Artifact Reliquary Risk of Rain 2

Bulwark's Ambry Risk of Rain 2
Artifact Reliquary
HP: 100,000 (+30,000/lvl) • Armor: 100,000 • Only in Bulwark's Ambry

The Artifact Reliquary is the boss of every Artifact Trial. It is completely immune to all normal damage - weapons, abilities, items, procs, everything. The only way to damage it is with Artifact Keys. Four keys destroy it. Each key use triggers a shockwave and spawns enemy waves.

Artifact Key
4 Artifact Keys = Reliquary destroyed
HP
100,000
Armor
100,000
Keys Required
4
Dmg Per Key
25,000
Normal Damage
0
Always Level
1

How to Beat the Artifact Reliquary

1

Enter the Artifact Portal from Sky Meadow or Helminth Hatchery. You arrive in Bulwark's Ambry with the trial's artifact active.

2

Pick up the Artifact Key on the pedestal in front of the Reliquary. Do not pick up more than one. All keys are consumed simultaneously when you use one.

3

Walk to the Reliquary and interact with it while holding the key. This deals 25,000 damage (1/4 of its HP), triggers a shockwave, and starts monster spawns. The Reliquary begins firing homing lasers.

4

Kill enemies until one drops the next Artifact Key. Stay mobile - the Reliquary's laser fire rate and homing strength increase as its HP drops.

5

Pick up the key immediately and return to the Reliquary. Repeat steps 3-4 three more times. Four key uses total destroy it.

6

Grab the artifact from the destroyed Reliquary. A portal to Stage 1 opens. The artifact is permanently unlocked and active for the rest of this run.

Do NOT Stack Keys

Using any Artifact Key consumes every key in all players' inventories and on the ground at once. Pick up one key, use it immediately, then collect the next. Hoarding keys wastes them completely.

Key Mechanics

4 Keys to destroy

Each key use deals exactly 25,000 damage (1/4 of 100,000 HP). The fourth key destroys it. No shortcuts.

All keys consumed at once

Using a key removes every Artifact Key in all players' inventories AND on the ground simultaneously. Keys mid-spawn-animation are the only exception.

Shockwave on each use

Each key use emits a shockwave knocking back players and flying enemies. Tougher Times can block this knockback.

Homing lasers activate

After the first key, the Reliquary fires homing lasers in a pattern. Fire rate and homing strength increase as HP drops. Stay moving at all times.

Enemies must be nearby

Monsters stop spawning if all players stray too far from the main platform. Stay close to keep key drops flowing.

Cannot be healed by players

Allied Mini Mushrums or Bustling Fungus on Umbrae/allied monsters can heal it. Avoid these if possible when running Vengeance or Devotion artifacts.

Normal damage useless

HP: 100,000. Armor: 100,000. No attack, ability, item, or proc deals any meaningful damage. Only Artifact Keys work.

Always Level 1

Due to an internal mechanic, the Reliquary is almost always Level 1 regardless of run progression. Its stats don't scale in practice.

Trial-Specific Modifiers

The active artifact during a trial changes how the Reliquary fight plays out. Standard trials are straightforward, but some have unique mechanics.

Trial of Prestige (AC DLC)
Each key use spawns a boss wave instead of regular enemies. Each subsequent wave equals one more Shrine of the Mountain stack of difficulty. The penultimate key = 2 Shrine stacks.
Trial of Vengeance
An Umbra (copy of each player) spawns every key use except the last. These doppelgangers have identical items to the players and are extremely dangerous.
Trial of Glass
You have 10% HP with one-shot protection disabled during the trial. The Reliquary's lasers can kill you in one hit. High DPS burst recommended.
Trial of Chaos
Friendly fire is active. Your own AoE items and explosions can kill you. Avoid proc-heavy builds and explosive items.
Trial of Command
Yellow Command Essences drop in Bulwark's Ambry but can only become Artifact Keys. Command doesn't let you swap them for other boss items.
All other trials
Standard trial - regular enemy waves, standard laser attacks. The active artifact modifies the run as normal.

Bulwark's Ambry Variants

With the Seekers of the Storm DLC, Bulwark's Ambry has four possible layouts chosen randomly each visit. The Reliquary fight is identical in all variants - only the visual environment changes.

Default
Classic block stone architecture. Open center with the Reliquary floating in the void.
Tar Research
Environment details from Abandoned Aqueduct. Log on tip of one of the taller ring segments near the top.
Aphelian Research
Environment details from Aphelian Sanctuary (SotV DLC). Log on column behind the ring.
Wisp Research
Follow a path of 5 square stepping stones in an L-shape. Log at the end.

Tips

Unlock Artifact of Command first. With Command active during other trials, you can choose which items drop from enemies. This makes every trial easier and helps you build toward surviving the harder ones like Glass or Vengeance.
Stay on the main platform. Enemies stop spawning if all players move too far from the central arena. If keys stop dropping, move back toward the Reliquary.
Tougher Times blocks the shockwave. Each key use emits a knockback shockwave. Tougher Times can proc to block it - useful for trials where being knocked off platforms is dangerous.
The Reliquary's lasers scale with HP. In the final quarter the lasers are fastest and most accurate. Save mobility items and abilities for the last stretch.
Run Artifact of Sacrifice. Keys still drop even with Sacrifice active, and killing enemies faster means faster key acquisition. Sacrifice doesn't interact negatively with the trial mechanic.
Bring items from your run. The trial isn't isolated - your entire build carries in. Come with a solid build from Stage 5 rather than attempting trials on early runs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you beat the Artifact Reliquary in Risk of Rain 2?

The Artifact Reliquary is immune to all normal damage. The only way to damage it is with Artifact Keys, which drop randomly from enemies in Bulwark's Ambry. Each key use deals exactly 25,000 damage (one quarter of its HP). Use four keys total to destroy it. Do not stack keys - using one consumes all keys in your inventory and on the ground simultaneously.

How many Artifact Keys does it take to beat the Artifact Reliquary?

Four Artifact Keys. The first key activates the trial and deals 25,000 damage. Keys 2, 3, and 4 each deal another 25,000, destroying it on the fourth use. The first key spawns on a pedestal in front of the Reliquary. Enemies drop the remaining keys after the trial begins.

Why can't I damage the Artifact Reliquary?

The Artifact Reliquary has 100,000 armor, making it completely immune to all normal attacks, abilities, and item procs. The only way to damage it is by interacting with it while holding an Artifact Key. If you're struggling to find keys, kill every enemy - keys drop randomly from enemies spawned during the trial.

Can you stockpile Artifact Keys?

No. Using an Artifact Key on the Reliquary consumes ALL keys simultaneously - those in your inventory, your teammates' inventories, and any on the ground. The only exception is keys that haven't finished their spawn animation yet. Pick up one key at a time and use it immediately.

What does the Artifact Reliquary do after the first key?

After the first key is used, the Reliquary begins firing homing lasers in a pattern around itself. The fire rate and homing strength increase as its HP drops. Stay mobile at all times. It also starts the monster spawn waves that will drop subsequent keys.

Can the Artifact Reliquary be healed?

Yes, in rare circumstances. Allied Mini Mushrums can heal it. Allied monsters or Umbrae (from Artifact of Vengeance) with Bustling Fungus can also heal it. This is an edge case but worth knowing if running Devotion or Vengeance artifacts during a trial.

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