All vial pouch upgrade locations in Mina the Hollower

The vial pouch locations in Mina the Hollower are devilishly well hidden, but if you take the time to sniff them out, you can hold a maximum of 10 plasma vials, also known as health potions, at a given time. Much better than the three plasma vials you get at the start of the game.

Here’s where to find every vial pouch in Mina the Hollower.

How to find every vial pouch in Mina the Hollower

You can find a total of seven vial pouches in Mina the Hollower, spread across five different locations. Plasma vials can be consumed to recover Mina’s HP. If you run out, burrow to the Underlab to get a fresh stack, but beware that every enemy in the overworld will respawn.

The easiest place to get extra vial pouches is in Ossex, though this will require a lot of bones. The vial pouch upgrades found in the wild are “free,” but beware that you typically need at least one kear (key) to reach them. Be sure to purchase a few kears at the Kears Institute in Ossex if you haven’t done so already.

If you need more info on reaching new areas and unlocking fast travel points, our guides on how to reach every area, how to unlock every train station, and where to find every mirror location in Mina the Hollower will help you out.

Vial pouch location #1 — Emporium in Ossex

The first three vial pouches in Mina the Hollower are found in Ossex. Go to the Emporium shop in the City Center — it’s the building adorned with a rose, next to the Kears Institute. The first vial pouch costs 1,000 bones, but the price will increase after your first purchase.

Graphic: Marloes Valentina Stella/Polygon | Source images: Yacht Club Games via Polygon

Vial pouch location #2 — Spike Vault on Mourner’s Mile

The next vial pouch is found on Mourner’s Mile, inside the Spike Vault treasure chest. Our guide on how to clear the Mourner’s Mile Spike Vault explains this in more detail, but in short, you must find the small graveyard in the north, destroy the second headstone from the left on the top row, and burrow through the tunnel to land inside the Spike Vault, right next to the chest with the vial pouch.

An arrow shows the hidden entry to the Mourner's Mile Spike Vault in Mina the Hollower.

Vial pouch location #3 — Lantern Cave in Backwaters

To obtain this vial pouch, you must bring one kear, carry one spark orb, and steal Pinky’s ladder. First, take the train to Nox’s Bayou to arrive in Backwaters: Shanty Swamp and go north, crossing the large lake with the rotating platforms. On the next screen, go east to find Pinky’s Parlor. If you haven’t unlocked the train yet, take the path west of Ossex, through the Western Wilds, and go south after the reddish area. On the screen where you first met Buffo the frog, exit in the southeast.

Make sure Pinky’s ladder is moved to the far left or far right by buying a plasma vial or the Spark Catcher trinket (replaced by a plasma rose if you already bought it). Leave the shop, take the path to the east, and enter through the back door. Grab the ladder (feel free to snatch the joule box upgrade while you’re at it) and leave the way you came. Burrow underneath the ladder to lift it and throw it in the direction you’re facing by exiting the burrowing stance.

Back at Buffo the frog’s location, place the ladder against the ledge in the center to reach the spark door. As long as you still have one spark orb on hand, you can enter the Backwaters: Lantern Cave behind this door.

The entrance to the Lantern Cave in Mina the Hollower.

There are no enemies inside the Lantern Cave, and the moving lanterns can’t harm you, but beware of drowning and the dark — after about five seconds in the dark, Mina takes damage. To reach the vial pouch, take the path to the left. At the end, burrow toward the east (see picture below). The moving platform can take you to the bonestone shard at the top of the room.

The path through the Lantern Cave in Mina the Hollower.

Destroy the bushes and walk south along with the light. When you hit a wall, burrow through the water on the right to reach the lower platform, where you’ll find the treasure chest with the vial pouch upgrade.

The Backwaters vial pouch location in Mina the Hollower.

Vial pouch location #4 — Rail Tunnel in Kindlewood

To find this vial pouch, start in Kindlewood: Farm Crossing. You will need two kears. If you’ve unlocked the train station already, take the train to Septemburg. If not, cross the Occupied Bridge in the Western Wilds (west of Ossex) and follow the path toward Septemburg until you reach Farm Crossing. It’s directly behind the Madd House boss.

Directly after entering Farm Crossing, take the path on the right, leading north (the train station should be on your left). Burrow through the small tunnel to take the northwest exit, leading through a tiny shack. Spend one kear to enter the tomato patch.

The path to the Kindlewood Rail Yard in Mina the Hollower.

Now, break the damaged pipe in the top right. This pipe will lead you to the Kindlewood: Rail Tunnel. Climb down the rope and spend another kear to go east. Walk straight toward the torch (there’s no pit in the dark area) and use it to clear a path to the pipe just north of this location.

Mina walks through the Kindlewood Rail Yard in Mina the Hollower.

In the next area, use the fireballs from the lion-like statues to see the path, but move away before they hit you. The picture below shows the full route: Enter the southern pipe, transporting you to the north, then enter the left pipe in the top-right corner.

The Kindlewood vial pouch location in Mina the Hollower.

From there, you can spot the vial pouch at the top of the screen.

Vial pouch location #5 — Sandfalls

The final vial pouch location is in Sandfalls: Sifted Sands. You will need one kear to get it. If you’ve been there already, take the train to Bone Beach and walk north to the large area with the flowing purple sand. If not, you must leave Ossex to the south, enter the Cave Network in the east, and follow the path to Sandfalls first.

The Sandfalls vial pouch location in Mina the Hollower.

In the large sandy area, go to the southeast corner and jump onto the moving platforms going west. Burrow to enter a cave with a locked chest; spend one kear to obtain the vial pouch inside.