How to get Death Defiance in Hades 2

Death Defiance in Hades 2 is one of the more useful and powerful abilities to exist in the game. A throwback to the previous game, Death Defiance gives Melinoe another shot at life once she’s been defeated. There will likely be more than one way to gain this power as players explore the game and the developers update it through the course of the its Early Access lifetime.

Unfortunately, Hades 2 is still in the earliest stages of Early Access, so we’ve only uncovered one way to get Death Defiance for now. However, it can be upgraded with enough time spent in the game.

Disclaimer: This game is in Early Access, and this information is liable to change as more information is found. We will update it accordingly as we learn more.

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Where to unlock Death Defiance in Hades 2

In case you're defeated in battle, you need Death Defiance (Image via Supergiant Games)

Hades 2 has so many great powers for Melinoe to unlock, and Death Defiance is but one of them. It allows you a do-over once you’ve died. Even though this sequel feels easier than the previous title, death is a bit of an inevitability in roguelike games. Unfortunately, we’ve only uncovered one way you can unlock this incredible power.

Death Defiance is unlocked in the first set of Arcana Cards that shows up in Hades 2 once you’ve tackled your first run at the start of the game. When you return to your hub after dying, just head south beyond Odysseus, and you’ll see a place you can meditate. This is where you unlock and activate Arcana Cards.

However, it’s a little deeper into the list, and it’s not cheap. Death Defiance is the eighth card (center column, third down in the above image) and will cost 20 Ashes in Hades 2 to unlock separately. How you get to it is up to you, but you need to have a card next to it unlocked.

It shouldn't take more than a few runs to unlock this power (Image via Supergiant Games)

Unlocking and activating this card will give the player one charge of Death Defiance in Hades 2, and it will trigger the moment you die. You don’t have to do anything special for it to trigger. Later in the game, you can upgrade this card, which costs 6 Moon Dust for the first upgrade. It costs 12 Moon Dust and 1 Star Dust for the second upgrade.

This will increase your charges of Death Defiance from 1 to 2 and finally 3. It doesn’t increase the amount of life you get back (40% health restored), only the amount of charges of this special ability you get to use.

It’s worth pointing out that you don’t have to use Death Defiance once you’ve unlocked it. If you feel confident and don’t want to use the power, simply don’t unlock or Grasp it through the Arcana Card system. However, it’s an incredible feature for players that need a do-over.

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Hades 2 is now available in Early Access, and there are a wealth of ways to increase Melinoe’s power with new abilities, items, and more.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1) What does Death Defiance do in Hades 2?

Death Defiance in Hades 2 grants Melinoe a second chance after dying, reviving her with health to continue the escape attempt.

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Q2) How many times can you use Death Defiance in Hades 2?

Based on currently available information, Hades 2 only allows one use of Death Defiance per run through a specific Mirror of Night upgrade.

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Q3) Is Stubborn Defiance or Death Defiance better in Hades 2?

Death Defiance is generally preferred for its extra chances. Stubborn Defiance might be better for high-heat runs with limitations, but it's a niche case.