Why Your Hollow Knight Save Is Stuck at 111 Percent

Achieving full completion in Hollow Knight is a task that separates the casual explorers of Hallownest from the true completionists. While most games cap their progress at a clean 100%, Team Cherry expanded the boundaries of the Knight’s journey through several free content packs, raising the ceiling to a non-traditional 112%. If you are staring at your save file and wondering where that elusive last 1% is hiding, you are not alone. The game’s percentage system is surgical, specific, and often counterintuitive.

The completion percentage is not a measure of every single secret found; it is a fixed checklist of milestones. Understanding what contributes to this number is the first step in claiming the "Pure Completion" achievement and finally putting the ghosts of Hallownest to rest.

Unlocking the Ability to See Your Completion Percentage

Before you can obsess over the missing fragments of your progress, you must first earn the right to see the number. In the early and mid-game, your inventory screen remains silent regarding your total percentage. The ability to track your completion is gated behind the main questline.

To view your current percentage, you must obtain the World Sense ability. This is found inside the Black Egg Temple in the Forgotten Crossroads. You cannot access this temple until you have dealt with the three Dreamers—Lurien the Watcher, Monomon the Teacher, and Herrah the Beast. Once the seals on the temple are broken and you enter the inner sanctum, you can inspect the lore tablet near the bench.

Acquiring World Sense adds a small percentage counter to the bottom right of your inventory screen and your save file selection menu. It is important to note that you do not need to beat the final boss to see this; you simply need to unlock the temple and interact with the tablet. In fact, defeating the final boss does not grant a percentage point itself, allowing you to reach 112% before even witnessing the credits.

The Mathematics of Hallownest: How 112 Percent Is Calculated

The 112% total is a combination of the original 100% from the base game release and an additional 12% added through the Lifeblood, The Grimm Troupe, and Godmaster updates. Each percentage point is earned through one of the following categories:

Charms (36%): Collecting all 40 charms in the game.
Bosses (17%): Defeating major specific bosses.
Equipment & Abilities (14%): Movement upgrades like the Mantis Claw and Crystal Heart.
Spells & Upgrades (9%): Both the base spells and their shadowy upgrades.
Nail Arts & Upgrades (7%): The four levels of nail sharpening and the three secret arts.
Health & Soul (7%): Completing Mask Shards and Vessel Fragments.
The Dream World (6%): Defeating Warrior Dreams and mastering the Dream Nail.
The Trials (3%): Finishing the three trials in the Colosseum of Fools.
The DLC End-Game (13%): Specific milestones in the Grimm Troupe and Godmaster content.

The most common reason for a stalled 111% save file is usually a missing charm, a missed boss in an optional area like The Hive, or the final tier of the Dream Nail essence collection.

The 36 Percent Charm Collection Challenge

Charms are the single largest contributor to your completion score. There are 40 charms in Hallownest, and each one—regardless of its power or cost—is worth exactly 1% toward your total. You do not need to have the charms equipped; they simply need to be in your inventory.

The Standard Charms

Most charms are found through exploration or purchased from vendors like Salubra in the Forgotten Crossroads, Sly in Dirtmouth, or Leg Eater in the Fungal Wastes. Missing a single charm like the Wayward Compass or the Gathering Swarm counts against your percentage just as much as missing the Mark of Pride.

The Fragile and Unbreakable Dilemma

A common point of confusion involves Divine and the Fragile charms. Upgrading a Fragile Heart, Greed, or Strength to its Unbreakable version does not grant an extra percentage point. The game tracks the "slot" for that charm. However, if you give a Fragile charm to Divine and then leave the area or banish the Grimm Troupe before buying it back, you might temporarily lose that percentage point until the charm is returned to your inventory.

The Kingsoul and Void Heart

This is the only instance where one charm replaces another. The Kingsoul, obtained by collecting two halves from the Queen’s Gardens and the White Palace, is worth 1%. When you take the Kingsoul to the bottom of the Abyss and transform it into the Void Heart, your percentage remains the same. You cannot have both at once, and the Void Heart is mandatory for reaching certain endings, but from a percentage standpoint, they occupy the same 1% slot.

