Best Trinkets in Mina the Hollower

Proto Spark

‘Rescue yourself from death, once. Resets after dying.’

There’s no question that the Proto Spark is the best Trinket in the game, and I didn’t remove it after I finally got it. It grants you a second chance at life—something extremely helpful when you need a few extra tries through a tough platforming stretch, or when you’re trying to finish off a dangerous boss.

The only downside to the Proto Spark is that it won’t restore you to full health when it brings you back. Still, because healing in Mina works by damaging your enemies and then consuming a flask, you can bounce back fairly quickly if you keep pushing aggressively. Even so, it’s smart to stock up on extra flasks, since you’ll be staying in fights longer.

To get the Proto Spark, you’ll need to entomb the Duke in his tomb located in Queensbury Crypt. You can pick up the Duke’s quest near the end of the Queensbury Crypt dungeon: when you reach the final generator area, take a left instead of climbing the staircase. Then, you’ll have to lead him to his resting place before the Proto Spark becomes available.

Lace Glove

‘Increases Attack level by one.’

The Lace Glove is one of the least flashy Trinkets you can find—but it’s also among the most effective.

With this Trinket, you not only keep your Attack power moving in the right direction, you can also push past the usual 10-point ceiling. A higher Attack level means you’ll take down bosses faster, clear common foes with fewer hits, and restore more of your heal bar every time you strike an enemy.

I rarely—if ever—swapped out the Lace Glove.

To locate the Lace Glove, you’ll need to assist the children in defeating a bunny just outside of Ossex. I ran into this encounter while exploring the southeast corner of the outskirts.

Twill Weave

‘Boosts Defense level by one.’

The Lace Glove only becomes ‘one of the least exciting Trinkets’ because Twill Weave is truly the most dull, straightforward option. That said, it’s just as powerful in the same way as the Lace Glove.

I personally rate Defense a bit lower than Attack, but it’s still smart to stay ahead as the game progresses—especially if you want to hit 11 once everything is maxed out. By raising your effective survivability and lowering the damage you take, it also makes the Proto Spark even more useful.

I sometimes removed the Twill Weave, but only before I reached full Trinket capacity.

You can locate the Twill Weave in Nox’s Bayou. When you first run into the sea beast (the three circles beneath the water that leap out and attack you if you swim over them), watch for a spot featuring platforms along the left side of the chamber and a small lake on the right. If you notice a draped rope on the north side of the lake, you’re in the right place. Swim over to the rope with care and climb it. Once you reach the top of the falls, the Twill Weave will be waiting for you.

Plasma Funnel

‘Consume Plasma Vials at double speed. Retain Plasma Vials upon taking damage.’

The Plasma Funnel is a Trinket you don’t truly need, and you can mostly offset it by sharpening your skills or getting more comfortable with the bosses and how they attack. Even so, it’s still a strong help—particularly during your first run.

In my view, the Plasma Funnel makes it far easier to slip up and then bounce back. Mina the Hollower is already demanding because you need to stay aggressive to heal. On top of that, the longer healing animation can cost you one of your limited heals if you get struck. This Trinket largely reduces that specific pressure. You’ll still want to plan before you heal, but the choices become much more straightforward.

It isn’t the first Trinket I’d swap out for something more situational, though it does land within the bottom three.

To get the Plasma Funnel, just buy it from Lady Susan in the Trinket shop in Ossex. It costs 700 Bones.

Iron Lung

‘Extends maximum burrow duration, even when submerged.’

The Iron Lung is simple, but its value becomes obvious as soon as you equip it. While you’re typically untouchable during burrowing—and you’ll often need to burrow to work through different puzzles around the world—extra time always pays off.

You’ll find certain spots in the game, like the bayou, where the Iron Lung is especially useful. Still, unlike many other Trinkets that are only helpful in specific scenarios, the Iron Lung stays dependable. Across the adventure, including in the last dungeon, you’ll face enemies that require burrowing either to dodge their attacks or to hit them from behind.

I never felt like the Iron Lung was redundant, but its effect isn’t so overwhelming that I hesitated to replace it with something more situational.

You can uncover the Iron Lung on the far western side of Nox’s Bayou, in an area called the Moonlit Path. Defeat the wicked moon at the end of the lily pad jumping puzzle, and you’ll find the Iron Lung inside a Trinket chest within a house that has a mirror.

Fly Bait

‘Defeat foes to attract friendly flies that assault other enemies.’

Fly Bait is an early Trinket, and I kept it in my inventory for a large portion of the game. It’s especially good at finishing off nearby enemies, and it helps you handle fights against bulkier foes or groups of opponents. It can even come in handy against some bosses. It deals surprisingly high damage and can hit enemies through shields, which makes it even more effective.

That said, Fly Bait was also the first Trinket I’d put away whenever I wanted something tailored to a particular situation. Still, I was always glad to pull it back out when I returned to more general areas.

To pick up the Fly Bait, you’ll have to meet Midden multiple times within the Queensbury Crypt dungeon. You’ll locate them in several side rooms before you’re finally able to challenge them to a duel near the end of the dungeon. If you defeat Midden, they’ll reward you with the Fly Bait.

Wishing you the best in Mina the Hollower! If you’re keen to learn more about the game, check out our guides on the best weapons and dungeon order.