Hades 2 expects you to get better at the game as you make attempts each night to fulfil Melinoe's destiny. Thankfully, you are able to power yourself up through various means using the resources you grab on your journey. One such method of self-improvement is the usage of the Altar in the Crossroads Training area.
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PostsThis Altar grants access to various Arcana Cards, which are purchased using Ash, activated using Grasp, and then upgraded using Moon Dust and various other precious items. In short, cultivating and equipping the right Arcana Cards is a long process that requires much effort.
Hades 2 is currently in Early Access. As a result, the details below are likely to change over the course of development.
Arcana Basics
There are 25 Arcana Cards to unlock at the Altar at the Crossroads, though you will only have a small selection to begin with. As you unlock these cards, hidden cards on their sides will be revealed until you have a full five-by-five grid of cards. Unlocking these cards costs Ash, and sometimes other important resources.
Unlocking these cards is only the first step, however. You must then 'activate' these cards. Cards have a 'Grasp' cost associated with them, and you can see your total pool of Grasp on the Arcana screen to the right. To increase your total Grasp pool, you'll need to spend Psyche. The cost to increase your Grasp pool increases heavily as your pool expands.
Both Ash and Psyche can both be acquired during your nightly runs.
Grasp Total
10
12
14
16
18
20
21
22
Psyche Cost
Default
30
45
50
100
120
150
170
Grasp Total
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Psyche Cost
200
230
240
260
290
320
350
1,000
The final upgrade also costs three Dark and three Shadow.
Every Arcana Card
The table below lists each card, its unlock costs, its position on the board, and how much it costs to activate.
The Sorceress
1 Ash
1 Grasp
The Wayward Son
4 Ash
1 Grasp
The Huntress
10 Ash
3 Grasp
Death
15 Ash
3 Grasp
The Messenger
20 Ash, 1 Pearl
0 Grasp
The Furies
3 Ash
2 Grasp
The Titan
7 Ash
2 Grasp
The Unseen
20 Ash
5 Grasp
Night
25 Ash
4 Grasp
The Lovers
30 Ash
2 Grasp
Swift Runner
10 Ash
1 Grasp
Eternity
20 Ash
4 Grasp
The Centaur
25 Ash, 1 Cinder
0 Grasp
The Moon
30 Ash
3 Grasp
Strength
35 Ash
5 Grasp
The Fates
15 Ash
3 Grasp
The Boatman
25 Ash
5 Grasp
Origination
30 Ash
3 Grasp
Excellence
35 Ash
5 Grasp
The Queen
40 Ash, 1 Tear
0 Grasp
The Seer
20 Ash, 1 Wool
0 Grasp
The Champions
30 Ash
4 Grasp
The Artificer
20 Ash
6 Grasp
Divinity
40 Ash, 1 Golden Apple
0 Grasp
Judgment
50 Ash, 1 Zodiac Sand
0 Grasp
Many of these cards have zero Grasp requirements - instead, they have alternative requirements before they are activated:
Card
Activation Requirement
The Messenger
Active at least three cards that have the same Grasp requirement. Note that three cards of 0 cost do not count.
The Centaur
Activate at least one card of each Grasp cost from 1 through 5.
The Queen
Active no more than 2 cards that have the same Grasp cost.
The Seer
Activate The Fates, The Boatman, and The Champions.
Divinity
Activate all 5 cards in any other row.
Judgment
Activate no more than 3 cards total.
Arcana Upgrades
Once you reach a certain point in the game, after unlocking a fair amount of Arcana Cards, you will be given the Incantation recipe Consecration of Ashes, which requires six Ash, six Fate Fabrics, and one Cinder. This will unlock the ability to upgrade your Arcana Cards up to two times each, making them stronger.
The main resource required to upgrade cards is Moon Dust, which is acquired from Alchemy at the cauldron and from the Wretched Broker, along with some Fated List rewards.
The table below lists every Arcana Card's effects, including the upgrades and the upgrade costs. The bolded text shows what changes after each upgrade.
