Junk Pit, pick up Godtuner ->
Dream nail to enter Godhome and defeat Pantheon of the Master, Pantheon of the Artist,
Pantheon of the Sage, and Pantheon of the Knight; (Optional: if have Void Heart, complete
Pantheon of Hallownest for Embrace the Void ending)
5. Go to City Storerooms -> take stag to Dirtmouth; (Optional: Grey Prince Zote dream boss if
you've saved Zote in Greenpath/Deepnest and fought Zote in Colosseum; multiple fights
gradually change Bretta's impression of Zote)
6. Enter Black Egg Temple (If have Void Heart: Hornet encounter) -> final boss(es)