Understanding the Significance of Keepsakes
Keepsakes are not merely cosmetic additions; they are essential strategic tools that influence your ability to survive and conquer the trials of the Underworld. These special items bestow a variety of advantages, from boosting your base stats and damage output to granting you defensive enhancements and a higher likelihood of encountering your favored Gods. They represent a vital part of character customization, allowing you to tailor your runs to your preferred playstyle. The choice of Keepsake before a run, and the strategic swapping of them throughout your journey, can be a critical factor in whether you reach the surface. They offer the potential to change the type of boons you will receive during a run, and that can fundamentally change how you play a build.
Obtaining these valuable items is intrinsically tied to the relationships you forge with the Olympian pantheon and the other characters you meet along your quest. Building favor with these characters by offering Nectar or other gifts is key to unlocking their Keepsakes. You’ll need to carefully consider who to give a gift to when you get the chance, especially early on in the game. The Keepskes will unlock a new world of opportunities, and with enough planning, you’ll be able to develop a strong build to escape.
When preparing for a run, you’ll be able to equip one Keepsake at the start, and it will stay with you for the duration of that first area. After completing a room, you can switch your Keepsake to another you possess by interacting with the Keepsake Altar. This is a vital feature as it allows for a great deal of flexibility in choosing which bonuses you prefer. Choosing when to swap is one of the most strategically interesting parts of a run, so make sure you learn when you should switch keepsakes.
Keepsakes and their Effects – A Comprehensive Guide
Let’s delve into the heart of this guide: a detailed exploration of all Keepsakes in Hades 2, their effects, and how to earn them. We’ll examine each Keepsake, revealing their full potential and how to incorporate them into your strategic planning.
Keepsakes for Offensive Might
Keepsake Name: Sunken Tooth
Associated God/Character: Hecate
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases your damage against foes that are Slowed.
- Level 2: Further increases the damage against slowed enemies.
- Level 3: Grants an increased bonus to damage.
How to Obtain: By building favor with Hecate.
Keepsake Name: Adamant Ball
Associated God/Character: Hephaestus
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases the chance of finding Hephaestus Boons
- Level 2: Provides increased bonus to damage with Hephaestus Boons.
- Level 3: Grants a larger boost to Hephaestus Boon rarity.
How to Obtain: Gift Hephaestus with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Distant Memory
Associated God/Character: Mnemosyne
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases your cast damage.
- Level 2: Provides increased damage, and increases your boon quality.
- Level 3: Provides further increased damage, increased boon quality, and a bonus to the cast meter.
How to Obtain: Gift Mnemosyne with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Ice Wine
Associated God/Character: Demeter
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases your damage against foes that are Chilled.
- Level 2: Provides further bonus to damage, and also bonus to boon quality.
- Level 3: Provides further damage, further boon quality and a bonus to the chill build speed.
How to Obtain: By building favor with Demeter.
Keepsake Name: Obsidian Mirror
Associated God/Character: Hypnos
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases the chance of finding Hypnos Boons
- Level 2: Provides increased bonus to damage with Hypnos Boons.
- Level 3: Grants a larger boost to Hypnos Boon rarity.
How to Obtain: Gift Hypnos with Nectar.
Keepsakes for Defensive Strength
Keepsake Name: Reflected Light
Associated God/Character: Helios
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases the chance of finding Helios Boons.
- Level 2: Provides increased bonus to damage with Helios Boons.
- Level 3: Grants a larger boost to Helios Boon rarity.
How to Obtain: Gift Helios with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Eternal Seed
Associated God/Character: Demeter
Effects:
- Level 1: Slightly increases your maximum health.
- Level 2: Grants additional maximum health.
- Level 3: Grants bonus to maximum health and boon quality.
How to Obtain: Gift Demeter with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Golden Vessel
Associated God/Character: Cerberus
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases maximum health slightly.
- Level 2: Grants additional maximum health and a small chance to recover health.
- Level 3: Grants further maximum health and improved chance to recover health.
