Are you struggling to find all pale ore locations in Hollow Knight to maximize your nail’s power? If you’ve ever faced a late-game boss and wished your attacks hit just a little bit harder, you’re not alone. Pale Ore is the rarest upgrade material in Hallownest and the only way to fully sharpen your weapon. Without all six pieces, you’ll miss out on the Pure Nail—essential for those epic battles lurking at the end of the game. In this in-depth guide, you’ll discover every single pale ore spot, boss, and challenge you’ll need to conquer to fully upgrade your nail. With detailed directions, maps, and pro tips, this is the only resource you need to collect every pale ore Hollow Knight has to offer.

Whether you’re hunting down the elusive pale ore Ancient Basin tram secret or besting Nosk for the Deepnest reward, this guide’s quick list and step-by-step walkthroughs will ensure you never miss a beat. Ready to swing the Pure Nail and face Hallownest’s toughest foes? Let’s get started!

Quick List of All Pale Ore Locations:

• Ancient Basin: Hidden behind a gauntlet of Mawleks
• Crystal Peak: At the summit, beyond tricky platforming
• Deepnest: Defeat Nosk to claim your prize
• Forgotten Crossroads: Grubfather’s reward for saving 31+ grubs
• Resting Grounds: Gift from the Seer after gathering 300 Essence
• Kingdom’s Edge: Complete the Colosseum’s second trial

Unlocking these will demand sharp skills, clever upgrades, and a little luck—but with this guide, you’ll have everything you need.

Nail Upgrades Overview: How Pale Ore Powers You Up

Before you set out to gather all pale ore locations, it’s essential to understand why this resource is so valuable. In Hollow Knight, the Knight’s nail is the primary weapon, and upgrading it is the key to tackling late-game bosses, speedy speedruns, and even platforming challenges.

Pale Ore Upgrade Progression Table

Nailsmith Location and Geo Farming Tips

You’ll find the Nailsmith just east of the City Storerooms stag station, in City of Tears. Once there, he’ll gladly sharpen your nail—provided you bring enough Geo and, for the later upgrades, the requisite pale ore.

Tips for Geo Farming:

• Explore Royal Waterways and Deepnest for high-Geo enemies.
• Sell Wanderer’s Journals and King’s Idols to Lemm in City of Tears.
• Equip the Fragile/Unbreakable Greed Charm to increase Geo drops.

Now, let’s dive into the specifics of where to find pale ore in Ancient Basin and every other key location.

All Pale Ore Locations: Ancient Basin Guide

The Ancient Basin hosts one of the most well-hidden pale ores in Hollow Knight, tucked away behind a group of formidable enemies.

Step-by-Step: How to Find Pale Ore in Ancient Basin

1. Reach the Tram Station:
   Start at the Ancient Basin tram station. Head west, using the downward path accessible from the main bench.
2. Navigate the Mawlek Gauntlet:
   You’ll encounter a series of rooms filled with Lesser Mawleks. These aggressive creatures spit projectiles and leap at you, so keep your distance and use spells or nail attacks to take them out.
3. Ability Requirements:
   • Isma’s Tear: Optional, but makes traversing acid pools easier.
   • Mantis Claw: Necessary for wall-jumping.
   • Desolate Dive or Descending Dark: Useful for breaking floors and dodging.
4. Collect the Pale Ore:
   After defeating the Mawleks, continue west and drop into a lower chamber with the pale ore sitting on a small pedestal.

Pro Tip:
Check the map below for the exact location (image alt: ancient basin pale ore map).

Pale Ore Crystal Peak Top Location

The Crystal Peak pale ore is perhaps the most challenging to reach due to its vertical platforming and environmental hazards.

Step-by-Step: How to Find Pale Ore in Crystal Peak

1. Get the Required Abilities:
   • Mantis Claw: For wall-jumping.
   • Monarch Wings: For double jump, crucial in the upper sections.
   • Crystal Heart: To dash across long gaps.
2. Climb to the Hallownest’s Crown:
   Ascend through Crystal Peak’s upper reaches, heading towards the area known as Hallownest’s Crown.
3. Navigate the Laser Crystals:
   Use precise timing to avoid crystal lasers and falling platforms.
4. Break Through to the Summit:
   At the very top, after some tricky jumps, you’ll see the pale ore glittering on a high ledge.

Platforming Tips

• Equip the Longnail or Mark of Pride charm for extra reach on enemies.
• Take your time—one mistimed jump can send you back to the bottom.

Deepnest Nosk Pale Ore: Boss Battle and Reward

One of the most memorable all pale ore locations is in Deepnest, where you must face the terrifying Nosk. This boss is not only one of the creepiest in the game but also guards a vital pale ore.

How to Find and Defeat Nosk for Pale Ore

1. Find the Hidden Entrance:
   • Begin at the Hot Spring west of the Deepnest tram.
   • Break the wall to access a secret tunnel leading to Nosk’s lair.
2. Prepare for the Fight:
   • Recommended Abilities: Shadesoul spell for ranged attacks, Quick Focus for faster healing.
   • Prep Checklist: Stock up on soul, equip defensive charms, and ensure you’re comfortable with pogo techniques.
3. Nosk Boss Strategy:
   • Phase One: Nosk will jump, slam, and spit blobs. Dodge belly slams by moving laterally.
   • Phase Two: Watch for rapid scuttles and wall-climbing. Use upward slashes or spells to hit Nosk as it descends.
   • Pogo on Nosk’s head during wall runs to avoid ground attacks.
4. Claim Your Pale Ore:
   After the fight, a pale ore awaits in the back of Nosk’s lair.

