Spoiler-light guide

Mina the Hollower Best Upgrades

The best first upgrades are the ones that reduce wasted time and deaths. Start with navigation and survivability, then commit Bones to the weapon and build you actually use.

Quick Answer Spoiler-Light Hint Full Guide Common Mistakes Related Guides

Quick Answer: Buy the Isle Map early, then prioritize Trinket Bags, Spark/Health capacity, healing safety, and one comfortable weapon path. Save pure damage upgrades until you know whether your problem is damage, survival, map confusion, or boss timing.

Spoiler-Light Hint: If you are stuck before Queensbury Crypt, do not chase a perfect build yet. Fix map access, trinket slots, and basic survivability first.

Best Upgrade Priority

Priority	Upgrade / purchase	Why it matters	When to delay	Verification
1	Isle Map from Drillhardt	Turns early wandering into route planning and points you toward generator regions	Only delay if you are short of 500 Bones and can still follow NPC/newspaper hints	Cross-source verified
2	Trinket Bags / extra slots	More slots make survival, movement, and utility trinkets matter at the same time	Delay expensive bags if you do not yet own useful trinkets	Cross-source verified
3	Spark capacity and Spark recovery	Sparks protect Bones and some Spark doors gate optional content	Delay if you are not dying or carrying many Bones	Community verified
4	Health Roses / max health	More health lets you learn bosses and survive route mistakes	Delay only if a specific route item is blocking progress	Community verified
5	Plasma Vial capacity / healing support	More or safer healing stabilizes boss attempts and vial gates	Delay if you rarely build enough Plasma to use vials	Community verified
6	One weapon path	A controlled weapon clears more rooms than scattered half-upgrades	Delay broad weapon spending until you know your preferred rhythm	Strategy recommendation
7	Sidearm comfort	Drill Driver and other utility sidearms can open traversal, secrets, and boss answers	Delay if you still need basic survival	Community verified
8	Enhanced Map	Best for completion because it reports region collectible counts after later generator progress	Delay on a normal clear; buy for 100% cleanup	Cross-source verified

Underlab and Drillhardt Upgrades

Drillhardt is the early upgrade vendor most players miss because he is tied to the Hollower's Guild and Rhene rescue route. Buy the Isle Map first; treat later Underlab upgrades as quality-of-life and completion tools rather than mandatory damage boosts.

Drillhardt item	Reported cost / unlock	Best use
Isle Map	500 Bones after rescuing Rhene and opening Drillhardt's shop	First-session navigation
Enhanced Map	Reported 500 Bones after restoring three Spark generators	100% cleanup and collectible counting
Joule Alembic	Reported 1,000 Bones in Underlab upgrade routing	Sidearm-heavy or Joule-management builds
Other Underlab quality upgrades	Patch- and route-sensitive; check shop after generator progress	Convenience, completion, and resource planning

First Dungeon Upgrade Checklist

Before Queensbury Crypt: get the map if available, keep a few Bones for Kears/vials, and equip survival over damage.
Inside Queensbury: use walls, arrow traps, and side rooms as route checks instead of trying to out-DPS every room.
After the Duchess: follow the Duke/Proto Spark route, then consider Maxi and other side rewards before pushing deeper.
If you keep dying: buy safety before damage. Trinket slots, Sparks, Health, and Vial support are usually stronger than a tiny attack increase.
If you are not dying: upgrade the weapon you actually enjoy and start adding movement or cleanup tools.

Upgrade by Problem

Your problem	Best upgrade direction	Related guide
I am lost	Isle Map, Enhanced Map later, NPC/newspaper hints	Beginner route
I die with lots of Bones	Spark capacity, Bell of Grace-style economy safety, defensive trinkets	Bones guide
Bosses outlast my healing	Health Roses, Plasma Vial capacity, Plasma Funnel / Primed Vial Pouch roles	Boss guide
Rooms feel awkward	Weapon comfort and sidearm utility before raw attack	Weapons guide
I want 100%	Enhanced Map, movement trinkets, secret boss rewards, full trinket checklist	Trinket locations

Common Mistakes

Buying damage first when the real problem is getting lost or dying with Bones.
Spreading Bones across every weapon instead of upgrading the weapon you actually use.
Skipping Trinket Bags even after finding strong survival and movement trinkets.
Buying completion tools before the map and basic survival are solved.

Related Entities

Best upgrades
Underlab upgrades
Drillhardt
Isle Map
Trinket Bags
Sparks
Health Roses

FAQ

What should I upgrade first in Mina the Hollower?

For most first runs, buy the Isle Map first, then prioritize Trinket Bags, Spark/Health capacity, healing safety, and one comfortable weapon path.

Is the Enhanced Map worth it?

Yes for completion, but it is less urgent than the base Isle Map and survivability upgrades on a normal first clear.

Should I upgrade damage first?

Usually no. Damage helps after you know boss patterns; survival, slots, Sparks, and route clarity usually save more time early.

Last Updated: June 3, 2026

Unofficial fan-made guide. Not affiliated with Yacht Club Games, Steam, or Valve.