Heya Reddit! Despi here with a very special treat for everyone today!
In the past few months my hyperactive imagination has come up with a large number of charm ideas. I've got a bunch in every possible field: they function while focusing, affect your health, provide new combat mechanics, tweak general spellcasting or modify a specific spell...you name it.
And while I could just let them take up space on my phone, I thought it more productive if I shared them with this wonderful community. I'm sure some of you might like to read them. And who knows, perhaps a person far more talented than I could take inspiration for a mod.
The following charms are meant to affect the Knight's nail in some way, but I have taken the liberty of including a few more to explain their synergies.
Unless otherwise noted, all these ideas are mine. Credit is given to any original creators.
Feel free to comment any additional synergies, balance changes, your own designs, or even just cooler titles.
Each entry is organized as
Name - "Description."
Explanation of effects
Any synergies
Location of charm
Significance or purpose
Notch cost
And just in case you didn't notice because I wrote it in afterwards, I described the size of Hallownest in my previous post. Using Bardoon's length (1.39 m) I found the Kingdom to be 17.56 meters deep and 34.72 meters wide, with Crystal Peak rising 4.30 meters above ground level.
Anyways, let's talk charms!
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Silken Lining – “A spool of spider’s silk. Shrouds the bearer’s nail in gossamer thread.”
Every hit on an enemy reduces their attack speed and frequency by 10% for 3 seconds. Can stack up to 5 times although each charge has its own duration.
Given by Hornet when you meet her in the City of Tears.
This’ll only slow down certain attacks such as nail strikes. Projectiles and charging attacks will be unaffected. Certainly useful in the City where many enemies wield nails.
2 Notches
Silk Trail – “Silken charm containing the spinneret of a Weaver. Spins thin strands of web in the bearer’s wake.”
While moving you leave sticky spiderwebs behind you. These strands slow enemy movement by 50% and despawn after 3 seconds.
When Weaversong is equipped, the Weaverlings will also produce these webs.
Enter Weaver’s Den with the Silken Lining charm. Pass a small dungeon and talk to the last living Weaver, who’ll give you this charm.
Allows you to outrun quick enemies or control foes behind you while you engage others in front of you.
2 Notches
Electric Core/Shell Shock – “Ampoule containing charged lumaflies. Transfers current to the bearer’s nail.”
Every nail hit has a 10% chance to stun enemies or stagger a boss. Both normal strikes and Nail Arts count. The affected enemy will be stunned for 2 seconds during which they cannot move or attack. Airborne enemies will fall. There is a 1 second cooldown before the same enemy can be stunned again.
Silken Lining raises the chance to 15%. Silk Trail raises the stun duration to 3 seconds. When Electric Core is equipped, Thorns of Agony will stun all non-boss enemies.
Found in Fog Canyon past a charged lumafly platforming challenge.
Meant to be used against fast enemies or minibosses so you can get in a few hits or a crucial heal.
3 Notches
Steelbolt – “Formed from nail lances that have been forged together. Allows the bearer to dive straight down with their nail.”
This charm modifies the down+strike input for Cyclone Slash into producing a whole new Nail Art, which I'm calling Dive Strike. When triggered you’ll quickly dive with your nail pointing down, passing through all enemies and damaging them for 2.5x nail. Like this. You are not invulnerable to other damage. You’ll stop once you hit the floor but if you land on spikes you’ll bounce once.
Dropped by the last Mantis Lord when defeated.
Cyclone Slash can still be triggered with the up+strike input. Nailmaster Mato can be accessed after collecting the Mantis Claw, and since the Mantis Lords are usually not defeated on the player’s first try, one is very likely to get Cyclone Slash before this charm.
2 Notches
Razer – “A serrated metal disk. Modifies Cyclone Slash into a cartwheel attack. The bearer will stay in place for the attack’s duration.”
When performing Cyclone Slash, you'll instead perform a sawblade attack much like Sly’s. The ability’s damage range is the same. Instead of slowly floating down if in the air, you’ll stay in place and will be unable to move if on the ground.