Bosses and Warrior Dreams: The Combat Milestone (24%)

Not every enemy with a large health bar counts toward your completion. In Hollow Knight, the percentage system prioritizes "major" encounters and specific lore-heavy spirits.

Required Bosses (17%)

There are 17 specific boss encounters that each grant 1%. These include:

The Early Game: False Knight, Gruz Mother, Hornet Protector, and the Soul Master.
The Mid-Game: Mantis Lords, Broken Vessel, Dung Defender, and Nosk.
The Late Game: Hornet Sentinel, Traitor Lord, The Collector, Uumuu, and the Watcher Knights.
The Hive and Hidden Bosses: The Hive Knight and Brooding Mawlek.
The Grimm Troupe: Troupe Master Grimm and either Nightmare King Grimm or the Banishment event.

A common miss is the Brooding Mawlek, tucked away in a secret corner of the Forgotten Crossroads that requires a difficult pogo-jump or the Mantis Claw to reach. Another is the Hive Knight, as many players enter The Hive for the Mask Shard but fail to find the boss arena at the very end of the sub-area.

Warrior Dreams (7%)

Scattered throughout the map are the graves of fallen warriors. Defeating their ghostly forms with the Dream Nail grants 1% each. There are seven in total:

Elder Hu (Fungal Wastes)
Galien (Deepnest)
Gorb (Howling Cliffs)
Markoth (Kingdom's Edge)
Marmu (Queen's Gardens)
No Eyes (Stone Sanctuary)
Xero (Resting Grounds)

Markoth is widely considered the most difficult of these, especially in later Godhome trials, but for the base 112%, simply defeating his ghost in Kingdom's Edge is sufficient.

Spells, Abilities, and Nail Upgrades (29%)

The Knight's personal growth accounts for nearly a third of the game's completion. This is broken down into physical upgrades, movement skills, and arcane spells.

Movement Abilities (14%)

The core "Metroidvania" upgrades are worth 2% each. There are seven of these:

Mothwing Cloak: The dash.
Mantis Claw: The wall jump.
Crystal Heart: The super dash.
Monarch Wings: The double jump.
Isma’s Tear: The ability to swim in acid.
Shade Cloak: The shadow dash (upgraded from Mothwing Cloak).
King’s Brand: Found in the Cast-Off Shell, allowing access to the Abyss.

Missing the King’s Brand is impossible if you intend to finish the game, but many players forget to pick up Isma’s Tear in the Royal Waterways, which is vital for accessing certain areas of the Fog Canyon and Queen's Gardens.

Spells and Shadow Upgrades (9%)

There are three base spells and three upgraded versions.

Vengeful Spirit / Shade Soul (1% each = 2%)
Desolate Dive / Descending Dark (1% each = 2%)
Howling Wraiths / Abyss Shriek (1% each = 2%)
The Dream Nail Upgrades: Obtaining the Dream Nail (1%), awakening it with 1800 essence (1%), and hearing the Seer’s final words with 2400 essence (1%).

The 2400 essence requirement is a frequent roadblock for 112% seekers. While you only need 1800 to enter the White Palace, you must push further to 2400 and return to the Seer in the Resting Grounds to trigger her departure and gain that final point.

The Nail (7%)

The Nailsmith in the City of Tears can upgrade your weapon four times. Each upgrade (Sharpened, Channelled, Coiled, and Pure) counts for 1%. Additionally, the three Nailmasters—Mato, Oro, and Sheo—each teach a Nail Art (Cyclone Slash, Dash Slash, and Great Slash), each worth 1%. If you are missing a point here, check if you have found Nailmaster Sheo in the secluded corner of Greenpath.

The DLC Wall: Grimm Troupe and Godmaster (11%)

The final 11% of the game comes from the most difficult challenges introduced in the free updates. These are often the points that keep players at 111%.

The Grimm Troupe (Up to 6% total)

If you have summoned the Troupe in the Howling Cliffs, you must progress through their questline.

