In Nine Sols, staying alive requires mastering both combat timing and effective healing strategies. Like other Souls-inspired games, survival is especially difficult in the early stages when healing options are limited. However, as you advance, you'll gradually unlock more ways to recover health and improve your odds in battle. This guide outlines the main methods to boost your health bar, expand your healing resources, and upgrade the effectiveness of your recovery tools.
Enhancing Yi's Health Bar
Yi's maximum health can be permanently boosted by finding Shennong, a key NPC who becomes available after defeating Yingzhao, the first major boss encountered on the path to the Sol carrier Kuafu.
After defeating Yingzhao, the Lake Yaochi Ruins will become accessible. Make your way through this dangerous area until you come across another Sol carrier known as Goumang. When you approach her, she traps Yi and drops him into the depths of the ruins. This area is filled with dangers, including harmful yellow waterfalls, but you can use your grappling hook to skillfully descend without taking damage.
At the very bottom, you'll meet Shennong, who has a unique request: he wants poisonous items. You can either buy these toxic items from the wandering merchant Chiyou, who shows up in various regions, or find them while exploring. The Green Yinglong Egg, one of these items, can be found in the upper regions of the Lake Yaochi Ruins once you've met Shennong for the first time.
Hand Shennong a poisonous item, and he'll head to the Pavilion, your game hub. When you visit him there, he rewards you with a Medicinal Brew that permanently boosts your base health. Z2U offers cheap Nine Sols account options that let you start the game with upgraded stats or early unlocked features, helping new players ease into tougher challenges. Shennong gives you an extra Brew for every two additional poisonous items you offer, helping you slowly expand your maximum health.
Expanding Healing Pipe Capacity
Beyond increasing your base health, you'll want to expand the number of healing pipes you can carry. Initially, you start with just two charges. These healing pipes work similarly to the Estus Flasks in Dark Souls, replenished only at Root Nodes, which act as checkpoints.
To unlock extra healing charges, you'll need to activate Ruyi at the Pavilion, restoring power to your home base and populating it with NPCs you've encountered.
On the Pavilion's upper floor—accessible by elevator—you'll find a 3D Printer. Here, you can craft a Pipe Vial for 1,000 in-game currency, granting an additional healing charge. Keep in mind, each subsequent Pipe Vial will cost more, so plan your spending carefully. If you're facing difficult boss fights or lengthy exploration sections, these extra charges can be critical for survival.
The 3D Printer also lets you craft the Medical Jade, a talisman that enhances the potency of your healing. At just 500 currency, it's a cost-effective boost, especially helpful before tough encounters like Yingzhao or Goumang. If you'd rather skip early grinding, you can find a cheap Nine Sols account for sale online to speed up your progress while still enjoying core gameplay.
Boosting Healing Effectiveness
Increasing your health pool and healing charges isn't enough—you'll also want to enhance how much health you restore per use. To do this, you'll need to return Kuafu to the Pavilion after encountering Yingzhao.
You'll find Kuafu near the 3D Printer on the Pavilion's first floor. Interact with him to access healing upgrades. You'll need 800 currency and a special item, the Herb Catalyst, for the first upgrade. This catalyst is usually earned after defeating major enemies or exploring hidden areas. After you defeat General Yingzhao, the first Herb Catalyst becomes accessible, making it an ideal moment to pursue your initial upgrade.
Each time you collect another Herb Catalyst, you can bring it to Kuafu along with 800 currency to further improve your healing pipes. The upgrade cost stays the same, making this a reliable investment throughout your journey.
Stay Ahead of the Challenge
Managing your health effectively in Nine Sols is essential for surviving its toughest trials. By increasing your maximum health, gaining more healing pipes, and improving their healing strength, you'll significantly enhance your survivability. Through strategic exploration and smart upgrades, you'll be better equipped to take on the formidable enemies waiting ahead.