In Alan Wake 2, Saga Anderson can find and equip Charms — items that can offer benefits such as passive buffs. But which Charms are the best to equip in Alan Wake 2, and which ones should remain locked in the Shoebox?
There are 13 types of Charms to find in Alan Wake 2. Most can be acquired by completing Nursery Rhyme puzzles, a side distraction exclusive to Saga. Each puzzle rewards a Charm, and they all vary in usefulness. Some are Charms I couldn’t do without, while others I just kept tossing into storage. With that in mind, this tier list is completely subjective; it’s a matter of opinion. But as I battled the forces of darkness in Alan Wake 2, this is how I justified which Charms to take with me on my journey while playing on Normal difficulty.
Our tier list for the best Charms in Alan Wake 2
There shouldn’t be anything too surprising about how I arranged the tier list. Here’s how I break it down:
- D: Not the greatest Charms. You can leave these in the Shoebox.
- C: Mid-range Charms that could come in handy.
- B: Good Charms that are mostly useful.
- A: The best Charms. Don’t stray into the darkness without considering bringing these along.
By default, you can only carry three Charms at once. You can take a blend of A- and B-rank Charms, but I found there’s at least one you cannot leave safety without.
| Charm | Name | Rank | Ability | Location and info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Coffee Mug Charm | D | Saves you from death. Shatters after use. | You’ll find multiples of these as puzzle awards. Combat is infrequent and checkpoints are good enough that this Charm is mostly useless on Normal difficulty. |
 | Kalevala Knights Charm | C | Increases Hand Flare’s duration and area of effect. | Private Cabin at Cauldron Lake. This Charm is good if you use the Hand Flares often, but there are much better options for combat. |
 | FBC Charm | C | Increases damage while undetected by enemies. | The Ranger Cabin in Watery. This Charm pairs well with the ‘Way Home’ upgrade for the Hunting Rifle. But after you take that first shot, enemies will turn on you, making it useless in longer fights. |
 | Mayor Setter Charm | C | Marks all nearby resources and points of interest on your map. | A true neutral Charm, this one is great for completing side activities but not much else. It’s also the only Charm not rewarded by completing a Nursery Rhyme puzzle. Follow our guide for more. |
 | Deerfest Charm | C | Significantly increases the time before Darkness Shields regenerate. | Lighthouse Trailer Park trailer that needs a bolt cutter for access. This Charm is useful in battles against many foes at once, but it’s best to focus on one or two enemies at a time. |
 | Lighthouse Charm | C | Increases the max amount of health restored in Safe Havens. | By the water after completing the Watery Lighthouse puzzle. This Charm has its use if you’re taking a lot of damage, but that’s all. |
 | Mr. Drippy Charm | B | Increases damage dealt when low health. | Coffee World in Watery. You’re mostly trying to avoid damage, but if that’s not possible, fighting it out is easier with this Charm. |
 | Lantern Charm | B | Adds one Charge to Saga’s Flashlight. | Bright Falls, Bunker Woods area. Batteries are always an important commodity, so having an extra charge when you’re running low can mean the difference between life and death. |
 | Deer Charm | B | Increases resilience against being staggered or interrupted. | Near the Radio Tower in Watery. You can take a hit and keep on moving, making this a good Charm when you’re surrounded. |
 | Anchor Charm | B | Chance to stun enemy on Flashlight Boost. | Near Billie’s Boat Yard in Bright Falls. This Charm is great against enemies with Darkness Shields. Stunning one means you can deal with another foe before returning and taking out the first. |
 | Valhalla Nursing Home Charm | A | Increases the effectiveness of Painkillers and Trauma Pads. | By the beach in Bright Falls, Bunker Woods area. You’re going to get hit, that’s a fact. This Charm makes it so you need fewer healing items to get back to full health. An excellent Charm for the endgame. |
 | Coffee World Charm | A | Increases quality and quantity of resources found. | Lighthouse Trailer Park dock. Easily one of the best Charms you can find. I never unequipped it once I had it. |
 | Hammer Charm | A | Attacks stagger enemies more often. | Cauldron Lake by the western campsite. One of the first Charms you can find, and among the most useful to keep equipped. |
 | Logan’s Charm | A | Increases maximum health. | The best Charm in the game, and you start with it already equipped. It increases your overall health by around 25%. |
How to increase Charm slots in Alan Wake 2
You can increase your Charm slots by a factor of one in Alan Wake 2, but it takes some serious work. You must complete every Nursery Rhyme puzzle in the game, and then finish the final one in Cauldron Lake. The upgrade lets you equip four Charms at once.
I recommend taking all the A-rank charms in the tier list, but the choice is ultimately up to you. In fact, you may want to consider taking at least one Coffee Mug Charm before the final battle. I’ll avoid any spoilers, but it does get pretty dicey at the end.
