How to get Memories in Darkest Dungeon 2

It’s not often that Darkest Dungeon 2 lends you a helping hand, so when it does you need to be ready to grab on and never let go. One of these rare moments comes with the Memory system: a way to add significant buffs to your seasoned heroes for the duration of their next run, and possibly beyond. It’s not the most intuitive system to figure out though, with the game offering little in the way of guidance on how to access or make use of it, which is where this guide comes in. Read on to learn how to get Memories in Darkest Dungeon 2.

How to unravel the mysteries of Memory in Darkest Dungeon 2

Unlocking Memories

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Memories are run-long buffs that you can apply to your heroes at the Timeless Wood section of the Altar of Hope, in exchange for some candles. When you visit the Wood initially, however, you’ll find that you require ‘Heroes with Memories’ in order to make use of the feature. This isn’t really explained anywhere, but what that translates to is ‘Heroes who have completed a successful run.’

Each Confession you complete will unlock a new Memory slot for every hero who survived the final battle of said Confession, with each hero having a maximum of five Memory slots available. This means you’ll unlock your first set of Memory slots after defeating The Shackles of Denial at the end of the Denial Confession.

Applying Memories

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Once you have, you can then visit the Timeless Wood again and actually make use of it this time. You can click on the open Memory slots next to each hero, and then choose a Memory from the available options on the left to fill it with. Note that doing so costs candles: 5 to begin with, reducing as you spend more candles to develop the Timeless Wood as an area. Doing so will also unlock more Memory options for you to pick from.

The Memories themselves are all straightforward buffs. There are 20 in total, with effects ranging from +10% damage to +10 Stress resistance. Their effects are all relatively minor, but they last for the full duration of the next run and come with no downsides, which is rare in Darkest Dungeon 2. They do cost candles to apply initially, however, which detracts from other unlocks. This is something to bear in mind, particularly early on when you’ll want to focus your candles on unlocking characters and items instead.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

It’s worth noting that if you apply a Memory to a hero at the end of a run, that Hero will retain all of their Quirks from the previous run if you choose them again for the next one. This stacks across multiple runs too, meaning you can develop characters across the game’s five confessions, building up rich personalities and multiple Memories on each, ultimately resulting in a much more powerful party overall if you can keep your squad alive consistently.

So there you have it: a complete guide on how to get Memories in Darkest Dungeon 2. If you can remember all the nuances of the system, and employ them to your advantage, you’ll be able to build up storied heroes with several runs under their belts.