Arcana
Effect
Upgrade Costs
The Sorceress
Slow down time while channeling Omega Moves for 2/3/4 seconds.
1 Moon Dust
3 Moon Dust, 6 Moly
The Wayward Son
After exiting a location, restore 2/3/4 life. Double that if you have less than 30% life remaining.
2 Moon Dust
3 Moon Dust, 10 Silver
The Huntress
While you have less than 100% Magick, deal 30%/40%/50% more Attack and Special damage.
2 Moon Dust
4 Moon Dust, 8 Lotus
Death
Omega moves have a 3%/4%/5% chance to deal Critical damage.
4 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 10 Moss
The Messenger
Gain a 6%/8%/10% chance to dodge. To Awaken, you must activate three cards of the same cost
3 Moon Dust
6 Moon Dust, 5 Pearl
The Furies
Deal 20%/25%/30% more damage to enemies trapped in your Casts.
2 Moon Dust
4 Moon Dust, 10 Nightshade
The Titan
Increase your Life and Magick totals by 20/30/40 each.
2 Moon Dust
6 Bronze, 4 Moon Dust
The Unseen
Restore 2/3/4 Magick every second.
2 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 10 Cattail
Night
Charge your Hex by 2/3/4 points per second.
5 Moon Dust
10 Moon Dust, 8 Myrtle
The Lovers
Take zero damage from 1/2/3 hits from bosses.
3 Moon Dust
6 Moon Dust, 15 Limestone
Swift Runner
Your sprint is 20%/25%/30% faster.
1 Moon Dust
3 Moon Dust, 3 Wool
Eternity
You gain 1/2/3 Death Defiances, allowing you to restore 40% of your life upon death.
6 Moon Dust
12 Moon Dust, 1 Star Dust
The Centaur
Gain 3/4/5 Life and Magick every 5 locations you complete.
3 Moon Dust
6 Moon Dust, 8 Glassrock
The Moon
Your Omega Cast detonation has +50/+75/+100 power.
3 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 8 Garlic
Strength
When you have less than 30% Life, your damage increases by 30/40/50 and you take 30%/40%/50% less damage.
3 Moon Dust
8 Moon Dust, 8 Iron
The Fates
Set forth with 1/2/3 Changes of Fate. Your Changes of Fate can alter Location Rewards.
3 Moon Dust
6 Moon Dust, 12 Fate Fabric
The Boatman
Start the night with 200/250/300 gold.
6 Moon Dust
12 Moon Dust, 10 Marble
Origination
Deal 25%/38%/50% more damage to enemies with 2 or more curses.
3 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 3 Mandrake
Excellence
All Boons you are offered have a +30%/+40%/+50% chance of being improved to Rare quality.
3 Moon Dust
6 Moon Dust, 6 Fate Fabric
The Queen
Any Boons you are offered have a 6%/8%/10% chance of being a Duo Boon.
2 Moon Dust
4 Moon Dust, 12 Fate Fabric
The Seer
Set forth with 2/3/4 Changes of Fate. This does not alter what your Change of Fate can alter.
3 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 3 Zodiac Sand
The Champions
Set forth with 1/2/3 Changes of Fate. Your Changes of Fate can alter Boons.
5 Moon Dust
10 Moon Dust, 9 Shaderoot
The Artificer
Each night, you have 1/2/3 chances to turn Minor finds into Major finds.
8 Moon Dust
15 Moon Dust, 8 Poppy
Divinity
Any Boons you are offered have a 10%/15%/20% chance to be improved to Epic rarity.
3 Moon Dust
5 Moon Dust, 5 Tears
Judgment
After beating a boss, activates 3/4/5 random inactive Arcana cards
10 Moon Dust, 10 Fate Fabric, 2 Thalamus, 1 Zodiac Sand
20 Moon Dust, 25 Fate Fabric, 4 Thalamus, 3 Zodiac Sand
NextHades 2 Has A Hub World That I Never Want To Leave
The Crossroads is already a place I can't wait to return to again and again.
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