Hades 2 Arcana Cards Guide: All Arcana, Effects, and Best Picks

You may have failed countless runs in the Underworld in Hades 2, but thanks to its meta-progression system called Arcana Cards, you won’t be starting from scratch each time.

Similar to the Mirror of Night in the first game, Arcana Cards grant Melinoe perks, bonuses, stat boosts, and new abilities that increase her survivability and damage output.

To help you make the most of them, here’s your complete Hades 2 Arcana Cards guide from their effects, the best picks, and everything else you need to know.

What are Arcana Cards and How Do They Work in Hades 2?

Hecate grants Arcana Cards to Melinoe to help her in defeating Chronos in Hades 2. Found in the Training Grounds at the Crossroads, these cards can be accessed through Melinoe’s Altar of Ashes.

At first, only nine cards are available. Once you obtain a card, its adjacent ones will be revealed, eventually allowing you to unlock all 25 Arcana Cards.

Arcana Cards are unlocked by spending Ashes and activated using Grasp. Since Melinoe starts with limited Grasp, you’ll need to increase it by spending Psyche, enabling you to equip more cards at once.

To unlock the system, you must complete the Consecration of Ashes incantation, which requires Ash, Cinder, and Fate Fabric. Cards can also be upgraded later using Moon Dust and Star Dust.

Credit: Supergiant Games

What are the 25 Arcana Cards and Their Effects?

As mentioned earlier, there are 25 Arcana Cards in Hades 2, each offering unique effects to strengthen Melinoe on her journey. Below is the full list of all Arcana Cards and what they do.

Note: Cards marked with an asterisk (*) are highly recommended due to their powerful abilities.

• The Sorceress*: Speeds up Omega moves.
• The Wayward Son*: Restores HP each time you exit a location.
• The Huntress*: Increases attack and special damage when you’re below 100% Magick.
• The Messenger: Casts make you impervious and faster for a short time.
• The Furies*: Casts deal extra damage to enemies.
• Persistence*: Increases maximum HP and Magick.
• The Unseen: Restores Magick every second.
• Night: Boosts critical hit chance with Omega combos.
• The Lovers: Negates the first hit of damage when facing Guardian bosses.
• Swift Runner*: Increases sprint speed and lets you pass through most enemies.
• Eternity*: Time slows down while channeling Omega moves.
• The Centaur*: Restores HP and Magick every five cleared locations.
• Death: Grants additional Death Defiances.
• The Moon: Hex charges automatically, consuming one Magick per second.
• Strength: Take less damage and deal more when you have no Death Defiance.
• The Fates: Begin runs with a chance to use Fate Dice to change room rewards.
• The Boatman: Start runs with gold.
• Origination: Increases damage against enemies with at least two curses (debuffs).
• The Enchantress: Enables the use of Change of Fate to alter location rewards.
• Excellence*: Increases the chance of encountering rare Boons.
• The Queen*: Increases the chance of obtaining Duo Boons.
• The Champions*: Start runs with a chance to reroll Boons and certain rewards.
• The Artificer: Allows Minor Finds to be upgraded into random Major Finds.
• Divinity: Grants the ability to upgrade Boons to Epic quality.
• Judgment*: Activates three random inactive Arcana Cards after defeating a Guardian boss.

Credit: Supergiant Games

What are the Best Arcana Cards in Hades 2?

As you unlock Arcana Cards throughout your runs, they’ll provide powerful bonuses and abilities.

Here are the best Arcana Cards in Hades 2.

• The Sorceress, The Wayward Son, Persistence, The Titan, Eternity, and Death for survival and sustain.
• The Titan boosts health and Magick.
• The Huntress, The Furies, Strength, Origination, and Night for damage focus.
• The Messenger, Swift Runner, The Moon, The Enchantress, and The Champions for utility and control.
• The Fates, Excellence, and The Queen for run and reward manipulation.
• Judgment for advanced runs.

How to Upgrade Arcana Cards?

After unlocking the Arcana Cards, you can upgrade them to enhance their effects through the Consecration of Ashes incantation. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 6x Ash (common drops)
• 1x Cinder (rare boss drop)
• 6x Fate Fabric (purchased)
• Moon Dust and Star Dust for higher-level upgrades

Upgrading improves the strength of your Arcana Cards and can sometimes add new perks, helping you navigate tougher late-game challenges.

Credit: Supergiant Games

Where to Get Arcana Resources?

To unlock and upgrade your Arcana Cards, you’ll need resources such as Ash, Psyche (which increases max Grasp points), Fate Fabric, Cinder, and Moon Dust/Star Dust.

Here’s where you can get them:

• Ash and Psyche – Can be purchased at Charon’s Shop or earned as rewards after dungeon encounters.
• Fate Fabric and Moon Dust – Can be purchased from the Wretched Broker using Bones.
• Cinder and Star Dust – Rare drops or can be crafted through special recipes. Star Dust can also unlock additional content, such as Chaos Trials.

With the right use and upgrades, Arcana Cards become a crucial part of your journey to progress through the Underworld in Hades 2.

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