One of the newest features of Rogue Legacy 2 is that classes now have different weapons. A mage in the original game, for example, excelled at casting spells but still used a sword. All classes used a sword no matter what. There were other weapons at the player’s disposal though in the form of traits.
Traits return in Rogue Legacy 2 and are born into new heirs of the hero bloodline. This series is sort of like Castlevania with the Belmont clan being cursed to hunt Dracula for all eternity. It’s also worth bringing up since Rogue Legacy 2 is more like a Metroidvania than ever before. Of the many traits children can be born with, which are the most handy?
8 Clumsy
The Clumsy trait makes it so players destroy objects, like barrels and torches, just by touching them. Swinging at objects to get items or gold is not going to take a lot of time in a room. However, as roguelikes are all about repetition, the more time players can save the better even if that time is only a few seconds at a time.
Another trait that would go well with Clumsy if players are lucky enough to have it is OCD, which makes it so the character can regain mana by hitting objects. It is a killer combo for magic-based classes like the Astromancer, one of the strongest classes in Rogue Legacy 2.
7 Compulsive Hoarder
This trait allows players to find two Relics at any given stand. The best part is that the Resolve for picking them up remains the same. A good Relic to pair this trait with would be Hyperion’s Ring. Normally that Relic is only good for reviving the player once.
However, they can revive twice if they have Compulsive Hoarder equipped. There is a warning on the trait that not all Relics will multiply. The situation for that seems to be low though. It all depends on luck which is true for most things in a roguelike.
6 Spelunker
The Spelunker trait has nothing to do with another popular roguelike in the indie scene, Spelunky. This trait instead allows players to see all chests on the map. The rooms will be clear still out but seeing the direction of these blobs on the map should be good enough.
It gives players a vague direction to head off to. The drawback to this trait is a lowering of HP. This won’t be that devastating to players in Rogue Legacy 2 if they have a class with a beefy HP bar. The Barbarian would be a good one for example.
5 IIB Muscle Fibers
The IIB Muscle Fibers trait has a funny description in the notes. “Reach the jumping prowess of a plumber.” The trait, if that wasn’t already a good enough hint, will allow players to jump higher than they could normally. It is a nod to the Mario Brothers who are skilled at jumping and plumbing.
The plumbing aspect doesn’t go into the games of that series as much anymore besides the pipe usage. Pipes would have been another fun inclusion to put into Rogue Legacy 2.
4 Clownanthropy
It may seem creepy to play as a clown as the goofy-looking entertainers certainly get a bad rap as villains. However, the oddly named Clownanthropy trait will allow players to bounce off of anything. This means they can climb walls without the need for objects to bounce off of like lamps.
It’s sort of like the wall kick ability in games like Super Metroid. It makes sense to liken Rogue Legacy 2 to that release because there are a lot more Metroidvania elements added into the sequel.
3 Disattuned
Disattuned, from the name to the design choice, is a nod to the Undertale series. This trait blackens the entire body so that it looks like a shadow. All enemies can see is a tiny heart. This heart is the only way players can take damage just like the heart in that game's battles
It is a good defensive trait to get on an heir. It’s not perfect, though, as some enemies still have a wide hitbox to their attacks. It takes a while to master a character with this trait, but practice makes perfect.
2 Cartographer
The Cartographer is a trait with a double-edged sword. It gives players the ability to see the entire map of every biome. The downside is that players will have no idea what direction they are going as their marker is removed from the map. There is a trick to mastering this trait though. All players have to do is take manual notes.
From the start of a warp point, players have to figure out the exits to calculate how far away from a certain desired room they are. Spelunky is the better trait as this one can get complicated but it is still worth highlighting.
1 Aerodynamic
The first game allowed players to downward strike enemies. The move was reminiscent of Scrooge’s cane attack in the DuckTales game. Rogue Legacy 2 changed this animation so that it was more like a spin kick. What Aerodynamic does as a trait is flip the animation back to the original.
Characters will instead dive onto enemies with a quickened force. It’s not the most powerful or useful trait in the game by any stretch. It’s just there to highlight one of the greatest roguelikes to ever hit the scene.
Rogue Legacy 2 was released on April 28, 2022 and is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.