# Useless artifacts?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/useless-artifacts/27887>\
**Category:** The Garage\
**Created:** [May 22, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/useless-artifacts/27887 "2022-05-22T00:29:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KeefTeefa](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/keefteefa/32/11873_2.png) [@KeefTeefa](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KeefTeefa)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/useless-artifacts/27887/1 "2022-05-22T00:29:15Z")

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For some reason artifacts don’t seem to do anything in my save. I’ve gotten like 6 different artifacts, (smooth disc, 2 or 3 winding/flexible rods) 2 from a strange temple and 3 from the mine where there’s a reference to the horror story about human shaped holes in the walls. None of the artifacts have any passive effects as far as I can tell and even though they have charges whenever I activate them it just says “blank cannot be used here” where blank is the artifacts name. I found a really old post about a game file that describes what your artifacts do but I couldn’t even begin to find it. Any help appreciated, is it possible I just got unlucky rolls?

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**Author:** ![Belcanzor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/belcanzor/32/1798_2.png) [@Belcanzor](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Belcanzor)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/useless-artifacts/27887/2 "2022-05-22T12:42:42Z")

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In the past just have them in the inventory was enough. Still remember shadow snakes jump out every time a monster hit me. But now you need wield them, so:

- Wield artifact
- Wait one or two turns
- Check for stat increase or decrease
- Activate artifact (risky)  
For me, only use now is read faster, mostly.  
Perhaps a recipe for make necklace or ring with them make these more useful.  
Sorry my english.

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**Author:** ![NetSysFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@NetSysFire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/NetSysFire)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 8:49am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/useless-artifacts/27887/3 "2022-05-23T08:49:43Z")

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What version are you on?

There has been a bug: [Artifact activation broken since 2021-11-10-0654 · Issue #52850 · CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA · GitHub](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/issues/52850)

The reason it is advised to not activate random artifacts is because they may have devastating effects. E.g engulfing you in a cloud of flames, while drenching you in acid. They are totally random so the usefulness varies.