Bought from Sly after receiving Nailmaster’s Glory for 700 Geo.
Might be useful in the Colosseum or against bosses that spawn minions.
2 Notches
Quicksilver – “Resplendent charm from the King of Hallownest, bestowed upon his greatest Knight. Modifies Dash Slash into a horizontal nail charge.”
When performing Dash Slash, you’ll instead quickly charge forward with your nail until you hit an enemy or surface. Like this. You’ll pass through the first enemy you encounter (and then stop) but can still take damage. The max possible distance is the full screen length.
Use the Dream Nail on the Hollow Knight memorial to meet a mysterious vendor. They sell this charm for 40 Essence.
An ability that’s simultaneously mobile and offensive. You can use it to quickly reach an enemy on the other side of the room.
2 Notches
Voltbender – “A hollow metal sphere carrying a high electric charge. Releases a powerful electric discharge whenever the bearer strikes an enemy with their nail. This discharge can spread to and damage nearby foes.”
The enemy hit with your nail is unaffected but foes around them will be instantly damaged for 1x nail. The discharge’s range is that of Thorns of Agony.
Enemies damaged by Voltbender have a 10% chance of being stunned when Electric Core is equipped. The discharge is not affected by any damage-boosting charm.
Reward for beating the Trial of the Conqueror.
This mechanic seems useful for gauntlets against an overwhelming number of enemies, or against bosses that produce minions.
3 Notches
Perpetual Momentum – “Charm incorporating a spinning metallic wheel, continuously in motion. Allows the bearer to pause charging their arts or focusing and resume these later.”
This charm lets you pause your current healing progress or nail art charge so you can later resume it. Using a spell will cancel your current focus, using a basic nail attack will cancel your current art charge, and taking any damage will cancel both. Focus is not cancelled by using your nail, and charge is not cancelled by focusing or using a spell.
A focus or charge is not cancelled if a hit is blocked by Baldur Shell or Carefree Melody.
Purchased from Sly after acquiring Nailmaster’s Glory for 500 Geo.
I thought this might be useful to give the player some leeway in dodging a hit and being able to resume an interrupted focus, or let the player pause charging an art so they can quickly use a spell.
2 Notches
Lethal Parry – “A deadly surprise for any foes foolish enough to challenge a mighty warrior. Allows the bearer to counterattack after blocking a strike.”
Enemies will be stunned for 1 second if their nail attack is parried. Bosses whose strikes are parried may be staggered (50% chance). Also allows you to deflect most projectiles with your nail (such as aspid shots or mantis windscythes).
Allows Dreamshield to reflect projectiles. Electric Core raises the stun duration to 2 seconds.
Given by Tiso after his boss fight and satisfying conclusion to his character arc, following a fourth Trial in the Colosseum.
If the parrying mechanic was more consistent and reliable I believe this could be a useful feature. I distinctly remember parrying Nightmare King Grimm’s bladed charge attack, and he passed right through without me taking any damage.
2 Notches
Savage Temper – “Turns the bearer’s nail into a wicked scimitar. Enemies will be torn apart by its vicious edge.”
If you kill an enemy will your nail, their armor or shell will be split into jagged pieces that lay on the ground for 5 seconds. These pieces damage other enemies that touch them, doing 2 damage per tick (4 ticks/second) for a max total of 40 damage. Only works with bug enemies that leave a corpse.
With Heavy Blow the pieces will be launched a decent distance, damaging enemies along the way.
Given by Lord Fool after beating him at the end of a fifth Trial in the Colosseum.
A fun mechanic for enemy gauntlets.
2 Notches
Nailscythe – “Modifies Great Slash into launching the bearer’s nail as a windscythe, damaging all enemies in its path. Soul can still be collected from struck enemies.”
This is a modifier for the base Great Slash. Your nail will be launched straight forward and returns to you after completing its arc. Has the same size as a Mantis windscythe, just way faster. It travels the whole screen length in half a second, passing through all surfaces and enemies along the way for 2.5x nail damage. Only works when on the ground: a Great Slash performed in-air remains normal. You’ll be unable to perform nail attacks or move while the ability is active but can use spells and heal.
