Where is Cornifer in Fungal Wastes?
North west Fungal Wastes. Drop to the bottom of the shaft from the Crossroads entrance, go left twice and drop through the gap.
Missed him? Every Cornifer location and what Iselda charges instead.
The Fungal Wastes are a maze of spongy mushroom platforms, acid channels and mantis territory. The area has three distinct halves that do not obviously connect: the mushroom flats in the north west, the Queen's Station and the fungal corridors in the east, and the Mantis Village in the south. Expect to loop back through here constantly, because it links the Crossroads, Greenpath, Deepnest, Fog Canyon and the City of Tears.
Cornifer is in the north western section. From the Forgotten Crossroads entrance drop to the bottom of the first big shaft, head left through the enemies, drop again and keep going left until you find a gap you can fall through. The map is 75 Geo from him, 100 from Iselda, and this is one of the areas where buying blind is a genuinely bad idea. The Wastes are confusing and the map is worth every Geo.
The Mantis Village in the south is the priority. Fight through the mantis warriors to the Mantis Lords, a three-phase boss against one then two elite mantises. Beating them makes every mantis in the area friendly, which turns a hostile zone into a safe corridor toward Deepnest, and it opens the path to the Fungal Core. The Mantis Claw, the wall cling and wall jump, is found above the village in a small chamber. This is arguably the most important single upgrade in the game, because vertical movement stops being a gate from that point on.
Other things worth your time here: Bretta is trapped in a small room in the east and freeing her moves her to Dirtmouth. Leg Eater sells the three Fragile charms and repairs them, though he is best visited before certain story events. Willoh eats Rancid Eggs. Elder Hu, a Warrior Dream, sits in an alcove and is worth 100 Essence once you have the Dream Nail. There are two grubs, a Mask Shard behind a breakable wall in the east, and the Queen's Station Stag Station.
The Fungal Wastes also hide the start of the Royal Waterways route and the acid-locked path toward Isma's Grove. If you hit a shortcut you cannot cross because of acid, note it and come back after the Waterways.
Places inside Fungal Wastes
- Mantis Village
- Queen's Station
- Fungal Core
- Leg Eater's shop
- Bretta's cell
- Elder Hu's grave
Tips
- Beat the Mantis Lords to make every mantis in the area non-hostile. It changes the whole region.
- The Mantis Claw above the village gives wall jump. Get it before you try Deepnest or Crystal Peak.
- Spore clouds from popped mushrooms do contact damage. Kill the shrooms from range or from above.
- Free Bretta in the east. She moves to Dirtmouth and her room hides a charm later.
- Leg Eater sells Fragile Heart, Fragile Greed and Fragile Strength and repairs them for a fee.
- Queen's Station in the east is a Stag Station and a fast way back to Dirtmouth.
All 32 locations in Fungal Wastes
Benches (4)
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South-east of Mantis Village, where Bretta is trapped
In the room where Bretta is pinned under rubble. Free her and she moves to Dirtmouth.
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Queen's Station
Beside the stag platform at Queen's Station, the main hub of the Fungal Wastes.
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Mantis Village, above the Lords arena
The last rest before the Mantis Lords. It is a long walk back, so use it.
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Outside Leg Eater's shop
In the east Fungal Wastes next to the Fragile charm seller. The bench is a bug corpse and can be Dream Nailed.
Stag Stations (1)
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Queen's Station, west Fungal Wastes
The grand station on the border between the Fungal Wastes and Fog Canyon.
Cornifer (1)
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Tall room east of Queen's Station
Take the upper right exit from Queen's Station, drop to the bottom of the next tall room and head left to find him in the corner. Iselda charges 100 Geo.
Grubs (2)
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Central Fungal Wastes
Dash across the gap with the Mothwing Cloak to reach the jar. This is the tenth Grub, which earns the Grubsong charm from the Grubfather.
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South of Queen's Station
Climb the walls with the Mantis Claw to reach the ledge holding the jar.
Mask Shards (1)
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Queen's Station, east side
Below the entrance to the Fungal Wastes at Queen's Station. Wall-jumping up with the Mantis Claw is required.
Whispering Roots (2)
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North-west Fungal Wastes, near Fog Canyon
In the room at the Fungal Wastes corner closest to the Fog Canyon and the Teacher's Archives.
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Above the Mantis Village
The room above the Mantis Village entrance holds the smallest root in the game.
