Beginner's Guide — Tips & Where to Go First

Mina the Hollower drops you onto Tenebrous Isle with a whip, a slow heal, and almost no hand-holding. It’s a top-down Zelda-like with FromSoft consequences: die holding too many Bones and you can lose them all. The good news is that the early hours are very learnable once you know the handful of systems the game doesn’t explain well. Here’s what every new player should do first.

1. Clear Queensbury Crypt first

Your main quest is to restore six failing Spark Generators, each guarded by a boss, and the game lets you tackle the first four in whatever order you like. Don’t agonize over it — head to Queensbury Crypt (the northeast generator). It’s the recommended starting dungeon: it eases you into combat, and its side quest with the Duke hands you the single best early trinket in the game (more on that below).

To reach it, leave Ossex through the eastern exit into Eastern Heath, push north through Mourner’s Mile, and you’ll arrive at the Crypt. The six lightbulbs around the fountain in the center of Ossex roughly point toward each dungeon if you get turned around.

2. Spend your first Bones on Sparks

Bones are your currency and your XP. You spend them to buy gear and to “Bone Up” (level up) at an Underlab, choosing a category each time. Resist the urge to pour everything into Attack and Defense — those stats cap at level 10 and matter less than you’d think.

Prioritize Sparks instead. Here’s why they’re the best early investment:

• Each Spark is an extra “life” before you start losing your Bones on death.
• A minimum Spark count is required to open Spark doors, which gate progress and secrets.
• You start with one Spark; four Spark Containers plus the Spark Catcher trinket bring you to five total.

After Sparks, the most valuable purchases are permanent upgrades — max health (Health Rose), Plasma capacity (Vial Pouch), and extra Trinket slots — not raw stats.

3. Hollowing is everything

Mina has no roll and no block to start. Her universal answer to danger is Hollowing: hold the action button and she burrows underground, where she’s briefly invincible. Use it to:

• Dodge boss attack patterns by ducking under them.
• Cross wide bottomless pits.
• Slip beneath enemies and physical obstacles.
• Walk on water — trigger the burrow just before your feet hit the surface.
• Travel faster across explored screens.

Treat Hollowing as your dodge button and practice it on Thorne, the first boss, who flees around the arena and telegraphs his trident strikes, bomb trails, and tornado bursts.

4. Don’t panic-heal

Plasma Vials are Mina’s version of an Estus Flask, but with a catch. A Vial only restores the yellow recoverable bar that appears over your lost health — and you only grow that yellow bar by landing hits and grabbing flower pickups. Heal with an empty yellow bar and you’ll barely recover anything.

The heal also takes up to three seconds and roots you in place. So:

• Build the yellow bar by attacking, then heal.
• Only heal after you’ve made space — never mid-combo or while a boss is winding up.
• The early Plasma Funnel trinket lets you drink twice as fast and stops you losing Vials when hit.

5. Grab the Proto Spark and Primed Vial Pouch early

Two early pickups outweigh almost any stat point:

• Proto Spark — gives you one free revive with most of your health, and recharges every time you touch a checkpoint. You get it by helping the Duke during the Queensbury Crypt quest. This is widely considered the best trinket in the game.
• Primed Vial Pouch — lets you carry two extra Plasma Vials, so you’re not running dry mid-dungeon.

6. Manage your death economy

When you die, you drop a Spark at the spot you fell but keep your Bones — if you still have a Spark in reserve. Die again before grabbing it back, or die with zero Sparks, and all your carried Bones are gone. Two habits keep you safe:

• Recover your dropped Spark before taking another risk.
• Convert surplus Bones into Bonestone at an Underlab. Bonestone can’t be lost on death, so bank anything you don’t need to spend right now.

7. Use Underlabs as your home base

Burrow into any save point to drop into an Underlab — Mina’s bonfire-style safe room. There you heal by stepping in the water, refill Plasma Vials, and swap weapons and trinkets. Note that resting also resets enemies and map conditions, Souls-style. You can later upgrade the Underlab with a map, training dummy, and a sidearm duplicator.

If you’re struggling, dip into Settings > Modifiers/Assist. The game ships with a huge suite of assists (take less damage, Boss Checkpoints that put an Underlab right outside a boss room, no Bone loss). They’re toggleable any time — just know that using modifiers disables achievements for that playthrough.

Where to go after Queensbury

Once the first generator is lit, the canon progression most players follow is Queensbury Crypt → Nox’s Bayou → Septemburg → Bone Beach → Coltrane Peak → Astral Orrery. Our full walkthrough breaks down each region in order.

FAQ

Where should I go first in Mina the Hollower?

Queensbury Crypt. There are six Spark Generators and you can tackle the first four in any order, but reviewers and the dev tips guide both recommend the northeast generator at Queensbury Crypt first because it eases you in and its quest line hands you the Proto Spark revive trinket.

What should I upgrade first?

Sparks. Each Spark is effectively an extra life before you start losing your Bones, and reaching a minimum Spark count also opens locked Spark doors. Permanent upgrades like max health, Spark capacity, and extra Trinket slots matter far more long-term than dumping Bones into Attack or Defense (which cap at level 10 anyway).

How do I dodge in Mina the Hollower?

There's no roll or block by default — you dodge by Hollowing. Hold the action button and Mina burrows underground, where she's invincible and can slip under attacks, enemies, and obstacles. It also lets you cross pits and walk on water if you trigger it just before your feet touch the surface.

Why does healing feel useless?

A Plasma Vial only restores the yellow "recoverable" portion of your health bar, and you build that yellow bar by landing hits and grabbing flower pickups. If the yellow bar is small, the heal is small. The heal itself takes up to three seconds and locks you in place, so use it after you've created space — never mid-combo.

Can I lose all my Bones?

Yes. When you die you drop a Spark where you fell but keep your Bones, as long as you still have a Spark on you. Die again before recovering it, or die with zero Sparks, and you lose every Bone you were carrying. Convert spare Bones into Bonestone at an Underlab — Bonestone is safe from death.

More Guides

→Is Mina the Hollower Worth It? Length, Difficulty, NG+ & Comparisons→Platforms, Price & Editions — Where to Buy Mina the Hollower→Full Walkthrough — Area by Area (Spoiler-Light)