You’re staring down the Pure Vessel. One mistake, and you're sent back to the start of the Pantheon. You need soul for a D-Dark. You need damage to end this nightmare before your hands start shaking too hard to play. You need Quick Slash. Honestly, if you aren't running this charm, you're playing a different, much harder version of Hollow Knight.
It’s the crown jewel of Kingdom’s Edge. It’s also the reason why bosses that usually feel like brick walls suddenly start melting. Basically, Quick Slash is the only item in the game that fundamentally breaks the "rhythm" of combat in your favor.
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Quick Slash Hollow Knight: The Math Behind the Madness
Most people think this charm just makes you swing faster. It does. But the actual numbers are kinda insane. Normally, you can slash every 0.41 seconds. With Quick Slash, that cooldown drops to 0.25 seconds. That is roughly a 64% increase in your attack frequency.
You aren't just hitting harder; you’re hitting so fast that the game's internal logic struggles to keep up.
Think about it. More hits mean more soul. More soul means more Abyss Shrieks. If you’re a nail purist, combining this with Unbreakable Strength isn't just a "build"—it’s a delete button for 90% of the game’s content. The raw DPS (damage per second) jump is higher than almost any other three-notch investment.
Where to Find It (Without Getting Lost)
You'll find this beast in a hidden room in Kingdom’s Edge.
Don't just wander around aimlessly. Head to the far right of the map, near the massive corpse of an Ancient Nailmaster. You’ll see a breakable floor—Desolate Dive is your friend here. Follow the path down, deal with the Primal Aspids (we all hate them, it’s okay), and you’ll find the charm sitting on an altar.
It costs 3 notches. Is it worth it? Always.
Why Speedrunners Obsess Over Animation Canceling
If you want to go from "good" to "pro," you have to learn about Nail Turnarounds (NTA).
If you just stand still and mash the button, your animation takes about 0.29 seconds to finish. But the actual cooldown is 0.25. To bridge that gap, you turn the Knight around mid-air or mid-slash. This cancels the "backswing" of the animation.
It sounds sweaty. It sort of is. But in a Pantheon 5 run, those milliseconds are the difference between a world record and a "Game Over" screen.
The Synergies You’re Probably Missing
Most players just slap on Mark of Pride and call it a day. While that’s fine, you’re leaving power on the table.
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- Steady Body: This is the secret sauce. Without it, the recoil from hitting an enemy at high speed pushes you backward. With it, you can stand your ground and keep shredding.
- Grubberfly’s Elegy: If you’re at full health, Quick Slash turns you into a Gatling gun of light beams. It’s hilariously broken for certain Radiant boss fights.
- Shaman Stone: Wait, a spell charm? Yes. Because you’re hitting 64% faster, you’re generating soul at a ridiculous rate. You’ll have enough soul to spam spells even if you aren't trying to.
The "Noob Bait" Argument: Is It Actually Overrated?
You’ll occasionally see people on Reddit calling Quick Slash "noob bait." Their argument is that it encourages "trading hits"—basically just mashing until the boss dies while you take damage.
They aren't entirely wrong. If you use Quick Slash to ignore boss patterns, you’ll hit a wall when you reach Absolute Radiance.
However, for 99% of the game, the "kill it before it kills you" strategy is valid. Even against the hardest bosses, the faster animation means you can sneak in a hit and still have time to dash away. It actually makes you safer because you aren't locked into a long swinging animation.
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Making the Most of Your Build
If you’re heading into the Godhome, your notch management is everything.
- For pure DPS: Quick Slash + Unbreakable Strength + Steady Body + Mark of Pride.
- For Spellcasters: Quick Slash + Shaman Stone + Spell Twister.
- For the "Safety First" crowd: Quick Slash + Quick Focus + Grubsong.
Don't feel like you have to stick to one. Experiment. Some bosses, like Nightmare King Grimm, have such specific "windows" for attacking that you might find the extra speed isn't helping as much as something like Sharp Shadow would. But for heavy hitters like Failed Champion or The Collector? It’s mandatory.
Actionable Next Steps:
Travel to Kingdom's Edge immediately if you haven't grabbed this yet. Once you have it, go to the Hall of Gods and practice "pogoing" (down-slashing) on the Failed Champion. You'll notice immediately how much easier it is to stay airborne and keep the boss stunned. If you're struggling with the recoil, spend one extra notch on Steady Body—it's the single best way to make Quick Slash feel "right."