Shards are one of the most valuable resources in Hell Is Us. They are not only essential for upgrading your weapons but also tie into progression systems that unlock glyphs, spheres, and advanced enhancements. Learning how shard sizes and types work — and how they connect to Victor’s blacksmithing — is key to staying ahead of the game’s toughest challenges.
This guide explains how to obtain all shard sizes, how to identify shard types, where Victor comes in, and why Forgebooks matter if you want the best upgrades possible.
What Are Shards in Hell Is Us?
Shards act as the core material for upgrading Lymbic weapons and defensive gear. By investing shards, you can:
- Increase weapon grade for higher damage output.
- Expand Lymbic Energy capacity.
- Unlock relic slots and additional attributes.
- Strengthen defensive gear to withstand harder encounters.
Every shard matters — but the size, type, and how you use them with Victor will determine how effective your upgrades become.
Shard Sizes and How to Get Them
Shards come in three sizes:
- Small Shards – Dropped by Level 1 enemies.
- Medium Shards – Dropped by Level 2 enemies.
- Large Shards – Dropped by Level 3 enemies.
Enemy level is the deciding factor for shard size. Stronger, more advanced enemies drop larger shards, while weaker humanoid types tend to drop fewer.
Tip: Lock onto an enemy (R3/RS on controller) to instantly check its level. This tells you which shard size you can expect before engaging.
Shard Types and Lymbic Energies
In addition to size, shards are linked to Lymbic energies, which influence their type:
- Neutral – White
- Rage – Red
- Terror – Green
- Grief – Blue
- Ecstasy – Yellow
Enemies infused with Lymbic energy must first release their colored entity before you can finish them off. Once defeated, they drop shards matching their energy.
Example: A level 3 enemy imbued with Grief will drop Large Grief Shards.
Neutral enemies without a color drop Neutral Shards, which become the foundation for crafting other shard types.
See also: Hell Is Us Heart of Gold Quest Walkthrough & Rewards Guide
How to Unlock Weapon Upgrades with Victor
You cannot use shards freely until you meet Victor Gaz, a blacksmith tied to the main story.
- You first encounter Victor in the Acasa Marshes, locked in a tunnel. After clearing enemies, he gives you the key to Vitalis’s house.
- Later, Victor sets up in the Blacksmith’s building opposite Vitalis’s house, where he offers weapon upgrades.
With Victor, shards become your currency for upgrading:
- Weapons can be enhanced up to Level 5.
- Defensive gear can reach Level 4.
- Glyphs can be added to weapons for extra abilities.
- Spheres (grief, rage, terror, ecstasy) can be applied, giving weapons elemental-like attributes.
Infusing Shards with Victor
If you’re short on a particular shard type, Victor provides an Infuse Shards option:
- Any shard type can be crafted from 3 Neutral shards of the same size.
- Example: 3 Large Neutral Shards = 1 Large Terror Shard.
This system guarantees that you won’t be permanently blocked from upgrades, even if certain enemy types are rare.
Forgebooks: Unlocking Advanced Upgrades
Victor starts as an apprentice, and his skillset improves when you collect Forgebooks scattered around Hadea. These rare books expand the range of consumables and weapon enhancements he can offer.
Here are all four Forgebook locations:
- Vitalis’s car in Acasa Marshes.
- Lymbic Forge – at the grave behind the boss fight (pull the lever after defeating it).
- Keystone of Terror quest – accessible after closing the timeloop near the boss fight.
- Auriga Protocols – found on a scientist’s body before the Keystone of Rage.
Tracking these down ensures Victor can push your weapons and defensive gear to their full potential.
Farming the Right Shards
- Target enemy levels to farm the shard size you need.
- Watch chest colors to match shard types.
- Revisit cleared zones — enemies respawn and scale, making farming more efficient later.
- Balance Neutral shard usage — infuse when desperate, but save some for future conversions.
Quick Tips: Hell Is Us Shards
- Unlock Victor as soon as possible to access the upgrade system.
- Prioritize Large Shards for high-tier upgrades once you reach Level 3 enemy zones.
- Collect all Forgebooks if you want Victor’s full blacksmithing potential.
- Don’t hoard — invest shards steadily to keep pace with the game’s difficulty curve.
Shards aren’t just random loot — they’re the backbone of Hell Is Us’s upgrade system. By understanding shard sizes, farming the right types, and unlocking Victor’s full abilities with Forgebooks, you’ll ensure your weapons and gear remain strong throughout the campaign. Stay on top of shard management, and you’ll be prepared for whatever Lymbic horrors the game throws your way. Play Now!
