In the brutal, beautifully crafted world of Hades 2, your success in escaping the Underworld depends on more than just skill. While skillful combat and quick thinking are essential, understanding and utilizing the power of Keepsakes is the key to consistently reaching (and hopefully conquering) the surface. These powerful artifacts, bestowed by the gods and other significant figures, offer unique buffs and advantages that can drastically alter your build and make each run a fresh and exciting experience. This guide provides a complete overview of all Keepsakes in Hades 2, equipping you with the knowledge needed to master their power and make informed choices on your journey.
What are Keepsakes? Unveiling the Power of Artifacts
In essence, Keepsakes are your primary tools for tailoring your runs and maximizing your chances of survival. They are special items you acquire from the various gods and key characters you encounter in the Underworld and beyond. Choosing the right Keepsake before you begin a run is a pivotal strategic decision. These artifacts offer a variety of buffs, ranging from increased damage output to improved survivability, or even a boost to the chance of finding boons.
Each Keepsake represents a divine connection, a pact of sorts, with the god or individual who gifted it. By equipping a Keepsake, you’re essentially pledging your favor to that entity. The gods will then answer your loyalty by offering you more boons during your run. This creates a dynamic interplay between your chosen Keepsake and the decisions you make in each encounter. This interplay forms the cornerstone of build crafting in Hades 2.
How Keepsakes Function – The Core of Your Arsenal
Keepsakes offer advantages from the very start of a run and continue to impact your progress throughout. Once equipped, a Keepsake takes effect immediately. The effects vary. Some provide passive bonuses, like a slight increase in health or a small damage boost, while others modify the chance of finding certain boons from specific Gods. Furthermore, keepsakes also act as the first step to unlock more advanced levels for the given god’s boons.
Over time, Keepsakes can be upgraded, increasing the potency of their effects. You upgrade Keepsakes in the Cauldron in the Crossroads. The more you play with a Keepsake, the more its level will rise. Experimentation is key.
The Keepsake Arsenal: A Detailed Exploration
Now, let’s delve into the heart of the matter – a comprehensive list of all Keepsakes currently available in Hades 2, along with their effects and how to obtain them. Remember, these details are current as of the latest available build and are subject to change as the game evolves.
The Broken Spearpoint
God/NPC: Achilles
How to Obtain: Gifted by Achilles after you have spoken with him for a certain number of times.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Increases your damage to enemies that are affected by the Weak debuff.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly increases damage to enemies that are affected by the Weak debuff.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly increases damage to enemies that are affected by the Weak debuff.
The Adamant Hourglass
God/NPC: Chronos
How to Obtain: This Keepsake is obtained after you have met and interacted with Chronos.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Grants a bonus to the speed of your weapon casting, greatly increasing the casting speed.
Upgraded Effect: Boosts casting speed, and reduces damage of your first cast.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly boost casting speed, reduces damage of your first cast.
The Unseen Favor
God/NPC: Hecate
How to Obtain: Interact with Hecate.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Has a chance to reduce the number of enemies in a room.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly boosts chance to reduce the number of enemies in a room.
Upgraded Effect: Reduces the number of enemies in a room to a great extent.
The Evergreen Vine
God/NPC: Demeter
How to Obtain: Obtained after meeting Demeter.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Boosts the effects of your healing skills.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly boosts the effects of your healing skills.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly boosts the effects of your healing skills.
The Lambent Plume
God/NPC: Hermes
How to Obtain: From Hermes.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Increases the chance of Hermes’ boons spawning.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly increases the chance of Hermes’ boons spawning.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly increases the chance of Hermes’ boons spawning.
The Blackened Bone
God/NPC: Hypnos
How to Obtain: Obtained after meeting Hypnos.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Increases the amount of health you receive from healing items.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly increases the amount of health you receive from healing items.
Upgraded Effect: To a very great extent, increases the amount of health you receive from healing items.
The Frost Flourish
God/NPC: Poseidon
How to Obtain: From Poseidon.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Grants a chance to find Poseidon boons.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly increases the chance of finding Poseidon boons.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly increases the chance of finding Poseidon boons.
The Shadow Slice
God/NPC: Moros
How to Obtain: Obtain after meeting Moros.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Boosts the duration of your defensive skills.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly boosts the duration of your defensive skills.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly boosts the duration of your defensive skills.
