You’re deep in Deepnest. Your screen is dim, your heart is racing, and you’ve got exactly one mask left. You reach for your soul meter to heal, but it’s bone-dry. We’ve all been there. It’s that specific brand of Hallownest misery that makes you realize you desperately need more soul capacity. In a game as punishing as this, hollow knight all vessel fragments aren't just collectibles; they are the difference between surviving a Primal Aspid ambush and seeing that "Steel Soul" run end in tears.
Basically, for every three fragments you find, you gain a "Soul Vessel." This gives you an extra 33% of your main meter in reserve. You can have up to three extra vessels. That’s a lot of extra heals or a lot of extra Abyss Shrieks.
Finding them is a journey. It’s a messy, backtracking, "where did I put my map marker" kind of journey. Honestly, the way Team Cherry hid these things is both brilliant and deeply annoying. You won't find them in a neat line. You’ll find them behind expensive shop counters, tucked away in bug-infested basements, and guarded by some of the most frustrating platforming challenges in the game.
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The Sly tax and early game soul
First off, let’s talk about Sly. Everyone’s favorite diminutive shopkeeper is your first real hurdle. He’s got two fragments sitting right there in Dirtmouth. The first one is cheap, only 550 Geo. You can grab that almost immediately. But the second one? That requires the Shopkeeper's Key, which you find in the Crystal Peak. Once you bring that back to him, he’ll charge you 900 Geo for the next fragment. It’s a steep price when you’re still trying to upgrade your nail, but you’ve gotta do it.
Don't ignore the crossroads. Most people sprint through the Forgotten Crossroads to get to the "cooler" areas like City of Tears, but there’s a fragment right under your nose. Near the top of the Crossroads, there’s a room full of Aspids and those annoying Gruzzer flies. If you follow the path toward the elevator that leads to the City of Tears, you'll find a fragment just sitting there. It’s easy. Almost too easy.
Greenpath and the sting of the Gurnzies
Greenpath is beautiful, but the platforming can be a nightmare if you’re impatient. To get the fragment here, you need to head toward the area where you fight the Giant Moss Charger. You’ll find a hidden path that leads down toward the Queen's Station. There’s a room filled with spikes and those weird, floating Durandoos. You have to nail-bounce (pogo) across their shells to reach a small altar. If you miss the timing, you’re in for a world of hurt. It’s a great place to practice your pogo skills because, honestly, you’re going to need them for the rest of the game.
The City of Tears elevator trick
The City of Tears is huge. It’s easy to get lost in the rain and the atmosphere. To find the vessel fragment here, you need to head to the large elevator shaft that connects the City to the Crossroads. As the elevator is moving, you’ll notice a small opening in the wall about halfway up. You have to jump off the moving elevator and dash into that opening.
Inside, it’s a combat gauntlet. You’ll face several Sentinels. They aren't particularly hard if you have the dash down, but in a cramped space, things get chaotic. Clear them out, and the fragment is yours. It’s one of those spots that feels like a secret, even though it’s technically in plain sight.
The late game grind in Deepnest and the Basin
Deepnest is a place most players want to leave as quickly as possible. I get it. The skittering noises are enough to make anyone's skin crawl. But if you want the full soul meter, you have to go to the Failed Tramway. Way over on the eastern side of the Tramway, there’s a hidden room. No boss, just a lot of those creepy little Carver Hatchers that spit out smaller spiders. It’s more of a navigation challenge than a fight.
Then there’s the Ancient Basin. This one is simple but expensive. You need to pay the Fountain.
Yes, literally.
In the main hub of the Basin, there’s a giant fountain dedicated to the King. To get the fragment, you have to drop 3,000 Geo into it. It’s a lot of money. If you’ve been hoarding your Wanderer's Journals and King's Idols, now is the time to sell them to Lemm. There’s something sort of poetic about buying your way into a larger soul, but mostly it just feels like a giant gold sink.
The Stag Station secret and the Seer
If you’ve been diligent about opening Stag Stations, you’ll eventually unlock the Stag Nest. This is the final destination for the Last Stag, and it’s a melancholy place. Among the broken eggshells and the memories of a dead race, you’ll find a vessel fragment sitting on the ground. It’s a reward for your exploration and for spending all that Geo on travel.
Finally, we have the Seer. This is the "completionist" fragment. You need to collect 700 Essence. You get Essence by defeating Dream Warriors (like Gorb or Xero) and by hitting those whispering roots. Once you hit 700, go back to the Resting Grounds and talk to the Seer. She’ll hand it over. It’s a bit of a grind, especially if you aren't a fan of the Dream Boss fights, but by this point in the game, you should have enough upgrades to make these fights manageable.
Why people struggle with the last fragment
Usually, the one people miss isn't the one in the shop or the one in the Basin. It’s the Greenpath pogo challenge. Most players try to dash across and fall into the acid or the thorns. The trick is to be patient. Wait for the Durandoo to be at the highest point of its float, jump, down-slash, and then use your wings or dash to reach the ledge.
Also, a lot of players forget about the fountain in the Basin. Because it’s a "dead" area with not much else going on, people often run past it toward the Abyss without realizing they could have finished a vessel right there.
Actionable insights for your Hallownest run
If you're looking to maximize your efficiency while hunting down these pieces, keep these points in mind:
- Prioritize Sly early. Get that 550 Geo fragment as soon as you finish the False Knight. That extra 33% soul makes the early Hornet fight much more forgiving.
- The Fragile Greed charm is your friend. Since two of the fragments require a total of 4,450 Geo (Sly's shop and the Basin Fountain), you need to farm. Equipping Fragile Greed while exploring the fungal wastes is the fastest way to bank that cash without feeling the burn.
- Don't forget the Shopkeeper's Key. It’s located in a room in the Crystal Peak, guarded by a few Crystal Crawlers. Without it, you can't buy the second fragment from Sly, no matter how much money you have.
- Combine your hunt with Dream Bosses. Since you need 700 Essence for the Seer's fragment, try to take down Elder Hu or the Lost Kin while you're in the neighborhood of other fragments. It saves you the backtracking later.
Once you have all nine fragments, your soul capacity is capped. You’ll notice the little glass circles next to your main meter. When they’re white, you’re full. When they’re grey, you’ve got work to do. Having that extra soul allows you to stay in the fight longer, especially during the grueling late-game bosses like Nightmare King Grimm or the Pure Vessel. You can afford to miss a heal or take a hit because you have the reserves to recover instantly.