You’re staring at that health bar. Two hits and you’re back at the bench, losing all that Geo and a chunk of your pride. It happens to everyone. In Hollow Knight, health isn't just a luxury; it’s the difference between finally beating Nightmare King Grimm and throwing your controller across the room. To get those extra Ancient Masks, you need shards. Four shards equal one extra hit point. There are 16 in total, and honestly, some of them are tucked away in places that make no sense until you’ve already walked past them ten times.
The Easy Pickings: Sly and the Forgotten Crossroads
Early game is brutal. You start with five masks. That’s it. Most people naturally find their first few mask shards in the Forgotten Crossroads because, well, that's where the game starts. Go left from the well, drop down, and you’ll eventually hit a room filled with Goams—those giant, indestructible stony worms that pop out of the ground. It’s a timing puzzle. Get through it, and there’s a shard just sitting there. Simple.
Then there’s Sly. Once you rescue him from the bottom of the Crossroads and he moves back to Dirtmouth, he becomes your best friend and your worst enemy. He sells four mask shards. The first one is cheap, only 150 Geo. The price jumps to 500, then 800, and finally 1500. You can’t just buy them all at once, though. You have to find the Shopkeeper's Key in the Sanctum area of Crystal Peak to unlock his full inventory. It’s a grind. Farming Geo in the early game feels like a chore, but having that sixth mask before you hit the Mantis Lords? Totally worth it.
The Queen’s Station and Fungal Wastes
If you’ve made it to the Queen’s Station, you’ve probably seen the shard sitting on a high ledge. It’s teasing you. You can’t reach it with a normal jump. Most players come back once they have the Mantis Claw, but you can actually "pogo" off a vengefly if you're feeling spicy with your nail timing.
Deep in the Fungal Wastes, near where you encounter the Mantis tribe, there’s another shard. It’s guarded by two Shrumal Ogres. These guys are annoying. They spit blobs of orange infection and slam their heads down. Pro tip: stay close, hit once, and dash away. If you try to tank them, you'll lose. Once they’re dead, the gate opens, and you get your prize. It’s one of the few shards that feels like a genuine combat reward rather than just a platforming headache.
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Stone Sanctuary: Don’t Fear the Dark
Greenpath is beautiful, but it hides a creepy little sub-area called the Stone Sanctuary. It’s dark. Like, really dark. Unless you’ve shelled out 1800 Geo for the Lumafly Lantern from Sly, don't even bother. You'll just fall into thorns. If you have the light, navigate the platforms and you’ll find a mask shard sitting at the end of a stone structure. Watch out for the Maskfly enemies on the way out; they don't hurt you, but they sure do jump-scare you when they fly off.
The Hive and the Deepnest Trap
Deepnest is a nightmare. We all agree on this. But if you want a full health bar, you have to go in. There’s a shard hidden behind a breakable wall in a room full of Garpedes. These are those long, centipede-like creatures that run on set paths. You have to time your movements perfectly or use the Sharp Shadow charm to zip through them. It’s stressful.
Then there’s the Hive. It’s tucked away behind a breakable wall in the Kingdom’s Edge. You need to bait a giant Hive Guardian (the big round bees) into charging at a specific wall to break it. Or, just use a Great Slash if you have the nail art. The shard is sitting right there. Getting out of the Hive alive is usually harder than finding the shard itself.
Collecting for the Seer and the Grey Mourner
Some shards aren't just sitting on the ground. They are rewards for your "achievements," so to speak.
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- The Seer: Once you collect 1300 Essence using the Dream Nail, go talk to the Seer in the Resting Grounds. She’ll give you a shard. This takes time. You’ll need to hunt down Whispering Roots and defeat Dream Warriors like Xero or Gorb.
- The Grubfather: If you’ve been saving those little green guys in jars, keep at it. After you rescue 5 Grubs, the Grubfather tosses you a shard. It’s probably the easiest one to get besides the first Sly purchase.
- The Grey Mourner: This is the one everyone hates. The Delicate Flower quest. You have to take a flower from the Resting Grounds all the way to the Queen’s Gardens without taking a single hit and without using a stag station. If you fail, the flower breaks. You have to go all the way back.
Seriously, for the Grey Mourner quest, do yourself a favor: clear the path of enemies first and do not sit at a bench. Enemies only respawn when you sit. If you clear the route, then go grab the flower, you only have to worry about the environmental hazards like thorns. It’s a life-saver.
The Brooding Mawlek and Other Bosses
Back in the Forgotten Crossroads, there’s a boss called the Brooding Mawlek. You can reach him early by nail-pogoing on some spikes, but most people wait until they have the Monarch Wings (double jump). He’s a jerk. He spits acid and has a massive claw swipe. Beating him earns you a mask shard.
Another one is hidden in the Royal Waterways. You’ll need to head towards the area where the Eternal Emplitia lives. There’s a swim through some nasty water and a bit of platforming involved. It’s not a boss fight, but the environment is hostile enough that it feels like one.
Crystal Peak and the Hallownest Crown
High above the world in Crystal Peak, there’s a shard at the very top. You need the Monarch Wings and the Mantis Claw. You’ll find the Enraged Guardian (the second phase of the Crystal Guardian) sitting on a bench. If you kill him—which you should, because he’s just sitting there being annoying—you can access the room behind him for a shard.
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Actually, while you're in Crystal Peak, don't forget the shard near the "Hallownest's Crown" area. It's way up at the summit where the giant statue of the Radiance overlooks the world. It’s a long climb, and the air is thin, metaphorically speaking. The view is great, though.
Why You Should Care About These Locations
Missing even one shard means you’re stuck with less health for the final encounters. The difference between 8 and 9 masks is huge when you’re fighting the Pure Vessel or trying to clear the Pantheon of Hallownest.
If you're struggling to find that last one, check your map for unexplored gaps in the Resting Grounds or the Royal Waterways. Usually, it's the Grey Mourner quest or the 1300 Essence milestone that trips people up. Go talk to the Seer. Check Sly's shop one last time.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough:
- Check your inventory: Count how many shards you currently have. If you have three, go buy that last one from Sly immediately to trigger the health upgrade.
- Equip the Gathering Swarm charm: If you’re short on Geo for Sly’s shards, this charm ensures you don’t lose money down pits.
- Clear the path for the Delicate Flower: Go from the Queen’s Gardens back to the Resting Grounds, killing everything. Don't touch a bench. Then, grab the flower and run the route in reverse. It makes the hardest mask shard in the game a total breeze.