Relics (5)
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Top of the room east of Queen's Station
Bounce up the fungal platforms in the tall room just east of the station and take the seal from the top section.
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Chest north-east of the Mantis Lords
Only reachable once the Mantis Lords are beaten and the village turns friendly. The chest sits north-east of their arena.
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Ceiling above Willoh
In the Queen's Station room where Willoh chews on mushrooms, climb into the gap in the ceiling.
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South-west of the Shrumal Ogres
In the room south-west of where the two Shrumal Ogres are fought.
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Whispering Root room above the Mantis Village
Beside the small Whispering Root, one screen north of the Mantis Village.
Charms (6)
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Mantis Village treasury, north east of the Lords arena
Gives the largest nail range increase in the game, bigger than Longnail. It sits in a chest in the room north east of the Mantis Lords arena, which only opens after you beat them.
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Beneath the Dashmaster statue, south of Mantis Village
Shortens dash cooldown and lets you dash downwards, which changes movement completely. It is buried beneath a statue below Mantis Village, near the route down to the Royal Waterways.
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Acid pool near the Queen's Gardens entrance, west Fungal Wastes
Releases a damaging spore cloud whenever you finish a Focus, and it also lets you read the fungal lore tablets and talk to Mister Mushroom. It sits by an acid pool in the west of the Wastes near the doors to Queen's Gardens and Deepnest.
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Leg Eater's shop, north east Fungal Wastes
Adds two extra masks but breaks if you die, and Leg Eater charges to repair it. Take it to Divine later to make it Unbreakable.
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Leg Eater's shop, north east Fungal Wastes
Every enemy drops extra Geo while it is equipped, but it shatters on death. Great for farming a nail upgrade or Salubra's stock early.
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Leg Eater's shop, north east Fungal Wastes
Raises nail damage by 50 percent, the single biggest damage boost available, until you die. Equip it only for boss attempts you expect to win.
Abilities and Spells (1)
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Chamber above Mantis Village, Fungal Wastes
Wall cling and wall jump, the single most important traversal upgrade in the game. Climb the shaft above Mantis Village and take it from the sealed alcove.
Keys and Items (1)
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Shrumal Ogre arena, north Fungal Wastes
Defeat the two Shrumal Ogres in the north part of the Fungal Wastes and the notch is left behind in their room.
Bosses (1)
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Mantis Village arena, Fungal Wastes
One Lord, then two at once, throwing scythes and dive attacks. Fight from the centre, dash through the gaps in their scythe volleys, and beating them makes the whole Mantis tribe friendly.
Warrior Dreams (1)
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North east Fungal Wastes, past the acid pools
A mantis sage who slams the ground to send shockwaves both ways. Jump the waves, stay at mid range, and punish the long recovery after his double slam.
NPCs and Shops (3)
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Leg Eater's shack, north east Fungal Wastes
Sells Fragile Heart for 350 Geo, Fragile Greed for 250 and Fragile Strength for 600, and repairs broken Fragile charms for a fee. Wearing Defender's Crest makes his stock and repairs cheaper.
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Above the City of Tears entrance, Fungal Wastes
A wandering warrior you meet in the Fungal Wastes, then at the Failed Tramway in Deepnest, then buried at the end of the Ancient Basin tram tunnel, then at the Queen's Gardens entrance. If she joins the Traitor Lord fight she dies, so beat him alone first and rescue her in the Ancient Basin afterwards to send her home safely.
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Seven hidden spots across Hallownest
Appears in seven places in order: the Fungal Wastes, Kingdom's Edge, Deepnest, Mato's hut in the Howling Cliffs, the Ancient Basin, Fog Canyon, and finally King's Pass where you started. Equip Spore Shroom to talk to him.
Secrets and Lore (3)
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Mantis Village, south Fungal Wastes
The Mantis tribe demands you face their Lords before they will let you pass. Beat the Mantis Lords and every mantis in the village becomes friendly, which also opens the lower route to Deepnest.
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Deep below the Fungal Wastes
A hidden mushroom chamber full of Shrumal Ogres and a lore tablet about the fungal folk. It connects the Wastes down to the Ancient Basin.
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Fungal Core, south Fungal Wastes
The toughest tier of flame carrier, appearing only after the Grimmchild has absorbed six flames and Troupe Master Grimm is beaten. It adds pillars of fire under your feet, so keep dashing and attack between volleys.
