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Hollow Knight is a 2D adventure in which the player controls an insectoid-like warrior known simply as the Knight. They will traverse the fallen kingdom of Hallownest, a place heavily infected by a supernatural virus. The Knight must battle fearsome foes to find the answers to the deepest mysteries located in the heart of the kingdom. He'll travel through vast and intricate caverns, interact with curious NPCs, and even befriend an enemy. It's a fantastic journey for both players new and old.
Throughout the various areas of Hollow Knight, the player will come across Lifeblood Cocoons. These special cocoons hold one of Hallownest's greatest mysteries, Lifeblood. When struck, they release Lifeseeds, which are added to the player's masks when attacked. Finding these Lifeblood Cocoons is essential to eventually opening the Lifeblood Door in the Ancient Basin.
Lifeblood Cocoon Locations
There are eight Lifeblood Cocoons spread throughout Hallownest, allowing the player to maximize their number of Lifeblood Masks. They drop between two and three Lifeseeds depending on the location. Finding these could mean the difference between winning and losing quickly. It's also a much more efficient way of building up the number of Masks the player has than collecting Mask Shards.
While they're relatively limited in number, they're not that difficult to find. The player should make every attempt to find these Lifeblood Cocoons when they are visiting these levels, as they are beneficial for more than just increasing health. They are located in the following areas:
- King's Pass: The player will need to travel northwest of the sign that teaches them how to focus (two Lifeseeds)
- Ancestral Mound: The player should head past the Elder Baldur enemy and move northwest (two Lifeseeds)
- Greenpath: After the first encounter with a Moss Knight, the player should look for a breakable wall above the area (two Lifeseeds)
- Fog Canyon: The Lifeblood Cocoon is near the Overgrown Mound in a room full of Charged Lumaflies; it's located in the upper left corner (three Lifeseeds)
- Fungal Wastes: In the upper left corner of the room where the player defeated the Mantis Lords, there is a breakable wall, and the Lifeblood Cocoon is inside (two Lifeseeds)
- Failed Tramway: There's a secret room at the top of the cars where the Lifeblood Cocoon is hidden (two Lifeseeds)
- Deepnest: The Lifeblood Cocoon is located directly above Dream Boss Galien (three Lifeseeds)
- Kingdom's Edge: The player should follow the secret path below the NPC Bardoon; the cocoon is only accessible through a breakable wall (three Lifeseeds)
How To Open The Ancient Basin Lifeblood Door
The player may have come across the Lifeblood Door in the Ancient Basin and wondered what the glowing orbs surrounding it were for, as they were prevented access. The door has 14 orbs, one for each Lifeblood Mask required for entry. While the player can go on a hunt to collect all the Lifeseeds available in the game, this can also be achieved through artificial means with Charms that temporarily increase the player's Lifeblood while worn. Two options are the Lifeblood Heart Charm and Joni's Blessing. The player will still have to compensate by collecting some Lifeseeds to meet the quota. When 14 Lifeblood Masks are in place, the door will open, allowing the player to enter.
Once inside the door, there is a specific order in which to do things. Players will receive the Lifeblood Core Charm that grants them four Lifeblood Masks during rest periods. However, if they take the path to the left, there is an Arcane Egg. If they do not pick up the Arcane Egg first, they will not be able to collect it because as soon as the Lifeblood Core Charm is picked up, they'll be forced out of the room. They will not be allowed back in the room once they exit.
Opening The Godhome Lifeblood Door
The Godhome Lifeblood Door DLC. There is a door to the left of the Hall of Gods that glows with a faint blue light. It also features 16 notches. However, these notches don't correspond to the number of Lifeblood Masks the player has. Instead, they are an indicator of the number of bindings the player has used. These bindings are used to restrict the player from using one of the Knight's skills during the Pantheons in Godhome, making them even more challenging.
Completion of a Pantheon with one or more bindings in place will activate the respective notch on the door. To open the door, the player must activate a minimum of eight notches. Inside, there is a blue dream catcher that requires the Dream Nail. This dream catcher will add a Lifeblood Cocoon that drops three Lifeseeds to every bench in the Pantheons. Completing further bindings will increase the number of Lifeseeds dropped until the maximum of five is reached.
Hollow Knight is available on PC, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.