---
key: mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17
type: mechanic
id: metroidvania--family-group-17
lang: en
title: Permanent progression and character builds
summary: >-
Found upgrades expand the character’s abilities. Limits on simultaneous use
encourage a set tailored to a chosen play style.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17/'
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17.md
aliases:
- Progression and character builds
tags:
- Metroidvanias
- Systems
sourceIds:
- source-1696c3167e4356ed
sources:
- id: source-1696c3167e4356ed
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: metroidvania
id: family-group-17
title: Metroidvanias
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/metroidvania/#family-group-17'
categoryIds:
- section-4
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
title: Progression and character builds
description: >-
Found upgrades expand the character’s abilities. Limits on simultaneous
use encourage a set tailored to a chosen play style.
image:
src: images/mechanics/hollow-knight-charms.webp
width: 1440
height: 810
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
originalUrl: >-
https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/367520/ss_33a645903d6dd9beec39f272a3daf57174a6cc26.1920x1080.jpg?t=1776125684
credit: Team Cherry
rights: © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
caption: A charm set is limited by notches
alt: >-
Hollow Knight: equipped charms and used notches appear above the
collection, with the selected charm’s cost on the right.
markers:
- x: 22
'y': 28
label: The equipped set determines current abilities
- x: 79
'y': 28
label: Each charm has a notch cost
tips:
- Show build limits alongside upgrade effects.
- Allow players to change their set before a new kind of challenge.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/metroidvania
---
# Permanent progression and character builds
id: metroidvania--family-group-17
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17/
Found upgrades expand the character’s abilities. Limits on simultaneous use encourage a set tailored to a chosen play style.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) · © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
1. The equipped set determines current abilities
2. Each charm has a notch cost
- Show build limits alongside upgrade effects.
- Allow players to change their set before a new kind of challenge.
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/)
## How it works
Constant improvements and build choices change the hero's capabilities and the cost of compromises.
## Variants
### Variants and applications
- A new ability as an expansion of actions. Rule: Permanent upgrade adds an action that changes exploration and combat.
- Strengthened version of the ability. Rule: Improvement changes the distance, number of uses or type of obstacle overcome.
- Fragments of continuous improvement. Rule: Several finds are collected into an increase in health, energy or capacity.
- Experience and levels. Rule: Repeated actions increase characteristics on a numerical scale.
- Distribution of characteristics. Rule: The player allocates development points to the selected hero properties.
- Skill tree. Rule: Sequence of purchases or finds unlocks related upgrades.
- Weapons, armor and accessories. Rule: Equipment changes the characteristics and available techniques.
- Amulets, runes and fragments. Rule: Interchangeable modifiers change ability rules and build behavior.
- Limit slots or build costs. Rule: You cannot use all the advantages found at the same time.
- Synergies and trade-offs. Rule: Combinations of improvements create a special effect or enhance a property at the cost of another.
- Development from use. Rule: Frequent use of an action enhances that particular action or related skill.
- Reconfiguration and development reset. Rule: The player changes the selected improvements with the given restrictions.
- Temporary loss and return of abilities. Rule: A story or challenge temporarily reduces the range of actions and changes the available solutions.
## Context and limits
The author's working taxonomy of mechanics, access rules, structural patterns and support systems. This is not an industry standard or a statement that every item is required or present in every game. Hybrids and support are highlighted separately. Any finite list is limited by the level of detail; combinations and new options remain open.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) (id: source-1696c3167e4356ed)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors