Best Stats to Level Up First in Mina the Hollower

In Mina the Hollower, character progression is tied to three primary attributes: Attack, Defense, and Sidearms. While it is tempting to focus purely on offensive output, survivability remains a critical factor in the game’s loop. Alternatively, if you find yourself hesitant to commit to a specific path, you have the option to convert your currency into bonestones.

Below is our strategic breakdown on how to prioritize your upgrades for the most effective progression.

Prioritizing Your Stats in Mina the Hollower

Accessing your inventory reveals your current stats, each requiring a specific cost in bones to upgrade. Once you have accumulated enough, the “bone up” menu will trigger, allowing you to allocate your resources. Should you prefer to hoard your wealth, you can craft bonestones. These are safer than standard bones, as they persist after death and function as a universal currency in shops. You can also revert them back into raw bones by visiting the machine located in the upper-right corner of the Underlab.

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

Understanding the impact of each attribute is essential for success:

• Attack: Directly increases the lethality of your primary weapon.
• Defense: Mitigates incoming damage, providing a wider margin for error.
• Sidearms: Enhances the efficacy of your secondary gear, which may offer utility, movement boosts, or supplementary damage.

For newcomers, we strongly advise prioritizing Defense. The game’s intricate burrowing mechanics can be difficult to master early on, and the rigid nature of attack patterns means you will likely take hits while learning enemy behaviors. By bolstering your health and damage resistance first, you create a buffer for your learning curve. Attack is the ideal secondary focus; sidearms are a finite resource and often situational, whereas a stronger main attack ensures consistent progress.

We advise against converting your bones into bonestones during the early game, as the immediate utility of increased stats is far more valuable than hoarding currency. Once you have improved your defensive capabilities—or discovered defensive items like trinkets and health roses—you can pivot toward leveling your Attack. Once you have invested roughly four levels into Defense and feel comfortable with the combat flow, consider allocating points into Sidearms, especially if you have unlocked the “Sidearm Recoverer” upgrade from Drillhardt to ensure you don’t lose your gear upon defeat.

Source: Polygon