Hollow Knight Mask Shard Locations Map: What Most People Get Wrong

Honestly, walking into Hallownest for the first time is a recipe for getting your teeth kicked in. You’ve got five masks. That’s it. One mistake against a Great Husk Sentry or a poorly timed jump into some spikes in Crystal Peak, and you’re back at the bench. It’s brutal. This is why everyone obsessively hunts for a hollow knight mask shard locations map, because having that extra buffer of health isn't just a "nice to have"—it’s survival.

But here is the thing: most maps you find online are just a mess of icons that don't tell you when you can actually get the goods. You see a dot in Deepnest and think, "Sweet, I'll go grab that," only to realize you need the Monarch Wings, which are halfway across the kingdom behind a boss that’ll make you want to throw your controller. There are 16 shards in total. Four shards make a full mask. Do the math, and that’s four extra hits you can take.

Let's break down where these things actually are, without the fluff.

The Dirtmouth Connection: Sly and the Art of Overcharging

Most players get their first few shards from Sly. He’s that little bug you find shivering in a hut in the southeastern corner of the Forgotten Crossroads. Once you wake him up, he moves to Dirtmouth and opens a shop.

Sly is basically the capitalistic heart of Hallownest. He has four shards.

• Shard 1: 150 Geo. Cheap. Buy it immediately.
• Shard 2: 500 Geo. Still doable.
• Shard 3: 800 Geo. But wait! You need the Shopkeeper’s Key first. You’ll find that key in a room in Crystal Peak.
• Shard 4: 1,500 Geo. This is the big one. Same key requirement.

Don’t sleep on Bretta, either. She’s trapped in the Fungal Wastes, near the Mantis Village. If you rescue her, she heads back to Dirtmouth. Visit her house (the one with the fancy curtains) and there’s a shard just sitting there. No boss fight, no drama—just a "thank you for not letting me die" gift.

Forgotten Crossroads: The Low-Hanging Fruit

Since you spend so much time here early on, you’d think these would be easy. Some are. Some... not so much.

💡 You might also like: How Many Clicks Per Second Can Humans Actually Hit?

There’s a shard held by the Grubfather. If you’ve been saving those little green guys in jars, go talk to him. Once you hit 5 Grubs, he tosses a shard at you. It’s one of the easiest ones to get in the early game.

Then there’s the Brooding Mawlek. This boss is tucked away in the western part of the Crossroads. You can technically reach him early with some tricky "pogoing" (down-slashing) off some spikes, but most people wait until they have the Mantis Claw. Beat him, get a shard. Simple.

There’s also a shard in the southern part of the Crossroads, guarded by Goams. You know, those giant invincible worms that burst out of the walls? You need the Mantis Claw or the Monarch Wings to navigate the vertical shaft there. It’s more of a platforming challenge than a fight.

The Mid-Game Hunt: From Greenpath to The Hive

As the map opens up, the hollow knight mask shard locations map starts looking like a chaotic scavenger hunt.

Stone Sanctuary (Greenpath)

Deep in the southeast of Greenpath, there’s a dark area called the Stone Sanctuary. Warning: Do not go in here without the Lumafly Lantern unless you enjoy dying in the dark. There isn't even a boss, just some platforming and a few ghosts, but the shard is sitting right at the end.

📖 Related: Getting Through Seles and Beyond: A Legend of the Dragoon Walkthrough for the Modern Player

Queen’s Station

This one is a "blink and you'll miss it" moment. To the right of the actual station (the part with the stag), there’s a small section of the Fungal Wastes. You’ll need the Mantis Claw to climb up into a hidden pocket where the shard is tucked away.

Royal Waterways

I hate this place. Everyone hates this place. The sounds? Disgusting. But if you head to the far northwest of the Waterways, there’s a swim-heavy path. If you keep pushing left through the pipes and the "Hwurmps," you’ll find a shard.

The Hive

This one is actually kind of clever. In the northeast of The Hive, you’ll see a shard behind a wall you can’t break. The trick? You have to bait a Hive Guardian (those big, round, bouncing bees) into slamming into the wall for you. It’s a bit of a dance, but it works.

The Late-Game "Are You Kidding Me?" Shards

If you’re looking for the final pieces to max out your health at 9 masks, you’re going to have to work for it.

1. Enraged Guardian: In Crystal Peak, after you beat the Crystal Guardian the first time, he jumps up to a second floor. You need the Monarch Wings to get up there. Beat his "Enraged" version—which deals two masks of damage per hit—and the shard is yours.
2. The Seer: You need 1,500 Essence. This means hunting down Whispering Roots and smashing Dream Warriors. Once you hit the number, the old moth in the Resting Grounds gives you a shard.
3. Deepnest (via Fungal Core): This is the one that confuses people. You’ll see a shard on your map in Deepnest, but you can’t get to it from the Deepnest side. You actually have to go to the Fungal Wastes, above the Mantis Village, use the Monarch Wings to reach the Fungal Core, and then drop down into Deepnest from above.

The Delicate Flower Quest

We have to talk about the Grey Mourner. This is widely considered the most annoying quest in the game. She gives you a flower and asks you to take it to a grave in the Queen’s Gardens.

👉 See also: Oblivion Remastered Frostcrag Spire: Why This Glitchy Tower Still Matters

• The Catch: If you take damage, the flower breaks.
• The Other Catch: If you use a Stag Station, the flower breaks.
• The Pro Tip: Set a Dream Gate at the Grey Mourner’s house. Then, walk the path from her house to the grave and kill every single enemy along the way. Do not sit on a bench. Enemies in Hollow Knight only respawn when you bench. Once the path is clear, go back, get the flower, and walk through the empty rooms.

Moving Forward: Your Action Plan

Don't try to get them all at once. It’ll burn you out.

Start by rescuing Sly and Bretta. That’s five shards right there, which is already one extra mask. Then, focus on the Grubs. You’re going to be exploring anyway, so you might as well pop every jar you see. By the time you hit the mid-game boss rush (looking at you, Soul Master), having 7 or 8 masks makes the difference between a fun challenge and a total "I'm quitting this game" meltdown.

If you’re stuck at 15 shards and can’t find the last one, check the vertical room in the Crossroads with the Goams. It’s the one everyone forgets because it’s so "early game" that you stop looking there once you get the fancy abilities.

Go get those shards. Hallownest isn't getting any friendlier.

Actionable Next Steps:

1. Check your Geo: If you have 150-500 Geo, go to Sly in Dirtmouth immediately for the easiest health boost.
2. Clear the Crossroads: Visit the Grubfather and the Brooding Mawlek to secure your second extra mask before heading into the tougher areas like Crystal Peak.
3. Prepare for the Flower: If you're going for the Grey Mourner shard, make sure you have the Dream Gate ability unlocked first to save yourself hours of backtracking.