Keepsakes help keep you safe in Hades 2. Most Keepsakes grant passive perks on your runs, and are geared toward improving your survival chances (or at least your not-dying-as-quickly chances).
You get Keepsakes by gifting Nectar, a semi-rare resource, to Hades 2’s cast of gods, heroes, and other Ancient Greek notables. If you’ve played the original Hades, a lot of this will be familiar to you: It’s functionally the same system.
Here’s how to get Keepsakes in Hades 2, how to rank up Keepsakes, and a list of every Keepsake we’ve found so far.
How to get Keepsakes in Hades 2
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25431884/hades_2_boon_keepsake_gift.jpeg)
When you’re near a character, press RT (on controller or Steam Deck layout) to “gift.” In the menu that pops up, select the “Nectar” option from the grid. (It’s a little jar of honey.) If it’s your first time giving a Nectar to that character, they’ll respond in kind by giving you a Keepsake.
As far as we can tell, you can only get one Keepsake from each character. In other words, if you’re looking to unlock all Keepsakes in Hades 2, you’re better off holding onto your Nectar until every you’ve given each character you meet at least one.
How to level up Keepsakes in Hades 2
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25440406/Ship_Screenshot_2024.05.09___11.07.16.14.png)
Image: Supergiant Games via Polygon
Leveling up Keepsakes in Hades 2 is simple: The more fights you survive while wearing a Keepsake, the stronger it gets.
Based on our testing, you need to clear 25 encounters (chambers that feature combat of some sort) to level-up a Keepsake from rank 1 to 2, and then an additional 50 encounters to level it up from rank 2 to 3.
Ranking up a Keepsake also increases its potency. For instance, at rank 1, the Ghost Onion Keepsake can restore a total of 50 health over the course of a run. Get it to rank 2 and that figure jumps to 75 health.
You can equip Keepsakes at the cabinet in the chamber where you prepare for your runs, as shown in the screenshot at the top of this post. You can only wear one Keepsake at a time.
All Keepsakes in Hades 2
There are 27 Keepsakes in Hades 2. What follows is a list of all Keepsakes in Hades 2 (as of early access), plus details about who to get them from and what effects they grant.
Note that, while Keepsakes are not numbered, they appear in the Keepsake cabinet in a particular order. The chart below is organized by that order.
Hades 2 Keepsakes and effects list
| Character | Keepsake | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Keepsake | Effect |
| Hecate | Silver Wheel | After you use magick, restore it over 3 seconds, up to a total of 1,000 magick for the run. |
| Odysseus | Knuckle Bones | The next Guardian (area boss) loses 5% health. You take 15% less damage from Guardians. |
| Schelemeus | Luckier Tooth | When you run out of health, automatically restore 51 health once. |
| Dora | Ghost Onion | Whenever you exit a chamber, fully restore your health, up to a total of 50 over the course of the run. |
| Nemesis | Evil Eye | Deal +20% damage to the last foe that defeated you. |
| Moros | Engraved Pin | After you run out of health, become impervious for 10 seconds. If no foes remain, restore 30 health. |
| Eris | Discordant Bell | After each encounter, you deal +0.5% damage, but also take that much more. |
| Charon | Gold Purse | Gain +100 gold once this night. |
| Hermes | Metallic Droplet | You move, strike, and channel 20% faster for the next 200 seconds. |
| Artemis | White Antler | While you have no more than 30 health, you have +20% chance to deal critical damage. |
| Selene | Moon Beam | You gain +1 upgrades for your Hex from the next Path of Stars you find. |
| Zeus | Cloud Bangle | You’re more likely to get a boon from Zeus. You can rarify his common blessings once this run. |
| Hera | Iridescent Fan | You’re more likely to get a boon from Hera. You can rarify her common blessings once this run. |
| Demeter | Barley Sheaf | You’re more likely to get a boon from Demeter. You can rarify her common blessings once this run. |
| Poseidon | Vivid Sea | You’re more likely to get a boon from Poseidon. You can rarify his common blessings once this run. |
| Apollo | Purest Hope | You’re more likely to get a boon from Apollo. You can rarify his common blessings once this run. |
| Aphrodite | Beautiful Mirror | You’re more likely to get a boon from Aphrodite. You can rarify her common blessings once this run. |
| Hephaestus | Adamant Shard | You’re more likely to get a boon from Hephaestus. You can rarify his common blessings once this run. |
| Hestia | Everlasting Ember | You’re more likely to get a boon from Hestia. You can rarify her common blessings once this run. |
| Heracles | Lion Fang | Deal +30% bonus damage, but that value decreases by 5% after each encounter. |
| Medea | Blackened Fleece | After you take 250 damage, you Omega moves deal +20% damage. |
| Circe | Crystal Figurine | After the next Guardian, activate 1 random Arcana Card |
| Arachne | Silken Sash | Gain +20 armor. While you have at least 1 armor, gain +2 armor after each chamber. |
| Narcissus | Aromatic Phial | Fountains restore +20% health. The next one turns one of your common boons rare. |
| Echo | Concave Stone | After choosing a boon, you have a 25% chance to randomly take another boon (once per run). |
| Icarus | Experimental Hammer | Gain a random Daedalus Hammer upgrade that lasts for 10 encounters. |
| Primordial Chaos | Transcendent Embryo | Gain a random common Chaos blessing once this night. Every eight encounters, replace it. |
