All Hades 2 Arcana Cards and the best to pick first
Here are all Arcana Cards in Hades 2 and the best to pick first
Looking for a list of all Arcana Cards in Hades 2? Arcana Cards are a new mechanic to arrive with Hades 2 which allow Melinoe to apply certain buffs to her build. These Arcana Cards require Ashes to unlock and vary in rarity.
To apply more cards at once, you need to upgrade your Grasp meter with Psyche. Both of these resources can be gathered in Erebus from clearing locations or from the Wrecthed Broker's shop.
For a full list of all Arcana Cards available in Hades 2 as well as our recommendations for the best Arcana Cards in the game and ways to upgrade them, read on.
In this guide:
All Arcana Cards in Hades 2
There are a total of 25 Arcana Cards in Hades 2 as of writing. To reveal a card you must first unlock one adjacent to it on the grid. This means, for example, to unlock a card on the third row, you'll need to unlock the one above it on the second row.
Most Arcana Cards require Ashes to unlock and Grasp to equip. Your Grasp meter is indicated by Melinoe's portrait in the top right corner of the Arcana Card screen and can be upgraded with Psyche.
Each card has a Grasp cost attached. You can mix and match which Arcana Cards you have equipped between runs.
The following Arcana Cards are available in Hades 2:
| Card number | Card name | Card ability |
|---|---|---|
| I | The Sorceress | While you Channel your Omega Moves, everything moves slower for 2 seconds. |
| II | The Wayward Son | After you exit a Location, restore 2 health or twice that if you have no more than 30% health. |
| III | The Huntress | While you have less than 100% Magick, your Attack and Special deal +30% damage. |
| IV | Death | Your Omega Moves have a 3% chance to deal critical damage. |
| V | The Messenger | You have a +6% chance to Dodge. |
| VI | The Furies | Deal +20% damage to foes in your Casts. |
| VII | The Titan | Gain +20 health and +20 Magick. |
| VIII | The Unseen | Restore 2 Magick every 1 second. |
| IX | Night | Your Hex also charges up automatically as you used 2 Magick every 1 second. |
| X | The Lovers | In Guardian Encounters, you take 0 damage the first time you are hit. |
| XI | The Swift Runner | Your Sprint is +20% faster. |
| XII | Eternity | Set forth each night with 1 Death Defiance. |
| XIII | The Centuar | After every 5 locations, gain +3 health and Magick. |
| XIV | The Moon | Your Omega Cast has +50 power whenever it detonates. |
| XV | Strength | While you have no more than 30% health, you take -30% damage and deal +30%. |
| XVI | The Fates | Set forth each night with one Change of Fate. You can Alter Location Rewards. |
| XVII | The Boatman | Set Forth each night with +200 Coins. |
| XVIII | Origination | Deal +25% damage to foes afflicted with at least 2 Curse effects. |
| XIX | Excellence | Any Boons you are offered have a +30% chance to be improved to Rare. |
| XX | The Queen | Any Boons you are offered have a +6% chance to be a Duo. |
| XXI | The Seer | Set forth each night with a +2 Change of Fate. |
| XXII | The Champions | Set forth each night with 1 Change of Fate. You can alter Boons and certain other choices. |
| XXIII | The Artificer | Set forth each night with 1 chance to turn any Minor Find into a random Major Find. |
| XXIV | Divinity | Any Boons you are offered have a +10% chance to be improved to Epic. |
| XXV | Judgement | After you vanquish a Guardian, activate 3 random inactive Arcana Cards. |
Best Arcana Cards in Hades 2
For an early playthrough, we recommend investing in The Unseen as it will give you Magick regeneration. Although this will only restore 2 Magick every second, this will still provide you with a constant source of Magick, meaning you can continue to deliver Omega Specials.
We also recommend investing in The Titan Card for a plus 20 to both Health and Magick. Although this isn't too exciting, trust us - you'll need it.
If you're a little further along and have accessed the fourth and fifth row of cards, The Eternity card is an absolute must. This card gives you one Death Defiance which will give you a free life essentially. When killed, you will be revived and put on 40% health and Magick. This is essential for taking on the early boss. You can also upgrade this card twice and get up to three Death Defies per run.
How to upgrade Arcana Cards
To upgrade Arcana Cards you need to progress through the story enough to unlock the Consecration of Ashes Incantation. This will upgrade your Altar and allow you to see Insights (the upgraded version of Arcana Cards).
Insights are fueled by Moon Dust which can be bought by the Wretched Broker, traded with Charon in return for Obal Points (earned each time you spend 1,000 Coins at his shop) or made at Hecate's Cauldron with Cinder and Shadow.
That rounds off our guide to the best Arcana Cards in Hades 2. For more Hades 2 tips and tricks, see our guides to the best Boons, weapons, Keepsakes, and more.