Charms are powerful passive upgrades in Resident Evil Requiem that make surviving on higher difficulty settings much easier. Our guide shows you where to find every Charm, how they work, and which combinations are especially worth using.
Resident Evil Requiem introduces an exciting upgrade mechanic with its Charm system, enhancing both playable characters — Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy — in different ways. These small items provide permanent passive bonuses and can mean the difference between life and death on higher difficulty settings. If you know every Charm and use them well, you’ll get a lot more out of each playthrough.
How the Charm System Works in Resident Evil Requiem
The Charm system applies to both protagonists, but it’s tailored to Grace and Leon’s different playstyles:
- Grace only has to carry her Charms in her inventory for them to take effect. That sounds simple, but there’s a catch: every Charm takes up one of her already limited inventory slots. That means you’ll need to weigh carefully which Charms you absolutely need.
- Leon is more flexible: he attaches his Charms directly to his weapons. That means they don’t take up inventory space, but many of his Charms are limited to specific weapon types. Charms can be removed from one weapon and attached to another at any time, so Leon can adapt his loadout to the situation.
Especially important: Many of these Charms are missable because they’re found in areas that are only accessible during certain story sections. So when you’re exploring, make sure you don’t leave any corner unchecked.
All Four of Grace Ashcroft’s Charms
Grace has access to four Charms, two of which you find during the main story, one that can be purchased in the Bonus Shop, and one that’s exclusive to the Deluxe Edition of Resident Evil Requiem.
Eye Spy Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases the chance of surviving fatal damage |
| Location | Reward for defeating Chunk in the East Wing of the Care Center |
| Missable? | Yes — Grace must defeat Chunk before Leon enters the area |
The Eye Spy Charm is Grace’s most valuable charm, especially on higher difficulty settings. It gives you a second chance in critical moments when a hit would otherwise kill you.
To get it, you’ll need to defeat the elite enemy Chunk as Grace in the East Wing of the Care Center. Chunk is a massive enemy that patrols the tight hallways.
How to take down Chunk: Lure the monster into a doorway, ideally near the waiting room, where its movement is restricted. Use the Requiem Revolver — two precise headshots should be enough to bring it down. Make sure to pick up the Charm before leaving the East Wing, or it’ll be gone for the rest of that playthrough.
Stakeout Takeout Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases the effectiveness and durability of Grace’s knives |
| Location | Pantry in the West Wing of the Care Center |
| Missable? | Yes — must be picked up before leaving the Care Center |
This Charm makes Grace’s knives more reliable and lets you finish off stunned enemies more easily. The knife lasts longer before it needs to be replaced, which is especially valuable when ammo is scarce.
To get the Charm, you first need to defeat the Cook in the West Wing of the Care Center and obtain the Pantry Key.
How to take out the Cook: Sneak up behind the Cook and use a Hemolytic Injector to kill him instantly without spending any ammo. Then enter the pantry next to the kitchen — the Charm is sitting on one of the shelves.
- If you take out the Cook — whether as Grace or Leon — you’ll earn a trophy in Resident Evil Requiem.
Rugged Rookie Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases the firepower of all of Grace’s weapons |
| Location | Bonus Shop for 6,500 AP |
| Missable? | No |
The Rugged Rookie Charm is a plastic figure of Leon from Resident Evil 2 that boosts Grace in combat. Her shots deal more damage, which means you’ll use less ammo. This charm is especially valuable for second playthroughs on higher difficulty settings. You earn the required 6,500 AP by completing various in-game challenges.
Mr. Raccoon Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases accuracy and critical hit rate |
| Location | Automatically available in the Item Box (Deluxe Edition / Deluxe Kit Upgrade DLC) |
| Missable? | No |
You can only get the Mr. Raccoon Charm if you bought the Deluxe Edition or the corresponding upgrade. It steadies Grace’s aiming reticle and helps you focus more quickly. That also boosts your chance of landing critical hits. For Insanity runs without infinite ammo, this charm is close to essential.
All Eight of Leon S. Kennedy’s Charms
Leon has access to eight charms in total, which he attaches directly to his weapons. Each charm is specialized for certain weapon types — with one important exception.
