The first real decision you make in Mina the Hollower happens before you even reach dry land. Below deck on a monster-attacked ship, a chest holds three weapons, and you have to pick one without much context. That choice shapes how the opening hours feel, so it's worth understanding what each option actually does before committing.
What are the three best starting weapons
Each weapon covers a different combat style, and the game gives you a brief window to test all three before you lock in. Here's what you're working with:
- Nightstar — A mace fixed to a flexible chain, functioning as a flail. Attacks at medium range, giving you distance from enemies without requiring precision timing.
- Whisper and Vesper — A pair of daggers built entirely around speed. The fastest attacks in the game, with the shortest recovery time between hits.
- Blaststrike Maul — A heavy hammer with a charge mechanic. Normal swings have a small hitbox, but holding the attack button charges a much larger hit. While charging, you can press a direction to roll, adding a dodge to the wind-up.
The game lets you try all three weapons before heading back up to the ship's deck. The enemy variety in that area is limited, but you can at least feel out each weapon's rhythm before committing.
Choose your starting weapon
Nightstar
The Nightstar is the most forgiving of the three options. Its chain gives it genuine range, letting you tag enemies without stepping into their attack zones. That spatial control matters a lot in the early game, where learning enemy patterns while taking constant chip damage can wear you down fast.
The trade-off is clear: Nightstar hits slower than Whisper and Vesper and does less damage than the Blaststrike Maul. You're paying for safety with reduced offensive output. Once upgraded, the tip of the mace deals bonus damage, which rewards players who learn to position carefully and land precise hits rather than just swinging at whatever's closest.
For players who haven't played many action games in this style, Nightstar is the most accessible entry point. The range reduces the punishment for misreading enemy movements, and that breathing room is genuinely valuable when you're still figuring out how burrow mechanics and combat interact.
Nightstar range in action
Whisper and Vesper
Whisper and Vesper are the speed option. The attack animations are short, recovery time between strikes is minimal, and you can drain enemy health bars quickly by stacking hits. The burrowing mechanic pairs particularly well here: pop up behind an enemy, land several fast stabs, and tunnel back underground before they can retaliate.
The problem is range, or the complete absence of it. You have to be right on top of enemies to deal any damage, and several early-game enemies hit hard enough that staying that close is a real liability. Players who struggle with positioning will take significantly more damage with these daggers than with either alternative.
There's also a bonus for picking these early: a chest in the first major dungeon contains another Whisper and Vesper. If you started with them, that chest becomes an upgrade and unlocks a special move. If you chose a different weapon, it simply gives you a second option to swap to later.
If you pick Whisper and Vesper, expect to take more hits during the opening hours. The speed payoff is real, but you need to be comfortable playing aggressively at close range to get the most out of them.
Blaststrike Maul
The Blaststrike Maul is the most demanding starting weapon mechanically, and also the most rewarding once it clicks. Normal swings have a tight hitbox, so you can't just mash the attack button and expect results. The real power sits in the charge attack: hold the button, let Mina wind up, and release for a hit that significantly outperforms anything the other two weapons can produce.
While charging, moving in any direction triggers a roll, which means the charge sequence doubles as a dodge. That combination of high damage and built-in mobility makes the Maul feel more like a Soulslike strength weapon than a typical action game tool. It rewards patience and timing over aggression.
Upgrading the Attack stat and unlocking the Boom Charge upgrade from the shop amplifies the Maul's output considerably. At that point, the slower speed becomes much less of a factor because individual hits are doing enough damage to end encounters quickly.
The Blaststrike Maul's dodge roll during the charge wind-up is one of its most underused tools. Practice rolling through enemy attacks while charging rather than canceling the charge entirely.
How long until you can get the other weapons?
This choice is temporary. Shortly after arriving in Ossex, the main hub town on Tenebrous Isle, you can buy the other two starting weapons from Legovich's Arms for 2,000 Bones each. The brothers there also stock the Guardian Casket (a shield with block and parry capability), the Battery Buster (a projectile cannon), and the Lunging Cut upgrade for Whisper and Vesper.
The catch: attempting your second purchase at the shop triggers a boss fight with Armand, so plan your visit accordingly. You can also grind Bones to buy weapons earlier, but 2,000 Bones per weapon is expensive enough that most players will wait until they've progressed naturally. Weapons can be switched at your Underlab base once you have access to multiple options, so you're never locked into a single playstyle for long.
For a broader look at getting started, the Mina the Hollower beginner's guide covers weapons alongside bones, trinkets, and survival fundamentals. If you want to go deeper on collectibles that complement your weapon choice, the complete trinket locations guide covers all 60 trinkets and what they do to your build.
Which starting weapon should you actually pick?
The honest answer depends on your background with action games. Nightstar is the best pick if you want to learn the game without the early hours punishing every mistake. The range advantage is genuine, and the precision upgrade path gives it a higher ceiling than it first appears.
Whisper and Vesper suit players who already know how to use a burrowing system aggressively and want to feel fast. The dungeon chest bonus is a small but real incentive to start here.
Blaststrike Maul is the pick for players who want the highest damage ceiling and are willing to spend the opening hours learning its timing. The Boom Charge upgrade makes it the strongest weapon in the long run for players who stick with it.
All three weapons are available within the first hour of reaching Ossex, so no starting choice locks you out of anything permanently. Pick the one that feels best in the test area and adjust once you have access to the shop.
For more help across the whole game, check out the full Mina the Hollower strategy guides collection covering bosses, maps, and collectibles.