A strong build won't save a co-op run if Death is on and your teammate falls. Artifacts change the rules you plan around, so choose the tradeoff before you leave the lobby. You can make a build easier to assemble, give monsters new advantages or turn a familiar stage into a different fight.
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Artifacts
How to Enter Artifact Codes in Risk of Rain 2
For an artifact with a generator code, the unlock starts on Stage 5. You don't need to find its hidden code tablet first if you already know the pattern.
- Find the Compound Generator on Stage 5. Look for the grid of switches and the laptop beside it.
- Enter the pattern. Read it from the top row to the bottom, keeping each row in left-to-right order. Interact with a switch to change its symbol, then use the laptop to submit the code.
- Enter the Artifact Portal. It takes you to Bulwark's Ambry for the artifact's trial.
- Use Artifact Keys on the Artifact Reliquary. Pick up the starting key near the Reliquary, then fight enemies for more. Spend each key as you find it instead of hoarding them.
- Take the artifact after the Reliquary is defeated. Finish that trial before moving on to another unlock.
Your regular attacks won't break the Reliquary. The keys are what let you finish the fight. The artifact you're unlocking is active during its trial, so expect to play by its rules before you've earned it.
Which Artifacts to Enable for Your Run
Unlocking an artifact gives you the option to use it. Enable your choices before starting a new run, and combine them when you want their rules to work together.
Start with Command if you want to try a particular item build. Pick the items that fit your plan instead of taking whatever drops. Add Glass only when you're comfortable trading survivability for damage. Controlling your loot doesn't make that health tradeoff safe.
For a harder enemy matchup, try Honor with Evolution. Elite enemies gaining items put pressure on your build as the run goes on. Learn how each artifact feels on its own before you stack them, so you can tell which rule is giving you trouble.
If you're working toward an unlock, choose your goal before changing the rules. The challenges explain what each attempt asks you to do. Keep the run focused on that requirement instead of adding artifacts just because you've unlocked them.
What Sacrifice and Swarms Change Together
Sacrifice shifts your loot hunt toward killing monsters. Swarms fills those fights with more enemies that have less health apiece. Together, they make a run about clearing crowds rather than searching for ordinary chests.
That doesn't mean every extra monster brings an extra item. Drops still depend on chance. Choose this pair for the way it changes combat and exploration, and keep fighting when a pack leaves you empty-handed.
Spoiler: Unlocking the Artifact of Rebirth
Spoiler warning: the route below names a hidden stage and a boss from Seekers of the Storm.
Rebirth uses a separate unlock route instead of the Compound Generator. With Seekers of the Storm enabled, reach Prime Meridian and defeat the False Son. Interact with the Shrine of Rebirth after the fight and offer an item. The offering ends the run and completes Experienced Rebirth, so finish anything else you wanted from that run before you commit.
FAQ
Do I need DLC to unlock artifacts in Risk of Rain 2?
You can unlock base-game artifacts without buying an expansion, including Delusion and Devotion. Rebirth belongs to Seekers of the Storm, while Prestige belongs to Alloyed Collective.
Can my co-op group use an artifact I haven't unlocked?
Yes. Artifacts unlocked by anyone in the lobby are available to the whole team. You can join a run with that artifact enabled even if you haven't earned it yourself.