Two community testers independently measured nail DPS for every crest in Hollow Knight: Silksong and arrived at the same ranking. Their numbers give a clear read on which crests hit hardest in straight nail combat, and why some crest perks are trickier to use than they look.
Visic on YouTube and D4CLoveTrainn on Reddit each ran tests using the ShowDamage HealthBar mod on Nexus Mods, which reveals enemy health bars and the hidden numeric health values. Both testers focused on raw nail damage, so the results do not account for tool or spell combos, platforming utility, charged attacks, or personal playstyle.
Visic reports flat damage values at max nail upgrades, while D4CLoveTrainn lists a percentage difference versus the base Hunter crest. Their results match closely. Here are the DPS numbers they published:
- Beast with temporary buff: 78.9 / +55%
- Hunter (with max no-hit bonus): 69.4 / +36%
- Wanderer: 68.3 / +34%
- Beast (no buff): 52.4 / +0%
- Hunter (no bonus): 50.9 / +0%
- Architect: 50.2 / +0%
- Witch: 45.7 / -10%
- Reaper: 41.6 / -18%
- Shaman: 41.5 / -18%
Architect earned praise for its charge attack, which lands multiple hits and delivers strong burst damage. That attack can offset the Architect’s middle-of-the-road sustained DPS, especially when combined with Silksong tools instead of pure nail spam.
Beast and Hunter sit high on the list, but they come with conditions. Beast’s top number depends on a five-second buff triggered by healing, so it rewards deliberate play around that timing. Hunter’s peak requires a 12-hit no-hit streak to reach the full bonus, though a smaller bonus exists for six consecutive hits, which still demands precision and patience.
Wanderer stands out as the most consistent DPS choice for regular play. It pairs fast, satisfying nail attacks with a straightforward down air move that feels familiar to Hollow Knight players. That combination makes Wanderer a reliable option when consistency matters more than narrow burst windows.
Even the lower DPS crests have uses. Reaper offers longer range and a safer approach in certain fights. Shaman specializes around spellcasting, and Witch provides an offensive heal and a solid charge attack. D4CLoveTrainn also points out possible speedrun potential for Hunter and Beast in skilled hands.
Both testers go beyond bare DPS. Visic breaks down damage per hit for different moves, while D4CLoveTrainn shows how each nail upgrade level affects the numbers and adds a subjective feel rating for every crest. The full breakdowns are worth checking for players who want to pair crest choice with particular tools or routes during a run.
Watch Visic’s video here:
Read the Reddit breakdown here: ALL crests ranked and explained in detail. The ShowDamage mod used in testing is available on Nexus Mods at https://www.nexusmods.com/hollowknightsilksong/mods/28.
Have thoughts about which crest feels best and why? Share them in the comments and drop a note on both X and Bluesky.
