Drill Driver Sidearm Guide for Mina the Hollower

Overview

Complete guide for Drill Driver in Mina the Hollower. Learn the effect, Joule cost, location and best use cases.

Affects: Sidearm, Passive Effects
Extra Stat Level: Attack 0, Defense 0, Sidearm 2
Passive Effects: Forward dash with knockback — also serves as traversal tool for crossing gaps

Overworld (early game).

Use Drill Driver for situational rooms where spending Joules solves a safer route problem than melee attacks would.
Treat its 2 Joule cost as a safety trade: spend when it prevents damage, saves a long chase, or confirms a route-critical hit.
Best fit: traversal loadouts that need Forward dash with knockback — also serves as traversal tool for crossing gaps.
It is strongest when the Sidearm solves a concrete route problem: a flying target, awkward switch, dangerous approach, or cleanup check that would otherwise slow the room down.

Location/progression note: Overworld (early game).
Refill and test the timing near an Underlab before using it in a long cleanup route.
Pair it with a weapon that covers the opposite range, so failed shots do not leave Mina without a safe punish.
If the route has multiple refills, spend it more freely; if the next refill is uncertain, save it for hazards that reliably cause damage.

Current metadata tags it as Traversal and affects Sidearm, Passive Effects.
Extra Stat Level metadata: Attack 0, Defense 0, Sidearm 2.
Recheck exact Joule cost and hit behavior in-game after patches before using this page for strict routing.

Spending Joules for damage when a basic weapon hit would be equally safe.
Forgetting to swap Sidearms between exploration, boss attempts, and cleanup routes.
Building around the tool before confirming that the current room actually rewards its range, safety, or utility.
Treating every shot as DPS instead of asking whether it protects routing rhythm, resource safety, or a difficult movement line.