Troupe Master Grimm: Defeating him gives 1%.
The Ritual’s End: You have a choice. You can defeat the Nightmare King Grimm (NKG), one of the hardest bosses in the game, or you can choose to Banish the Troupe with Brumm’s help in the Howling Cliffs. Both paths grant 1%.
Grimmchild / Carefree Melody: The final stage of the charm associated with this quest gives another 1%.
Supporting Charms: The Troupe DLC also introduced charms like Sprintmaster and Weaversong. If you haven't bought these from Sly or found them in Deepnest, you'll be missing those points.

Godmaster (5%)

The Godmaster DLC, accessed in the Royal Waterways (Junk Pit), is the ultimate test.

Godtuner: Obtaining this device from the Godseeker counts for 1%.
The Pantheons: Completing the first four Pantheons (Master, Artist, Sage, and Knight) grants 1% each.
The Crucial Detail: Unlike the first four, the Pantheon of Hallownest (the 5th Pantheon) does not count toward the 112% completion. It is required for the game’s true final ending and a specific achievement, but your save file will hit 112% without ever setting foot in the fifth trial.

What Does Not Count Toward 112 Percent Completion

One of the reasons players find the 112% goal daunting is that they often confuse "game content" with "percentage milestones." Several of the game's most difficult or time-consuming tasks award 0% progress on your save file. If you are struggling with these, know that they are optional for the 112% mark:

The Path of Pain: This brutal platforming challenge in the White Palace provides lore and a journal entry, but 0%.
The Hunter’s Journal: While completing the journal is required for "The Hunter's Mark" achievement, it adds 0% to your completion score.
Menderbug: Killing this rare NPC is a hidden secret but offers no percentage.
The Eternal Ordeal: A secret Zote-themed challenge in Godhome that provides a title screen change but 0%.
Radiance / Absolute Radiance: Beating the true final boss (Radiance) or her Godhome variant (Absolute Radiance) is narratively significant but grants no percentage points.
Grey Prince Zote & White Defender: Defeating these dream versions of bosses beyond their initial encounters (if applicable) does not add to the 112%. In fact, you can leave Zote to die in Greenpath and still reach 112%, as his boss fight is entirely optional for the percentage.

Conclusion/Summary

Reaching 112% in Hollow Knight is a journey of meticulous exploration and combat mastery. To summarize the road to pure completion:

Collect all 40 Charms, including the Kingsoul/Void Heart.
Upgrade your Nail to the Pure Nail and learn all three Nail Arts.
Obtain all movement abilities including Isma's Tear and the Shade Cloak.
Acquire and upgrade all Spells and collect 2400 Essence for the Seer.
Defeat the 17 core bosses and 7 Warrior Dreams.
Complete the three trials in the Colosseum of Fools.
Conquer the first four Pantheons in Godhome and finish the Grimm Troupe ritual (or banish them).

If you are stuck at 111%, the most likely culprits are the 2400 Essence conversation, the Hive Knight, or a missing charm like the Abyss Shriek upgrade. Double-check your inventory against the categories above, and you will find that last missing piece of Hallownest's puzzle.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hollow Knight Completion

Does the final boss count toward the percentage?

No. Defeating The Hollow Knight or The Radiance does not grant a percentage point. You can reach 112% before entering the final boss arena.

Can I get locked out of 112% completion?

Technically, no. While certain choices (like killing or sparing the Nailsmith, or banishing vs. completing the Grimm Ritual) change the narrative and which charms you receive, the game is designed so that every "slot" in the 112% checklist remains fillable. For example, if you banish the Grimm Troupe, you lose the Grimmchild charm but gain the Carefree Melody charm, maintaining your percentage.

Do I need to beat the Pantheon of Hallownest for 112%?

No. The fifth and final Pantheon (Pantheon of Hallownest) is required for the "Embrace the Void" achievement and the game's final endings, but it does not contribute to the 112% completion score on your save file.

Why did my percentage go down after giving a charm to Divine?

When you give a Fragile charm to Divine to make it Unbreakable, it is temporarily removed from your inventory. Since completion is based on having the charm in your possession, your percentage will drop by 1% until you pay for the Unbreakable version and take it back.

Is the Path of Pain required for 112%?

No. The Path of Pain is a purely optional platforming challenge. It does not grant a percentage point, though it is highly recommended for players who want to see all the lore the White Palace has to offer.