Keepsakes return in Hades 2, allowing you to customize your loadout with passive buffs and blessings that may save the day. Unlocking Keepsakes uses the same method in the sequel, so that means you better stock up on Nectar. Here are all Keepsakes in Hades 2 and how to get them.
Keepsakes are items that grant things like passive buffs and are offered by some NPCs in Hades 2. They can be equipped before a run and can be swapped between Regions after activating the necessary incantation. Each Keepsake can be leveled up in rarity twice, making them even more powerful.
Hades 2: All Keepsakes and how to earn them
There are 27 Keepsakes to earn in Hades 2. You can claim them by gifting Nectar to allies and, erm, frenemies in the Crossroads and the Regions beyond. Like with the original, most of the time you’ll have to first make a character’s acquaintance before you get the option to offer them Nectar. Generally, by the time you meet with a character a second time, you should be able to earn their Keepsake — so long as they like you.
On that note, there will occasionally be a tough nut to crack. Nemesis, for example, takes a while to accept offerings from Melinoë, her longtime rival. Keep speaking with her and tempt her with the Nectar as a gift, and soon enough she’ll grumpily accept and give you her Keepsake in return.
Check below for the list of Keepsakes in Hades 2, who offers it, and what it does. Keep note that this list may include spoilers; scroll at your own risk.
I’ve bolded the parts of the description that will improve when the Keepsake’s rank increases.
| Character | Keepsake | What it does | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hecate | Silver Wheel | After you use Magick, restore it over 3 Sec., up to a total of 1,000 Magick this night. | Crossroads |
| Odysseus | Knuckle Bones | The next Guardian loses -5% Life. You take -15% damage from Guardians. | Crossroads |
| Schelemeus | Luckier Tooth | After you fall to 0 Life, automatically restore 51 Life once this night. | Crossroads |
| Dora | Ghost Onion | Whenever you exit a Location, fully restore your Life, up to a total of 50 Healing this night. | Crossroads |
| Nemesis | Evil Eye | Deal +20% damage to the last foe that vanquished you. | Crossroads |
| Moros | Engraved Pin | After you fall to 0 Life, become Impervious for 10 Sec. If no foes remain, restore 30 Life. | Crossroads after summoning |
| Eris | Discordant Bell | After each Encounter, you deal +0.5% damage, but also take that much more. | Crossroads after fighting the Rift of Thessaly Guardian |
| Charon | Gold Purse | Gain +100 Gold Crowns once this night. | Crossroads, Underworld, Surface |
| Hermes | Metallic Droplet | You move, strike, and Channel 20% faster for the next 200 Sec. | Underworld, Surface |
| Artemis | White Antler | While you have no more than 30 Life, you have +20% chance to deal Critical damage. | Underworld, Surface in random Locations |
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| Selene | Moon Beam | You can +1 upgrade(s) for your Hex from the next Path of Stars you find. | Underworld, Surface |
| Zeus | Cloud Bangle | A Boon of Zeus is likely. You can Rarify his Common blessing once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Hera | Iridescent Fan | A Boon of Hera is likely. You can Rarify her Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Poseidon | Vivid Sea | A Boon of Poseidon is likely. You can Rarify his Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Demeter | Barley Sheaf | A Boon of Demeter is likely. You can Rarify her Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Apollo | Purest Hope | A Boon of Apollo is likely. You can Rarify his Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Aphrodite | Beautiful Mirror | A Boon of Aphrodite is likely. You can Rarify her Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Hephaestus | Adamant Shard | A Boon of Hephaestus is likely. You can Rarify his Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Hestia | Everlasting Ember | A Boon of Hestia is likely. You can Rarify her Common blessings once this night. | Underworld, Surface |
| Heracles | Lion Fang | Deal +30% bonus damage, but lose 5% of this after each Encounter. | Random appearance in Locations in the City of Ephyra |
| Medea | Blackened Fleece | After you take 250 damage, your Omega Moves deal +20% damage. | NPC Room in City of Ephyra |
| Circe | Crystal Figurine | After the next Guardian, activate 1 random (Rank) Arcana Card. | NPC Room in Rift of Thessaly |
| Arachne | Silken Sash | Gain +20 Armor. While you have at least 1 Armor, gain +2 Armor after each Location. | NPC Room in Erebus |
| Narcissus | Aromatic Phial | Fountains restore +20 Life. The next makes 1 random Common Boon of yours Rare. | NPC Room in Oceanus |
| Echo | Concave Stone | After choosing a Boon, 25% of the time randomly take 1 more, once this night. | NPC Room in the Mourning Fields |
| Icarus | Experimental Hammer | Gain 1 random Daedalus Hammer that lasts for 10 Encounters. | Random appearance in Locations in the Rift of Thessaly |
| Primordial Chaos | Transcendent Embryo | Gain a random Common Chaos blessing once this night. Every 8 Encounters, replace it. | Random appearances in the Surface and Underworld via Chaos Door |
Best Keepsakes in Hades 2
We now have the full list of all the Keepsakes in the game. But, ah, what are the best Keepsakes in Hades 2? It’s a big question, and most answers will be subjective. Mostly, it can depend on your weapons and play style, or if you are delving into a resource run without much desire to beat the final threat. That’s okay, and I have some ideas on the latter.
