Artifacts - hero equipment

Artifacts can be found by heroes in crypts. The more dangerous a crypt is, the greater is the chance that a hero will find a powerful artifact. Every artifact increases one or more of the hero's abilities.

Here id the list of all artifacts and their sets available in the game: artifact sets
If you hover the mouse pointer over an artifact, its characteristics will be displayed.

Sets

If the hero manages to acquire all 8 artifacts of one set and equips them all, the set will light up and all characteristics of all artifacts in the set will increase by 1.

As soon as the hero unequips (takes off, replaces by another) one of the artifacts, or if one decays, the characteristics of all remaining parts will drop back to their normal level.

How many artifacts can my hero carry?

Any hero is able to carry any amount of artifacts. However, only one artifact can be placed in each of the 8 slots, and therefore only 8 artifacts can be equipped (active) at any time. If you have some spare artifacts - more than one for some of the slots - you might consider changing them based on what you are doing (spellcasting, attacking, entering a crypt etc.). You can swap equipped artifacts as often as you like.

Damaged artifacts

Whenever a hero is in a league, every day all of his artifacts - both active and spare - take 1% damage. In action leagues it is 1% after several recalculations, depending on speed of the league. Artifacts take no damage while the hero carrying them is in Hell (= not logged anywhere).
Artifacts can sometimes take damage when the hero enters a crypt and loses the battle.
Damaged artifacts still have their full power, you don't have to be afraid that an artifact with damage level 50% would give you only half of the original bonuses.

Artifact repairs

Because the artifacts take damage, they can also be repaired for DE-credits. Artifact is initially at 100%, and after 100 days in a standard league - if you don't repair it - it will fall into pieces and can't be repaired anymore. The simplest artifacts can be repaired for 1 DE-credit, more powerful for 2, 4 or 8 DE-credits. The best artifacts (from Dark Elf set) are also the most expensive to repair - their repair can cost up to 16 DE-credits.
Artifacts can sometimes be repaired in a crypt.

Artifact auction

If you have an artifact that you don't need, or if you need DE-credits, you can sell the artifact in auction. However, you have to pay initial fee to put up the artifact in auction, and also half of the selling price will be withheld by system as a fee.
You also can buy an artifact on an auction. You enter your bidding price and wait if someone will offer more or not. If not, your hero will receive the artifact after 2 days.

In case you are selling an artifact and lose the hero to another player, that player will receive DE-credits for the sale.