A Beginner's Guide to Acid Skips

Do you want to be able to complete Hollow Knight faster than you could before? Here is a guide to one of the more notable speedrunning strategies: the acid skip. I just completed one for the first time tonight, and would like to offer a few tips and tricks for other people who are just starting to attempt it :)

Introduction

Greetings, fellow Hollow Knight enthusiasts!

Do you want to beat the game without getting Isma's Tear? Perhaps you are going for the 10-hour or 5-hour achievements, or simply trying to complete the game as fast as you can, and do not have time to collect another item. Or maybe you just really hate the Dung Defender fight for some reason. Either way, the acid skip is a move that allows you to use your crystal dash, or c-dash, to access areas previously made inaccessible by acid without using Isma's Tear.

How To Acid Skip

The first step to completing an acid skip is collecting the Crystal Heart from the Crystal Peaks. This will allow you to c-dash.

Next, you should locate the pool of acid you need to traverse. Acid skips will not work for every pool of acid, because you need to have a sufficient ledge on both sides to grab onto. I have completed the acid skip connecting the Forgotten Crossroads to Fog Canyon, but perhaps the most famous one is that which connects Fog Canyon to the Queen's Gardens. There are a few other places throughout the game where acid skips may come in handy, but these two are the most important for quick completion.

Upon reaching your pool of acid, slide onto the ledge between your platform and the acid. Next, hold down your c-dash and then release to speed over the acid to the other side of the pool. Once you run into the other ledge, jump up onto the platform. Huzzah! You've done it!

Tips and Tricks

As previously stated, I just completed my first acid skip tonight, between the Forgotten Crossroads and Fog Canyon. Here are some pieces of advice and things I found helpful to keep in mind when attempting this strategy:

1. Let everything happen in sequence. It is very tempting to try to execute each step as fast as possible, because the ledge between safety and acidic death is very small. However, if you go too quickly, you might press the button for your c-dash before you actually grab the wall. (I did this several times.) Likewise, trying to jump before hitting the wall on the other side will just stop your s-dash and drop you into the acid. (I also did this a couple times.)

Relax. You can do this. Take it one step at a time.

2. You will probably need to try a few times (or more) before you get it right. Collect lots of soul so that you have plenty of chances to heal after you fall in the acid pool. Equipping charms like Grubsong and Deep Focus can help you maximize the number of attempts you can fit before you die. You should also sit at the nearest bench before starting your attempts, so that if you do die, you can navigate back quickly. The hot spring bench in the Forgotten Crossroads is the best bench to use if you are trying to skip between the Forgotten Crossroads and Fog Canyon.

3. Related to the previous tip: Practice makes perfect! You might die a few times before you complete an acid skip: That is okay! Do not lose hope! You can do this! I believe in you!

Have Fun!

I hope you found this guide helpful for beginning to approach acid skips in your Hollow Knight adventures.

Thank you for reading! Good luck on your journey! I hope you have a splendid time! :)