Steel Soul Mode | Hollow Knight Wiki

Steel Soul Mode
No Shade. No Reviving. Death is Permanent. The Ultimate Challenge.

Steel Soul Mode is a game mode in Hollow Knight. You can unlock this game mode after completing the game for the first time.

Steel Soul Mode Overview

Steel Soul Mode added four main changes to the gameplay in Hollow Knight:

• You do not respawn upon death. Once you die, the game ends and the file resets.
• Added a unique animation upon dying.
• Steel Soul Jinn, who trades Rancid Eggs for Geo, replaces Confessor Jiji.
• Tuk has already been killed by the Infection and you can find a Rancid Egg beside her corpse.

And as death is already permanent, Fragile Charms sold by Leg Eater becomes more useful as their main penalty is nullified.

Soul Steel Mode Notes & Tips

• Trying to enter a failed Steel Soul will result in the game asking you if you would like to clear the save slot. You will also notice that the said save slot says "DEFEATED" instead of the last location the file was saved in.
• Finishing the game in Steel Soul Mode unlocks a new menu style.
• Dying to a Dream Boss or dying in Godhome does not result in a permanent death.
• Dying within the White Palace or to The Radiance will count as a permanent death.
• Unlocks the "Steel Soul" Trophy/Achievement upon completion.
• Unlocks the "Steel Heart" Trophy/Achievement after achieving 100% game completion and finishing the game in Steel Soul mode.