Dropped by the Kingsmould outside the White Palace when slain.
Might be a fun mechanic. In contrast with Shade Soul, allows you to damage all enemies in a decent distance while gaining Soul. Would be balanced by its cast time and vulnerable period.
3 Notches
https://i.redd.it/lg0iw308qv221.gif
Nailmaster’s Strength – “Contains the fortitude, loyalty, and honor of a Nailmaster. The bearer will focus their power at a slower rate, but the damage dealt will double.”
Original idea by u/herobrine1q2w. Basically Deep Focus for Nail Arts, it’ll double the cast but the damage as well.
With Nailmaster’s Glory, the cast will be reduced to normal. When both Nailmaster’s Glory and Nailmaster’s Strength are equipped, Fury of the Fallen will not boost Nail Art damage but it will remove the extra cast (without Nailmaster’s Glory, FotF will not affect Nail Arts).
Bought from Sly after receiving Nailmaster’s Glory for 600 Geo.
Suits a more hit-and-run style gameplay. Some people might like it.
3 Notches
Lightbringer – “Allows the bearer to see the world in a new light, at a cost to their being. Replaces the bearer’s nail with ranged lances of light. Slowly produce Soul instead of collecting it from enemies.”
Inspired by u/ x753x’s mod. Your sideways nail strikes will be replaced with a single ranged lance so you can still pogo jump. Each lance does .75x nail damage. Lances do not pass through enemies or surfaces. Your max HP will be halved (rounded up on odd numbers). You’ll produce Soul at the rate of 3% per second. Cyclone Slash shoots 3-7 lances in each direction, Dash Slash fires a single lance (1.88x nail) that passes through all enemies and surfaces, and Great Slash fires 7 lances (each 1.88x nail) in a wide frontal arc.
Does not synergize with any damage boosting charm except Nailmaster’s Strength.
Given by Seer upon collecting 2400 Essence.
This version of u/ x753x’s mechanic is an end-game feature that rewards the completionist player. Its range is balanced by its slight damage decrease and considerable health reduction.
3 Notches
Steel Flash – “Strange device carrying the Pale King’s mark. Constructs metal spikes from the bearer’s Geo. These spikes can be shot far distances and stick to surfaces.”
Basically lets you shoot ninja stars. Your sideways nail strikes will be replaced with these metal spikes. They have the same size as the Pale Lurker’s spikes and the speed of Grubberfly’s Elegy beams. They are linear projectiles and move in a straight line until they hit an enemy or a surface. If they hit a surface they will remain on it for 5 seconds before despawning, serving as a hazard to other enemies but not to you. You can pogo jump off these spikes as well. Soul will be collected from enemies if you hit them within the normal nail range. Each spike does .5x nail damage. Every time you shoot one, enough Geo will be subtracted so 1 damage = 1 Geo. For example with Pure Nail (21 damage) each spike does 11 damage and subtracts 11 Geo from your inventory. Cyclone Slash shoots 3-7 spikes in each direction, Dash Slash fires a single spike (1.25x nail) that passes through enemies, and Great Slash fires 5 spikes (each 1.25x nail) in a wide frontal arc.
Does not synergize with any damage boosting charm except Nailmaster’s Strength.
Dropped by the Pale Lurker when slain.
I believe this is a viable late-game offensive mechanic that puts to good use all the surplus Geo the player is certain to have.
3 Notches
Death Cap – “Laces the bearer’s nail with poisonous spores. Enemies that taste the bearer’s nail will be poisoned. If they die to this, they will release a harmful spore cloud on death.”
Original idea by u/herobrine1q2w. Hitting an enemy with your nail poisons them for 21 damage over 3 seconds. Does not stack with more hits. If they die to this, they’ll produce a cloud with the same range and effects as Spore Shroom (27 damage over 4.1 seconds). Only one cloud can be active at a time, not including that of Spore Shroom. There is a 1 second cooldown before the same enemy can be poisoned again.
Defender’s Crest raises the poison damage to 30 and the cloud damage to 40. Death Cap works with Nailscythe but not with Steel Flash or Lightbringer.
