The Best Arcana Cards In Hades 2 & How To Unlock Them

If you’re wondering what are the best Arcana cards in Hades 2, or want to know how to unlock Arcana cards in Hades 2, you’ve come to the right place. Aside from spells and new bosses, Hades 2 has a plethora of new features. Among these are the Tarot Arcana cards, a novel system that essentially reinvents the Mirror of Night from the prior game. As you progress further into Supergiant Games’ popular roguelike action RPG, you’ll unlock new Tarot Arcana cards at the Crossroads’ training grounds. Initially, only a handful of cards are available, but the more you acquire, the wider your options become.

If you’re unsure which ones to unlock first, here’s our guide to the Tarot Arcana cards in Hades 2.

How to Unlock Arcana Cards in Hades 2

Most Tarot Arcana cards, particularly in the initial hours of Hades 2, require ashes for unlocking, a relatively common material. As you progress further and uncover more of the board, you may need to seek out rarer materials dropped by formidable bosses.

Each card comes with its own grasp requirement. Initially, you start with a grasp total of 10, expandable using chasm, another common material. If you’re finding runs increasingly challenging, it might be prudent to take a pause and expand your grasp to utilize more Arcana cards.

Best arcana cards in hades 2 How to unlock arcana cards in hades 2 — Image Source: Supergiant Games

The Best Arcana Cards in Hades 2

Without further ado, here are the best Arcana cards to unlock first in Hades 2 and how you can make the most of them:

The Titan

Grasp Requirement: 2
Adjacent Cards: The Wayward Son, The Furies, The Unseen, Eternity
Description: Gain +20 health and +20 magick

Conquering the perils of the Underworld is no easy feat, and having every advantage counts. The Titan, though simple, is indispensable. As you delve deeper into a run, encountering enemies capable of inflicting 20 HP damage with a single blow becomes a genuine threat. While you naturally boost health and magick during runs with items from Charon and elsewhere, starting with this advantage is invaluable. This advantage pairs exceptionally well with Arachne’s Keepsake, offering +20 armor at the run’s outset.

The Huntress

Grasp Requirement: 3
Adjacent Cards: The Unseen, The Wayward Son, Death
Description: While magick is less than 100%, your attack, and special deal +30% damage

An excellent card not to be overlooked, The Huntress provides a significant damage boost whenever you employ magick-infused attacks, which inevitably occur during encounters. Depending on your playstyle, remembering to incorporate a magick attack per encounter to maximize the buff is key. Boons that aid magick replenishment can help ensure you benefit from this boost consistently.

Eternity

Grasp Requirement: 4
Adjacent Cards: The Titan, The Swift Runner, The Centaur, The Boatman
Description: Start each run with 1 Death Defiance

Though demanding a substantial grasp investment, Eternity is worth it. Death Defiance grants a second life, reviving you with a portion of your health when your HP hits zero. Given the frustration of perishing just before defeating a boss or reaching a new area, this safety net is a boon, not a burden.

The Messenger

Grasp Requirement: 0
Adjacent Cards: The Lovers, Death
Description: Adds +6% chance to dodge

The Messenger costs no grasp but requires activation alongside three cards of equal grasp requirement. Currently set at zero, it can be activated with 1-grasp cards such as The Sorceress, The Wayward Son, and The Swift Runner. Even a low dodge chance can prove invaluable in combat, especially considering certain boons can increase the percentage further.

The Boatman

Grasp Requirement: 5
Adjacent Cards: Eternity, Origination, The Fates, The Champions
Description: Begin each run with +200 gold crowns

While a significant grasp investment, The Boatman can pay dividends with careful planning. Starting with 200 gold crowns provides a substantial advantage, allowing you to focus on different rooms during runs. If you consistently prioritize rooms with gold rewards, this Arcana significantly enhances your earning potential, particularly as defeating enemies yields additional gold crowns.

The Unseen

Grasp Requirement: 5
Adjacent Cards: The Huntress, Night, The Titan, The Centaur
Description: Restore 2 magick every 1 second

A boon for magick enthusiasts, The Unseen ensures sustained magick availability during combat. Given the frequency of magick depletion during boss fights, this consistent magick restoration can be a game-changer, especially when coupled with boons that provide similar effects.

Strength

Grasp Requirement: 5
Adjacent Cards: The Lovers, The Moon, The Queen
Description: While health is below 30%, take -30% damage and deal +30% damage

While frequent defeats are inevitable in Hades 2, Strength turns adversity into an advantage. Though not an invitation to intentionally take hits, this Arcana mitigates incoming damage while boosting your offensive capabilities when health is low, potentially turning the tide in challenging encounters.