Connoisseur Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases the weapon’s firepower |
| Weapon Type | All weapons |
| Location | Jammed cabinet in the pantry of the Care Center (can only be opened with the axe) |
| Missable? | Yes — must be picked up before leaving the Care Center |
The Connoisseur Charm is Leon’s most versatile charm because it’s the only one that can be attached to any weapon. It increases firepower, leading to faster kills and lower ammo consumption. Put it on the weapon you use to eliminate the most enemies.
To get the Connoisseur Charm, head to the pantry in the West Wing of the Care Center as Leon. Inside, you’ll find a wall cabinet with a stuck door. Fortunately, that’s no problem with Leon’s axe.
Power Shades Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Unlimited penetration for all bullets and increased firepower for the last bullet in the cylinder |
| Weapon Type | Requiem Revolver |
| Location | Briefcase in the S.T.A.R.S. Office of the RPD in Raccoon City |
| Missable? | Yes — should be collected on your first RPD visit |
This Charm turns the Requiem Revolver into the most powerful weapon in the entire game. Every bullet pierces through multiple enemies, meaning a well-placed shot can hit an entire line of zombies at once. On top of that, the last bullet in the cylinder deals massively increased damage. Our linked guide explains where to find and open the briefcase in Resident Evil Requiem.
- Tip: Always reload just one bullet at a time. That way, every shot benefits from the last-bullet bonus. It requires more frequent reloading, but makes every shot devastating.
BSAA Emblem Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases firepower, but only with no scope equipped |
| Weapon Type | Sniper rifles |
| Location | BSAA Container 04 in East Raccoon City |
| Missable? | Yes — collect it before leaving East Raccoon City |
What sounds counterproductive at first actually turns into a smart tactical option: without a scope, you can aim faster and move through the environment more freely. The best weapon in Resident Evil Requiem for this charm is the Marksman 1A, a semi-automatic sniper rifle from the BSAA camp.
With the BSAA Emblem Charm equipped, it becomes a devastating mid-range weapon that can drop enemies with single headshots fired from the hip. You can always reattach the scope whenever a situation calls for true sniping.
- Our linked guide explains how to find and open all BSAA Containers in Resident Evil Requiem.
S.T.A.R.S. Emblem Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases firepower but reduces aiming stability |
| Weapon Type | Fully automatic weapons |
| Location | JoJo’s Locker in the RPD |
| Missable? | Yes — should be collected on your first RPD visit |
This charm is ideal for aggressive players who value extra damage over stability. Use controlled bursts instead of holding down the trigger so the recoil settles between shots.
- To open the locker with the Charm, you’ll need to complete Barry’s scavenger hunt in the RPD of Raccoon City. Our linked guide explains how the walkthrough works.
Cute Bear Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases mid-range firepower but reduces close-range power |
| Weapon Type | Shotguns |
| Location | RPD parking garage |
| Missable? | Yes — should be collected on your first RPD visit |
The Cute Bear Charm noticeably changes how shotguns perform: instead of serving as a last line of defense at point-blank range, they become effective mid-range weapons. You can take down enemies proactively from a distance before they become a real threat.
The best shotgun for this Charm is the 990-TAC, which offers a strong balance of spread and damage. The Charm is lying on the floor of the underground parking garage among the rubble, to the right of the central shipping container.
Be careful: several zombies are lurking in the darkness of the garage.
Trusted Companion Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases penetration power |
| Weapon Type | Handguns |
| Location | Bonus Shop (unlocked after defeating 300 enemies) |
| Missable? | No |
This plastic figure of Claire Redfield lets your handgun shots hit multiple enemies with a single bullet. That saves ammo and makes handguns much more efficient against groups of zombies.
DSO Emblem Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases accuracy and critical hit rate |
| Weapon Type | Handguns |
| Location | Automatically available in the Supply Box (Deluxe Edition / Deluxe Kit Upgrade DLC) |
| Missable? | No |
Much like the Mr. Raccoon Charm for Grace, the DSO Emblem Charm makes Leon’s aim steadier and more reliable. The increased critical hit rate leads to more frequent bonus damage, making it perfect for a headshot-focused playstyle. But you’ll only get this Charm if you buy the Deluxe Edition or the corresponding upgrade.
