How to get the secret character in Risk of Rain 2

Risk of Rain 2 is a highly praised sequel to the original multiplayer roguelike, Risk of Rain. Developed by Hopoo Games and published by Gearbox Publishing, Risk of Rain 2 transitioned from early access to full release on August 11, 2020. The final release features several unique characters and an immersive world. Like the Void Fiend in Risk Rain 2, there are various other characters that you unlock through the course of the game.

However, one among them can’t be unlocked so easily; the secret character of Risk of Rain 2, The Heretic. This character can’t be selected from the menu but must be transformed by holding all the heresy items at once.

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How to unlock the Heretic in Risk of Rain 2

The secret character of Risk of Rain 2 (Image via Hopoo Games)

Kur-skan, the Heretic, is a secret playable character in Risk of Rain 2, introduced with unique mechanics and abilities. To unlock her, you will need to get all the Heresy items. These items can be purchased after completing the Blockade Breaker challenge. You will need eight Lunar Coins to buy them.

All the Heresy items and their skills are:

1. Visions of Heresy: Grants the "Hungering Gaze" skill that fires tracking shards.
2. Hooks of Heresy: Grants the "Slicing Maelstrom" skill which adds an additional projectile launcher.
3. Strides of Heresy: Grants the "Shadowfade" skill, using it you will gain 30% movement speed and regain some health.
4. Essence of Heresy: Grants the "Ruin" skill which adds a stack of ruin whenever you damage an enemy.

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How to play with Heretic in Risk of Rain 2

Best way to play with the Heretic (Image via Hopoo Games)

Unique Attributes and Playstyle

The Heretic boasts several unique attributes that set her apart from other survivors. She has an extremely high base health, can triple jump, and moves faster than any other character. Additionally, she has a significantly higher base damage stat.

However, she also has a major drawback: negative health regeneration, which causes her to lose health over time instead of recovering it. This necessitates careful management of her abilities and items to survive.

Managing Negative Health Regeneration

The Heretic's gameplay revolves around mitigating her negative health regeneration. The "Shadowfade" skill, granted by the Strides of Heresy, is crucial for this. It provides invulnerability and healing, which helps offset her constant health loss.

Players can increase the effectiveness of Shadowfade by stacking the Strides of Heresy, extending the duration of invulnerability and the total HP recovered.

Certain items can also counteract the Heretic's health degeneration, including:

1. Cautious Slug: Multiple stacks allow the Heretic to heal normally after avoiding damage for a period.
2. Weeping Fungus: Grants healing while moving, which is useful given the Heretic's mobility.
3. Gnarled Woodsprite: Provides additional healing as the player levels up.
4. Transcendence: Converts all health into shields, removing the negative regeneration effect.
5. Irradiant Pearl: Grants a flat HP regeneration rate per stack.
6. Topaz Brooch: Helps maintain high barrier levels, though care is needed to monitor health.

Risks and Synergies

The Heretic's unique mechanics come with specific risks and synergies, including:

1. Spinel Tonic: Amplifies negative health regeneration, which can be deadly without sufficient countermeasures.
2. Shrine of Order and Cleansing Pool: Can remove Heresy items, rendering the Heretic's skills non-functional.
3. Fall Damage: The Heretic is particularly vulnerable to fall damage, which can be fatal if not managed properly with jumps or Shadowfade.