Mods for Racing Rando!
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Required/Highly Recommended mods for rando racing!
(note: some required mods are not on this list but will be downloaded as dependencies for other mods that are on the list):
How do I mod Hollow Knight?
Modding Hollow Knight is really easy! Firstly, if you'd like to install debug mod, or downpatch for a speedrun, please refer to the Hollow Knight Speedrun.com Page.
First, install the Hollow Knight Modding API. Download the zip file in the releases page, and drag the contents into your Hollow Knight's /hollow_knight_Data/Managed/ folder. This information can also be found in the zip file's Readme.md.
Finally, you can either manually install mods by downloading the individual mods and placing them in the /Managed/Mods folder, or by installing Lumafly (formerly known as "Scarab+") or Scarab!
Scarab or Lumafly are Hollow Knight's dedicated Mod Installers. They include a large database of Hollow Knight mods that you can download,
and it will directly place it into your mods folder. They can be found at the links below.
List of Recommended Mods
For a comprehensive list of mods, including 200+ that aren't needed or recommended for randomizer, see this page on the HK Modding Website.
Required Mods for Rando 4
Note: If you install Randomizer 4 via Scarab or Lumafly, all dependencies will be automatically installed.
If you are not using Lumafly or Scarab, it is very important to read what each mods' dependencies are. Remember to download them along with the mod if installing them manually.
Randomizer 4 The number one mod! This is a requirement to play rando (obviously). Randomizer 4 requires the latest patch of Hollow Knight to run (1.5.7.8).
Benchwarp A mod that allows you to warp to and from any bench that you've previously rested at. A required dependency of Rando 4.
QoL A Quality of Life mod that includes many different modifications to the game that make it more fun for speedrunning. This includes bringing back inventory drops, lever skips and various other glitches, as well as instant text and menuing to make rando faster.
ItemChanger A dependency mod to allow other mods to change aspects of the world easily.
MenuChanger Another dependency mod similar to ItemChanger.
RandomizerCore Yet another dependency mod, this time for randomization of items.
Vasi Another dependency for various mods in Hollow Knight.
"Essential" Mods
These are mods that the community highly recommends, but aren't technically required.
RandoSettingsManager This mod allows you to much more easily share settings codes, along with integrating connections and extensions into randomizer settings much more easily.
RecentItemsDisplay Shows you the last few items you've received in the top right of the screen. Can be customized to show a varied amount of recent items.
RandoMapMod Gives you the ability to look at maps without buying/obtaining the item, as well as showing you what is randomized and unobtained, in the correct location. Also, if you're playing with any transition randomizer settings (such as room randomizer) and need help finding your way back to a room you've been to, you can use RandoMapMod's "transition mode" to give you a path there! (As an alternative to installing RandoMapMod, some racers use an external program called Blu's Helper, which organizes Rando 4's built in helper log and makes it easier to search).
Scatternest An add-on for ItemSync that allows you to have multiple different spawn locations, causing co-op players to not spawn in the same location. If you play co-op Itemsync a lot, this mod is for you.
BingoUI Shows you various important trackers for items that you have picked up, such as geo spent, pale ore obtained, grubs obtained, etc. Very useful if you are playing randomizer bingo.
CondensedSpoilerLogger Creates a more readable spoiler log for when you are finished with rando, or for spoiler formats.
DebugMod Allows for debug tools, such as no clip, invincibility, etc. Not allowed for rando races, but very useful for practicing skips and also speedrun practice.
HKTracker A tracker display of major items, very helpful for viewers if you plan on streaming rando.
RandoStats Shows you some stats about your run after the credits, or if you click the "view stats" button in the pause menu. These stats also show a timeline of when you picked up various major items.
AdditionalTimelines An add-on to RandoStats/FStats that shows additional timelines similar to the skill timeline.
Randomizer Connections
These are mods that add extra content, or enhance the Randomizer 4 experience. They range from just randomizing a few extra checks, or adding an entirely new layer to Hollow Knight randomizer.
RandoPlus Arguably the most popular randomizer connection. It adds multiple different things to randomize, most notably Nail Upgrades, Mr Mushroom, and allowing two items to appear at the same location.
ItemSync A mod that allows for co-op randomizer. It syncs the items that you and a partner (or more) pick up and shares the items to both of you.
MultiWorld A mod similar to ItemSync, but instead of both players using the same seed, it randomizes everyone's items into a pool, which can include other people's worlds.
RandomizableLevers Allows you to randomize levers into the item pool. Hitting a lever will give you an item rather than opening a door, and you can find lever "items" that trigger the respective door opening.
ReopenCityDoor Mod that reopens the door between the City of Tears elevator room and Fungal Wastes (above Elder Hu).
MajorItemsByAreaTracker A tracker for your rando that allows you to play the semi-spoiler format All Majors, in which you collect every major item in every area, while knowing how many are in each area. Configurable to change what is a "major item".
BenchRando Randomizes benches in various ways, such as placing them as pickups similar to how stag stations work in regular rando. (Interacts with benchwarp in that benches cannot be warped to unless they have been sat on or picked up.) Also can add extra benches.
MoreDoors Adds more unique doors and keys to the game, instead of the few that exist in vanilla. Configurable to just have the locations of the keys, and more.
More Locations Adds check locations to the game that don't have an associated item in vanilla, such as the egg in stag nest.
Extra Rando Adds some fun miscellaneous settings and check locations, including Bardoon's butt, randomized hot springs, and a no-logic randomizer setting!
Fun Mods!
Finally, some fun mods that are recommended that don't really affect rando much.
CustomKnight Allows you to have custom textures for the knight, as well as options for other sprites. And if you're looking for skins, Colette's skin list has a huge list of over 200 skins that you can use with Custom Knight!
RainbowEggs Randomizes the colors of rancid egg pickups! Purely cosmetic, but it does sync for ItemSync [citation needed].
AdditionalMaps Adds White Palace and Godhome maps if you are learning how to navigate those areas.
CompassAlwaysOn Makes the game act as if you always have the Wayward Compass charm equipped. Not legal for rando, but useful for casual races when you are learning.
GrubTrain Grubs will follow you around once you have collected them! Be sure to turn off "grub tricks" in settings, as that is not rando legal.
DeathCounter A death and hit counter to see how many times you failed. (We're still proud of you though.)
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1.0.2.8 Mods
The mods in this section are separate versions of existing mods that have been ported to be compatible with patch 1.0.2.8. This requires downpatching, but enables skips and glitches that are not possible on the current patch of the game. Do not install these mods on latest patch! They will not work. If you want to play with the mods in this section, see the downpatching guide for instructions on how to install 1.0.2.8, and use the modding API below. Note that you will have to install these mods manually through the Github links here.
1028 Modding API A version of the Modding API for patch 1.0.2.8. Required for any of the mods in this section to run.
Randomizer 4 Rando 4 for 1028!
Item Changer A dependency mod to allow other mods to change aspects of the world easily.
Randomizer Core A dependency of Randomizer 4 that assists with the randomization of items.
Menu Changer Yet another dependency of Randomizer 4.
Benchwarp Allows you to warp instantly to any bench you have rested at. A dependency of Randomizer 4.
Debug Mod Various debug options and cheats. Can be useful in case of softlocks, which are much more common on this patch of the game. Be sure to uninstall it for races unless otherwise agreed on, as it is not rando legal.
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![The Knight spinning](/images/spin.gif)