These Hades 2 Arcana Cards Should Always Be In Your Deck (& Here’s Why)

Part of the fun of Hades 2 is that every night is different. Whether you choose to delve below through Erebus or head up to the surface, no two runs are exactly the same. But while the randomness keeps things fresh, it can also make it hard to perfect your strategy against tough Guardians. That’s where the static elements that Melinoe always has at her disposal, such as Keepsakes and Arcana, come in handy. With these tools, you can control some of the randomness that arises from Boons and purchased goods that spawn randomly in Hades 2.

The Arcana can be a powerful tool for perfecting your build in Hades 2. These cards are unlocked initially using Ashes and can grant a variety of helpful effects that boost your damage, magic, health, and more. As you try out different combinations, you’ll likely find cards that suit your playstyle. But if you’re looking for some recommendations on cards to keep equipped from start to finish in Hades 2, I’ve got some thoughts. After trying many combinations, I’ve settled on a handful of Arcana that I never leave the Crossroads without equipping. I think they should be in your deck too, and I’m going to tell you why.

5. XIII – The Centaur

This card restores some health and magick each time you pass through 5 total locations. Once you gain access to Moondust, you can boost the amount that it will restore. This is a helpful way to get some consistent healing throughout the night without expending extra resources, and it costs 0 grasp to keep active. Just satisfy the requirement of having at least one card with a grasp cost numbered 1-5, and this card will automatically heal you up every 5 locations. This can be a life or death difference between your next major healing event, and having that extra boost without the cost of any grasp is especially beneficial for crafting your Arcana deck.

4. II – The Wayward Son

This card restores a bit of your life every time you leave a location. It’s not a ton of healing, but it’s a nice top-off between boosts. If you, like me, aren’t a perfect dodger, it’s helpful to be able to take an extra hit or two thanks to the healing this card offers. The Wayward Son also only costs 1 grasp, making it easy to work into pretty much any Arcana setup. Low cost, pretty solid reward, make this one a no-brainer for keeping in your Hades 2 deck at all times.

3. VII – Persistence

This card grants you an automatic extra amount of life and magick. Going into the night with these bars already a bit more full than the default can make a massive difference, especially as you stack up the coin and Boons to strengthen your build. Once you gain Moondust, you can increase the amount of bonus life and magick this card grants, so it continues to provide precious extra strength for Melinoe’s efforts. I love the extra insurance of a little more health to start before I can collect Centaur Hearts, and I can’t imagine going into the night without that bonus health and magick now.

2. IX – The Unseen

This card is essential for using your Omega attacks, specials, and casts. It restores your magick over time, so you don’t have to wait for the rare opportunity to top off. After I unlocked this card, I did one run without it while testing out different combinations. That was a rough night, and I immediately re-equipped it for good. Being able to regenerate your magick over time is a huge help, particularly if you have a smaller pool thanks to taking Boons that prime some of your magick in exchange. If you run into low magick often, I suggest prioritizing this card for your Moondust as well. Leveling it up increases the amount of magick it restores, making sure you’re always ready to cast when you want to.

1. XII – Death

In real life, the Death card gets a bad rep in the Tarot. In the Hades 2 Arcana, it’s absolutely essential. This card grants you 1 Death Defiance, giving you another shot at defeating a difficult foe, from Hecate and her sheep transformation spell onwards. As you level it up, the amount of health and magick it restores will also increase, making it even more useful. Personally, I love stacking up Death Defiance as extra insurance for tough boss fights, so having this card equipped is a must. It costs 4 grasp, so it’s among the pricier Arcana in Melinoe’s repertoire. But really, can you put a price on a bonus life?

Did your go-to Arcana card in Hades 2 make the list? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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