"Top Builds for Grimm in Hollow Knight"

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• Best Charm Builds For Troupe Master Grimm

• Best Charm Builds For Nightmare King Grimm

Grimm, a captivating and iconic character in Hollow Knight, and the broader metroidvania genre, brings a mysterious charm to the game. As the leader of the Grimm Troupe, he adds a rich side quest to the Knight's journey to save Hallownest, providing a fulfilling conclusion to the troupe's storyline.

Throughout these adventures, players are tasked with confronting Grimm, initially as Troupe Master Grimm, and later, in a more formidable form, Nightmare King Grimm, to complete the Grimm Troupe DLC. These battles are among the most challenging in the game, demanding precision, swift reflexes, and resilience. Equipping the right charms is crucial for success against both versions of Grimm.

To access these boss fights, players must equip the Grimmchild charm, which occupies two charm notches, in all charm builds for both encounters.

Best Charm Builds For Troupe Master Grimm

Troupe Master Grimm introduces players to the character's move set and attack patterns. This battle is fast-paced and resembles a dance rather than a straightforward brawl. Players must be strategic, choosing their moments to strike rather than absorbing attacks recklessly. The following builds are designed to help players navigate this challenging fight.

Completing the Troupe Master Grimm battle unlocks the final Charm Notch, essential for tackling Nightmare King Grimm with some of the best builds.

Nail Build

- Unbreakable/Fragile Strength

• Quick Slash
• Longnail
• Grimmchild (Mandatory)

This build maximizes the Knight's Nail damage, allowing players to deal significant blows during windows between Grimm's attacks. With the fight being less intense than its Nightmare King counterpart, a Nail build is highly effective, particularly when paired with Quick Slash for rapid hits.

Unbreakable or Fragile Strength is a staple in Nail builds, enhancing the Nail's damage output. Players should aim to have at least the Coiled Nail or Pure Nail to efficiently reduce Grimm's health.

Although Nail builds typically include Mark of Pride, Longnail serves as a suitable substitute here due to the space occupied by Grimmchild. While offering slightly less range than Mark of Pride, Longnail can still be advantageous, particularly during the concluding moments of Grimm's attacks like the Diving Dash and Uppercut.

Spell Build

- Shaman Stone

• Grubsong
• Spell Twister
• Unbreakable/Fragile Heart
• Grimmchild (Mandatory)

For players favoring spell-based combat or less confident with the Nail, this Spell build is ideal for swiftly overcoming Grimm. By this stage, players should have upgraded to Descending Dark, Abyss Shriek, and Shade Soul spells, with the first two being exceptionally potent against tough bosses.

Shaman Stone is a must-have in any Spell build, significantly boosting spell damage. Combined with Spell Twister, it enables frequent spell usage, with Nail hits replenishing Soul.

Given the difficulty of avoiding hits from Grimm, Grubsong is invaluable for maintaining a full Soul gauge. Unbreakable/Fragile Heart complements this setup by providing extra masks, allowing players to focus their Soul on spellcasting.

Best Charm Builds For Nightmare King Grimm

Nightmare King Grimm presents a significantly heightened challenge compared to Troupe Master Grimm. Not only does he deal double damage, but he also moves faster and adds flaming trails to his attacks, increasing their lethality. A new flame pillar attack, however, offers a strategic opening for players to deploy powerful spells like Abyss Shriek. Here are the recommended charm builds for tackling one of the toughest bosses in the metroidvania genre.

Best Build

- Unbreakable/Fragile Strength

• Shaman Stone
• Mark of Pride
• Grimmchild (Mandatory)

A pure Nail build is less viable against Nightmare King Grimm due to the need for efficiency. A hybrid Nail/Spell build proves most effective, leveraging the power of Abyss Shriek and Descending Dark spells.

Shaman Stone is essential for maximizing spell damage against Nightmare King Grimm. Unbreakable/Fragile Strength and Mark of Pride enhance Nail damage during moments when casting spells is risky or impractical.

Alternate Build

- Grubsong

• Sharp Shadow
• Shaman Stone
• Spell Twister
• Nailmaster's Glory
• Grimmchild (Mandatory)

This more defensive setup focuses on spellcasting and the often-overlooked Nail Arts, while providing tools to evade Nightmare King Grimm's most deadly attacks. As with other Spell builds, Shaman Stone and Spell Twister are crucial for boosting damage output.

Grubsong helps maintain a steady Soul supply, vital for spell use. Sharp Shadow, when paired with the Shade Cloak, allows players to dash through many of Grimm's attacks while dealing damage. Nailmaster's Glory enhances the effectiveness of Nail Arts, making them a significant threat to Nightmare King Grimm when used strategically alongside spells.