Hollow Knight: All 16 Mask Shard Locations Guide

In Hollow Knight, surviving in Hallownest depends on how many life masks you have. You start with 5 base masks, but you can increase your maximum health by collecting Mask Shards.

For every 4 shards you find, you will get 1 extra life mask. There is a total of 16 shards in the game (equivalent to 4 additional masks). Here is the exact location of each one.

1. Shops and NPCs in Dirtmouth

In the starting town, you can get a total of 5 shards.

• Sly's Shop (4 Shards):

• The merchant Sly sells 4 shards.
• Note: At first you will only see 2. To unlock the other 2, you must give him the Shopkeeper's Key (found in Crystal Peak).

• Bretta's House (1 Shard):

• You must rescue Bretta in the Fungal Wastes (near the Mantis Village).
• Once rescued, return to Dirtmouth, enter her house, and you will find the shard.

2. Rewards for Collectibles and Quests

These shards require completing specific tasks or collecting items.

• Grubfather:

• Rescue 5 Grubs and return to the Grubfather in Forgotten Crossroads. He will throw you a shard as a reward.

• The Seer:

• In Resting Grounds, the Seer will give you a shard upon collecting 1500 Essence with the Dream Nail.

• Delicate Flower (Grey Mourner):

• Location: Resting Grounds (bottom right area).
• Quest: The Grey Mourner will ask you to carry an intact flower to the grave in Queen's Gardens without taking damage or using the Stag Station. It is one of the hardest shards to get.

3. Defeating Bosses

Three bosses guard mask shards. Sometimes they drop it upon death or unlock the path to it.

• Brooding Mawlek:

• Location: Forgotten Crossroads (west zone). Requires jumping over a spike wall or using the claws. Upon defeating it, you get the shard.

• No Eyes:

• Location: Stone Sanctuary in Greenpath.
• Requirement: It is a Dream Warrior. You need the Lumafly Lantern to see in the darkness of its arena.

• Enraged Guardian:

• Location: Crystal Peak (in the bench room).
• The Trick: You must defeat it twice. After beating it the first time at the bench, it will jump to the floor above. Go up (using Monarch Wings), defeat it in its "enraged" form, and you will get the shard.

4. Hidden Shards (Exploration)

The last 5 shards are scattered across the map and require mobility skills (Mantis Claw, Monarch Wings, or Mothwing Cloak).

• Forgotten Crossroads (Goams):

• In a room full of giant worms coming out of the ground and walls (Goams). You must dodge them by heading up and to the right to find the reward.

Queen's Station:

• In the right part of the station. You need the Mantis Claw and a good jump with dash to reach it, as it is full of thorns.

Deepnest:

• Access: You must enter from the upper room of Fungal Wastes (near the Mantis Lords: up and left).
• Drop down into Deepnest from there and you will find the shard on the path, hard to miss.

Royal Waterways:

• Get into the water and swim to the far left.

• You will find a seemingly dead-end path, but there is a false wall underwater. Break it or walk through it to find the secret shard.

The Hive:

• The Puzzle: You will find a shard blocked by a wall that your nail cannot break.
• Solution: You must make a Hive Guardian (the giant fat bees that bounce) hit the wall. Its impact will destroy the wall and you can collect the last shard.

Do you have your 9 life masks yet?