Hades 2: Top Arcana Cards Ranked

In Hades 2, as you journey towards Chronos, the titan of time, you’ll encounter a myriad of foes across various levels and settings. To effectively combat these challenges, it’s essential to continually enhance Melinoe, and one of the most effective ways to do so is by utilizing Arcana Cards.

Arcana Cards serve as passive buffs that you can select before each new run, granting you specific advantages. Currently, there are 25 different Arcana Cards available during the early access phase of the game, but limitations mean you can’t choose them all. To assist you in selecting the most beneficial Arcana Cards, we’ve compiled a ranked list of the top choices you should include in your strategy.

The 5 Best Arcana Cards

Whether you aim to boost your health, deal more damage, or gain unique tactical edges, Arcana Cards are indispensable. Unlike the gifts from Olympian gods that require gradual collection and enhancement, the Arcana Cards you choose at the start will remain active throughout your run. If you're striving to create the ultimate build, be sure to consider the following Arcana Cards.

1. The Titan

You might not notice it initially, but as you progress through the game, particularly in the Ocean region where spaces are tighter and enemies become more plentiful, you may struggle with a shortage of HP or mana. To counter this, the XIII Arcana card, The Titan, is an excellent option, increasing your maximum health and mana by 20 points. This is especially helpful if you're not utilizing cards like The Centaur, The Unseen, or The Wayward Son, which also enhance your stats or restore them gradually. Although The Titan costs 2 Grasp points, the benefits it provides are well worth the investment.

2. Strength

The XV Arcana Card, Strength, costs five Grasp Points to activate. This card offers a buff of -30% damage taken and +30% damage dealt when your HP is below 30%. This card pairs exceptionally well with the Moon Water boon from Selena, allowing you to strategically take damage to trigger the buff and then use Moon Water to regain health. This approach is particularly effective in boss encounters, especially against Scylla, the Sirens, and Chronos.

3. Divinity

The XXIV Arcana card, Divinity, requires no Grasp points to use. Activating this card grants you a +10% chance to receive epic rare boons, which is invaluable since increasing boon rarity is typically challenging unless you have the Rare Crop boon from Demeter. By having a higher chance to acquire rare cards, you significantly enhance your gameplay experience. An alternative to Divinity is Excellence, which offers a +30% chance of obtaining rare boons.

4. Judgement

Judgment is one of the top Arcana cards in the game. When activated, it allows you to activate three additional inactive Arcana Cards after defeating the Guardian. Although these activated cards are chosen randomly, the advantage this brings to your strategy is undeniable. However, there’s a catch for newcomers: to unlock Judgment, you must collect Z-Sand, which can only be obtained by defeating Chronos. Until you accomplish that, this powerful card will be out of reach.

5. Eternity

Eternity is an accessible Arcana Card you can use early in the game, and it doesn’t cost any Grasp points. When activated, it grants you one death defiance, meaning if you’re defeated, you won’t perish outright; instead, you’ll recover a portion of your HP and continue fighting. This card can be a lifesaver during intense battles or challenging boss encounters when you’re facing overwhelming odds. While you can acquire additional death defiance during your run for 200 Coins, it’s often wiser to conserve your resources for purchasing boons.

By selecting the right Arcana Cards, you can significantly enhance your abilities and tackle the challenges that await you in Hades 2. Choose wisely, and may your journey towards Chronos be victorious!