Best Arcana Cards in Hades 2

Arcana cards are a new mechanic introduced in Hades 2, allowing the character to apply specific enhancements. We've compiled all the arcana cards in Hades 2 and the best ones you should choose first in one guide.

To unlock these cards, you need Ashes, and they also vary in rarity. To apply more cards at the same time, you need to upgrade your Grasp counter with Psyche. Both resources can be collected in Erebus or found in the Wretched Broker's shop.

Read on for a full list of all the arcana cards available in Hades 2, recommendations for the best ones, and ways to improve them.

At the time of writing, there are a total of 25 arcana cards in Hades 2. To unlock a card, you must first unlock one adjacent to it on the grid. This means, for example, to unlock a card in the third row, you will need to unlock the card above it in the second row.

Most cards require Ashes to open and Grasp to equip. Your Grasp meter is indicated by the portrait of Melinoe in the top right corner of the card screen and can be upgraded with Psyche.

Each card has an associated Grasp cost. You can mix and match the arcana cards you have equipped between runs.

The following Arcana Cards are available in Hades 2:

I — The Sorceress. When you charge your omega moves, everything around slows down for 2 seconds.

II — The Wayward Son. When you leave a location, you restore 2 health. This amount doubles if your health is below 30%.

III — The Huntress. As long as your magic is not above 100%, your normal and special attacks 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 enemy attacks. Power of cards: lay out at least 3 cards requiring the same magic expenditure.

VI — The Furies. You deal +20% damage to enemies caught in your sigils.

VII — The Titan. Gives +20 health and +20 magic.

VIII — The Unseen. Restores 2 magic every second.

IX — Night. Your spell also automatically charges as if you were spending 2 magic per second.

X — The Lovers. At the start of each fight with a keeper, you dodge damage from enemy attacks once.

XI — The Swift Runner. You run +20% faster.

XII — Eternity. Each night, you receive additional death defiances.

XIII — The Centaur. You gain +3 to health and magic each time after passing 5 locations. Power of cards: lay out cards that spend from 1 to 5 magic.

XIV — The Moon. Your omega sigil is strengthened by +50 units after each explosion.

XV — Strength. As long as your health is not above 30%, you receive -30% damage and deal +30%.

XVI — The Fates. Each night, you gain +1 power over fate. You will be able to change rewards for locations.

XVII — The Boatman. Every night you receive +200 coins.

XVIII — Origination. You deal +25% damage to enemies that have been affected by decay effects at least twice.

XIX — Excellence. The gifts you find have a +30% chance to be upgraded to rare.

XX — The Queen. +6% chance to find among the gifts offered to you double gifts (if possible). Power of cards: lay out no more than 2 cards requiring the same magic expenditure.

XXI — The Seer. Every night you receive +2 power over fate. Power of cards: lay out all adjacent cards.

XXII — The Champions. Every night you receive +1 power over fate. You will be able to change gifts and some rewards.

XXIII — The Artificer. You can turn any minor reward into a significant one once a night.

XXIV — Divinity. The gifts you find have a +10% chance to be upgraded to epic. Power of cards: lay out all 5 cards in any row except this one.

XXV — Judgement. When you defeat a Guardian, up to 3 random inactive arcana will be laid out. Power of cards: lay out no more than 3 cards.

For most cards, especially during the first ten hours of Hades 2, ash, which is a fairly common material, will be required first and foremost for unlocking. As you continue to unveil the world, you might need to search for much rarer materials, for example, those dropped by bosses.

Each card has its own requirements. By default, you start with 10 grasps to fill, which can be expanded using chasm, another fairly common material. If you feel running becomes increasingly difficult, it might be time to seize the moment and expand your knowledge so you can use more cards.

For early progression, we recommend investing in The Unseen, as it will grant you magic regeneration. Although it will only restore 2 magic per second, it still provides you with a constant source of magic. This means you can continue using special omega attacks.

We also recommend unlocking The Titan card to gain plus 20 to health and magic. The Titan is quite straightforward but largely mandatory. As you progress further, you will start encountering enemies capable of slashing 20 HP off you in a single blow — such an attack could prove fatal. While you will naturally increase your health and magic stats during runs with items from Charon and other places, it's better to have this advantage from the start.

An excellent card that should not be overlooked. Regardless of how often you use magic attacks, you will likely do so at least once during a fight. Once that happens, your attack and special attack will deal additional damage. Depending on your play style, you may need to remind yourself of this boost and perform at least one magic attack in each fight to make the most out of it. If you are lucky enough to receive gifts that help replenish magic, just keep an eye on its overall amount so you can use it again once it reaches 100%.

If you've progressed a bit further and gained access to the fourth and fifth row of cards, Eternity is simply a must-have. It gives you one death defiance, which essentially acts as a free extra life. Upon death, you'll be resurrected with 40% health and magic. This is crucial for defeating early bosses. You can also upgrade this card twice and get up to three Death Defiances in one run.

Unlocking it will require no effort. Instead, you will need to activate at least three cards that use the same grasp. It can be activated with The Sorceress, The Prodigal Son, and The Swift Runner. Giving yourself a chance to dodge, even if it's small, can come in handy. There are several items that can further increase the percentage.

If you have an extra grasp, then The Boatman is an expensive option that can pay off. Having 200 gold right from the start can give you a significant advantage and allow you to focus on different rooms during runs. If you're someone who always prioritizes rooms with gold as a reward over locations that give you items or gifts, this Arcana will be of great value. You always earn more gold by defeating enemies, so it's quite likely that by the time you reach Charon's shop, you'll already have some extra change.

If you're a big fan of magic, The Unseen is the perfect choice. Restoring 2 magic points might not seem like a big deal, but that's 2 points every second, no matter what you're doing. Keep in mind that some gifts have similar effects.

You shouldn't consider Strength as an encouragement to intentionally get hit. However, once you inevitably do, this Arcana becomes a saving grace, allowing you to soften any incoming attacks and make you stronger. But it will help you survive in tough fights more than once.

To upgrade cards, you need to progress the storyline far enough to unlock the spell Consecration of Ashes. This will upgrade your Altar and allow you to see upgraded versions of the cards.

Insights are fueled by Moon Dust, which can be purchased from the Wretched Broker, obtained from Charon in exchange for Obol Points. These points are earned every time you spend 1000 coins in his shop or can be made in Hecate's Cauldron using Cinder and Shadow.