Lifeblood

Lifeblood is the third free content pack to Hollow Knight, following The Grimm Troupe on 26 October, 2017 which was officially released on 20 April, 2018, after a period in public beta. It was originally arranged to be just a major update, but however in all later instances and mentions; it has been referred to as a content pack. It is followed by Godmaster released on the 23rd of August, 2018.

As it was not one of the three originally planned DLC updates, it did not release with a teaser. Lifeblood focused mainly on enhancing technical aspects of the game, bringing upgrades and optimizations of various kinds.

Bosses

 * Hive Knight

Mapping Tools

 * Map Markers

Misc.

 * Lifeblood menu theme
 * Infected menu theme
 * Void menu theme
 * Steel Soul menu theme

Main menu

 * Players became able to change the background of the title screen (Extras section)
 * The menu styles include:
 * 1) Classic (Unlocked from start)
 * 2) Hidden Dreams ( Hidden Dreams update)
 * 3) Grimm Troupe ( The Grimm Troupe update)
 * 4) Lifeblood (Lifeblood update)
 * 5) Infected (Unlocked by beating The Hollow Knight)
 * 6) Void (Unlocked by beating The Radiance)
 * 7) Steel Soul (Unlocked by completing Steel Soul Mode, any ending)
 * Two more with the Godmaster update:


 * 1) Godmaster (Godmaster update)
 * 2) The Eternal Ordeal (Unlocked by getting 57 kills in The Eternal Ordeal)
 * And one last one with Voidheart Edition


 * 1) Voidheart (included in Voidheart Edition)
 * A changelog was added, which includes information about every major version of the game (Extras section)
 * Blur quality can be changed through the Video menu

Visual Changes

 * The Hive area gained a complete visual redesign
 * The Zote Statue implemented in the Hidden Dreams update now only has four candles, but will still turn gold after ten defeats
 * Animation for traveling the stagways is longer and now able to be skipped
 * Parallax is a lot smoother and clearer
 * Using Crystal Heart Dash now gives off a flash of purple light (the animation may also be quicker)
 * Tram pass slots now have a glowing yellow light
 * Calling and riding the Tram now has a rippling overlay effect
 * New room transitions have been implemented
 * The Knight now has a new burst animation when taking damage
 * Damage taken from coming in contact with spikes triggers a unique burst animation
 * Damage taken that deals multiple masks now triggers a new burst animation
 * This animation can be seen when The Knight is killed
 * Dying in Steel Soul Mode has a unique animation
 * Decorative mushrooms in the foreground of Fungal Wastes now react to the player walking over them and let out a puff of spores
 * The arena for the Lost Kin loses saturation and is more gray scale
 * There are now three unique GIFs for loading screens: normal, dream and the Colosseum of Fools
 * New icon for getting an achievement
 * "Infected" blood physics and sprites have been modified
 * Modified animation for getting Shade Cloak
 * A red barrier now appears when the player uses a spell in the secret room in Grimm's Tent

Enemy Changes

 * Hivelings are now much larger and have more Hp
 * Traitor Lord gained two new attacks, now deals two masks of damage and is a lot faster
 * Traitor Lord has a visual cloud of orange Infection surrounding him
 * The Hollow Knight's diving flame pillar attack now does two masks of damage
 * The Collector can now be staggered
 * Nightmare King Grimm is now only accessible while wearing the Grimmchild charm
 * Some Warrior Dreams had contrast and colour tweaks
 * Hive Guardians do two masks of damage
 * Volatile Mosskin explode faster upon death
 * Desolate Diving onto Flukemarm no longer functions
 * Husk Hive is larger, faster and can spawn Hivelings with only a short pause
 * False Knight's stagger animation is faster
 * Fungified Husk's spore cloud is significantly bigger
 * The bodies of the Watcher Knights have been rearranged
 * Belflys will leave their skull behind after death, when they die by themselves it will still count towards the Hunter's Journal
 * Lifeblood Cocoons now contain a fixed number of Lifeseeds

NPC Changes

 * The Dung Defender now has extra dialogue after the player beats the White Defender five times
 * If the player encounters the new dialogue from the Dung Defender and then re-enters his home, a dung statue of the Knight can be found next to the others.
 * Divine now has extra Dialogue when the player talks to her while wearing the Defender's Crest (added for a misconception)
 * Dreamer sequence after the Hornet Protector fight in Greenpath has new animations
 * New Dialogue from Hive Queen Vespa once the Hive Knight has been defeated
 * Bretta's previously added dialogue now coincides with the amount of candles lit on the Zote statue, she will also run away after four defeats of Grey Prince Zote

Charm Changes

 * Flukenest's damage has been nerfed and now costs 3 notches
 * Weaversong's Weaverlings do more damage (up from 2 to 3) with a new attack animation and can stagger bosses
 * Weaversong and Sprintmaster have a new interaction which causes the Weaverlings to move faster, wander a bit farther from the player and jump higher
 * Weaversong and Grubsong now have a new interaction which causes damaged Weaverlings to give the player soul
 * Joni's Blessing now only grants 40% + 1 more HP (down from 50% + 1).
 * Fury of the Fallen's activated effects has a new design and instead of a red circle highlighting the player, the player now emits a red smoke
 * New animation for when Grimmchild attacks Millibelle

Audio Changes

 * Fungoons have a new attack sound
 * Bluggsacs have a idle sound
 * Fool Eaters have a new attack sound
 * Mosscreeps have a new spawn sound
 * Siblings have a new sound when they spawn
 * Crystallised Husks have a new attack sound
 * Wingmoulds have a new sound when they are struck
 * Shrumal Warriors have a new death sound
 * Shrumal Ogres have a new death sound
 * Shrumelings have a new sound for when they pop up and run away
 * Volatile Mosskin have new attack and death sound
 * Mosskin have a new attack and death sound
 * Moss Knights have new attack and death sound
 * Gulkas have a new death sound
 * Mistakes have a new death sound
 * Sporgs have a new sound when they pop out to attack
 * Glimbacks have a new and louder scuttling sound whilst patrolling
 * New sound for when you place a Dream Gate in an invalid location
 * Dreamshield makes a new sound when it passes over a piece of Geo
 * Dung Defender and White Defender now audibly pounds his chest when he transitions
 * Sound for when spikes reveal in the beginning of the fight with Mantis Lords has been changed
 * New OST for arena/wave-styled fights in City of Tears
 * New sound for breaking mushroom flora in Fungal Wastes
 * New sound for breakable pipes and such in Royal Waterways
 * Bretta is now audibly scared when you first find her

Saviavida