What is Grasp of the Arcana in Hades 2? (Early Access)

In Hades 2 Grasp of the Arcana is a vital resource for Melinoe. Just like her brother, she has multiple perks or abilities that give her an edge on the field. The protagonist Zagreus could access his abilities through a Dark Mirror in the first game, where he could use “Darkness” to select or upgrade abilities. In the sequel, the echo of this mechanic is the Arcana Cards and the Grasp of the Arcana.

Cronos, the Titan of Time is the main boss in the sequel. Fighting him is no easy task. Other than the blessings of Olympus, Melinoe needs all the power she can get. The Arcana Cards in Hades 2 are the fruit of Melinoe's Witch training and they bestow some vital abilities to her. But the Arcana Cards you can have depend on the level of Grasp you have unlocked in the game.

For those confused, this article will delve into the details of the Grasp of Arcana in Hades 2.

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Why do you need Grasp of the Arcana in Hades 2?

The Grasp of Arcana meter (Image via SuperGiant)

Whenever you use the Altar of Ash you are bound to notice a meter around the character portrait on the right. This meter is your Grasp of the Arcana, which indicates Melinoe’s mastery over Witchcraft. In terms of game mechanics, the value of this meter determines how many active Arcana Cards you can have in each run.

Each Arcana Card has a value in the top right corner. Every time you activate one, its value is added to the Grasp of the Arcana meter. So let’s imagine you have two 3-cost Arcana Cards and two 2-cost Arcana Cards that you want to activate in Altar. In this case, you will need a Grasp of the Arcana meter with at least the value of 10 Grasp. In order to activate more cards, you will have to upgrade your Grasp.

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How to upgrade Grasp of the Arcana in Hades 2?

How can you upgrade your Grasp? (Image via SuperGiant)

The Grasp meter can be upgraded throughout the game. To do so, you will need Psyche. With each upgrade, the meter is increased by one point. The more Arcana Cards you want to activate, the more upgrades to the Grasp of Arcana you will need. But upgrading your Grasp is not an easy task.

Not only is Psyche an uncommon resource in Hades, but with each upgrade, the cost also gets higher. Around level 30, you may need over 350 Psyches for each level.

If you are struggling to find this resource, always remember to check merchants like Charon and Wretched Broker who can have an assortment of this material in their shop for sale. In order to complete Hades 2 main story, you will need a lot of Psyches, so be prepared.