Hades 2 Arcana Cards Guide and Best Cards to Use

Patrick.Yu · October 9

In Hades 2, the Arcana Cards form the foundation of Melinoë’s progression system, replacing the Mirror of Night from the first game. You unlock and activate Arcana at the Altar of Ashes, using resources such as Ashes, Psyche, Moon Dust, and Star Dust to expand and enhance your deck.

Each of the 25 Arcana functions like a tarot card that provides a permanent passive effect during your run. Some focus on direct combat boosts, such as The Sorceress which speeds up Omega attacks, while others like The Queen increase your chances of receiving rare Duo Boons.

The Arcana system affects every aspect of progression in Hades 2:

Ashes are spent to unlock new cards on the Altar grid.
Psyche raises your Grasp, which determines how many cards you can equip at once.
Moon Dust and Star Dust enhance Arcana through Insight, improving their effects.

You can rearrange your Arcana loadout before each run to match your weapon, Aspect, or playstyle. Later, the Spreading of Ashes incantation allows you to save up to six custom Arcana presets for quick switching.

Unlike the Mirror of Night, which offered fixed stat bonuses, the Arcana system provides deeper customization. The cards you choose and the way you combine them directly influence your build, including your Magick recovery rate, resource generation, and the rarity of Boons you encounter.

How to unlock and upgrade Arcana cards

You unlock Arcana by interacting with the Altar of Ashes, which becomes available early in the game. Each card is revealed and activated using specific materials gathered during your runs. These materials are all part of Hades 2’s long-term progression system and are tied to exploration, combat, and incantations at the Crossroads.

Resources used for Arcana progression

Ashes – The basic currency for unlocking new Arcana cards. You can earn Ashes as rewards from encounters, chests, or certain surface routes. Each card costs a different amount depending on its power and position on the grid.
Psyche – Used to increase your Grasp, which determines how many Arcana cards you can have active at once. Each Arcana consumes a specific amount of Grasp, so raising your limit allows for more complex builds. Psyche is usually obtained from saving Shades or completing story objectives.
Moon Dust – Unlocks Insight, which enhances the strength of individual Arcana cards. For example, upgrading The Death increases the number of Death Defiance charges available each run.
Star Dust – A rare material used for higher levels of Insight. Star Dust is primarily earned through Trials of Chaos, which are advanced challenge arenas unlocked later in the game.

Incantations tied to Arcana upgrades

Two incantations expand the system’s depth:

Consecration of Ashes unlocks Insight, allowing you to spend Moon Dust to upgrade Arcana effects.
Abyssal Insight grants access to the Trials of Chaos, where you can collect Star Dust for the highest-tier Arcana enhancements.

A third incantation, Spreading of Ashes, lets you save and label up to six Arcana loadouts. This feature is useful when switching between weapons or routes, as different builds benefit from specific Arcana combinations.

Understanding Grasp

Every Arcana has a Grasp cost ranging from 0 to 6. The higher the cost, the stronger the effect. Your total Grasp capacity limits how many cards you can activate at once. For example, if you have 20 Grasp and activate cards that cost 1, 4, 5, 5, and 5, you will reach the cap and need more Psyche to add additional cards.

Managing Grasp is one of the key strategic decisions in Hades 2. Early on, you will have enough capacity for only a few core cards, so prioritizing upgrades that improve survivability or Magick recovery is more valuable than minor bonuses. As your Grasp increases, you can experiment with more advanced builds and synergy-based effects.

All Arcana cards in Hades 2

I – The Sorceress (1 Grasp)

Your Omega Moves are 10 / 20 / 30 percent faster.

II – The Wayward Son (1 Grasp)

After you exit a location, restore 2 / 3 / 4 Health, or twice that amount when below 30 percent maximum Life.

III – The Huntress (2 Grasp)

While you have less than 100 percent Magick, your Attack and Special deal +30 / 40 / 50 percent damage.

IV – Night (3 Grasp)

While you channel Omega Moves, everything moves slower for up to 1.2 seconds.

V – The Moon (0 Grasp)

Your Hex charges automatically as if you spent 1 / 2 / 3 Magick every second.
(activation: activates any surrounding card)

VI – The Furies (2 Grasp)

Deal +10 / 20 / 30 percent damage to foes in your Cast.

VII – Eternity (2 Grasp)

Gain +20 / 30 / 40 maximum Life and Magick.

VIII – The Messenger (1 Grasp)

Your Casts momentarily make you impervious and move up to 70 percent faster.

