Survival in the gloom of Hollow Knight involves more than just mastering combat. To truly stand up to the challenges within this intricate world, you’ll need to equip Charms. These talismans provide powerful buffs, but are typically limited by your number of available Notches. If you consistently try to equip too many, you’ll become Overcharmed. What does that mean exactly? Read on to find out.
What Does Overcharmed Mean in Hollow Knight?
Overcharmed means that too many Charms have been equipped. Every buff will remain, but as a penalty for going over the limit, you’ll take double damage. To remove the status, you’ll need to remove any Charm that puts you over the limit.
This may sound like a serious detriment, but in truth, it’s a huge benefit. Being Overcharmed is an opportunity to grow your power beyond the limit of your Notches. In certain circumstances, it may be worth taking more damage in order to combine specific abilities.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, there’s a little trick involved. Hollow Knight won’t normally let you equip a Charm beyond your number of Charm Notches. In order to force it, you’ll need to attempt to equip it five times in a row. Doing so will equip one Charm — just one — beyond the Notch limit. Remember: The final Charm is the one that will go over the limit, so be sure to make it count.
Naturally, this ability does not come without a trade-off. In order to keep combat balanced, you’ll take double damage any time you equip too many Charms. It’s the classic risk-versus-reward scenario: You’ll need to decide whether those extra buffs are worth making fights much more dangerous.
When it comes to general exploration, your best bet is to stick to your available Notches. After all, you don’t know what surprises may lurk in the next area. But if you’re confident you’re ready for the upcoming challenge or next major boss, don’t be afraid to push the limit.
