Hades 2 keepsakes: Effects, Tradeoffs, and Tier List

How to choose a keepsake

A keepsake can change the shape of a run by adding damage, supporting a particular way to attack, or helping you stay alive. Understanding Hades 2 keepsakes matters because their effects have different triggers and limits: some work for a set time, some depend on reaching zero HP, and others affect a Guardian or a specific kind of reward. Check those conditions before you choose.

The player video offers a version 1.0 tier list based on the creator’s experience. Treat its rankings as the creator’s evaluation, not a universal rule: the creator describes both strong effects and situations where a keepsake’s condition may make it less useful. The tables below summarize the effects discussed in the video and the placements the creator gives for selected keepsakes.

A practical way to compare Hades 2 keepsakes is to ask what each effect actually does, when it activates, and how long it lasts. For instance, a bonus that applies after every encounter works differently from a one-time recovery effect. A good approach is to read the trigger and limitation together, then consider whether they match the plan for your run.

Keepsake effects at a glance

This table summarizes the effects described in the player video. These are the rank values stated in the transcript; for several keepsakes, the creator notes that higher ranks have stronger effects without listing every rank’s exact value.

Image: Steam / Supergiant Games

Keepsake	Effect described in the player video	Condition or limit
Silver Wheel	Grants 100 maximum Magic for the night at the rank described.	The creator discusses it in relation to Omega-focused play.
Knuckle Bones	The next Guardian loses 15% of maximum HP, and you take 10% less damage from Guardians.	Its effects apply to Guardians.
Luckier Tooth	Restores 101 HP after you fall to zero HP.	Activates once that night.
Ghost Onion	Restores HP when you exit a location, up to 100 total for the night.	The video says this healing works through the maximum Vow of Scars.
Evil Eye	Deals percentage damage to the last foe that defeated you.	Its target depends on which foe last defeated you.
Gold Purse	Grants 100 gold for the night at rank one.	The creator describes it as situational.
Engraved Pin	When you first reach zero HP in an encounter, you become Doomed and impervious for 10 seconds; defeating the remaining foes in time restores up to 60 HP.	The effect is tied to a Death Defiance.
Discord and Bell	After each encounter, you deal 1% more damage and take 1% more damage for the rest of the night.	The creator considers the per-encounter increase too small.
Metallic Droplet	Increases movement, strike, and channel speed by 20% for 300 seconds.	Its effect is temporary.
White Antler	Grants 30% critical chance for the next region.	HP is limited to 30.

The player video also describes effects that depend on a specific event, a reward choice, or a run condition. The details below keep the stated requirements alongside each effect, since those requirements shape how the keepsake works.

Keepsake	Effect described in the player video	Condition or limit
Fig Leaf	May remove one encounter in each of three regions for the rest of the night.	The effect is chance-based and may not trigger.
Silken Sash	Grants 30 Armor while you have at least one Armor, then adds four Armor after each location.	Armor must remain for the first effect.
Aromatic Phial	Fountains restore 20% extra HP and turn one random Common boon into Heroic.	The boon selected is random.
Concave Stone	After you choose a boon, it has a 75% chance to grant one more that night.	The creator says the success rate can be raised to 100%.
Lion Fang	Grants 50% damage, losing 5% of that bonus after each encounter.	The bonus declines as encounters pass.
Black and Fleece	After you take 250 damage, your Omega moves deal more damage; the creator gives 40% at max rank.	Taking the stated damage is required first.
Crystal Figurine	After the next Guardian, activates two random inactive Arcana cards.	The cards activated are random.
Experimental Hammer	Grants one random Daedalus Hammer for 20 encounters.	The outcome is random and the effect has a limited duration.

Which keepsakes fit your plan?

God keepsakes are a straightforward way to pursue a particular boon pool, and Hades 2 keepsakes with this effect also let you rarify a boon from that god while the keepsake is equipped. The creator praises them for making a run more consistent when seeking a particular god’s boon. A good approach is to compare the god’s boon options with the effect you want for the build, since the video describes both the boon and rarification effects.

Image: Steam / Supergiant Games

For a Magic-focused run, the Silver Wheel grants maximum Magic for the night at the rank shown in the video. The creator says that extra capacity can support Omega-oriented play, especially when using an aspect built around Omega moves. This is the creator’s assessment of its use, not a guarantee about how much damage a particular build will deal.

Metallic Droplet offers a different kind of support: it increases movement, strike, and channel speed by 20% for 300 seconds. The creator likes that its duration can cover a region if you keep moving at a reasonable pace. A good approach is to account for the timer when choosing when to equip it, because the effect is measured in seconds rather than lasting for the full night.

Run consideration	Effect to compare	Detail from the player video
Pursuing a particular god’s boons	That god’s keepsake	It offers a boon from the associated god and allows boon rarification while equipped.
Spending Magic on Omega moves	Silver Wheel	Grants 100 maximum Magic for the night at the rank shown.
Increasing movement and action speed	Metallic Droplet	Boosts movement, strike, and channel speed by 20% for 300 seconds.
Keeping Armor for longer	Silken Sash	Grants 30 Armor while you have at least one, then adds four after each location.
Getting another boon after a choice	Concave Stone	Has a 75% chance to grant one more boon after you choose one.

