What Artifacts will completely change your game, and how to unlock them for yourself!

The Risk of Rain 2’s artifact system is what changed runs for a lot of players. You no longer had to grind monsters for gold, as there was an artifact that took chests out altogether. Or if you’re a glutton for punishment there’s one that doubles your fall damage. 

These strange artifacts could be uncovered throughout the game, hidden as codes in different stages. These codes can be put in at Sky Meadow. This list will go over the most interesting and advantageous artifacts. Although not all artifacts are beneficial, every artifact will add something new to your runs.

10. Artifact of Soul

This artifact makes it so wisps emerge from defeated enemies.  Anytime you kill an enemy an ethereal ghost Wisp will take its place.  It will have the same health and move similarly to a Lesser Wisp, but this enemy will not give any EXP or drop any Gold when defeated. They will also not drop items if Artifact of Sacrifice is on.

Overall just a fun way to add a little bit more challenge to stages. 

Why Artifact of Soul is Great 

• Doesn’t increase the difficulty too much.
• A good starter Artifact.
• Makes you play a bit more careful.

How To Get Artifact of Soul…

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Soul details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

9. Artifact of Chaos

This artifact enables Friendly Fire for both survivors and monsters. As a solo player, this artifact is great, it's nice that I'm not the one dying from Clay Dunestrider. And it's very satisfying using all the enemies as portable meat shields.

If you however don't play alone, this artifact will be a lot less about dodging monster attacks but rather about dodging the attacks of your friends. And really you as players are susceptible to the explosions they've created through items. So be sure not to pick up that Will-o'-the-wisp item when running this artifact. 

Why Artifact of Chaos is Great 

• A challenging multiplayer artifact. 
• Makes you change your playstyle.
• Can make enemies one-shot each other.

How To Get Artifact of Chaos... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Chaos details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

8. Artifact of Kin

This artifact causes there to only be one monster type per stage. This can lead you to easy stages with Beetles, or extremely hard stages with all Alloy Vultures. Since variants of enemies are not taken into account, you won't get enemies in the same family as that enemy.  You can get a Lemurian stage, but you won't get Elder Lemurians in that same stage.

This does make runs harder or easier depending on RNG, it's a great way of training against a single enemy type

Why Artifact of Kin is Great 

• You know exactly who you’re fighting at all times.
• Doesn’t make the game too hard.
• A great starter artifact.

How To Get Artifact of Kin...

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Kin details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

7. Artifact of Vengeance

This artifact puts in a relentless copy of your character that will invade your stage every 10 minutes. If you've ever played against a boss that was a dark copy of the main character, you know exactly what this artifact is like. Finding your monsoon runs to be completely easy? Fighting against the version of you that just 1 shot the boss should provide some entertainment.

Your clone does have a weakness since they're considered a boss Armor-Piercing Rounds works against them. And if you do manage to defeat your doppelganger, you'll get a random item they have. Could be your best chance to get that second Defensive Microbot. 

Why Artifact of Vengeance is Great 

• A simple yet great challenge.
• Happens every 10 minutes so as to not be overwhelming.
• You can exploit your doppelganger's weakness.

How To Get Artifact of Vengeance... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Vengence details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

6. Artifact of Enigma

This artifact makes it so the player spawns with random equipment, that changes every time you activate it. You are able to gain any equipment from this artifact with the exception of, Milky Chrysalis, Effigy of Grief, and The Crowdfunder.

Equipment has always been an afterthought in runs, as sometimes you can go through multiple stages without finding one, or at least not a good one. So this is a great way to gain a new appreciation for equipment. Be careful in using Equipment droves, as you won't get new equipment until the next stage. 

Why Artifact of Enigma is Great

• Doesn’t make the game too difficult.
• Good early game. 
• It lets the player get accustomed to all equipment.

How To Get Artifact of Enigma... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Enigma details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

5. Artifact of Honor

This artifact makes it so monsters can only spawn into stages as elites. The caveat is that they don't drop increased EXP or Gold as they normally do. Early in the run, this artifact is deadly, as it doesn't take too much for your survivor to die. And elite enemies will take down your health before you can even realize it.