The Bronze Shield
God/NPC: Hephaestus
How to Obtain: Received from Hephaestus.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Slightly increases the amount of damage you deal.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly increases the amount of damage you deal.
Upgraded Effect: To a very great extent, increases the amount of damage you deal.
The Cosmic Egg
God/NPC: Chaos
How to Obtain: Obtained from Chaos.
Effects:
Initial Effect: Grants Chaos boons.
Upgraded Effect: Significantly increases the chance of Chaos boons.
Upgraded Effect: Greatly increases the chance of Chaos boons.
Choosing Your Keepsake – Strategic Insights
The choice of your starting Keepsake is a crucial strategic decision that can significantly influence your run. You want to consider the following points to ensure that you can successfully clear rooms.
Playstyle Compatibility: Do you favor a swift, aggressive approach, or a more deliberate, defensive strategy? Some Keepsakes synergize better with particular playstyles. For example, if you prefer to constantly attack and deal as much damage as possible, a Keepsake that enhances damage output or attack speed might be a great choice. If you are better in the defensive, a Keepsake that boosts defenses or healing would be very beneficial.
Weapon Choice: Consider your current weapon. Some Keepsakes provide benefits related to specific attack types. When choosing a keepsake, you should take the weapon into account.
Anticipating the Run: Are you looking to build towards a specific god’s boons? If so, select the corresponding Keepsake to increase your chances of finding those boons. This strategy helps to build consistency across your builds.
Room Consideration: Consider the types of rooms, and the room challenges. Select a keepsake that compliments the room types.
Keepsake Synergies: Building Towards Godhood
While each Keepsake provides individual benefits, the true power lies in their synergy. Certain Keepsakes work exceptionally well together. A few examples will help to illustrate this.
If you have a Keepsake that increases the spawn rate of certain god’s boons, use that to your advantage to pick up the other Keepsake for that god to boost the benefits.
Choose multiple Keepsakes that have the same strategy. If you want to focus on a healing-based build, pick a Keepsake that boosts healing, and add on a Keepsake that spawns healing items.
Build Ideas: Putting Keepsakes to Work
The possibilities are numerous, but here are a few example builds to get you started, showcasing how Keepsakes can form the foundation of a successful run:
The Hermes Dash Build: Start with the Lambent Plume from Hermes to increase the chance of Hermes boons, such as extra dash charges. This allows for high mobility.
The Defensive Healer: Start with The Evergreen Vine for a boost to Demeter’s healing-based boons. Build towards a high healing output.
Chaos Explosion: Start with The Cosmic Egg. Prioritize Chaos boons.
Experimenting with different combinations is key. The more you play, the better you will understand which builds suit your style.
Refining Your Strategy: Tips and Tricks
Here are some helpful tips for maximizing your use of Keepsakes:
Leveling Up Keepsakes:
Use Them Consistently: The most effective way to level up a Keepsake is to equip it and complete runs. The more you use a Keepsake, the faster it will level up.
Mix and Match: Do not be afraid to switch Keepsakes from time to time. To level up your Keepsakes, it is important to test different Keepsakes.
Managing Keepsake Choices:
Adapt to the Run: Be flexible and adjust your Keepsake selection based on your current needs and the boons you’re finding.
Consider the Cost: If a Keepsake isn’t synergizing with your current build, don’t be afraid to change it, even mid-run.
General Advice:
Read the Details: Always read the effects of each Keepsake carefully to understand its benefits and how they interact with your playstyle.
Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different Keepsakes and combinations to discover what works best for you.
Learn from Failure: Every run is a learning experience. Use each run to refine your strategy and discover new synergies.
Conclusion – The Path to Mastery
The strategic use of Keepsakes is one of the most critical aspects of mastering Hades 2. By understanding how these artifacts function, how to acquire them, and how to select the right one for each run, you’ll significantly improve your chances of escaping the Underworld. Experimentation and adaptation are crucial. As you progress, you’ll discover countless builds, combinations, and strategies. Embrace the challenge, learn from your defeats, and continuously refine your approach. With the right Keepsakes and a little divine favor, you’ll be well on your way to conquering Hades 2 and finding your way to the surface.