These comparisons describe mechanics rather than fixed recommendations. Hades 2 keepsakes can have value for different reasons: one may add a specific reward or stat, while another may activate only after a particular event. Checking both the effect and its trigger is a useful way to avoid expecting a keepsake to work outside the conditions the video describes.

Defense, damage, and high-risk picks

Defensive keepsakes address different problems, so compare their triggers rather than treating them as interchangeable. Knuckle Bones lowers the next Guardian’s maximum HP and reduces damage you take from Guardians. Luckier Tooth restores HP after you fall to zero, while Ghost Onion restores HP as you exit locations. Engraved Pin activates at zero HP and gives you a short window to defeat the remaining foes.

Image: Steam / Supergiant Games

The player video describes an interaction for Engraved Pin in a multi-phase boss fight: if the effect activates during one phase and you clear that phase within 10 seconds, the Death Defiance can be preserved for the next phase. The creator also says its recovery up to 60 HP works at maximum Vow of Scars. These are details from the player video, so check the stated trigger and encounter condition when considering that effect.

White Antler trades a strict health limit for a critical chance bonus. The video describes 30% critical chance for the next region while limiting HP to 30. The creator calls it high risk and high reward, and says defensive tools can make the tradeoff more manageable. Lion Fang also adds damage, but its bonus decreases by 5% after each encounter. A good approach is to weigh the duration and conditions of each effect against what you want from the run.

Keepsake	Benefit described in the player video	Risk or limitation
Engraved Pin	At zero HP, grants 10 seconds of imperviousness; clearing the remaining foes in time restores up to 60 HP.	Its effect is tied to a Death Defiance and a short encounter window.
Knuckle Bones	Reduces the next Guardian’s maximum HP and reduces damage taken from Guardians.	The stated effects concern Guardians.
Luckier Tooth	Restores 101 HP after you reach zero HP.	Activates once that night.
Ghost Onion	Restores HP when leaving locations, up to 100 total that night.	Healing is limited by its stated nightly total.
White Antler	Adds 30% critical chance for the next region.	HP is limited to 30.
Lion Fang	Starts with a 50% damage bonus.	The bonus loses 5% after each encounter.

The creator places Engraved Pin at the top of the tier list and describes White Antler as a favorite, while noting the latter’s health restriction. The creator also rates Knuckle Bones, Luckier Tooth, and Ghost Onion highly. These are the player video’s opinions; the effects and limitations in the table are the details to compare when choosing among them.

Situational picks and the video’s tier list

Some Hades 2 keepsakes depend more heavily on timing or chance. Fig Leaf may remove encounters, but its chance-based trigger can fail. Experimental Hammer gives a random Daedalus Hammer for 20 encounters; the creator describes outcomes ranging from a useful hammer to one that contributes little to a particular build. Concave Stone may add another boon after a choice, and the creator notes that its success rate can be raised to 100%.

Aromatic Phial combines extra fountain healing with a random Common-to-Heroic upgrade. The creator says a player can limit the eligible boon pool by having only one Common boon. Silken Sash, meanwhile, adds Armor after each location while you have at least one Armor, and the creator describes it as useful for retaining Armor or extending the value of an Arachne dress. These descriptions come from the player video and are not universal outcomes for every run.

The tier placements below include the keepsakes for which the player video’s final ranking is summarized here. Hades 2 keepsakes in a tier list reflect the creator’s evaluation in the video, not a fixed measure of how an item will perform with every aspect or build.

Tier in the player video	Keepsakes
S	Engraved Pin, White Antler, Metallic Droplet
A	Silver Wheel, Ghost Onion, Luckier Tooth, Knuckle Bones
B	Lion Fang, Experimental Hammer
D	Gold Purse, Evil Eye, Discord and Bell

The creator places Gold Purse low, explaining that the situations where extra gold would be useful felt rare to them. Evil Eye is also rated low because its damage applies to the last foe that defeated you, which the creator considers too specific. Discord and Bell is placed at the bottom of the list; the creator’s criticism is that its 1% damage increase after each encounter comes with an equal increase in damage taken.

Transcendent Embryo grants a random Epic Chaos blessing every eight encounters, replacing the previous blessing. The creator says the random effect can make it less consistent. These explanations clarify the video’s judgments, but the placements remain personal evaluations. For more player perspective, see the player video’s Hades 2 keepsakes tier list for version 1.0.

FAQ

Which Hades 2 keepsakes does the player video rank highest?

The creator places Engraved Pin, White Antler, and Metallic Droplet in S tier in the summarized placements. The creator’s broader video also discusses other keepsakes and explains that the rankings reflect personal evaluation.

What does Engraved Pin do?

The player video describes Engraved Pin activating when you first reach zero HP in an encounter. You become Doomed and impervious for 10 seconds; defeating the remaining foes during that window restores up to 60 HP.

Which keepsake increases movement and attack speed?

Metallic Droplet increases movement, strike, and channel speed by 20% for 300 seconds, according to the player video.

Are Hades 2 keepsake tier lists universal?

No. The tier list reports the creator’s evaluation in a player video. The effects, triggers, and limits described for Hades 2 keepsakes can help you compare them, but the ranking is not a guarantee for every run.