Every time you die in Dark Souls 2, your maximum HP decreases slightly, and it continues to decrease more and more after each death until your maximum HP is reduced to about 50% of its normal value. In addition, your character model becomes more and more decrepit ("Hollowed") as this penalty increases.
I was under the impression that by burning a Human Effigy at a bonfire (to "reverse Hollowing"), you would return to human form and regain your full HP pool. However, I burned a Human Effigy at a bonfire (specifically, the first one in The Lost Bastille), and I received a message that I was now protected against foreign invaders, but my maximum HP didn't change at all, and my character still looks as Hollowed as ever. It also meant that I had essentially wasted an Effigy, which I wasn't pleased about.
Is there something I'm doing wrong, or a faulty assumption I've made about how this works? What do I need to do to restore my HP pool?
Best Answer
In order to reverse the hollowing you need to use the Human Effigy (like you would use a lifegem), not burn it at a bonfire. This means you're able to use the item anywhere, and can save them for right before a difficult boss fight.
As of Patch 1.03, you'll regain a small portion of humanity for helping other players:
Finally, there is a way to increase your maximum HP when Hollowed: