| Cyclone Slash | Dash Slash | Great Slash |
Cyclone Slash is the Nail Art taught to the Knight by Nailmaster Mato. By holding ATTACK until fully charged, then releasing it while holding UP or DOWN, the Knight spins around like a cyclone while continuously attacking in their vicinity.
The attack consists of two phases. The first phase lasts about 0.45 seconds, during which the Knight performs a total of 3 hits. During the second phase, ATTACK can be repeatedly pressed to lengthen Cyclone Slash’s duration by up to 1.2 extra seconds, adding three more hits for a total of six. Each hit deals 1.25x Nail damage, pushing foes back in the process. While mashing ATTACK, the Knight's horizontal movement speed is greatly reduced. Similarly, if used in the air, the Knight falls much slower. However, if used in the air without pressing ATTACK, the Knight's fall speed is uncapped for the duration of the Nail Art. While performing this attack, the Knight cannot perform any actions, aside from moving left and right, until the Nail Art is finished. Taking damage cancels the Nail Art immediately.
The multi-hit spinning attack effectively covers both sides of the Knight. Because of this, Cyclone Slash can be effective against large swarms of foes, constantly dealing damage and pushing them back to prevent the Knight from being overwhelmed. Because of the attack’s ability to drastically reduce the Knight’s falling speed, it can be used against flying foes. However, in most cases, Great Slash is preferable.
The long duration of Cyclone Slash, coupled with the drastic movement speed reduction, results in a long duration of time in which the Knight is vulnerable to attack. Foes that are unable to be pushed back, or those whose projectiles cannot be deflected, can take advantage of the window of opportunity to inflict damage on the Knight. Furthermore, agile or light enemies can easily move out of Cyclone Slash’s range, resulting in sub-optimal damage.
How To Perform
Hold ATTACK until fully charged, then release ATTACK while holding UP/DOWN without dashing. Repeatedly pressing ATTACK extends the duration. Deals 1.25 x Nail damage/hit.
If this is the only Nail Art that has been learned, the ability executes regardless of direction or whether the Knight is dashing.
The Love Key is an Item in Hollow Knight.
Use
Opens the door inside the Tower of Love where the Collector can be fought.
Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.
Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.
Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.
Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.
The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.
Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.
Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.
Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.
The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".
Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.
Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.
They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.
Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.
The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.
Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:
Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.
Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.
Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.
The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.
Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.
How to Acquire
Found on a corpse in the southeast of the Queen's Gardens above the path to the Fungal Wastes. Retrieving the key requires Isma's Tear.
Hornet is captured by outsider bugs and brought to their kingdom, Pharloom, but she escapes her cage before arriving at their destination. She then must battle foes and solve mysteries to ascend on a deadly pilgrimage to this kingdom's peak.
Health is represented as Masks, shown in the upper-left corner of the screen. Hornet starts the game with 5 Masks and can obtain more. Health is lost by taking damage, either from enemies or from environmental hazards. Health can be regained by the use of the Bind ability consuming a full Silk spool.
Lifeblood Masks, granted by Lifeblood needles, are temporary masks.
Silk is represented as a spool below the health indicator. Thread is consumed when using special abilities, including a form of Focus named Bind. Striking enemies with the Needle fills the spool by two laces. When the spool is full, the symbol representing the side of the spool left to the health indicator is filled.
The Needle is Hornet's main weapon. Not only can she use it to slash or block attacks against enemies, but also to dash forward, stab, and bounce up above them. She can also use it alongside her abilities to deal greater damage or as a grappling hook.
Tools are special items classed by categories, equipped on a Crest with limited slots. They can be used as throwing weapons or defensive aids without costing Silk. Crests and Tools can be changed when sitting on a Bench similar to Charms.
Abilities consume Silk thread to use them.
Hornet can collect and keep various items throughout her journey, which are stored in her inventory. They can be related to specific quests.
The following areas have no confirmed name, although the names used were mentioned in the official announcement. Other mentioned names include "Bonebottom", "Moss Temple", and "Soaring Warlord's Tower": "Coral Forest", "Gilded City", and "Lake of Fire/Bone Forest".
Garmond and Zaza are two NPCs first revealed in the Hollow Knight: Silksong announcement trailer. They are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond appears to be the rider, while Zaza appears to be mount.
Garmond and Zaza only appear once in the announcement trailer; they are seen during the "New Quests" segment. Within a dark, murky hallway with a visible curved lattice pattern in the background, Hornet is shown leaping over the two as they charge forward through a small group of enemies, while Garmond makes a loud vocalization.
They were later revealed in a blog post, which states that the two are on a quest to find a new home. Garmond is described as being rambunctious and chatty, while Zaza is noted to possibly be "the brains" of the two.
Elder Hu was a travelling sage who sought to purify the borderlands of Hallownest from the Infection. He reached the Mantis Village, but his own Infected mind made him see the Mantis Lords and the Tribe as afflicted by the plague. The Mantises killed him after he attacked them. A memorial was erected in his name above the gates to the City of Tears, his tunic and bead necklace resting on top of it.
The spirit of Elder Hu can be fought at his memorial after acquiring the Dream Nail. Still deluded in his experience with the Mantis Tribe, he warns the Knight. After his defeat, the spirit becomes aware of his madness-driven mistake. He realizes his own death before shattering into 100 Essence to be collected by the Dream Nail.
Elder Hu has two attacks in addition to being able to teleport:
Ring Slam: Elder Hu summons a row of rings in midair, interspersed with several safe gaps, before quickly slamming them all down onto the ground simultaneously.
Ring Curtain: Elder Hu summons pairs of rings that slam down on the ground, beginning from the edges of the arena and moving towards the centre.
Teleport: Elder Hu warps from one area to another to avoid attacks or set up his own.
The ring attacks require very precise movements to dodge as they come out quickly. The Shade Cloak is highly recommended, although not completely necessary. Elder Hu remains in place during the attacks, and his floating pattern is low enough to the ground, where attacking with the Nail is possible. Dodge the rings and get in some hits in between. Eventually, the rhythm of the attacks is easy to follow and the Knight should have no problem timing dashes and attacks.
Alternatively, the Knight can use Shade Cloak to dodge the Ring Slam attack and use Howling Wraiths/Abyss Shriek along with a Spell build (such as Shaman Stone, Spell Twister, Soul Catcher, and Soul Eater) to quickly finish him off.
Trivia
- The large dead Husk Dandy holding the Love Key can be Dream Nailed, providing the dialogue:
- "Too long... spent together. We become as one..."
Damage Values
Cyclone Slash damage is not affected by Fragile Strength/
Unbreakable Strength. Its range is also not affected by Mark of Pride or Longnail.
| Nail | Damage Per Hit | Total Damage (3-6 hits) | Fury of the Fallen Damage per hit | Fury of the Fallen Total Damage (3-6 hits) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Nail | 6 | 18-36 | 11 | 33-66 |
| Sharpened Nail | 11 | 33-66 | 20 | 60-120 |
| Channelled Nail | 16 | 48-96 | 28 | 84-168 |
| Coiled Nail | 21 | 63-126 | 37 | 111-222 |
| Pure Nail | 26 | 78-156 | 46 | 138-276 |
How To Acquire
Cyclone Slash is taught by Nailmaster Mato who resides in the Howling Cliffs.
Trivia
- It is possible to reach 7 hits with Cyclone Slash in certain non-combat situations, for instance, while being in a Hot Spring. However, when hitting enemies, it is only possible to reach 6 hits.
- A six-hit Cyclone Slash with the Channelled, Coiled, or Pure Nail is the most damaging unmodified attack available to the Knight.