What to start with? Simple key, mask shards, vessel fragments or Lumafly lantern.

[Bo^slim]

Whats the best direction to buy in at the start of the game?
My undertanding is you cant keep buying shards or fragments from the shop, so what would help the most early on?

[Desticler]

Simple Key: There are 3 of those keys in the whole game, and they can open doors that make exploring the world more convinient. Buy it sooner or later.
Mask shards: Once you collect 4, you get an extra HP mask. Buy it if you get hit a lot.
Vessel fragments: Once you collect 3, your SOUL storage increases by 33%. Buy it if you want to help more of you want to use more spells.
Lantern: Makes it possible to see in pitch black rooms. These rooms are very uncommon in early game, but in mid-game there's a whole area that's pitch black, and going through it is absolutely required to get ANY ending.

So yeah, I'm asking you to pick yourself. I'd honestly get mask shards.

[Darc Vader]

Honestly, I'd say the map stuff is the most important early game. If you already have at least the quill, then I'd say the Lantern is probably theh next most important thing since it soft-gates progress. I'd probably leave the key for last as well, since the major place where one is needed has one sort of nearby that you don't have to purchase.

edit: but as Desticler says, the order isn't too important, you'll quickly get enoguh geo to pick up most of it.

[Bo^slim]

Thanks for the reply guys. Guess I'll stick to mask shards for the time being. Does the key open the door at the far right of dirtmouth?

[klimat13]

Originally posted by Bo^slim:

Thanks for the reply guys. Guess I'll stick to mask shards for the time being. Does the key open the door at the far right of dirtmouth?

There are three identical Simple Keys in the game that open three doors, one of which is indeed at the far right of Dirtmouth.