Relics

Relics are the run-defining loot of Pass the Fear. You discover them in chests, elite drops, island events, and co-op trades — more than 170 unique pieces at full release — and you equip at most ten at once. There is no respec bench: when your inventory is full, you must swap or pass. Every relic pickup is therefore a strategic decision that shapes whether your build comes online or collapses under mediocre bonuses.

This guide explains how relic slots work, how relics interact with weapons and parts, affixes, and tarot cards, and which relic families support the three flagship build routes on this wiki.

The ten-slot rules

Slots unlock gradually during a run — you do not start with ten empty sockets on minute one. Plan in three phases. Early slots should stabilize: healing on kill, dodge charges, damage reduction, or economy boosts that help you reach shops alive. Mid slots pivot toward your build identity: on-hit procs for Fireworks Master, Growth and crit for One-Shot Nuke, dual-status amplifiers for Dual Element. Late slots are capstones — relics that only shine when your weapon tags and affix lines already match.

Forced swaps hurt most when you dump a synergy relic for a generic plus-damage piece because the tooltip number looked bigger. If a relic name references Fragment, Shatter, or dual elements, read the fine print before selling it to a shop goblin.

Relic categories

On-hit and on-damage relics scale with projectile count — the backbone of Fireworks Master. Each trajectory triggers them independently. Look for elemental application, fragment spawn, and stack builders.

Burst and Final Shot relics amplify single hits or last-bullet events — core to One-Shot Nuke. They often underperform on multi-projectile primaries; keep them on charge weapons or secondary finishers.

Status and dual-element relics require specific tags active on targets — core to Dual Element. Some trigger only when both fire and frost overlap; others extend duration or convert one status into another.

Economy and utility relics modify shops, rerolls, loot rarity, or movement. Do not dismiss them — a extra shop visit often buys the trajectory barrel that outscales any raw damage relic.

Defensive and recovery relics keep you alive long enough to finish stacking Growth or applying freeze. Nuke builds especially need buffer slots because standing still to charge invites one-shots from bullet patterns.

Synergy with affixes

Relics multiply affixes; they do not replace them. A Fragment affix on your weapon splits shots; a Fragment-tagged relic might spawn additional fragments on kill — the combo is multiplicative when both fire on the same trigger window. Growth relics reward long fights where you can stack safely. Disruption relics extend CC so Shatter windows stay open. Embarkation relics grant room-start buffs that sync with aggressive pacing. Match relic tags to affix lines you already committed to on weapons and parts; see the full affixes reference for definitions.

Build pairing table (conceptual)

For Fireworks Master, prioritize on-hit elemental relics, projectile bonuses, reload speed, and Fragment synergies. Avoid relics that only buff single-target charge weapons unless they live on your secondary.

For One-Shot Nuke, prioritize Growth stacks, crit, boss damage, Final Shot amplifiers, and charge speed. Skip volume on-hit relics that assume six hits per trigger.

For Dual Element, split slots between fire amplifiers, frost amplifiers, and dual-trigger capstones. Protect dual-status relics during swaps — they are rarer than flat stat bumps.

Detailed rotation notes live on each build page; this page is the loot lens.

Rarity, duplicates, and co-op

Higher rarity relics tend to carry stronger or more specialized effects — not always raw damage. Duplicates sometimes stack, sometimes refresh duration, sometimes do nothing — test once when you can afford the inventory slot.

In four-player co-op, trade duplicates that complete a teammate’s build before hoarding situational pieces you might never equip. Communication beats solo hoarding instincts.

Tarot interaction

Tarot cards modify runs outside relic slots — loot rarity, elite drops, curse rewards. A tarot that boosts relic drop quality pairs well with economy relics that grant extra events. Cross-read tarot cards when planning a relic-hunting run.

Inventory pressure tactics

When full, compare three questions: Does this relic activate my current weapon tags? Does it match affixes I already stacked? Does it replace a strictly weaker slot or dilute synergy? If the third answer is “dilute,” hold or trade instead of auto-swapping.

Late-run relic drops often complete unfinished builds — the island rewards patience if you left flex slots open instead of filling all ten with early-game stabilizers you no longer need.

Relics are where Pass the Fear’s “wildly customizable” marketing becomes true. Ten slots sounds generous until you realize each slot is permanent until replaced — treat them like commitments, not collectibles, and the island starts handing you wins instead of tooltip traps.