Hades 2 has made a lot of changes to the core gameplay of the original, but despite all of these updates and tweaks, there are still a lot of aspects of this game that remain true to the original, and one of these is the Keepsake system. This is a system that allows you to equip a gifted item before every run to make use of each item’s unique ability.
You’ll need to get your hands on some Nectar before you can start collecting these, but when you do, these can really up your rate of success from run to run. However, which of these Keepsakes are up for grabs early on, and which one is the best of the bunch for Beginner Hades 2 Players?
Well, we aim to answer that right here, right now. Here is Indie Game Culture’s list of the Best Beginner Hades 2 Keepsakes.
How Do You Unlock Keepsakes?
As mentioned, it’s imperative that you get your hands on some Nectar, as this is the in-game resource that you’ll need to gift other characters and receive gifts in return.
Keepsakes are unlocked by gifting NPCs Nectar, which is actioned by heading up to them in-game and using the ‘Gift’ Function.
This can also be actioned with Gods when in their Boon/Reward Menus, so be sure you hold onto some Nectar when out on runs as well!
You won’t always receive a gift from NPCs, but every gift will unlock new dialogue and get you closer to a new Keepsake from the character chosen.
When you are gifted a Keepsake, you can then access this in the Keepsake Cabinet which is in the room next to the exit at The Crossroads.
How Do You Get Nectar?
This then begs the question, how the hell do you get Nectar? Well, it’s actually pretty simple, and you’ll get access to this resource early on. There are two main avenues you can take.
One is that you can head out on runs, and from time to time, you will come across rooms that will reward you with Nectar if you manage to progress. Then, second, you have the option to buy Nectar from The Broker in The Crossroads when you perform the Incantation that unlocks him.
You’ll need 30x Bones if you want one vial of Nectar, and Bones can be earned in a variety of ways, such as selecting rooms with Bones as the reward or completing Prophecies, for example.
Which Beginner Keepsakes Are Best?
Okay, so now that we know what these Keepsakes are, and how to get them, it’s time to dive into each Keepsakes abilities, and uncover the Keepsakes that are immediately available to beginner players:
#1 – Luckier Tooth
Given By: Schelemeus
Effect: When Melinoe’s health falls to zero, automatically restore +51 HP (once per run).
By a country mile, the best Keepsake that beginner players can access in Hades 2 is the Luckier Tooth, courtesy of Schelemeus.
This Keepsake grants players a Death Defiance, and unless you are very lucky, this will be the quickest way to access a Death Defiance, as the other is locked behind some Arcana Card unlocks, meaning you’ll need a good bit of Ash before you can get that.
In the early game, you are super flimsy, so this access to an extra life early on will allow you to progress quicker, get through more areas of the Underworld, and unlock bigger and better upgrades as a result.
So if you only have one vial of Nectar, this is where you need to spend it, trust me!
#2 – Silken Sash
Given By: Aracne
Effect: Gain +20 armor; if you have at least +1 armor when entering a new location, gain an additional +2 armor.
Another Keepsake that can be accessed inside the first few runs is the Silken Sash, a gift given by Aracne, the Silk Spider, who offers the player Armor on their runs as they pass through Erebus.
This is a good option for more defensive-minded players, as this will allow you to build up a reserve of armor if you manage to get through all the early rooms without taking damage, and can make the early fight with the Headmistress a cakewalk.
The only downside is that, once this armor is gone, it’s gone for good, so if you are still learning the ropes of combat, this may not be all that useful outside of the opening stages, but for those who fancy bolstering their defenses, this is a great beginner Keepsake.
#3 – Evil Eye
Given By: Nemesis
Effect: Deal +20% damage to the last foe that vanquished you. Note that this applies to bosses and regular mobs.
Having trouble taking down a particular boss? Well, then, the Evil Eye is a brilliant item to bring on your next run.
This Keepsake adds 20% damage to the enemy that took you down in the last run, meaning if you were bested by the Headmistress, Scylla, or any of the other regularly occurring bosses, then this can up your chances of getting beyond them next time you meet.
This will mean that you’ll need to deal with everything before and after this encounter on your own, but if a boss is really grinding your gears, this can be the ace up your sleeve you need.
#4 – Ghost Onion
Given By: Dora
Effect: Whenever you exit a location, fully restore your HP. You can restore up to 50 HP in total per run.
Next, we have Dora’s Ghost Onion, a Keepsake that works somewhat similarly to Aracne’s Silken Sash, but this one deals in HP instead of Armor.
At the beginning of each run, this will give the player a reserve of 50HP that they can dip into every time they are at less than full HP when they move to a new room. So if you lost 10HP in the last room, for example, you’ll get all of that back, but the downside is that you’ll only have 40HP left for the rest of the run.
Unlike the Silken Sash, this has a set value of 50HP that cannot be scaled, meaning it’s perhaps not quite as useful long-term, but if you like the safety net of having HP to fall back on when something goes wrong, or you want to take boons that offer benefits when on full or high health, this is a good option.
#5 – Gold Purse
Given By: Charon
Effect: Gain +100 gold/obols at the start of your run.
Then, lastly, in our top five beginner Hades Keepsakes, we have the one given to you by the grumpy old merchant, Charon.
This Keepsake, the Gold Purse, allows you to start each new run with 100 Obols, which, for those unaware, is the currency used to buy items in Charon’s Shop.
This can be good if you want to get some more Boons and Upgrades on deck early on, and goodness knows that when the chips are down, Charon’s Shop can be a real lifesaver, but only if you have the coin.
It does mean that you will be at the mercy of RNG, as the items in the shop will often decide how impactful your run will be, but in the beginning, when resources are scarce, this is a better option than most.
Nifty Gifties
So there you have it folks, the five best keepsakes in Hades 2 that beginner players can get their hands on almost immediately.
Of all of these, the Luckier Tooth is my pick of the bunch, but go with the option that meshes best with your particular playstyle. I hope this helps you nail your next run in Hades 2, and as always, thanks for reading Indie Game Culture!
- Best Beginner Hades 2 Keepsakes - May 13, 2024
- 15 Beginner Tips For Hades 2 Newbies - May 9, 2024
- What’s New In Hades 2? - May 8, 2024