Let’s be real for a second: I’ve lost count of how many times I got absolutely flattened in Hollow Knight: Silksong because I skipped a few upgrades. If you’re like me and you don’t want to spend the entire game rolling back to a bench with one sliver of health, you need to grab those Mask Shards. They’re basically little pieces of Hornet’s life bar, and collecting enough of them gradually boosts your maximum HP. After a lot of exploring, backtracking, and a few rage moments, I can safely say there are 20 Mask Shards scattered across Pharloom. Once you’ve got them all, you’ll unlock the Masked achievement and push Hornet up to a cozy 10 HP.
So here’s my complete rundown of every Mask Shard location I managed to track down, including the tricky hidden ones and the quest rewards that are super easy to miss.
The Early Game Shards (Don’t Skip These)
I really can’t stress enough how important it is to grab the early shards. When you’re still running around with basic gear, a little extra health makes boss fights way less painful.
1. Bone Bottom
Right after Hornet leaves Moss Grotto, there’s a merchant camping out at Bone Bottom. This is probably the easiest shard in the game, but it’s not free. You’ll need to hand over 300 Rosaries. It feels like a lot early on, but trust me, it’s worth every single bead.
2. Deep Docks
Head to the border between The Marrow and Deep Docks, just north of the Bellway fast travel point. It’s tucked away near the water, so keep your eyes peeled for a small alcove.
3. Far Fields
You can’t get this one right away, which annoyed me at first. You’ll need to finish the Flexile Spines quest to grab the Drifter’s Cloak. Once you have that, start from the Seamstress’ Balloon and glide using the wind currents. You’ll notice exploding rocks near some platforms — blast them with your attacks to create more updrafts. Eventually, you’ll reach a hidden passage on the left. Inside, keep hitting those combustible rocks until the ceiling one drops and exposes a shard underneath the floor.
Once you’ve got a few abilities unlocked, the world really opens up. Here are the shards that require a bit more platforming skill or a specific tool.
4. Wormways
From the Wormways Simple Key door, drop down into the water and look to your right. There’s a breakable wall hiding a shard. Just smash it open.
5. Shellwood
South of the Cling Grip skill pickup, there’s a passage heading east. It’s a platforming gauntlet, but at the end of the room, you’ll be rewarded with a Mask Shard.
6. Songclave (Choral Chambers)
This one is technically a purchase. After you save Jubilana during The Wandering Merchant quest, she’ll sell you a shard for 750 Rosary Beads. Make sure you don’t spend all your beads on silk upgrades first.
7. Whispering Vault
Honestly, this one took me forever to find. If you remember how you discovered the Whispering Vault map, this shard uses the same trick. Go south of the bench and start smacking the ceiling until a pole ladder drops down. Climb up, break the box blocking the way, and then use the box to climb even higher. The shard is waiting on the upper left.
8. Cogwork Core
This is tied to the Threefold Melody quest. From where you accept the task, drop down through the floor passage and keep descending until you see an opening to the west. Follow it, and you’ll get locked into an arena battle. Survive the fight, and the hall that unlocks afterward has your shard at the top.
Shards From Quests And Special Areas
Some of these are easy to miss if you don’t know where to look, especially the ones tied to the Bellhart Wishwall hunts.
9. Savage Beastfly Quest
Use the Wishwall to promise the Wish on Bellhart. You’ll be sent to slay the Savage Beastfly, which is waiting for you in the same spot where you fought the Fourth Chorus boss. Beat it, and you’ll get a shard.
10. Far Fields Skull Cave
You’ll need the Clawline skill for this. From the Seamstress, head east until you spot an unexplored area to the north. Use your Act 2 ability to reach the skull cave and grab the shard inside.
11. Weavenest Atla
This one’s a bit involved. After being warped to the lower side of Weavenest Atla, you’ll need to wall jump and double jump to reach a path going right. At the bottom, find a breakable wall on the right. Inside, there’s a chamber with a Marrow theme parkour challenge. Finish it for the shard.
12. Bilewater
This one is straightforward if you use the map. Look for the word “Bilewater” on the map, then find the vertical room right above it. There’s a long hall heading east, and the shard is at the end.
13. The Slab
You’ll need the Key of Apostate first. Once you have it, use it to unlock the door on the upper side of the prison area. The shard is inside.
14. Mount Fay
After you pick up the Double Jump skill, revisit the bench on the southwestern side. There’s a broken tower to the left. Climb inside to collect the shard.
15. Wisp Thicket
This one requires finding the hidden route from Greymoor. Once inside, head right to the bench, climb up, and find another route to the right. You’ll need to swim through some nasty maggot water until you reach a spot to jump. Bounce between the walls, and the shard is on the left.
The Secret Act 3 Shards (The Trickiest Ones)
Things get serious once you unlock the secret Act 3. There are five shards hidden behind this point, and honestly, they’re the ones I see people miss the most.
16. Brightvein
First, you need to find the secret room called Brightvein in Mount Fay. Use Silk Soar to reach a ceiling opening, then destroy the ice blocking your path to the right. Inside Brightvein, complete the platforming test to claim the shard at the top.
17. Sprintmaster Swift Reward
Accept the Sprintmaster Swift’s Fastest in Pharloom quest, then track down his location on the eastern edge of Far Fields. He’ll hand over a shard, but only after you beat him in a race three times. It’s not too bad if you’ve upgraded your movement speed.
18. Dark Hearts Quest
This is another Wishwall deal. Complete the Dark Hearts quest from Bellhart Wishwall, and the 18th shard is yours.
19. The Hidden Hunter
This is the third Hunt mission tied to the Wishwall. It’s easy to overlook because you need to actively seek out the quest. Complete The Hidden Hunter quest, and you’ll earn another shard.
20. Blasted Steps
This final one takes you back to where Hornet almost leaves Pharloom. Instead of trying to exit the kingdom, use Silk Soar to reveal a hidden room above. At the very top of that room, you’ll find the last Mask Shard.
Wrapping Up My Hunt
Collecting all 20 Mask Shards is a marathon, not a sprint. Some of them you’ll naturally stumble into, but the rest require hunting down specific abilities, finishing side quests, or just smacking every suspicious ceiling you find. The ones locked behind Act 3 are particularly easy to forget, so make sure you double-check places like Brightvein and Blasted Steps before you declare your run complete.
Figuring out where all the Mask Shards are isn’t just about bulking up Hornet’s health bar — it’s also about seeing more of what Pharloom has to offer. The hidden rooms, the platforming challenges, and the weird little interactions along the way made the hunt feel worth it. Plus, that Masked achievement popping up at the end is a nice way to remind yourself that you’ve officially cleared one of the game’s biggest collection goals.
Happy hunting, and try not to lose too many Rosaries along the way.
While you're busy chasing down those last few shards, it's also worth keeping an eye on your gaming budget. Silksong is the kind of game you can sink dozens of hours into, and whether you grabbed it at launch or are waiting for a discount before diving in, using this price tracking tool for your next purchase is a smart habit to build.
DealNest can help you spot price drops and snag the best deals across your favorite stores, so you can spend less time hunting for bargains and more time exploring Pharloom. Once your Mask Shard hunt is complete and the Masked achievement finally unlocks, it's a great moment to check what's on sale and start planning your next gaming journey.