Map Reference:
Look for the secret entrance (image alt: deepnest nosk pale ore location).

Forgotten Crossroads Grubfather Pale Ore Reward

Not all pale ore is found out in the wild—one comes as a reward from the Grubfather for your rescuing efforts in the Forgotten Crossroads.

How to Earn Pale Ore from the Grubfather

1. Rescue Grubs Across Hallownest:
   • There are 46 grubs in total, hidden in glass jars.
   • You need to free at least 31 to earn the pale ore reward.
2. Track Your Progress:
   • When you find a grub, visit the Grubfather in the northwestern part of Forgotten Crossroads. He hands out rewards for every handful you bring back.
   • The Grubfriend Mask helps you track which grubs are still missing.
3. Tips for Finding Every Grub:
   • Use the Grub Map Guide for locations.
   • Listen for their distinctive crying sound.
   • Some grubs are hidden behind breakable walls or tough platforming sections.

Image Reference:
(image alt: grubfather pale ore reward location)

Resting Grounds Seer: 300 Essence for Pale Ore

The mysterious Seer in the Resting Grounds offers a pale ore in exchange for spiritual prowess.

How to Get Pale Ore from the Seer

1. Collect 300 Essence:
   • Essence is gathered using the Dream Nail on Whispering Roots and defeating dream bosses.
   • The easiest sources:
     • Whispering Root in Forgotten Crossroads
     • Elder Hu and Xero (dream warriors)
     • Spirits found scattered throughout Hallownest
2. Return to the Seer:
   • The Seer’s tent is located at the top of the Resting Grounds.
   • After handing over 300 essence, she’ll reward you with one pale ore.
3. Bonus Tip:
   • Collecting more essence unlocks further rewards, including the powerful Awoken Dream Nail at 1,800 essence.

Image Reference:
(image alt: resting grounds seer pale ore)

Kingdom’s Edge Colosseum: Trial of the Conqueror Pale Ore

The final piece of pale ore is reserved for the brave: you’ll need to best the Colosseum of Fools in Kingdom’s Edge.

How to Win Pale Ore from the Colosseum

1. Find the Colosseum:
   • Located in the far right of Kingdom’s Edge, it’s hard to miss once you reach the snowy section.
2. Enter the Trial of the Conqueror:
   • This is the second (middle) challenge, costing 450 Geo to enter.
3. Defeat the Enemy Waves:
   • Expect a mix of flying enemies, Brooding Mawleks, and even battle arenas with spikes and hazards.
   • The Broodmothers and shielded warriors are especially tough—use spells and quick dodges.
4. Claim Your Pale Ore:
   • After the final wave, the pale ore will be awarded as a chest prize.

Image Reference:
(image alt: colosseum pale ore reward)

Collection Tips & FAQs: Mastering Pale Ore Upgrades

Checklist

Common Mistakes

• Missing Grubs: Many players overlook a grub or two, especially in Deepnest’s hidden tunnels. Double-check each area and use the Grubfriend mask.
• Not Enough Geo: Plan ahead for upgrade costs—4,000 Geo is required for the Pure Nail alone.
• Skipping Abilities: Some pale ore spots require late-game movement abilities. Don’t rush—explore thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pale ore total are in Hollow Knight?
There are six pale ore pieces in total, just enough for all three late-game nail upgrades.

What’s the best order to collect pale ore?
Most players find it easiest to collect them in this order: Ancient Basin, Crystal Peak, Deepnest, Forgotten Crossroads (Grubfather), Resting Grounds (Seer), Kingdom’s Edge (Colosseum). This order matches the natural progression of upgrades and ability unlocks.

Can you farm pale ore?
No, pale ore farming is not possible—each piece is unique and only available once per save file.

Where is the hardest pale ore to get?
Most agree that the Deepnest Nosk battle and the Crystal Peak summit are the toughest, due to platforming and boss difficulty.

More Resources:

• Hollow Knight Wiki: Pale Ore
• Grub Map Guide
• Speedrun Strategies

Discussion Prompt:
What was the hardest pale ore location for you? Comment below and share your best tips!

Key Takeaways

• All pale ore locations are required for the Pure Nail, the strongest weapon upgrade.
• Pale ore is found in six unique places: Ancient Basin, Crystal Peak, Deepnest, Forgotten Crossroads (Grubfather), Resting Grounds (Seer), and Kingdom’s Edge (Colosseum).
• Each location requires specific abilities and, sometimes, boss victories or collectible milestones.
• Upgrading your nail not only increases damage but makes late-game bosses and challenges much more manageable.
• Use checklists and guides to avoid missing hidden grubs or secrets.
• There’s no way to farm pale ore—each piece is one-of-a-kind.

Conclusion

Collecting all pale ore locations in Hollow Knight is a true mark of mastery. Each piece not only brings you closer to the legendary Pure Nail but also serves as a badge of honor for your exploration, skill, and perseverance through Hallownest’s most cunning challenges. Whether you’re a first-time explorer or a seasoned speedrunner, knowing where every pale ore lies gives you the advantage against the toughest bosses and secret trials in the game.

Don’t forget to track your progress, revisit areas with new abilities, and take pride in every hard-earned upgrade. The journey to the Pure Nail is a testament to your tenacity—and now, with this guide, every step is crystal clear. Ready your nail, brave Knight, and claim your place among Hallownest’s legends!

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