Wisps emerge from defeated monsters. Every Monster Team kill spawns a bright blue Lesser Wisp (Soul) that deals 3.5 base damage, has 35 HP, and dies automatically after around 12 seconds. Soul Wisps drop no gold, no experience, and no items - even with Artifact of Sacrifice active. The code is on Scorched Acres, formed by objects on the ground rather than a stone tablet, with one shape missing.
Code and Location
Code Pattern
●■●
●♦●
■♦■
Circles outer ring, Diamonds center column, Squares corners
Code Location: Scorched Acres
On one of the hills inside a circular stone structure. Unlike every other artifact, the code is NOT a stone tablet - objects on the ground form the pattern with one shape missing. The circle object can be seen nearby.
Soul Wisp Stats
Key Mechanics
Bright blue visuals. Soul Wisps are visually distinct from normal Lesser Wisps - they glow bright blue. Recognizable at a glance. Their projectiles are also blue, which helps track incoming damage.
No drops under any circumstances. Soul Wisps drop zero gold, zero experience, and zero items. Artifact of Sacrifice, 57 Leaf Clover, and Purity all have no effect on Soul Wisp loot. They are purely extra enemies.
12-second lifespan. Soul Wisps have negative health regeneration and die automatically after around 12 seconds. They do not need to be killed - ignore them if you can outrun them.
Monster Team rule applies. Only Monster Team enemies spawn Soul Wisps on death, identical to the Artifact of Sacrifice rule. Voidling and non-Monster-Team enemies never produce Wisps.
Valid kill targets for on-kill items. Killing a Soul Wisp triggers Ceremonial Dagger, Gasoline, Will-o'-the-Wisp, and other on-kill effects. They serve as bonus proc targets.
Huntress Laser Glaive quirk. A Laser Glaive that kills a monster immediately ricochets to the Soul Wisp spawned by that kill, consuming a bounce. Plan glaive bounces accordingly.
Void Infestor can infest Soul Wisps. Despite their short lifespan, Void Infestors can technically infest a Soul Wisp (SotV). An infested Wisp becomes Voidtouched before dying naturally seconds later.
Soul Is a Buff for On-Kill Builds
The Artifact of Soul has almost no downside for players who stack Ceremonial Dagger, Gasoline, Will-o'-the-Wisp, or similar on-kill items. Each enemy kill now generates a second kill target seconds later. Proc chain builds become significantly more active.
Best Items for Soul Runs
Ceremonial Dagger
Soul Wisps are valid kill targets. Each Wisp kill fires a tracking dagger. Dense Wisp clouds generate a constant stream of daggers.
Gasoline
Wisp deaths trigger Gasoline fire pools. Killing one Wisp can ignite nearby Wisps in a chain, clearing packs automatically.
Will-o'-the-Wisp
Lava pillar on Wisp kill hits nearby Wisps and enemies. Excellent in dense Soul Wisp clouds that cluster around the player.
Ukulele
Chain lightning on hit procs on Wisps and jumps to nearby Wisps and enemies. High density Wisp swarms spread chains constantly.
Tougher Times
Soul Wisps deal 3.5 base damage but can accumulate quickly. Block chance prevents chip damage from Wisp clusters.
Frost Relic
Ice tornado activates on kill, persists through Wisp and enemy kills alike. Constant proc source with high Wisp density.
Best Combos
Soul + Sacrifice
Soul Wisps do NOT drop items even with Sacrifice active - confirmed. Standard enemies still drop items on death. Soul is purely additive extra enemies with no loot upside.
Soul + Chaos
Friendly fire means Wisps damage each other and monsters. Dense Wisp clouds deal significant self-damage to nearby enemies. Net positive - monster crossfire clears rooms faster.
Soul + Swarms
Double enemy spawns means double Soul Wisps on every kill. Stages fill with bright blue Wisps. Ceremonial Dagger and Gasoline chains become near-constant.
Soul alone
Low-impact modifier. Soul Wisps are weak and die in seconds. The main effect is extra chaos and more kill targets for on-kill items. Net neutral for most survivors.
Soul + Command
Choose on-kill items (Ceremonial Dagger, Gasoline, Will-o'-the-Wisp) to specifically abuse the extra Wisp kill targets. Turns Soul into an offensive proc generator.
Soul + Honor
All enemies are elites, and each death spawns a Wisp. Elite kills trigger on-kill effects then the Wisp also provides a second kill proc opportunity. Brainstalks uptime doubles.
Tips
Stack on-kill items. Soul Wisps are extra kill targets. Ceremonial Dagger daggers, Gasoline fires, and Will-o'-the-Wisp pillars all chain between Wisps and nearby enemies. Soul is practically a free damage multiplier with these items.
Ignore Wisps if you lack on-kill items. Wisps die in 12 seconds on their own. If you don't have items that benefit from killing them, keep moving and let them expire. They deal only 3.5 base damage and are low threat to mobile survivors.
Melee survivors take more chip damage. Wisps spawn right at the enemy's death location, which is where melee survivors stand. Expect brief unavoidable contact. Tougher Times and shield items help absorb Wisp cluster hits in close range.
Huntress Laser Glaive loses bounces to Wisps. Kill a monster with Laser Glaive and the next bounce goes to the spawned Wisp, not a new enemy. Adjust targeting to account for this when enemies are clustered.
Don't bother with Sacrifice expecting Wisp loot. A common misunderstanding - Soul Wisps never drop items with Sacrifice. Only the original enemy's death triggers the drop. Sacrifice + Soul is fine but Soul adds nothing to the loot economy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Artifact of Soul do in Risk of Rain 2?
The Artifact of Soul makes a bright blue Lesser Wisp (Soul) emerge from every defeated Monster Team member. Soul Wisps have 35 HP, deal 3.5 base damage, move at 6 m/s, and die automatically after around 12 seconds due to negative health regeneration. They do not drop gold, experience, or items under any circumstances, including with Artifact of Sacrifice active.
What is the Artifact of Soul code?
The Artifact of Soul code is ●■● ●♦● ■♦■ - Circle-Square-Circle on top, Circle-Diamond-Circle in the middle, Square-Diamond-Square on the bottom. The code is on Scorched Acres, on one of the hills inside a circular stone structure. Uniquely, it is NOT a stone tablet - objects on the ground form the pattern with one shape missing. The circle object is visible nearby.
Do Soul Wisps drop items with Artifact of Sacrifice?
No. Soul Wisps never drop items regardless of which other artifacts are active. The Artifact of Sacrifice has no effect on Soul Wisps. Only the original Monster Team enemy's death triggers Sacrifice drops - the Wisp that spawns afterward drops nothing.
Can Soul Wisps be infested by Void Infestors?
Yes. Soul Wisps are valid targets for Void Infestor infestation (SotV DLC). An infested Soul Wisp becomes a Voidtouched Wisp. Given that Wisps have only 35 HP and die in 12 seconds, this is a rare occurrence but technically possible.
Does Huntress Laser Glaive interact with Soul Wisps?
Yes. If Huntress's Laser Glaive kills a monster, the glaive immediately ricochets to the Soul Wisp that spawns from that kill, consuming one of its remaining bounces. This can drain glaive bounces faster than expected in Soul-active runs.
Which enemies do not spawn Soul Wisps?
Only Monster Team members spawn Soul Wisps. Enemies not on the Monster Team - including Voidling - do not spawn Wisps on death. The same Monster Team rule that governs Artifact of Sacrifice also applies to Soul.
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