But there are some Keepsakes I find myself using more than others. These can certainly be regarded as the best the game has to offer if you’re playing it to finish regular runs.
Luckier Tooth
Among all the Keepsakes in your possession, arguably the best is the one that keeps you alive and puts you back in the fight. The Luckier Tooth, gifted by Schelemeus, is the equivalent of one Death Defiance, bringing you back to life while restoring a chunk of health. At max level, you’ll heal for 101 Life. Also, it should be pointed out that this is the, eh, upgraded version of Skelly’s Lucky Tooth from the first game, luckier in that it gives you one more life point. Thanks, Skelly.
Knuckle Bones
Gifted by Odysseus in the Crossroads, Knuckle Bones is an exceptional Keepsake for those of you who may struggle against the late-game Guardians (bosses) of Hades 2. At its default, the Keepsake makes it so the next Guardian you face loses 5% Life. Leveling it up adds 5% to that total, up to a maximum of 15% Life. You’ll also take -15% damage from said Guardian, giving you what feels like a small health buff.
Silver Wheel
Melinoë’s role as a witch makes her play differently than that of her brother Zagreus. She not only has a Life pool, but a Magick meter for casting Omega moves. The Silver Wheel, gifted by Headmistress Hecate, restores some of your Magick every time you use it. For those wanting to play Magick builds with the Witch’s Staff or Umbral Flames, the wheel is ideal.
Ghost Onion
I consider the Ghost Onion, the Keepsake gifted to you by our friendly tent spirit Dora, to be a great one to use if you’re feeling that early-game struggle. Hades 2 is hard, make no mistake about it. In those starting hours I had many runs where I was barely limping into Oceanus. The Ghost Onion heals you after exiting a Location up to a certain amount. I don’t feel the Keepsake is worth it after you learn the dance, but it’s fantastic for those who still fumbling with the steps.
Engraved Pin
Moros, the bringer of Doom, also brings you this Keepsake after gifting him a bottle of Nectar. Despite being the one thing all mortal men fear, Moros is actually a pretty chill dude and more forgiving than you’d realize. His Keepsake is the epitome of this, as dying with it equipped gives you one more chance at life — if you earn it.
At 0 Life, the Pin keeps you alive and invulnerable. Clear the room of enemies in under ten seconds and you gain 30 Life. If equipped, the Pin basically makes it so you don’t die or lose a Death Defiance if you have one charged. You can view it as a second chance for your second chance, allowing you to save a precious Death Defiance for another fight.
Moon Beam
Do not sleep on the Path of Stars! I may not be overly impressed with Selene’s gifts, but the Path of Stars upgrade tree is one you should definitely consider for each and every run. Some upgrades let you increase your dodge chance percentage or give you more speed and damage. One gift can heal you and make you temporarily invulnerable after putting in some points. Moon Beam, given by Selene, gives you +1 upgrade point per level, which increases every time you upgrade the Keepsake.
Transcendent Embryo
Like deals with Chaos, using their Keepsake is a gamble; one that can pay off. Equipping the Transcendent Embryo grants you a Chaos Boon that gets replaced after eight encounters. You can end up leaving the first Region with a powerful Boon that buoys your entire run. If you’re willing to take the chance, the Transcendent Embryo is an excellent Keepsake.
How to upgrade Keepsakes in Hades 2
You upgrade Keepsakes in Hades 2 merely by using them. Each Keepsake has three levels, which you achieve after completing a certain amount of Encounters.
All Keepsakes in the menu tell you how many Encounters you have left to clear before they level up. Level 2 requires you to finish 25 Encounters, while Level 3 is acquired after clearing 50. In total, you’ll need to complete 75 Encounters to fully rank up a Keepsake.