Dropped by an infected shrumal boss deep in the Fungal Core. This boss shoots hazardous spore bombs.
Moreso than just a simple “poisoning” charm, this adds an interesting mechanic in that the affected enemy produces a hazard on death.
3 Notches
Fiendfyre – “Tortured desire that sears Soul with burning revenge. Spells leave smoldering corpses in their wake.”
Enemies killed by spells have their corpses set on fire for 5 seconds. This fire doesn’t harm you and won’t spread but it does 2 damage per tick (4 ticks/second) for a max total of 40 damage. Only works with bug enemies that leave a corpse.
Given by the Snail Shaman in the Ancestral Mound after acquiring Shade Soul.
If you look carefully you’ll see that enemies normally killed with spells have darkened corpses that briefly shimmer before despawning: might as well add damage to that. Practical in clearing enemies whose bodies still pose a hazard like spiny husks or corpse creepers. Would also be great in enclosed spaces like the Colosseum.
2 Notches
Amber Resin – “Whetstone soaked in highly flammable sap. Enemies struck by the bearer’s nail will be set on fire. This fire can spread to other foes.”
Hitting an enemy with your nail sets them on fire for 21 damage over 3 seconds. This fire doesn’t harm you and won’t stack with more hits but can spread once to other enemies it touches – indicated by subsequent flames being visually smaller. There is a 1 second cooldown before the same enemy can be set on fire again.
Damage stacks with Death Cap. Works with Nailscythe but not with Steel Flash or Lightbringer. If Fiendfyre is equipped, Amber Resin does 30 damage and enemies that die to it will produce Fiendfyre flames.
Purchased from Salubra for 800 Geo.
In contrast to Death Cap or Fiendfyre, this charm provides a damage-over-time effect that can spread as a hazard while the affected enemy is alive and mobile.
3 Notches
Implosion – “A reactor emanating a high-force field. Allows the bearer to focus their power while attacking.”
Landing 6 consecutive nail hits (on the same enemy) charges up a Nail Art, which is released immediately on the next input.
With Nailmaster’s Glory, the number of hits required is reduced to 3. When Nailmaster’s Glory is equipped, Nailmaster’s Strength doubles the damage of the Nail Art attacks at no additional cost.
Bought from Sly after receiving Nailmaster’s Glory for 800 Geo.
3 Notches
Greatnail – “Augments the bearer’s nail, increasing its range and damage. The time between nail strikes will be slightly reduced.”
Original idea by u/Sicklekid. Raises nail length to halfway between Longnail and Mark of Pride. Increases both basic nail damage and attack duration by 25%. Effects do not apply to Nail Arts.
Stacks with Longnail and Mark of Pride. With Fragile Strength it’ll raise nail damage by 87.5%, with Fury of the Fallen by 118.75%, and with both by 228.13%. With Quick Slash, attack frequency will be increased by 16% rather than 54%.
Dropped by the Nailsmith when slain after he completes the Pure Nail. Alternately, he can give it when talked to at Nailmaster Sheo’s hut.
A bit of a compromise between boosting both range and damage.
3 Notches
Blood Rage – “Infuriates the bearer at the sight of their blood. Allows them to attack more rapidly the more wounded they are.”
For every health point you’re at below full HP, your attack speed is increased by 15% of its base amount. This works additively, not multiplicatively. Stacks up to five times to cap at a 75% boost of base speed.
Quick Slash is silenced whenever Blood Rage is equipped. Greatnail reduces each speed addition to 11.25% - cap is 56.25%. With Joni’s Blessing, your full HP is your normal max HP plus the four extra masks from the charm.
Acquired after defeating the Harbinger Knight boss. The Harbinger Knight is a nightmare construct whose attacks speed up the more damage it takes, found in the Nightmare Realm. The Nightmare Realm can be accessed by Dream Nailing the ignited Nightmare Lantern.
This charm features an interesting price in exchange for its power, certainly useful in the late game or in tanky nail builds.
