Nigh halfway through Hollow Knight, y'all're introduced to a new set of collectibles known as Essence. There are multiple sources of this new collectible in the game. Here'due south how and where you can get Essence in Hollow Knight.

What Is Essence?

Essence in Hollow Knight.

Essence is an energy you lot can brainstorm harnessing right after you collect the Dream Blast. The Seer, an NPC you'll immediately meet when you get the Dream Nail, will requite y'all various rewards when you collect certain amounts of Essence. Here are the rewards you lot'll get from the Seer and the amount of Essence needed to collect them:

Essence Rewards

  • 100 Essence – A Hallownest Seal
  • 200 Essence – Entry to the Spirits' Glade subsection
  • 300 Essence – 1 Pale Ore
  • 500 Essence – The Dream Wielder Charm
  • 600 Essence – The Attunement Accomplishment/Trophy
  • 700 Essence – One Vessel Fragment
  • 900 Essence – Unlock the Dreamgate Ability (A spell that opens a portal you tin can teleport back to for one Essence)
  • 1200 Essence – An Cabalistic Egg
  • 1500 Essence – Ane Mask Shard
  • 1800 Essence – The Awoken Dream Nail
  • 2400 Essence – The Ascension Achievement/Trophy

How To Go Essence in Hollow Knight

The Seer in Hollow Knight.

If you desire to earn every single reward from the Seer, you lot'll need to collect a total of two,400 Essence. Yet, you can really collect over 3,200 Essence if you seek out every unmarried source. Here are ways for you to get Essence.

Defeating Warrior Dreams

No Eyes from Hollow Knight.

Warrior Dreams are mini-bosses you can approach and challenge after you've collected the Dream Boom. Once defeated, a Warrior Dream boss will drop a sure corporeality of Essence. Here are every Warrior Dream bosses in the game, where to discover them, and how much Essence you can get for defeating them:

  • Elder Hu – Elder Hu is located in the Fungal Wastes, in the room just below the entrance to the Fungal Waste matter from the massive lift in the City of Tears. He'll drop 100 Essence once defeated.
  • Gorb – Gorb is in the northern office of the Howling Cliffs, just correct from the birthplace of the Stags. Gorb drops 100 Essence upon defeat.
  • Xero – This Warrior Dream boss is in the western part of the Resting Grounds, at the bottom of the chasm you can fall in from the Crystallised Mound. You'll receive 100 Essence for defeating Xero.
  • Marmu – Marmu is located in the Queen's Garden, just west of the Stag Station. Y'all'll receive 150 Essence for defeating her.
  • Galien – Galien is in Deepnest, beyond the room just below the Failed Tramway area. Defeating him will net you 200 Essence.
  • No Eyes – No Eyes is located at the edge of the Stone Sanctuary, a subsection located in the southeastern part of the Fog Coulee. You'll receive 200 Essence for defeating No Optics.
  • Markoth – Markoth is located in a room in the middle of the Kingdom's Edge. To get to Markoth's boss room, the histrion will demand to have the Shade Cloak ability to bypass a Shade Gate. Markoth drops 250 Essence upon defeat.

Defeating Dream Bosses

Grey Prince Zote in Hollow Knight.

Dream Bosses are more powerful variations of standard bosses in the game. Salve for one, they can be fought by simply using the Dream Smash on their corpses after they're defeated. Here are their locations:

  • Failed Champion – The Dream variation of the Imitation Knight. His body is located beyond a breakable wall to a higher place the boss's original boss room. Defeating him will grant yous 300 Essence.
  • White Defender – The Dream variation of the Dung Defender. His body is located in a hidden room that tin can be accessed past performing a Desolate Swoop or Descending Dark spell on a breakable floor eastward of the Dung Defender's dominate room. He drops 300 Essence when defeated.
  • Soul Tyrant – The Dream variation of the Soul Primary. His trunk remains in the aforementioned location in the Soul Sanctum. You lot'll receive 300 Essence for defeating him.
  • The Lost Kin – The Lost Kin is the Dream variation of the Cleaved Vessel. His torso is in the same place where you originally fought him. He drops 400 Essence when defeated.
  • Grayness Prince Zote – Grey Prince Zote is the Dream variation of Zote the Mighty. More than accurately, this Dream Boss is the manifestation of Bretta'southward perception of Zote. This boss tin can be accessed by using the Dream Nail on Zote'south statue, located in Bretta's basement. Before this, though, you lot'll offset need to rescue Bretta and Zote, and so defeat the latter in the Colosseum of Fools. Grey Prince Zote drops 300 Essence when defeated.

Whispering Root

A Whispering Root in Hollow Knight.

You lot can collect Essence from Whispering Roots by using the Dream Blast on them and collecting the various Essence Orbs it spawns effectually the room. There are 15 Whispering Roots in the game, each with varying Essence rewards. Here are their locations and how much Essence y'all tin earn from them.

  • Fungal Wastes – There are two Whispering Roots in the Fungal Wastes. One is located simply above the Mantis Village, which grants eighteen Essence. Some other is located in a room in between a bench and the northeastern entrance to the Fog Canyon, which grants xx Essence.
  • The Hive – At the far southeastern function of The Hive. Grants xx Essence.
  • Resting Grounds – Located just outside the room of the Seer. Grants twenty Essence.
  • Crystal Peak – Located in the broad pathway you have to go through earlier reaching the Hallownest's Crown. Grants 21 Essence.
  • City of Tears – Located below the City of Tears Stag Station. This Root rewards 28 Essence.
  • Forgotten Crossroads – This Whispering Root can be accessed past breaking a breakable roof in the room just earlier the Grubfather. This grants 29 Essence.
  • Queen'due south Gardens – Located in the room below the Queen's Gardens' eastern demote, left to where the Dearest Cardinal is. Grants 29 Essence.
  • Spirits' Glade – Located at the far finish of the Spirits' Glade. Grants 34 Essence.
  • Purple Waterways – Located at the bottom-most area of the Purple Waterways, beside the broken lift. Grants 35 Essence.
  • Bequeathed Mound – Located left of the False Knight's boss room. Grants 42 Essence.
  • Greenpath – Located in the room simply before the entrance to the Queen's Garden. Grants 44 Essence.
  • Deepnest – Located in the lower-left section of the massive room before getting to the Afar Hamlet. Grants 45 Essence.
  • Howling Cliffs – Located near the bottom of the chasm. Grants 46 Essence.
  • Kingdom'due south Border – Located beyond the chasm, on a platform only beyond the entrance from the Belfry of Love. This Whispering Root rewards 51 Essence.

Other Sources of Essence

Aside from the ones listed above, you'll likewise occasionally receive Essence from regular enemies. The chance is relatively slim, and you lot'll merely receive i Essence from these enemies, but it happens from time to time as y'all progress through the game.