All artifacts in Risk of Rain Returns

Risk of Rain Returns quickly gained significant popularity shortly after its November 8, 2023 release. Players are praising this title's gameplay, which is centered on a Roguelike concept. Risk of Rain Returns boasts distinctive characters and an exhilarating campaign — offering players the opportunity to acquire unique items, in-game treasures, skills, and other essentials to enhance their characters' survivability.

While every resource holds importance, artifacts stand out as particularly crucial. Each of them is imbued with its own unique power and can be activated in the character select menu. Once this is done, these items offer their effects throughout the campaign playthrough.

Familiarizing yourself with the locations of these artifacts is essential for maximizing your characters' capabilities. This article details the places where all these items in Risk of Rain Returns can be found.

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Risk of Rain Returns: All 14 artifacts, effects, and their locations

1) Artifact of Command

Stage: Hive Cluster.

Location: The Command artifact is situated in the upper-right corner of the map.

Effects: Items in the boxes are not randomly generated. Instead, your character gains the ability to select specific drops.

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2) Artifact of Distortion

Artifact of Distortion in the Risk of Rain Returns. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Damp Caverns.

Location: Navigate to the highest point on the map. Upon reaching it, you'll encounter a peculiar structure. Jump to the platform on the right from there and you will get the artifact.

Effects: This one intermittently disables a random skill every minute, but reduces the cooldowns of skills.

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3) Artifact of Cognation

Artifact of Cognation in the Risk of Rain Returns. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Desolate Forest.

Location: Look out for a vine that guides you to a concealed room. Once inside, quickly press both right buttons, summoning the boss named Golem. Eliminate the boss to unlock the Artifact of Cognation.

Effects: When you eliminate foes, they will generate a clone that disappears after a short duration.

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4) Artifact of Enigma

Artifact of Enigma. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Sunken Tomb.

Location: To acquire the artifact, navigate to the lower-right corner of the map. Upon reaching the marked location, you will encounter a sequence of pits on the terrain. In one of them, you will find the artifact.

Effects: Receive randomly changing equipment each time.

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5) Artifact of Dissonance

Artifact of Dissonance. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Random

Location: Random

Effects: Monsters have the ability to spawn in locations beyond their typical habitats.

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6) Artifact of Honor

Artifact of Honor. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Desloate Forest

Location: Proceed to the left side of the map, where you'll encounter a waterfall. Following that, you'll find a passage on your left. Use a character with superior jumping abilities to access the path.

Effects: When you activate the Artifact of Honor, all enemies will consistently appear as Elites.

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7) Artifact of Glass

Stage: Frozen Tundra.

Location: Make your way to the far-left edge of the map, ascend the towering mountain, and search for a cave in that vicinity.

Effects: Damage dealt receives a boost of +500%, but your health points are reduced to a mere 10%.

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8) Artifact of Kin

Artifact of Kin. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Drief Lake

Location: Navigate to the right side of the map, where you'll encounter a breakable wall. Smash through it to uncover the artifact.

Effects: After you've activated it, each map will feature only one type of enemy.

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9) Artifact of Spite

Stage: Sky Meadow

Location: In a particular map variation, you'll come across an opening in the ground. Enter it and navigate through a jumping puzzle, leaping between various platforms and vines. Eventually, on one platform, you will find the artifact.

Effects: Once you've overcome adversaries, they will explode.

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10) Artifact of Spirit

Artifact of Spirit. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Temple Ruins

Location: Navigate to the map's right side and descend the ledge. Jump across the platforms to reach the Artifact of Spirit.

Effects: Characters exhibit increased speed when their health is low.

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11) Artifact of Sacrifice

Stage: Magma Barracks

Location: Three buttons are concealed throughout the stage, requiring a character with piercing abilities to activate them. Subsequently, proceed to the western section of this stage's map, where the artifact rests on an altar.

Effects: Instead of chests spawning, monsters now drop items upon their demise.

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12) Artifact of Prestige

Artifact of Prestige. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Complete the Providence challenge

Location: Achieve 15 Gold Crowns during the Providence Trials to obtain the Risk of Rain Returns Artifact.

Effects: Every map will now feature at least one Shrine of the Mountain, with its effects becoming permanent.

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13) Artifact of Tempus

Artifact of Tempus. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Temple of Elders

Location: To activate the Risk of Rain Returns Tempus Artifact, you must reach the Temple within a 15-minute timeframe. It will be located at the center of this stage's map.

Effects: Upon activation, all items will function temporarily while behaving as if they possess multiple stacks.

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14) Artifact of Origin

Artifact of Origin. (Image via Gearbox Publishing)

Stage: Final

Location: To obtain the Artifact of Origin, you must successfully complete a solo or multiplayer playthrough of Risk of Rain Returns. Additionally, you need to emerge victorious against the final boss to be rewarded with this artifact.

Effects: Every 10 minutes, Purple Imps and Imp Vanguard will materialize through a portal.