3 Notches
Dryya’s Fury – “Emblem that brings out the bearer’s steel soul. Fortifies the bearer with the valor and resolve of their character. Provides brief periods of invulnerability. When close to death, the bearer’s nail length and attack speed will increase.”
It activates upon getting a killstreak (any 5 kills within 5 seconds). Once activated the effect lasts 5 seconds during which you are immune to all enemy attacks. After the effect ends the charm enters a 10 second cooldown before it can be used again. Environmental damage is also blocked and you’ll bounce off of said hazards.” When on 1 HP your nail length will be increased (halfway between Longnail and Mark of Pride) and your attack speed will be increased by 75% of its base amount.
Thorns of Agony and Grubsong do not work while invulnerable. Greatnail reduces the speed boost to 31.25% - boost is not affected by Quick Slash or Blood Rage. Length boost stacks with Longnail and Mark of Pride but not with Greatnail.
Picked up from Dryya’s corpse in Queen’s Gardens.
This charm shines in a hostile late-game environment where it’s difficult to heal. While the invulnerability suits the game mode it’s named after, you’ll want to see if the notch cost is something you can afford when not active.
4 Notches
Darkstrike – “Artifact formed from solidified Void. Replaces the bearer’s nail with sharp thrashing tendrils, which have a chance to do critical damage.”
Disables nail arts but each nail hit has a 10% chance of doing 2.5x normal damage.
Length boost stacks with Longnail and Mark of Pride but not with Greatnail or Dryya’s Fury. Silences Lightbringer, Steel Flash, and Nailscythe. Implosion raises the chance to 15%.
Acquired with the Journal entry for Void Tendrils, or after a platforming segment featuring these.
A bit of an alternate to Implosion that offers something akin to a critical rate while still balanced with its notch cost.
2 Notches
Eldritch Eye – “Bestows forbidden knowledge upon the bearer’s enemy. Striking an enemy disorients them, causing them to lose track of the bearer.”
Repeatedly hitting an enemy makes them lose track of the player. I’m not sure how to quantify this but how about hitting them 3 consecutive times makes them perceive you anywhere within the range of your base nail, 5 times within Longnail range, 7 times within Mark of Pride range, and 9 times within both charms’ combined range? Every second that passes without the enemy being struck, the effect wears off 1 level. Works on bosses.
When Eldritch Eye is equipped, Sharp Shadow and Thorns of Agony can also disorient enemies. Works with Darkstrike but not with Lightbringer or Steel Flash.
Acquired down in the Capital of Darkness, in a shrine dedicated to the Void.
I pretty much just needed an excuse to add a big eye to the Knight’s nail and title a charm “eldritch,” but even so this would certainly be useful in the boss rushes of Godmaster.
2 Notches
Twisted Strength – “The scars of war. Strengthens the bearer the more wounded they are.”
Original idea by u/bloodraptor3000. For every health point you’re at below full HP, your nail damage is increased by 15% of its base amount. This works additively, not multiplicatively. Stacks up to five times to cap at a 75% boost of base damage.
Silences Fragile Strength and Fury of the Fallen. Greatnail raises each damage addition to 18.75% of the nail’s base amount – cap is 93.75%. Twisted Strength works with Nail Arts but only with Nailmaster’s Glory equipped - Nailmaster’s Strength doubles the current output as well. With Joni’s Blessing, your full HP is your normal max HP plus the four extra masks from the charm. Amplifies Thorns of Agony’s damage at the same rate as the nail.
Reward for beating the Trial of the Warrior.
This is a more appealing damage boost for people that don’t like to be at 1 HP (myself included) that still features an interesting price for its power.
3 Notches
Cruel Blow – “Formed from the nails of executed bandits. Strengthens the bearer when attacking enemies from behind or from stealth.”
When you use a basic nail attack on an enemy from behind or while hidden, that attack’s damage will be doubled. Only works on bug enemies that have a clear front or back. Basically it lets you perform backstab damage. Does not apply to Nail Arts.
This damage is only boosted by Fragile Strength or Twisted Strength. No other damage multiplier can take effect on backstabs.
