Lifeblood

Template:Infobox gameLifeblood is an update to Hollow Knight which was officially released on the 20 April, 2018, after a period in public beta. As it was not one of the three originally planned DLC updates, it did not release with a teaser. The update focused mainly on enhancing technical aspects of the game, bringing upgrades and optimizations of various kinds.

Content added

Bosses

• Hive Knight

Mapping Tools

• Map Markers

Main menu

• Players became able to change the background of the title screen (Extras section)
• The menu styles include:

1. Classic (Unlocked from start)
2. Hidden Dreams (Hidden Dreams update)
3. Grimm Troupe (The Grimm Troupe update)
4. Lifeblood (Lifeblood update)
5. Infected (Unlocked by beating The Hollow Knight)
6. Void (Unlocked by beating The Radiance)
7. Steel Soul (Unlocked by completing Steel Soul Mode, any ending)

• A changelog was added, which includes information about every major version of the game (Extras section)
• Blur quality can be changed through the Video menu

Visual Changes

• The Hive area gained a complete visual redesign
• Improved colour pallet for many areas
• The Zote Statue implemented in the Hidden Dreams update now only has four candles, but will still turn gold after ten defeats
• Lighting is more bright and livid, with a more blueish hue
• Small foreground spiders may appear and scuttle away from the player's feet when exploring Deepnest
• Animation for traveling the stagways is longer and now able to be skipped
• Mid ground and background perspective movement is a lot smoother and clearer
• Using Crystal Heart Dash now gives off a flash of purple light (the animation may also be quicker)
• Tram pass slots now have a glowing yellow light
• Calling and riding the tram now has a rippling effect overlay
• Sections of Ancient Basin and Kingdom's Edge are noticeably more blue toned
• Many objects and environments have sharper and more contrasting shadows
• New room transitions have been implemented
• The lights of the houses in Dirtmouth are more vivid and noticeable
• Forgotten Crossroads loses saturation and is more gray scale once it turns into the Infected Crossroads
• The Knight now has a new burst animation when taking damage
• Damage taken from coming in contact with spikes triggers a unique burst animation
• Damage taken that deals multiple masks now triggers a new burst animation
  • This animation can be seen when The Knight is killed
  • Dying in Steel Soul Mode has a unique animation
• Entrance to the False Knight boss fight now has a furnished gateway
• Decorative mushrooms in the foreground of Fungal Wastes now react to the player walking over them and let out a puff of spores
• Smacking and breaking many decorative pieces will now cause a ripple effect overlay
• The arena for the Lost Kin loses saturation and is more gray scale
• There are now gifs for the loading screen
• Areas in the City of Tears now use a purple hue and tint
• New icon for getting an achievement
• "Infected" blood physics and sprites have been modified

Enemy Changes

• Hivelings are now grouped in much larger bunches and have more Hp
• Traitor Lord gained two new attacks, now deals two masks of damage and is a lot faster
• The Hollow Knight's diving flame pillar attack now does two masks of damage
• The Collector can now be staggered
• Nightmare King Grimm is now only accessible while wearing the Grimmchild charm
• Soul Master's size has been decreased considerably
• Many enemies and bosses have had tweaks to their colours making them more vibrant against the environment
• Soul Tyrant can no longer be staggered
• Hive Guardians do two masks of damage
• Volatile Mosskin explode faster upon death
• Desolate Diving onto Flukemarm no longer functions
• Husk Hive is larger, can spawn Hivelings on the move instead of stopping, and is faster
• False Knight's stagger animation is faster
• Fungified Husk's spore cloud is significantly bigger
• Traitor Lord has a visual cloud of infection surrounding him
• The bodies of the Watcher Knights have been rearranged
• Belflys will leave their skull behind after death, if they are on screen when they suicide it will still count towards the Hunter's Journal

NPC Changes

• The Dung Defender now has extra dialogue after the player beats the White Defender five times
• Divine now has extra Dialogue when the player talks to her while wearing the Defender's Crest (added for a misconception)
• If the player encounters the new dialogue from the Dung Defender and then re-enters his home, a dung statue of the Knight can be found next to the others.
• Dreamer sequence after first Hornet fight has new animations
• New Dialogue from Hive Queen Vespa once the Hive Knight has been defeated
• Bretta's previously added dialogue now coincides with the amount of candles lit on the Zote statue, she will also run away after four defeats of Grey Prince Zote

Charm Changes

• Flukenest's damage has been nerfed and now costs 3 notches
• Weaversong's Weaverlings do more damage (up from 2 to 3) with a new attack animation and can stagger bosses
• Weaversong and Sprintmaster have a new interaction which causes the Weaverlings to move faster, wander a bit farther from the player and jump higher
• Weaversong and Grubsong now have a new interaction which causes damaged Weaverlings to give the player soul
• Joni's Blessing now only grants 50% more HP (down from 50% + 1).
• Fury of the Fallen's activated effects has a new design and instead of a red circle highlighting the player, the player now emits a red smoke
• New animation for when Grimmchild attacks Millibelle

Audio Changes

(note: taken from the /r/HollowKnight subreddit, editing is needed, credit due here: https://www.reddit.com/r/HollowKnight/comments/86tqh5/spoilers_compilation_of_changes_with_lifeblood/)

• Fungoons have a new attack sound
• Bluggsacs have a new disgusting sound when you're nearby
• Fool Eater have a new attack sound
• Mosscreeps have a new spawn sound and you should feel ashamed if you hurt them
• Siblings have a new sound when they spawn 
• Crystallized Husks have a new attack sound 
• Wingmould has a new sound when you hit them 
• Shrumal Warriors have a new death sound
• Shrumal Ogres have a new death sound
• Shrumelings have a new adorable sound for when they pop up and run away
• Volatile Mosskin have new attack and death sound
• Mosskin have a new attack and death sound
• Moss Knights have new attack and death sound
• Gulkas have a new death sound
• Mistakes have a new death sound
• Sporgs have a new sound when they pop out to attack 
• Glimbacks have a new and louder scuttling sound whilst patrolling
• New audio for locked arena/waved-styled fights
• New sound for when you place a Dream gate in an invalid location
• Dreamshield makes a 'tink' noise when it passes over a piece of geo
• Dung Defender and White Defender now audibly pounds his chest when he transitions
• Sound for when spikes unsheath in the beginning of the fight with Mantis Lords has been changed
• New OST for arena/wave-styled fights in City of Tears
• New sound for breaking mushroom flora in Fungal Wastes
• New sound for breakable pipes and such in Royal Waterways
• Bretta is now audibly scared when you first find her

Misc. Changes

• Inventory dropping (speedrun strategy) has now been removed