Among many other improvements over the original, Moonlighter 2 features an expanded and fully overhauled perks system. There are more than 100 unique perks you can pick during your dungeon runs, and they can greatly increase your chances of completing a run and getting out safely. However, with so many perks to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are worth picking. Worry not, we’re here to help with our list of the best perks in Moonlighter 2.
Important note: This guide is a work in progress, and we’re actively playing and discovering all the perks in the game, as well as various combinations and synergies. With that in mind, this list will likely change and evolve as we learn more. For now, we’re mostly focusing on the first dimension in the game, Kalina the Day Realm.
How Perks Work in Moonlighter 2?
Before we jump into the list, let’s first clear up any potential confusion about how combat perks work in this game. The action part of Moonlighter 2 consists of you diving into various dimensions with the goal of clearing an entire dimension in one go. These dimensions (or realms) are made up of dozens of smaller sections, presented as nodes on a dimension map, and you’ll often choose between several nodes as your next destination.
Some of these nodes will be marked as Wound, Ignite, or Foam. These are sections that reward you with a perk choice once you clear them. At the end, you’ll always be presented with three perks to choose from, and at least one of them will be from the specific type highlighted on the node. Here's what you need to know about them:
- Perks are passive buffs to your weapons, gun, and abilities.
- They stay with you until the end of a run.
- When you finish a run, you lose them - they don’t carry over to new runs.
- They come in five rarity types: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.
- Perks from the same family often have strong synergy with each other.
What Are the Best Perks in Moonlighter 2?
Now that we know how perks work, it’s time to pick the best ones. As I’ve already mentioned, this guide is a work in progress and currently focuses on the first two regions (dimensions) of the game. This list was created with that in mind. In addition, I haven’t discovered all of the available perks yet (they appear at random), so I’ll be updating this list as I uncover better and more useful options.
| Perk Name | Description | Pros & Cons | Rarity | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wound Attack | Your Attack deals +40% damage and inflicts Wound | + Insane damage output with Sword and Gauntlets + Excellent combo potential with the Spear - Loses value if used with the Large Sword |
Legendary | Wound |
| Foam Attack | Your Attack deals +40% damage and inflicts Foam. | + Superb against bosses and larger enemies + Pairs well with most weapons - It requires a lot of effort to spread Foam effectively |
Legendary | Foam |
| Hunter's Luck | Non-critical damage increases critical chance by 6%. Resets on a critical hit. | + Dishes out Criticals like crazy when Beserk is active + Melts bosses' health - Not very useful against groups of smaller enemies |
Legendary | General |
| Fortune Finder | From now on, relics are found with a +6 value | + Exceptionally useful if you find it early in a run + Great when you just want to extract with high-value loot - Doesn’t provide any combat buffs |
Rare | General |
| Pop Shots | Your Gun deals +35% damage and inflicts Foam | + Very useful against annoying ranged enemies + Great as part of a gap-closing move against bosses - Requires a bit of effort to prioritize high-value targets |
Uncommon | Foam |
| Flame Rush | After defeating an enemy, deal +25% damage for 5 seconds | +It can have indefinite uptime + Basically a permanent 25% damage boost - It can be tricky to maintain against bosses |
Uncommon | General |
| Duplicity | Materials have an 80% chance to drop in pairs. | + Provides insanely good value if picked up early + The longer the run, the more value it gives - Not very useful late in a run |
Epic | General |
| Unblemished Warrior | While at 90% health or higher, your Special deals +30% damage | + Your Special can be devastating if you can maintain it + high risk, high reward - There’s very little margin for error, and you lose the buff quickly |
Common | General |
Moonlighter 2 - Perk Synergies & Combos
In my current experience, the perks listed above are the best ones overall. However, one thing you should always think about is the synergy between perks from the same family, as well as their combo potential. In addition, keep in mind that some perks work better with specific weapons. With that in mind, here’s what to pay attention to when choosing perks:
- If you’ve picked up several perks from a specific family (Foam, etc.), it’s often worth choosing more from that same family, since they synergize really well.
- Take your weapon into consideration. Does a specific perk work well with what your weapon does?
- What’s your goal this run, grabbing loot or clearing the whole dimension? Pick perks that match what you’re trying to do.
The Best Moonlighter 2 Blacksmith Perk
These are special perks given to you by Andrei the Blacksmith. They are always Legendary and always come with a lot of value, so I strongly recommend picking at least one Blacksmith node during your run. They usually provide a high damage boost to either your basic attacks or your weapon’s Special attack. On Tomo's Radar (dimension map), they are presented by a hammer symbol.
In my opinion, the best Sword Blacksmith perk is Extended Reach. It makes your already strong Special attack absolutely devastating. That 25% range boost greatly improves your reach, and the additional 50% damage buff pushes it even further. With this perk, you’ll be able to clear most smaller melee enemies with a single Special attack, all while maintaining a relatively safe distance.
And with that, my early-game perks guide has come to an end. Keep in mind that I'm still actively playing the game, and as I learn more, I’ll make sure to update this guide with new recommendations. One final thing to note is that most of the Perks on this list also exist in lower (or higher) rarities, so don’t get confused if the numbers change. It’s the same Perk, just a different rarity.
Moonlighter 2 Perks FAQ
We don't know the exact number, but the developers have stated that there are over 100 unique perks you can find during your dungeon (dimension) runs.
Perks of higher rarity (Epic or Legendary) are often outright stronger, but that’s not always the case. Some simply have unique effects or crazy combo potential, but are, in practice, hard to pull off. Others, though? Yeah, they really do have the strongest numbers.
For all intents and purposes, yes - that node is also a perk. If you choose it, you’ll get a Legendary perk from your friend, the Blacksmith. These are really powerful, and you should always try to pick up at least one during each of your runs.
There are general perks, as well as three unique types: Wound, Foam, and Ignite perks.
