Transcendence

Transcendence is a Lunar item available in Risk of Rain 2.

Transcendence, like all of the other Lunar items, comes with a powerful effect and a drawback.

Upon picking up the item, all but 1 HP is converted into regenerating shields, similarly to the shields granted by the Personal Shield Generators. It also passively increases the player's maximum life (or shields in this case) by 50%, and further pickups grant an additional 25% increase. Shields regenerate rapidly after not taking any damage for a brief period of time, which can be a great boon in Monsoon when health regeneration is substantially reduced as is.

One effect of having only 1 HP is the mitigation (avoidance) of falling damage. This is because fall damage cannot deal damage to shields, and cannot reduce life to less than 1. When falling from otherwise-damaging heights, the player will only take 1 point of damage as a result.

Using a Shrine of Blood will give more money than usual due to the increased shield pool, and can be easier to use due to the quicker regeneration of shields, as opposed to standard health regeneration.

The major drawback is that nearly all healing items become obsolete, as healing has no effect on shields entirely. Temporary barriers, such as those created from Topaz Brooch or Aegis still function as normal. Aegis can provide some marginal use of health-on-hit items despite the player only having 1 HP. Furthermore, this item nullifies the use of the Helfire Tincture, as it deals damage based on the player's maximum heath, and does not take into account the life of shields.

Visually, this item adds a pair of antennae atop the player's head, as well as making them glow. They are also permanently encased in a blue energy barrier.

Infusion still functions despite stating to only increase maximum health per kill, as it does increase the maximum shields rather than health, and thus leaves the health remaining at 1.