Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight

All Pale Ore Locations in Hollow Knight

Find all six Pale Ore locations in Hollow Knight. Collect this rare material in the City of Tears to fully upgrade your Nail to the Pure Nail.

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Pale Ore Locations

Pale Ore is a vital and rare upgrade material in Hollow Knight, exclusively used by the Nailsmith in the City of Tears to enhance your Nail's damage. There are a total of six pieces of Pale Ore available throughout Hallownest. Collecting all of them allows you to fully upgrade your Nail to its purest form, the Pure Nail, significantly boosting your combat effectiveness and making late-game challenges much more manageable.

Where to Find Pale Ore

Here's a detailed breakdown of each Pale Ore location, including specific steps, prerequisites, and strategies to acquire them:

  1. Deepnest - Failed Tramway
    • Location: This piece of Pale Ore is found within the Failed Tramway section of Deepnest.
    • Prerequisites: You will need the Tram Pass to access this area efficiently, though it's technically possible to reach without it via a long detour through Deepnest.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. From the Deepnest Tram Station (located in the lower-right section of Deepnest), head left into the Failed Tramway.
      2. Navigate through the winding passages, being wary of the various Deepnest enemies like Stalking Devouts, Deeplings, and the occasional Garpede.
      3. The Pale Ore is located in the lower-right section of the Failed Tramway. You'll need to perform some precise platforming to reach a small, elevated alcove. Look for a path that requires you to jump across gaps and potentially use wall jumps.
      4. Once you reach the secluded chamber, the Pale Ore will be waiting for you.
    • Strategy: Deepnest can be disorienting and dangerous. Consider equipping the Wayward Compass to help with navigation and Defender's Crest to deal with the numerous small enemies. Be prepared for challenging platforming and combat.
  2. Crystal Peak - Enraged Crystal Guardian
    • Location: This Pale Ore is a reward for defeating the Enraged Crystal Guardian in Crystal Peak.
    • Prerequisites: You must have already defeated the regular Crystal Guardian.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. After defeating the initial Crystal Guardian (found in the large chamber near the top-right of Crystal Peak), return to the arena where you fought him.
      2. The Enraged Crystal Guardian will now be present, sleeping on the bench.
      3. Interact with him to initiate the boss fight.
      4. Defeat the Enraged Crystal Guardian. He is a significantly tougher version of his previous self, with faster laser attacks, more health, and a wider attack pattern.
      5. Upon victory, the Pale Ore will drop as a reward.
    • Strategy: The Enraged Crystal Guardian is a formidable foe. Focus on dodging his laser attacks by moving quickly or using the Mothwing Cloak. Strike during his recovery frames, particularly after his sweeping laser attack. Charms like Quick Slash, Shaman Stone (for powerful spells), and Longnail/Mark of Pride can be very effective.
  3. Ancient Basin - Hidden Area
    • Location: This Pale Ore is found in a hidden area within the Ancient Basin.
    • Prerequisites: You will need the Monarch Wings (double jump) and the Crystal Heart (super dash) to reach this area.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. From the Ancient Basin Stagway, head right and down. Continue past the area leading to the Brooding Mawlek.
      2. Look for a path that leads further right, requiring you to use the Crystal Heart to super dash across a wide gap.
      3. After dashing, you'll find yourself in a vertical shaft. Use your Monarch Wings to ascend this shaft, performing wall jumps and double jumps.
      4. At the top of this shaft, you will find a small, secluded chamber with the Pale Ore.
    • Strategy: This area is a pure platforming challenge. Ensure you have mastered the Crystal Heart super dash and Monarch Wings double jump. Take your time and plan your movements. There are no enemies in this specific path, so focus solely on navigation.
  4. Colosseum of Fools - Trial of the Conqueror
    • Location: This Pale Ore is a reward for completing the second trial of the Colosseum of Fools, the Trial of the Conqueror.
    • Prerequisites: Access to Kingdom's Edge and the Colosseum of Fools. You will also need to pay 2000 Geo to enter the trial.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. Travel to the Colosseum of Fools in Kingdom's Edge (upper-right section of the map).
      2. Speak to the Colosseum Master and select the "Trial of the Conqueror."
      3. Successfully complete all waves of enemies in the trial. This is a challenging combat gauntlet with multiple enemy types and environmental hazards.
      4. Upon completing the trial, the Pale Ore will be awarded to you along with a significant amount of Geo.
    • Strategy: The Trial of the Conqueror demands strong combat skills and charm synergy. Equip your best combat charms such as Quick Slash, Mark of Pride, Fragile Strength (or Unbreakable Strength), and Soul Catcher/Soul Eater for spell usage. Practice your parries, nail arts, and spell usage. Surviving multiple waves requires efficient enemy prioritization and crowd control.
  5. Seer - 300 Essence Reward
    • Location: This Pale Ore is a reward from the Seer in the Resting Grounds.
    • Prerequisites: You must have collected at least 300 Essence.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. Collect Essence by defeating Warrior Dreams (e.g., Elder Hu, Marmu, Xero), Dream Bosses (e.g., Failed Champion, Soul Tyrant), and finding Whispering Roots across Hallownest. The Dream Nail is essential for this.
      2. Once you have accumulated 300 Essence (you can check your current total by opening the inventory or speaking to the Seer), return to the Seer in the Resting Grounds.
      3. Speak with her, and she will bestow the Pale Ore upon you as a reward for your efforts in gathering Essence.
    • Strategy: Focus on exploring and actively seeking out Dream variants of bosses and enemies. Whispering Roots are often found in secluded areas and offer a quick burst of Essence. The Dream Nail's ability to collect Essence from enemies also contributes to this total over time.
  6. Grubfather - 31 Grubs Reward
    • Location: This Pale Ore is a reward from the Grubfather in the Forgotten Crossroads.
    • Prerequisites: You must have rescued at least 31 Grubs.
    • Walkthrough:
      1. Explore Hallownest thoroughly to find and rescue Grubs. Each Grub is trapped in a glass jar and will emit a distinct sound when nearby. Break the jar with your Nail to free them.
      2. Once you have rescued at least 31 Grubs (there are 46 in total), return to the Grubfather's home in the Forgotten Crossroads (located in the upper-left section of the Crossroads, accessible after defeating the False Knight).
      3. Speak with the Grubfather, and he will reward you with the Pale Ore for your efforts in saving his children.
    • Strategy: Grubs are often hidden behind breakable walls, in secret passages, or require specific abilities (like Monarch Wings or Crystal Heart) to reach. The Grubsong charm can help you locate them by making a distinct sound when a Grub is nearby. A comprehensive map or guide can be helpful for finding all Grubs.

With all six pieces of Pale Ore in hand, return to the Nailsmith in the City of Tears to forge your Pure Nail and unleash its full power, dealing a mighty 26 damage per hit!