Recommended Order
| Stage | Area | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forgotten Crossroads | Buy the map, save grubs, and open the stag station |
| 2 | Greenpath | Get Mothwing Cloak and unlock horizontal mobility |
| 3 | Fungal Wastes | Get Mantis Claw and open vertical exploration |
| 4 | City of Tears | Enter the midgame and unlock stronger upgrades |
Beginner FAQ
Where should I go first in Hollow Knight?
Treat Forgotten Crossroads as the first routing hub. Buy the map, find the stag station, defeat False Knight, and learn Vengeful Spirit. This teaches the basic loop of map, bench, stag station, and ability gate.
Where is Mantis Claw?
Mantis Claw is in Mantis Village inside Fungal Wastes. After getting it, wall-jumping opens many routes that were previously blocked. You can leave Mantis Lords for later if your health or nail damage still feels low.
How do I get to City of Tears?
The common route is to enter after getting Mantis Claw from Fungal Wastes. Once inside City of Tears, prioritize the Nailsmith so later boss attempts are less punishing.
Should I explore Fog Canyon early?
You can pass through parts of it, but it is not a good full-exploration target early. Several paths are gated by later abilities, so early cleanup can waste time.
Editorial Notes
This page is the route overview. Continue with the full Region Map and Route Checklist.
Ability-gate route
| Ability / condition | Solves | Go next |
|---|---|---|
| Vengeful Spirit | Ranged pressure and Greenpath access | Greenpath |
| Mothwing Cloak | Dash, safer dodges, side-route access | Fungal Wastes and early cleanup |
| Mantis Claw | Wall climb and many vertical exits | City of Tears, Crystal Peak, old-region cleanup |
| Dream Nail | Essence, Dream Warriors, story progression | Resting Grounds and dream routes |
| Late movement | Deep areas, hidden entrances, ending routes | Abyss, Queen’s Gardens, White Palace, Godhome |
Routing principles
- In every new region, find Cornifer first, then secure a bench.
- Mark high ledges, acid pools, dark rooms, locked doors, and unreachable exits for later.
- If you lose health on the runback before a boss, fix the bench route before blaming the boss.
- Before a major boss, check nail level, mask count, charm loadout, and nearest bench.
Common confusion points
| Node | Problem | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Crossroads to Greenpath | No idea where the next region is | Take Vengeful Spirit, then push toward Greenpath |
| After Hornet | Dash unlocked but no clear destination | Move toward Fungal Wastes and Mantis Claw |
| Mantis Village | Thinking Mantis Lords are mandatory now | Take the Claw and come back after upgrades |
| City of Tears | Easy to loop around without a plan | Find Nailsmith and bench first, then handle Soul Sanctum |
| Crystal Peak / Deepnest | Entering early can feel punishing | Mark the entrance and return with better tools |