Bought from Sly for 700 Geo after bringing him the Shopkeeper's Key.
I have a number of charm ideas that grant you stealth or let you sneak up on an enemy from behind; I’ll describe them in a future post. Some are utility-oriented but there are some meant for combat, and they are all appropriately balanced.
3 Notches
Mark of Patience – “A gift bestowed by those willing to take life slowly. Strengthens the bearer's next attack after waiting in place.”
Original idea by u/SlurryBender. After standing still for 2 seconds, the damage of your next nail attack is doubled. Does not apply to Nail Arts. The effect breaks if you move, heal, take damage, or attack in any way (including with spells).
Works with Fragile Strength, Fury of the Fallen, Twisted Strength, and Greatnail (remember: Twisted Strength silences FS and FoTF).
Given by Elderbug after gifting him a Delicate Flower.
This is probably made redundant by Nail Arts but it provides an additional damage boost with a novel cost. Besides I wanted to design a charm for every NPC that they could give to the player, and this one seemed appropriate for Elderbug.
3 Notches
Ze’mer’s Grace – “Emblem that brings out the bearer’s glass soul. Greatly strengthens the bearer when they are at full health.”
Upon resting, your base nail damage is doubled. Does not apply to Nail Arts. This effect is broken by taking any damage and can only be recovered by returning to a bench.
With Greatnail, nail damage is raised by 150%, with Fragile Strength by 200%, and with both by 275%. When any other damage-boosting charm is equipped (Twisted Strength or Mark of Patience) they will be silenced while Zemer’s Grace is active.
After completing the Grey Mourner’s quest, you can climb up to her home’s second floor and find the charm in a chest.
The whole point of the Delicate Flower quest is to introduce you to a hitless playstyle. This charm rewards such gameplay while still having a reasonable cost. And how would you like it against Radiant bosses?
3 Notches
Nullblade – “Envelops the bearer’s nail in darkness. It will grow in strength with every enemy it slays.”
Original idea by u/Kvassny. Upon equipping it your nail damage will be reduced to its lowest possible value (5) but will grow by 4 points with every nail kill. Caps at 41 damage, twice that of a Pure Nail. Your nail will reset upon resting at a bench. Cyclone Slash does 3x-7x current damage and the other two Nail Arts do 2.5x current damage.
When Nullblade is equipped, no other damage boosting charm will take effect except Darkstrike. Silences Lightbringer and Steel Flash.
Acquired in the Abyss after defeating a boss whose damage increases the more it hits you (first hit does 1 mask, second hit does 2 masks, etc.). The boss is a Void construct from the Black Kingdom and wields a Void nail.
Another damage boosting charm to contrast with those previously mentioned, this one rewards a skilled player independent of their health or mobility.
3 Notches
Warhammer – “Turns the bearer’s nail into a brutal falchion, reserved only for the mightiest of warriors. Great Slash will produce a damaging shockwave if it hits the ground.”
If Great Slash’s arc touches the ground it’ll produce a frontal shockwave that passes through all enemies in its path, damaging them for 1x nail. The shockwave will travel the whole room length or until it hits a wall. It has the height of False Knight's but moves at the speed of Failed Champion's.
The shockwave’s damage is boosted only by Ze’mer’s Grace and Nailmaster’s Strength, which also boosts its height (at most to that of Failed Champion's). The shockwave's speed is not affected. Warhammer does not work with Lightbringer or Steel Flash.
Gained after defeating Failed Champion.
This charm gives the player a ranged nail ability without rendering them vulnerable like with Nailscythe.
2 Notches
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Whew, that's a lot of ideas!
I have a lot more that I would like to share, but I'll do so bit by bit so that charms aren't the only thing I talk about.
I had intended to talk about a really hefty lore topic next week, but I think I'll set it back a bit to ensure the post is of highest quality. It's gonna be on the Pale King's foresight, so I want every argument to be airproof and absolutely sound.
Thanks for reading and have a fantastic week!
Link to my other discussion posts
Submitted December 07, 2018 at 05:57PM by Despi47 https://ift.tt/2zLWXUS
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