Pale Ore is one of the most coveted items in Hollow Knight because although it’s hard to acquire, its rewards are unbelievably enticing. By visiting the Nailsmith, the player will be able to upgrade their Nail for each piece of Pale Ore (plus a bit of Geo) that they have. This means that the player character’s Nail will be more powerful, delivering more damage via melee strikes to enemies throughout the game.
In total, there are six pieces of Pale Ore to be found scattered throughout Hollow Knight. This guide will show where to find in each location.
How and Where to Find Pale Ore in Hollow Knight
Hallownest’s Crown
To find the Pale Ore found in Hallownest’s Crown, you’ll need the Monarch Wings (this is the only location on this list that requires additional tools to find Pale Ore). Technically, the item can still be accessed with some clever platforming, but the entire process is made much quicker by having the Monarch Wings in the first place.
Navigate to the top of Crystal Peak and walk all the way to the left. There, you will see a statue of The Radiance with a glowing item found at the base. By inspecting this glow, you will acquire a Pale Ore.
Ancient Basin
This location for Pale Ore can be found starting at the main entrance of the Ancient Basin coming from Deepnest. It is located to the left of the tram station and to obtain it, you must defeat two Lesser Mawlek’s. After fighting them, continue moving left and you will find an inspectable item that will grant you another Pale Ore.
Deepnest
Speaking of Deepnest, this piece of Pale Ore can only be found by defeating the secret boss “Nosk.” To the left of the Hot Spring in Deepnest is a breakable wall leading you into a series of tunnels. Continue traveling down this path and make your way into Nosk’s lair. We won’t spoil too much about the fight with Nosk, but just know that defeating him will grant you a Pale Ore.
Grubfather
The Grubfather is an NPC found in the northwest corner of Forgotten Crossroads. Grubs are found scattered throughout the game and returning them to the Grubfather earns you a number of different rewards depending on the number of grubs returned. If the player returns 31 Grubs, however, they recieve another Pale Ore.
The Seer
The Seer is met upon reaching the Resting Grounds, whereupon the NPC gives you access to the Dream Nail, a special item that lets you explore the dreams of other NPCs.
The item allows you to gather Essence from Ghosts, Dream Warriors, and Dream Bosses. If you return to the Seer with 300 Essence, the Seer will give you a Pale Ore.
Colosseum of Fools
The Colosseum of Fools lets you fight in a series of trials of escalating difficulty. The trials include the Trial of the Warrior, the Trial of the Conqueror, and the Trial of the Fool. By completing the Trial of the Conqueror, you will earn a Pale Ore and 1800 Geo.
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After finding all of these pieces and returning them to the Nailsmith, you will have a fully upgraded Nail. This dramatically boosts the damage output of the weapon and should make taking out enemies much easier. Of course, there is much more to explore in Hollow Knight, so your journey does not necessarily end after finding all of the Pale Ore. Be sure to read some of the other Hollow Knight guides from Gameskinny! Here are a few to get you started:
- Hollow Knight Charms Guide
- How to Find and Beat Nosk in Hollow Knight
- How to Reach the Howling Cliffs in Hollow Knight
