How do I get more health? (New player)

[Codo]

Hello, new player here but I have played other Metroidvanias before (OG 2D Metroid games) so I have a little bit of basic knowledge of the games principle

I am currently at the point where you fight the soul master and had a lot of fun so far, but I am struggling a lot at this boss. I do manage to dodge a lot of his attacks but sooner or later I always make a slip and take many hits in short time before I re-orient myself. I only have 5 HP and wonder if I can get more somehow so I can allow myself a few more mistakes.

I am looking forward for any other tips you may give me!

[Noborus]

4 Mask shards gives you another mask, you can buy some from the merchants, and also find some while exploring the map.

[Codo]

Ah, I need one more than to have at least one more health!
Off I go

[(SUSPENDED) Ultraspace2006]

later in the game theres a part where you have to pogo to get one so practice that, plus it is useful for battle and skips.

[Codo]

Originally posted by Ultraspace2006:

later in the game theres a part where you have to pogo to get one so practice that, plus it is useful for battle and skips.

I think I know what you mean, at one point I had to pogo on the head of a few creatures in an acid lake to get to a mask shard.

Update: I have now defeated the Soul Master after finding the blacksmith who upgraded my sword

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

General HK Tips

✅ From a certain point, there is no linear path in the game. Each player chooses to discover their own path, challenges and finds their own individual way forward in the world. It's completely normal to get lost and confused from time to time.
✅ When some challenge gives trouble, there is always an option to leave it for later and go explore somewhere else
✅ It's worth practicing downslash attacks on (not only) enemies in this game
✅ You can use custom map pins to mark interesting locations so you know where to return to later (trust me, don't rely on pure memory in this game)
✅ Double tap the map button to open a larger map much quicker
✅ Look for any places on the map that look like they are "cut-out" - they are unexplored areas
✅ Hit every wall with your nail, walk into every wall or jump into every ceiling to discover secrets
✅ Audio design in this game is amazing. If you play on headphones, it will allow you to hear the secret audio cues much better and discover much more secrets just by listening
✅ Every time you sit on a bench this respawns all enemies
✅ Quit to Menu saves all progress, fully heals and returns to last bench/checkpoint (this can prevent Geo loss and backtracking, use this in dangerous areas and to quickly escape unknown areas you don't want to be trapped in)
✅ Use Dreamnail a lot, on everything and everyone you can find. Using it on easy or stationary enemies gives you free unlimited soul for infinite healing.
✅ Spells are really powerful. DD gives short immortality.
✅ I liked using Grubsong + Thorns of Agony Charms combo, increases beginner survivability a lot

And probably most important tip:
✅ Try to avoid spoilers, forums, reddit and wiki as much as possible while playing the game for the first time. It will benefit you a lot when you discover everything on your own.

[kanna]

Originally posted by Maverick:

Hello, new player here but I have played other Metroidvanias before (OG 2D Metroid games) so I have a little bit of basic knowledge of the games principle

I am currently at the point where you fight the soul master and had a lot of fun so far, but I am struggling a lot at this boss. I do manage to dodge a lot of his attacks but sooner or later I always make a slip and take many hits in short time before I re-orient myself. I only have 5 HP and wonder if I can get more somehow so I can allow myself a few more mistakes.

I am looking forward for any other tips you may give me!

If the "many hits" are coming from the light balls, then know that you shouldn't jump during this fight unless you absolutely have to (like if he is moving towards you along the ground). Jumping unnecessarily will make the light balls follow you back up and loop down again instead of disappearing into the ground. Then you're potentially dealing with multiples at a time.

Other than that, you also want to stay to the sides of him when he's above you and about to dive. Remember you can dash (or use spells if necessary) to stall while in the air if you need extra time to clear a shock wave on the ground from his diving attack.

If it's still too much, get more health/nail/spell/movement upgrades and come back later. It's not a fight required to beat the game. Also, depending on how far you've gotten, you can watch a video to get an idea of how the fight can flow, but make sure you've seen the final stage of the fight first if you don't want to be spoiled. (If you've been trying for a bit, I'm sure you've seen it though.)