R.P.D. Charm
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Effect | Increases firepower when Leon is near death |
| Weapon Type | All weapons |
| Location | Reward for the “Letters from 1998” side quest (Deluxe Edition) |
| Missable? | Yes — all five letters must be collected in the correct order |
The R.P.D. Charm rewards risky play: the closer Leon is to death, the more damage he deals. For speedruns or experienced players who deliberately keep their health low, that can save a dramatic amount of time. This charm is exclusive to the Deluxe Edition. You’ll also need to find “All Letters from 1998,” which tell the story of a little girl named Meryl.
The Letters from 1998 can be found in the following locations:
- Applegate Hotel: Red couch in the lobby
- Gas station: Shelf in the middle of the store
- Gun Shop Kendo: On the windshield of a destroyed car outside the shop.
- Underground Parking Garage: Immediately after the entrance, on the left behind a white wrecked car.
- Gun Shop Kendo: On the ground in front of several steel pipes in the alley east of the shop (watch for the children’s shoes).
The Best Charm Combinations for Grace
Aggressive Playstyle: Mr. Raccoon + Rugged Rookie Charm
The combination of improved accuracy and increased firepower makes Grace much stronger in combat. You’ll hit more often and deal more damage. Paired with the Requiem Revolver, you can take down elite enemies in just a few shots.
Conservative Playstyle: Eye Spy + Stakeout Takeout Charm
This combination creates a safe, resource-efficient playstyle. The Eye Spy Charm protects you from fatal hits, making close encounters less risky. The Stakeout Takeout Charm turns your knife into a reliable finishing weapon against downed enemies. It’s ideal for Insanity runs without infinite ammo, where every bullet you save matters.
The Best Charm Loadouts for Leon
Since Leon can carry multiple weapons at once, you should build specialized weapon combinations where each gun is optimized for a specific role with the right Charm.
Recommended Standard Loadout
| Weapon | Charm | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Requiem | Power Shades Charm | Large enemy groups and elite enemies |
| Shotgun of your choice | Connoisseur Charm | Boosted primary weapon |
| Marksman 1A (without scope) | BSAA Charm | Mid-range |
| Handgun of your choice | Trusted Companion Charm | Strengthen your secondary weapon |
Controlling Enemy Groups
| Weapon | Charm | Use |
|---|---|---|
| SMG of your choice | S.T.A.R.S. Charm | Thinning out enemy groups |
| Handgun of your choice | Trusted Companion Charm | Cleaning up with penetration power |
- Tip: Take advantage of Leon’s flexibility. Charms can be swapped at any time. Before a boss fight, for example, you can move the Connoisseur Charm from your shotgun to the Requiem, then switch it back afterward.
Which Charms to Prioritize by Difficulty
Charms can make a huge difference in Resident Evil Requiem — but not on every difficulty setting. If you’re planning multiple runs anyway, focus on collecting every missable Charm during an easier first run so you can benefit from their full potential right from the start in later New Game Plus playthroughs.
Easy (Casual)
Charms are nice extras here, but they aren’t essential for survival. Focus on picking up the missable ones so you’ll have them for later runs on higher difficulty settings. The Connoisseur Charm and Overseer Charm are already useful even here.
Standard (Modern and Classic)
This is where Charms really show their strength. For Grace, the Overseer Charm becomes a must-have because it prevents Game Overs. The Usual Charm becomes more valuable as ammo gets scarcer. For Leon, the most useful Charms are Power Hunger, Connoisseur, and BSAA.
Insanity
On this brutal difficulty, charms become essential. Enemies can kill Grace in just a few hits, and ammo is extremely limited. The Eye Spy Charm is indispensable because it’s your only safeguard against sudden deaths. With Leon, you should equip every weapon with the charm that best fits it. Without these bonuses, an Insanity run is barely manageable.
Weapon Upgrades and Charms: How to Multiply Your Effectiveness
Combining charms with weapon upgrades, which Leon can buy with credits, multiplies the effectiveness of your loadout. But don’t spread your credits evenly across every weapon — specialize instead. One fully upgraded weapon with the right charm is far more effective than three half-upgraded ones.
A sniper rifle with the BSAA Charm, for example, benefits most from firepower and magazine-size upgrades to maximize its mid-range effectiveness. A shotgun with the Cute Bear Charm, on the other hand, gets the most value from spread-reduction upgrades that improve accuracy at mid-range.
You can read more in our detailed weapons guide for Resident Evil Requiem.