IX – The Unseen (5 Grasp)

Restore 5 / 7 / 10 Magick every second.

X – Night (2 Grasp)

Your Omega Moves have a +9 / 12 / 15 percent chance to deal critical damage if your last one was different.

XI – The Swift Runner (1 Grasp)

Your Sprint is 5 / 7 / 10 percent faster and lets you pass through most enemies.

XII – Death (4 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 1 / 2 / 3 Death Defiance.

XIII – The Centaur (0 Grasp)

After every five locations, gain 3 / 4 / 5 maximum Life and Magick.
(activation: requires active cards using 1 – 5 Grasp)

XIV – Origination (5 Grasp)

Deal +30 / 40 / 50 percent damage to enemies afflicted by two Curse effects from the Olympians.

XV – The Lovers (3 Grasp)

In Guardian encounters, you take no damage the first 1 / 2 / 3 times you are hit.

XVI – The Enchantress (3 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 1 / 2 / 3 Change of Fate charges used to alter Location Rewards.

XVII – The Boatman (5 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 200 / 250 / 300 Crowns.

XVIII – The Artificer (3 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 1 / 2 / 3 chances to turn any Minor Find into a Major Find.

XIX – Excellence (5 Grasp)

Any Boons you are offered have a +30 / 40 / 50 percent chance to be Rare or Legendary.

XX – The Queen (0 Grasp)

Any Boons you are offered have a 6 / 8 / 10 percent chance to be Duo Boons whenever possible.
(activation: no more than two active cards can have the same Grasp cost)

XXI – The Fates (0 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 2 / 3 / 4 Change of Fate.
(activation: activates all surrounding cards)

XXII – The Champions (4 Grasp)

Set forth each night with 1 / 2 / 3 Change of Fate charges used to alter Boon Rewards.

XXIII – Strength (4 Grasp)

While you have no Death Defiance effects, you take –30 / 40 / 50 percent damage and deal +25 percent.

XXIV – Divinity (0 Grasp)

Any Boons offered have a +10 / 15 / 20 percent chance to be Epic.
(activation: activates when all five cards in a row or column are active)

XXV – Judgment (0 Grasp)

After you vanquish a Guardian, activate 3 / 4 / 5 random Arcana cards.
(activation: activates only when no more than three cards are active)

Top Arcana cards you must use

1. XII – Death (4 Grasp)

Grants one or more Death Defiance charges at the start of each night. This effect functions as an extra life, restoring Melinoë after defeat. It provides critical survivability in early and mid-game runs and remains useful even in late-game challenges.

2. VII – Eternity (2 Grasp)

Increases maximum Life and Magick by a flat amount. The dual boost benefits every weapon and build type, improving both survivability and resource efficiency. Its low cost and universal value make it one of the first cards worth unlocking and keeping active.

3. IX – The Unseen (5 Grasp)

Restores Magick automatically every second. This card supports continuous casting and Omega attacks without relying on pickups or cooldowns. It is essential for Hex-based or Magick-focused playstyles that require steady resource regeneration.

4. XIV – Origination (5 Grasp)

Increases damage against enemies affected by two Olympian Curses. This Arcana rewards synergy between different gods’ Boons, allowing for massive burst damage when combining elemental afflictions like Freeze, Scorch, or Daze.

5. XIX – Excellence (5 Grasp)

Raises the chance for Boons to appear as Rare or Legendary. Over time, this leads to stronger builds with more impactful abilities. It is especially effective once reroll Arcana are unlocked, allowing consistent access to high-tier Boons.

6. XV – The Lovers (3 Grasp)

Prevents the first few hits of damage during Guardian encounters. This offers reliable protection during boss fights, often saving a full Death Defiance charge and giving players a buffer to learn attack patterns.

7. XXII – The Champions (4 Grasp)

Adds rerolls for Boon rewards at the start of each run. Rerolling helps shape optimized builds by replacing weak or redundant Boons. When combined with The Enchantress or The Fates, it forms part of the strongest reroll setup in the game.

8. XX – The Queen (0 Grasp)

Costs no Grasp and increases the chance of receiving Duo Boons. The only condition is that no more than two active Arcana can share the same Grasp cost. This is one of the best zero-cost cards, offering significant power growth through Duo Boon access.

9. XVII – The Boatman (5 Grasp)

Provides several hundred Crowns at the start of each night. The early gold advantage allows for immediate purchases from Charon’s shop, including Boons, Poms, or healing. It ensures a strong start and greater build flexibility throughout the run.

