You're standing at the bottom of the Abyss. It’s dark, quiet, and honestly a little bit unsettling. If you’ve spent any time in Hallownest, you know the feeling of losing your Geo and having to hunt down that flickering black ghost of yourself. Most players call it the "dark shade charm" or the "shadow charm," but its real name is the Void Heart.
It’s not just some buff you slot into a notch. It’s a fundamental shift in how the game works.
Getting your hands on this thing is a massive turning point. It’s the difference between a sad, lonely ending and actually facing the sun-god that ruined the world. But man, the steps to get there? They are cryptic as hell.
What is the Void Heart Charm, Anyway?
First off, let’s clear up a huge misconception. People often search for a "dark shade charm" because they want to stop their own Shade from attacking them. Or maybe they want those creepy Siblings in the Abyss to leave them alone. That is exactly what the Void Heart does.
It’s the final evolution of the Kingsoul.
Once you have it, you aren't just a vessel anymore. You're the Lord of Shades. The game basically hands you the keys to the kingdom's basement. The Siblings? They become passive. Your own Shade? It stops fighting back. It just stands there, waiting for you to take your energy back.
It’s a permanent upgrade. You can’t take it off. It takes up zero notches. It's just... part of you now.
The Long, Painful Road to the Abyss
You can't just stumble into this. It requires a level of "doing too much" that only Team Cherry could dream up. You need to find two halves of a different charm first.
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The first half is with the White Lady in the Queen’s Gardens. She’s tucked away behind a lot of thorns and a very angry Traitor Lord. The second half? That’s the real nightmare. You have to parkour through the White Palace. If you haven't done it yet, get ready for saws. So many saws.
Once you combine them into the Kingsoul, you’ll notice it slowly generates SOUL. It’s cool, I guess, but it costs five notches. Five! That’s almost your whole build.
But you don't keep it for long.
Descending into the Birthplace
With the Kingsoul equipped, a new path opens at the very bottom of the Abyss. The ground literally cracks open. This is the Birthplace.
It’s a long drop. At the bottom, you’ll find an egg. Not a regular egg—a giant, ancient-looking thing reflecting your own face. Hit it with the Awoken Dream Nail.
Sidenote: If you don't have 1800 Essence yet to awaken your nail, you're stuck. Go fight some Dream Bosses.
Inside that memory, you see the climb. You see the Pale King. You see what you actually are. When you wake up, the Kingsoul is gone. In its place is the black, pulsing Void Heart.
Why This "Dark Shade Charm" Changes Everything
Beyond just making the Abyss easier to walk through, this charm is the "Golden Ticket" for the endings. Without it, you can only get the basic "Hollow Knight" ending where you just replace the old guy in the egg.
With the Void Heart:
- Hornet shows up at the final boss fight.
- You can access the Radiance fight.
- You can enter the Pantheon of Hallownest (Godhome's ultimate challenge).
- You unlock the "Dream No More" and "Embrace the Void" endings.
Basically, if you want the "true" experience, this is mandatory. It's the only way to actually finish the story.
Combat Synergies and Practical Tips
A lot of people think the Void Heart is just for lore. It’s not. It actually has a weird interaction with the Shade Cloak.
Since you are now the master of the Void, your dash feels... different. If you pair this with Sharp Shadow, you become a literal piercing dart of darkness. I've found that using Sharp Shadow in the Traitor Lord fight or against the Watcher Knights is a total game-changer because of the extra dash distance.
Also, don't forget the Siblings. If you're trying to farm something or just explore the Abyss for Journal entries, having them ignore you is a massive relief. It turns one of the most dangerous zones in the game into a peaceful stroll.
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Things to Remember Before You Commit
- The Point of No Return: Once the Kingsoul turns into the Void Heart, you can NEVER get the first ending on that save file. If you’re a completionist, go kill the Hollow Knight before you go down to the Birthplace.
- Zero Cost: It stays equipped forever. It doesn't use your precious charm notches, so you can still run your full Strength/Quick Slash/Shaman Stone build.
- The Shade Lord: In the Godmaster DLC, this charm is what allows the Knight to transform into that massive, terrifying entity that shreds the Radiance to pieces.
Your Next Steps in Hallownest
If you're currently staring at a locked door in the Abyss or wondering why you can't find the second half of that white charm, start with the Dream Nail. You need essence. Lots of it.
Go hunt down the Lost Kin or Failed Champion. They’re tough, but they give you the hundreds of essence points you need to talk to the Seer and get that nail upgraded. Without the Awoken Dream Nail, the "dark shade charm" stays a myth.
Once you have the Void Heart, head back to the Temple of the Black Egg. Hornet will be waiting for you. This time, the fight won't end the way you expect.
Good luck. You’re gonna need it for those saws in the White Palace.