This does make items like Old Guillotine extremely useful, as you can collect a few and swoop through stages. Late game the payoff is great if you can get through the early game first.

Why Artifact of Honor is Great

• A lot of items pair well with it.
• Hard early game, but great later in the game.
• Makes the player a lot more strategic in the early game.

How To Get Artifact of Honor... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Honor details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

4. Artifact of Sacrifice

This artifact makes it so monsters drop items on death, and chests no longer spawn. Artifact of Sacrifice is definitely my favorite, as very few artifacts change as much about the game as this one does. No longer do you spend tons of time getting gold early on to just barely open a chest. Now every single enemy is your own personal chest, that may or may not give you something.

This artifact can feel rather bad early on, as the drop rate isn't too high and there are only a few enemies at the start. But as you start going through stages, you'll have more items than you'll know what to do with. Opening up your gold pockets to buying those drones you leave unactivated. 

Why Artifact of Sacrifice is Great 

• Gives you a different option to chests.
• Pairs surprisingly well with other artifacts.
• Items get dropped a lot in later stages.

How To Get Artifact of Sacrifice... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Sacrifce details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

3. Artifact of Glass

This artifact makes it so allies deal 500% damage, but have 10% of their health. Being the artifact equivalent to the item Shaped Glass, you can generally see how runs can go for you. Either you one-shot everything, or you get one shot yourself. Especially since this artifact removes one-shot protection, so everything can and with 1 shot you. This artifact definitely makes runs feel a lot faster, and definitely a lot harder in the late game.

Why Artifact of Glass is Great 

• High damage, at the loss of high health.
• Makes runs fast and engaging.
• Fun to experiment with high damaging builds.

How To Get Artifact of Glass... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Glass details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

2. Artifact of Swarms

This artifact doubles monster spawns, with the monsters' maximum health getting halved. This artifact is a bit of an opposite to Artifact of Glass, as instead of you one-shotting enemies and having low health. The enemies have an entire army of low health mobs, that will overwhelm you given the chance. Sadly, Artifact of Sacrifice halves the drop chance of Swarms. So you're not getting a ton more items if you pair the two.  

The most fun thing about running this artifact is proc-based item builds. As there are so many items with chain effects, they'll only increase in power as the stages go on. I always try to get Ukulele and Will-o'-the-wisp for swarm runs. Sadly, Artifact of Sacrifice halves the drop chance of Swarms. 

Why Artifact of Swarms is Great 

• Fun modifier to experiment with builds.
• A lot of weak enemies give you more things to fight early.
• Makes proc-based item builds stronger.

How To Get Artifact of Swarms... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Swarms details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifacts

1. Artifact of Command

This artifact simply lets you choose your own items. With every artifact making the game a bit or a lot harder, this artifact lacks any true downsides. Other than trying to pick the next item in your build while a boss is trying to squish your character. Items you try to pick up will give you a screen showing every item of that rarity, instead of just giving you a random one. Allowing you to pick any Legendary-rarity item if one of such rarity dropped.

Essentially making it so you'll never get that item you don't really like unless you pick it yourself. It makes it a lot easier to reach later stages, as your inventory is no longer filled with just movement speed items. The best artifact is truly the one that erases RNG. 

Why Artifact of Command is Great 

• Very easy to experiment with.
• You won’t get items you don’t want.
• It has no apparent drawbacks.

How To Get Artifact of Command... 

• Input this code in the 5th stage Sky Meadow.

Artifact of Command details: https://riskofrain2.fandom.com/wiki/Artifact

You may also be interested in: 

• Risk of Rain Best Character - Who To Choose
• Risk of Rain Best Builds That Are Fun To Play
• Risk of Rain Best Items That Are Powerful (And How To Get Them)
• Risk of Rain Best Lunar Items That Are Powerful (And How To Get Them)
• Risk of Rain Best Artifacts That Are Powerful