You can acquire artifacts in Risk of Rain Returns, which majorly change how the game works. For example, one makes you a damage powerhouse but cuts your health by 90%, and another causes items to drop from monsters instead of chests. However, finding the locations for all these artifacts takes a lot of work. Fortunately, we’ve grabbed quite a few of them, including the Artifact of Command, Artifact of Glass, and Artifact of Enigma. We’ll show you where to find them and what each does below.
Risk of Rain Returns Artifacts locations and effects
So far, we’ve found 12 Artifacts in Risk of Rain Returns. Fortunately, these all spawn in the same location each time, so you don’t have to search too long for them.
Here’s a list of every artifact and where to find it:
Risk of Rain Returns Artifact List
Artifact of Cognation
We have yet to find this new artifact, but there is an achievement for it so we know it exists. We’ll update this article once we determine where the Artifact of Cognation is.
Artifact of Command
- Effect: When this artifact is active, items will no longer appear at random. Instead, rarity boxes will appear. When you interact with the box, you’ll be given a choice of items, and the one you pick will drop. This is one of the more desirable artifacts since it lets you choose your build a lot more directly.
- Location: You can find the Artifact of Command in the Hive Cluster. Head to the map’s east side and look for ropes that cross over a gap. Use the ropes to bridge the chasm, and you’ll find the artifact.
Artifact of Distortion
- Effect: Your skill changes every minute, but it has decreased cooldowns.
- Location: When you reach the Damp Caverns, head to the upper-east side of the map. You’ll find three platforns with strange contraptions on them when you get there. The catch here is that you have to have increased your character’s jumping ability to reach them. When you make it up there, use an ability on the box, and the Artifact of Distortion will appear.
Artifact of Enigma
- Effect: You’ll spawn with random equipment that changes each time you use it.
- Location: You’ll need to make it to the Sunken Tomb for this one. Go to the southeastern corner of the map and look for a pit. Jump down it, and it’ll bounce you back up toward an area where you can find this artifact.
Artifact of Glass
- Effect: Increases damage to 500% but lowers health to 10%
- Location: Slide to the Frozen Tundra and climb the mountain’s west or east side. You’ll eventually come upon an alcove that leads to a cave. Once you get there, you’ll have to find a few buttons to hit. Once you slap the last one, the Glass Arifact will spawn.
Artifact of Honor
- Effect: Enemies will always spawn as elites.
- Location: Proceed to the Desolate Forest and look in the western part of the map for a narrow tunnel. You can head through this and make your way south, then west, and you’ll find a stairlike formation you can climb to get this artifact.
Artifact of Kin
- Effect: Only one enemy type will spawn per map.
- Location: Go to the Dried Lake map and look for a partially broken piece of wall. You can destroy it by hitting it with your weapon, which will reveal a hidden area. Hit the three buttons inside, and the Artifact of Kin will spawn.
Artifact of Origin
- Effect: Every 10 minutes, 3-5 Purple Imps and an Imp Vanguard spawn from a nearby portal.
- Location: You must activate all other artifacts in a playthrough before attempting to find the Artifact of Origin. Once you’ve accomplished that, play through the game until you defeat the final boss. Once you do so, go down one level, and you’ll find the artifact.
Artifact of Sacrifice
- Effect: Chests no longer appear. Instead, monsters will drop items on death.
- Location: When you reach the Magma Barracks, you’ll need to start looking for three buttons. These aren’t too hard to find, but there’s a catch. You need to have attacks that can pierce the wall surrounding them. Once you activate all three, you can find the Artifact of Sacrifice at the southern part of the map.
Artifact of Spirit
- Effect: Your character runs faster the lower their health is.
- Location: Head to the Temple Ruins and head to the east side of the map. Once you’re there, jump off the side and land on the hidden platforms. Once you land, keep heading east and jumping across platforms and you’ll find it.
Artifact of Spite
- Effect: Enemies will explode when they die.
- Location: Once you make it to the Sky Meadow map, look for a small hole that’ll lead you all the way to the bottom of the map. Then, just follow the platforms until you reach the artifact.
Artifact of Tempus
We haven’t found this artifact yet, but there is an achievement for it, so we know it exists. We’ll update this article once we figure out where the Artifact of Tempus is.
