Should I Kill The Nailsmith?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You are playing a speedrun or a challenge run where every extra upgrade counts and you have no intention of returning to Dirtmouth for vendor services. Killing the Nailsmith provides a free Nail upgrade and a small amount of Geo, which can shave seconds off early combat.
• Good fit: You have already exhausted all the vendor’s inventory and have no further need for the items he sells, such as the Nail upgrade or the occasional charm fragment. In this case, removing him does not impact future progression.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You enjoy the game’s economy and plan to buy or upgrade equipment later. The Nailsmith is the sole source of the Nail upgrade after a certain point, so killing him will force you to seek alternative (often harder) methods.
• Warning sign: You are playing a casual or story‑focused run where preserving NPCs adds to immersion. The Nailsmith also provides lore dialogue and occasional hints; losing him may diminish the narrative experience.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Immediate reward: Killing the Nailsmith grants a free Nail upgrade and a modest Geo payout, giving a tangible power boost without spending resources.
• Simplifies inventory: If you have no use for the vendor’s future stock, removing him reduces potential clutter and decision fatigue in later visits.

Cons

• Loss of vendor services: After his death, you cannot purchase the Nail upgrade, charms, or other items he sells, which may force you to rely on harder‑to‑obtain alternatives.
• Potential impact on achievements: Certain completionist achievements require interacting with all NPCs. Killing the Nailsmith may block those goals.

Decision Checklist

• Do I need the Nail upgrade right now, and do I have another reliable way to obtain it later?
• Am I planning a run that values speed or resource efficiency over long‑term vendor access?
• Will killing the Nailsmith prevent me from achieving any personal or game‑wide goals, such as 100% completion?

Alternatives to Consider

Instead of killing the Nailsmith, you can simply leave him alive and purchase the Nail upgrade when you are ready, preserving his future services. If you need an early upgrade, you can also find the Nail upgrade through hidden areas or by defeating other enemies that drop the same item, though these routes may be more time‑consuming. For players focused on speedruns, some community‑approved routes skip his upgrade entirely and rely on skillful combat.

Final Recommendation

For most players, keeping the Nailsmith alive provides the best balance of flexibility and long‑term benefit, especially if you aim for full completion or enjoy the game’s economy. However, if you are in a speedrun or a self‑imposed challenge where immediate power spikes outweigh future vendor access, killing him can be a rational choice. Assess your play style, goals, and whether you have alternative upgrade paths before making the decision, and remember that the choice is reversible only by reloading a previous save.