[Codo]

Originally posted by kanna:

Originally posted by Maverick:

Hello, new player here but I have played other Metroidvanias before (OG 2D Metroid games) so I have a little bit of basic knowledge of the games principle

I am currently at the point where you fight the soul master and had a lot of fun so far, but I am struggling a lot at this boss. I do manage to dodge a lot of his attacks but sooner or later I always make a slip and take many hits in short time before I re-orient myself. I only have 5 HP and wonder if I can get more somehow so I can allow myself a few more mistakes.

I am looking forward for any other tips you may give me!

If the "many hits" are coming from the light balls, then know that you shouldn't jump during this fight unless you absolutely have to (like if he is moving towards you along the ground). Jumping unnecessarily will make the light balls follow you back up and loop down again instead of disappearing into the ground. Then you're potentially dealing with multiples at a time.

Other than that, you also want to stay to the sides of him when he's above you and about to dive. Remember you can dash (or use spells if necessary) to stall while in the air if you need extra time to clear a shock wave on the ground from his diving attack.

If it's still too much, get more health/nail/spell/movement upgrades and come back later. It's not a fight required to beat the game. Also, depending on how far you've gotten, you can watch a video to get an idea of how the fight can flow, but make sure you've seen the final stage of the fight first if you don't want to be spoiled. (If you've been trying for a bit, I'm sure you've seen it though.)

I already beat him by the time you replied (see above) but thank you nonetheless!

[kanna]

Nice! Let us know if you need help with anything else.

[Codo]

Originally posted by Ultraspace2006:

later in the game theres a part where you have to pogo to get one so practice that, plus it is useful for battle and skips.

Do you mean the one in greenpath with the thorns?
I just passed that and got the ability to charge up my attacks

[Codo]

What is the purpose of "essence"?
I am now at the point where I assume the 3 bosses are marked that will unlock access to the Finale (just like 2D Metroid)

[roymaster45]

Originally posted by Maverick:

What is the purpose of "essence"?

I assume you're referring to Dream Essence?

Collecting that will get you various rewards from the Seer in Resting Grounds, and getting up to 1800 Essence is necessary for unlocking the second/third endings in the base game.

[Codo]

Originally posted by roymaster45:

Originally posted by Maverick:

What is the purpose of "essence"?

I assume you're referring to Dream Essence?

Collecting that will get you various rewards from the Seer in Resting Grounds, and getting up to 1800 Essence is necessary for unlocking the second/third endings in the base game.

Very interesting, I have done that in the meantime and unlocked the material needed to upgrade my nail, aswell as access to Spirits Glade.
What can I do there?
I walked though it, listened to the spirits but other than that I don't see much to do there

[roymaster45]

Originally posted by Maverick:

Originally posted by roymaster45:

I assume you're referring to Dream Essence?

Collecting that will get you various rewards from the Seer in Resting Grounds, and getting up to 1800 Essence is necessary for unlocking the second/third endings in the base game.

Very interesting, I have done that in the meantime and unlocked the material needed to upgrade my nail, aswell as access to Spirits Glade.
What can I do there?
I walked though it, listened to the spirits but other than that I don't see much to do there

There's a few secret rooms on the right-hand side of the area where you can get a King's Idol and a Whispering Root (the tree thing that makes a bunch of Essence spawn throughout the room).

[Codo]

Originally posted by roymaster45:

Originally posted by Maverick:

Very interesting, I have done that in the meantime and unlocked the material needed to upgrade my nail, aswell as access to Spirits Glade.
What can I do there?
I walked though it, listened to the spirits but other than that I don't see much to do there

There's a few secret rooms on the right-hand side of the area where you can get a King's Idol and a Whispering Root (the tree thing that makes a bunch of Essence spawn throughout the room).

Thank you for using the spoiler function, I am not going to read them.

I'll follow the tip with the right side and have a look what awaits me there

[kanna]

There are a couple of secrets in the Glade (all are found at various spots along the right wall, one of the three secrets is just another sub-area honouring crowdfunding supporters, but mostly nothing to do there.

Also, keep in mind that while you can see all 5 endings on one save file, you can also lock yourself out of two of them (one of them early on and easy to do by accident, the other one much later and harder to do by accident). As soon as you unlock the 2nd and 3rd available endings, you will have locked yourself out of the first one, so make sure you get that first ending first.