A friendly, inquisitive traveler who is drawn back to the ruins of Hallownest with a severe case of amnesia. He carries a curved nail that he fastens to his back.

A self-important, arrogant, and highly delusional traveler who fancies himself a legendary knight. He constantly boasts about his "strength" and his fifty-seven precepts, despite being utterly helpless and requiring rescue multiple times. A weapon named Lifebreaker he carved himself out of shellwood. Because shellwood is soft and blunt, the weapon deals exactly zero damage to enemies.

The fierce protector of Hallownest's ruins and the daughter of the Pale King and Herrah the Beast. She wields a massive, elongated needle that she can throw like a javelin and pull back using a thin, razor-sharp silk thread to slice through multiple targets.

A wandering, cowl-wearing warrior from a land outside Hallownest. She is physically imposing but initially struggles with fear, traveling the kingdom in search of a worthy battle to prove her courage. She carries a giant, heavy club carved out of a large tooth or bone, which she swings with immense physical strength to crush her enemies.

The enigmatic, theatrical leader of the traveling Grimm Troupe. He feeds on the nightmares of fallen kingdoms to sustain an ancient entity known as the Nightmare Heart, conducting a ritual dance of combat. He does not use a traditional blade. Instead, he uses his cloak to summon blazing scarlet bats, pillars of flame, and sharp spikes that burst from the floor.

A silent, genderless knight. A Vessel born from the Void, chosen to enter the ruined kingdom of Hallownest to either contain or destroy the source of the infection. They fight with an oversized nail, and they also wield powerful Void and Soul spells alongside their blade.

The ever-optimistic mapmaker of Hallownest. He is often found in dangerous, newly discovered areas of the kingdom, humming a cheerful tune to himself while he diligently scribbles down the layout of the environment. Cornifer is a non-combatant. His only "tools" are his quill, ink, and map paper.

An arrogant and impatient warrior who enters the ruins specifically to participate in the Colosseum of Fools. He is obsessed with glory, viewing everyone else as beneath his skill level. Tiso doesn’t carry a sword or nail; instead, he fights using his large, circular, serrated shields, which he hurls at enemies with deadly precision.

Mister Mushroom (also known as the Herald) is an enigmatic all-knowing sentient mushroom who travels across seven hidden locations to herald the passing of an age. Individuals must equip the Spore Shroom charm to understand his cryptic dialogue and complete his secret quest.

The chosen Vessel raised and trained by the Pale King to seal the Radiance. Though intended to be completely hollow, a tragic "idea instilled"—a bond of affection with its father—tarnished its purity, allowing the infection to leak through and slowly drive it mad inside the Black Egg. ​The Pure Vessel fights with incredible precision, using a massive nail for sweeping strikes and parries. It can also teleport, summon pillars of light, and explode into erratic bursts of orange, infected fluid.