How to Obtain: You will need to find Cerberus, and then give him Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Stygian Shield
Associated God/Character: Nyx
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases your chance to find Nyx Boons
- Level 2: Provides increased bonus to damage with Nyx Boons.
- Level 3: Grants a larger boost to Nyx Boon rarity.
How to Obtain: Gift Nyx with Nectar.
Keepsakes for Resource Acquisition
Keepsake Name: Moonlit Night
Associated God/Character: Selene
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases the chance of finding Selene Boons
- Level 2: Provides increased bonus to damage with Selene Boons.
- Level 3: Grants a larger boost to Selene Boon rarity.
How to Obtain: Gift Selene with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Stygian Pouch
Associated God/Character: Charon
Effects:
- Level 1: Grants increased gold drop chance.
- Level 2: Increases gold drop chance, with further benefits.
- Level 3: Further increases gold drop chance, further benefits.
How to Obtain: Gift Charon with Nectar.
Keepsakes for Special Abilities
Keepsake Name: Golden Eye
Associated God/Character: Hermes
Effects:
- Level 1: Increases your chance to receive Hermes Boons
- Level 2: Further increases your chance to receive Hermes Boons, with increased bonus.
- Level 3: Provides further increases to chance, and to quality.
How to Obtain: Gift Hermes with Nectar.
Keepsake Name: Obsidian Scepter
Associated God/Character: Hecate
Effects:
- Level 1: Provides a bonus to your cast damage.
- Level 2: Provides additional damage, with increased quality.
- Level 3: Further improves damage and quality.
How to Obtain: By building favor with Hecate.
Keepsakes for God Favor
Keepsake Name: Ambrosia
Associated God/Character: Chaos
Effects:
- Level 1: Increase your chance of finding chaos boons.
- Level 2: Increase the benefits of chaos boons.
- Level 3: Increase the chance of finding chaos boons, and improve their quality.
How to Obtain: You will need to find Chaos, and then give them Nectar.
Strategic Tips for Utilizing Keepsakes
Mastering Keepsakes is as much about strategic choices as it is about understanding individual effects. Knowing when to swap your Keepsake can significantly increase your success rate. For example, you might start with a Keepsake that increases your chance of encountering a specific God whose boons complement your weapon, like using the Adamant Ball to aim for Hephaestus boons with the weapons in the game. After the first area, you might switch to a Keepsake that offers additional health or damage resistance, depending on your current health level or the difficulty of the upcoming encounters.
Building Synergistic Strategies
Keepsakes and Boons synergize with each other, and mastering these synergies will lead you to success. Some Keepsakes offer benefits that are amplified by the boons of particular Gods. For example, combining Demeter’s Keepsake with boons that trigger the Chill effect can create a powerful damage-over-time build. Experimenting with different combinations is key to finding the playstyle that suits you best. This is one of the best ways to get the best Hades 2 experience.
Recommended Keepsake Combinations
- Beginner’s Build: Early on, focus on Keepsakes that provide a consistent advantage. Keepsakes that increase your maximum health or provide damage reduction are great choices to start with. These make the early rooms easier and build your survivability.
- Melee Focused Build: Pair Keepsakes that provide bonus damage with the melee weapon that you enjoy. Also, try combining Keepsakes with a specific Olympian that has the type of boons you enjoy.
- Ranged Build: Pair Keepsakes with Boons and God choices that work well with Ranged. Combining these will lead to the most success.
Conclusion: The Path to Mastery
Keepsakes are essential to your journey through the Underworld. By understanding the effects of each one, and combining them strategically with boons and your chosen playstyle, you can significantly increase your chances of escaping. Experimentation and adaptation are key. This Hades 2 Keepsake list is your starting point, but the true power comes from understanding the synergies between the keepsakes and how you use them.
Remember to build relationships with the characters in Hades 2. They will provide you with boons, and you’ll be able to use Keepsakes. By mastering this aspect of the game, you’ll be well on your way to achieving victory. Good luck, and may the Gods be with you!
