What are Arcana Cards in Hades 2 and how to upgrade them?

Arcana cards in Hades 2 are among the many new features in the game. These Tarot-like cards are one of Melinoe’s primary ways of growing stronger. Each one grants specific abilities to the protagonist once activated. She can only have a certain amount activated at one time (Grasped), but this number can increase as the game progresses.

The Arcana Cards system in Hades 2 offers players a wide variety of builds. Each player will have cards they prefer to run to make up for shortcomings or to enhance the way they currently play the game.

That said let's look at this cool, new feature now that the game has hit Early Access.

Note: The title is in Early Access. We will update this guide in the future as required.

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How to take advantage of Arcana Cards in Hades 2

It's up to you which cards you wish to equip (Image via Supergiant Games)

Once you’ve completed your first run through the game, you can start unlocking Arcana Cards in Hades 2. This is always done in the hub world, where Melinoe interacts with the other characters fighting against Chronos: Hecate, Odysseus, and more. Head south from the main room, and you’ll see a spot with an exclamation mark, where you can Meditate.

This is where the Arcana Cards are unlocked and activated. These often cost Ash to unlock, but you can also use some of your other resources. Some of the more powerful cards (Judgment, for example) also require items like Zodiac Sand.

Simply purchasing the cards isn’t enough, you have to activate/Grasp them as well. On the right side of the screen, you’ll see a meter that depletes as you activate cards.

Each card has a cost, which is sometimes 0. There are other requirements to activate them, though: For example, the card known as The Centaur requires you to activate at least one card of each Grasp costing 1 through 5 to activate it. Once you have these cards activated, their effects will trigger throughout your delves in the game.

As you unlock more Arcana cards in Hades 2, the grid grows. Later, you can even upgrade them (Image via Supergiant Games)

Arcana cards in Hades 2, while powerful, are different from the various boons bestowed upon Melinoe by the gods in Hades 2, so combining them with the power of the Arcana Cards will show what the new protagonist can really do.

Later in Hades 2, you can even upgrade Arcana Cards, but it won't come cheap. First, you need the Consecration of Ashes Incantation recipe (6 Ash, 6 Fate Fabrics, 1 Cinder). You’ll need to have plenty of Moon Dust on hand for this - the first upgrade only costs that resource, but you’ll need other items for the second upgrade of each card.

The cards can be upgraded twice each, and it’s worth investing your Moon Dust into this. Every card gets better, but it’s up to you which ones you wish to focus on.

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Hades 2 is now available in Early Access, and it has our writers quite excited about what’s to come from Supergiant Games.

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That concludes this guide on Arcana cards in Hades 2. Consider reading our other articles:

• Best ways to quickly get Ashes in Hades 2
• Hades 2: How to get and use Poppy
• All new Hades 2 abilities confirmed so far (playtest)