10. XXIII – Strength (4 Grasp)

Reduces incoming damage and increases your own when no Death Defiance effects remain. This card rewards careful play and becomes powerful in the late game, allowing experienced players to maximize damage output while staying protected.

How to build your Arcana deck

Building an effective Arcana deck in Hades 2 depends on balancing your total Grasp with the type of build you want to run. Each card consumes a set amount of Grasp, and your total capacity determines how many can be active at once. As you collect Psyche, your Grasp will increase, allowing for more flexible loadouts.

1. Balance offense and defense

Begin every deck with at least one defensive Arcana and one offensive Arcana. Death and Eternity are common defensive choices that keep you alive through longer runs, while cards like The Sorceress or The Furies provide steady damage output. Avoid spending all of your Grasp on high-cost damage cards early on, since survival and Magick recovery are more valuable for consistency.

2. Manage Grasp efficiency

Low-cost Arcana such as The Wayward Son or The Swift Runner can fill leftover Grasp points without wasting capacity. It is better to use all available Grasp rather than leave unused points, since every slot contributes to your overall effectiveness.

3. Match your Arcana to your weapon and Aspect

Each weapon in Hades 2 benefits from different Arcana combinations.

Aspect of Melinoë: Works well with The Huntress and The Sorceress for faster and stronger Omega attacks.
Aspect of Momus: Pairs best with Night (X) and Night (IV) since both reward alternating or channeling Omega moves.
Aspect of Hecate or Selene-focused builds: Take The Moon and The Unseen for stronger Hex performance and Magick regeneration.

4. Consider path-specific adjustments

If you plan to descend toward Tartarus, focus on sustain and defense since enemy density is higher. For Olympus routes, prioritize offense and Boon quality cards such as Excellence or The Queen to optimize high-value rewards.

5. Use saved loadouts

Once you unlock the Spreading of Ashes incantation, you can save up to six Arcana loadouts. Labeling each loadout by weapon or route (for example, “Scythe Build” or “Surface Route”) allows you to switch between optimized decks instantly without rearranging cards manually.

Trials of Chaos and Arcana enhancement

After unlocking the Abyssal Insight incantation, you gain access to the Trials of Chaos, a series of challenge encounters that reward Star Dust, the rarest Arcana upgrade material. These trials are key to completing the Insight enhancement process and fully upgrading your Arcana deck.

How Trials of Chaos work

Each Trial consists of a single area with fixed conditions that restrict your loadout or alter enemy behavior.
You must clear the zone using the provided constraints.
Completing a Trial grants Star Dust, which is used to upgrade Arcana cards that require it for higher Insight levels.

The early trials, such as the Trial of Origin, are simple and suitable for testing basic builds. Later ones become progressively harder, introducing modifiers that test both offense and survival.

Enhancing Arcana through Insight

Moon Dust upgrades standard Arcana cards and unlocks their first or second tier of Insight.
Star Dust is used for final-tier enhancements on more powerful cards, such as Death or Excellence.
Upgrading through Insight increases numerical bonuses or adds additional effects depending on the card.

Fully enhancing a card through Insight significantly improves its effectiveness. For example, upgrading Death to its highest Insight level provides additional Death Defiance charges, while Origination gains a higher damage multiplier against cursed enemies.

When to prioritize enhancements

Upgrade Death, Eternity, and The Unseen first, as they directly improve survivability and Magick management.
Next, enhance offensive cards like Origination and Excellence to maximize damage and Boon quality.
Finally, upgrade situational cards such as The Lovers or The Champions once your core setup is complete.

Conclusion

The Arcana system in Hades 2 is the foundation of long-term progression and build customization. Each card adds a unique layer of strategy, allowing players to tailor their runs to specific weapons, Boons, and playstyles. Unlocking new Arcana, expanding Grasp, and enhancing cards through Insight are all part of an ongoing progression loop that rewards consistent experimentation.

Unlike the Mirror of Night from the first game, the Arcana system offers far greater flexibility. Players can adjust their decks before each run, combine offensive and defensive effects, and even unlock Incantations to store multiple preset builds. This makes every run feel distinct and encourages gradual refinement as you gather resources like Ashes, Psyche, Moon Dust, and Star Dust.

Mastering the Arcana system is essential for success in Hades 2. Whether you focus on Magick regeneration, Death Defiance safety nets, or high-damage Boon setups, an optimized Arcana deck ensures that each night in the Underworld begins on your terms.

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