Hades 2 Arcana Cards Tierlist

Building the perfect Arcana deck can make or break your escape attempts in Hades 2. While RNG controls your boon offerings, smart Arcana choices give you consistent power that carries through every chamber. Whether you're struggling with early regions or pushing high Fear levels, understanding which cards deserve your precious Grasp will transform your runs from frustrating defeats into triumphant victories.

What Makes Arcana Cards Essential?

Arcana Cards function as your pre-run foundation, offering permanent benefits that activate before you even enter your first chamber. Unlike boons that depend on divine favor, these mystical cards provide guaranteed advantages using Grasp - your limited activation currency.

The key insight most players miss: Arcana selection isn't about individual card power, but creating synergistic combinations that complement your preferred playstyle while maintaining flexibility for unexpected build directions.

S-Tier Arcana Cards

These seven cards should anchor virtually every loadout you create. Their value-to-cost ratio remains unmatched across all difficulty levels.

Death (XII)

Starting with three Death Defiances transforms impossible situations into comeback opportunities. What elevates this card beyond mere survivability is the refill potential from Echo, Charon, and Athena encounters.

The Furies (VI)

The 30% damage boost to enemies caught in your Cast becomes second nature once you develop proper casting habits. Since most effective strategies involve frequent Cast usage, this bonus activates constantly without requiring build adjustments.

Origination (XIV)

This card demands strategic boon selection but rewards you with massive damage increases. The requirement for two different Olympian curses shapes your early game choices, making you a more versatile player.

Activation Strategy:

• Prioritize gods offering complementary curse types
• Remember that multiple curses from the same god won't trigger the bonus
• Plan your first region around securing this activation

Persistence (VII)

Doubling Melinoë's base 30 HP for just 2 Grasp makes this card impossible to ignore. The additional Magick proves equally valuable for sustaining your supernatural abilities.

The Sorceress (I)

At 1 Grasp, this card offers better value than most Epic boons. The 30% faster Omega channeling speeds up your most powerful attacks while requiring zero playstyle adaptation.

The Wayward Son (II)

With 40+ locations per run, this single Grasp investment provides 200+ healing throughout your journey. The consistent restoration keeps you healthy between major encounters.

The Swift Runner (XI)

Beyond speed improvements, the pass-through mechanic proves crucial for positioning against larger enemies and Guardians. This mobility advantage often determines survival in chaotic encounters.

Hades 2 Arcana Cards Tierlist

A-Tier

These cards excel in specific scenarios or complement particular strategies while maintaining broad applicability.

Strength vs Death

Strength transforms your health pool efficiency while providing offensive benefits. The 50% damage reduction makes healing twice as effective, while the damage boost accelerates clear speeds. However, Death offers more forgiving gameplay with refill opportunities.

Choose Strength when:

• You're comfortable with aggressive positioning
• Your build focuses on sustained combat
• You want to maximize healing effectiveness

Choose Death when:

• Learning new strategies or weapons
• Pushing higher Fear levels
• Prioritizing consistent completion over optimization

The Champions (XXII)

Boon rerolls provide unmatched build control. The ability to fish for specific Duo Boons or avoid unwanted offerings makes this card essential for advanced strategies.

Hades 2 Arcana Cards Tierlist

B-Tier

These cards shine in specific circumstances but require thoughtful integration.

Night (X)

Critical damage bonuses for alternating Omega Moves make this card devastating in the right hands. Aspects like Melinoë (Staff) that encourage varied Omega usage gain tremendous value here.

The Lovers (XV)

Three invulnerability hits during Guardian Encounters can save runs that seemed hopeless. The value increases dramatically with higher Vow of Pain ranks.

The Enchantress (XVI)

Door rerolls complement boon rerolls for complete encounter control. While individually less impactful than boon rerolls, the strategic options prove invaluable for optimization.

C-Tier

These cards provide meaningful benefits but shouldn't drive your Grasp allocation decisions.

Divinity (XXIV)

The 20% Epic improvement chance activates easily with left column or middle row Arcana selection. While not game-changing, the occasional Epic upgrade provides noticeable power spikes.

Eternity (IV)

The slow-motion effect during Omega channeling helps newer players react to threats. However, experienced players rarely need this assistance, making it a temporary crutch rather than permanent solution.

D-Tier

Five Grasp for improved boon rarity on a single offering slot represents terrible value. The same resources invested elsewhere provide guaranteed benefits rather than marginal improvements.

The Unseen (IX)

Magick regeneration becomes irrelevant with proper boon selection and Soul Tonic usage. Five Grasp could activate multiple powerful cards instead of solving a problem that doesn't exist.

Judgement (XXV)

Random Arcana activation after Guardian defeats creates unpredictable builds unsuitable for consistent strategy. Only consider this for experimental runs or extreme challenge attempts.