Hades 2 Boons Guide: Gods, Effects, and Best Builds

Understanding Boons in Hades 2

The underworld calls once more, and this time, it’s Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld, who answers. Hades two builds upon the critically acclaimed roguelike formula of its predecessor, tasking players with battling through the depths to confront Chronos, the Titan of Time. Central to your success are Boons, gifts bestowed by the Olympian Gods (and some new faces!) that fundamentally alter your abilities and playstyle. Understanding and mastering these divine gifts is paramount to conquering the challenges that await. This guide will delve deep into the world of Hades two Boons, exploring each god, their offerings, and how to craft powerful builds to vanquish your foes. Keep in mind that Hades two is currently in Early Access, meaning that the information provided here may evolve as the game is further developed.

Boons are essentially buffs and modifications to your character’s abilities, granted by the various Olympian Gods and other deities. These gifts are offered randomly as rewards for clearing chambers, encountering specific characters, or interacting with certain objects within the underworld. Every run is unique in that the array of gods, and consequently, the boons they offer will change from one attempt to the next. You will encounter at least one, if not more of the following deities; Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Artemis, Ares, Demeter, Hera, Hephaestus, Apollo, Hestia, Hermes and Chronos.

When you are granted a boon there will be an element of risk vs reward. Some boons may seem more powerful than others, but you should always consider which boons will match your build and compliment those that have already been selected.

Acquiring these divine enhancements is a core part of the Hades two gameplay loop. As you progress through each run, you’ll encounter opportunities to receive Boons in various forms. Completing chambers often presents a choice between several Gods, each offering a selection of Boons. Wells of Charon, found throughout the underworld, may offer a chance to purchase a specific Boon or reroll the options available. Even Chaos, the primordial deity, can bestow powerful Boons, albeit with a temporary drawback.

The power of a Boon is also dictated by its rarity. Boons come in different tiers: Common, Rare, Epic, and Heroic. Higher rarities offer more potent effects and stronger stat boosts. Additionally, there are Duo Boons, which combine the powers of two different Gods, and Legendary Boons, exceptionally rare and powerful gifts that represent the pinnacle of a God’s favor. The rarity system adds another layer of depth to Boon selection, forcing players to weigh the immediate benefits of a common Boon against the potential for a rarer, more impactful gift later on.

You may also find items such as poms, nectar and ambrosia which can be exchanged for gifts. Poms will increase the effectiveness of your boons, and nectar and ambrosia can be gifted to your favourite gods to strengthen your bond with them and earn a reward.

The Pantheon: Olympian Gods and Their Divine Gifts

Each God in Hades two has a distinct portfolio of Boons that reflect their domain and personality. Let’s explore some key deities and their offerings:

Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare

Athena’s Boons emphasize defense, deflection, and strategic positioning. Her Boons often provide powerful defensive options.

• Divine Strike: Your Attack deflects projectiles.
• Phalanx Shot: Your Cast fires a seeking projectile that deflects other projectiles.
• Holy Shield: After using your Special, gain Block.
• Divine Dash: Your Dash makes you invulnerable for a brief period.

Zeus: God of Lightning and the Sky

Zeus’s Boons channel the power of lightning, dealing chain damage and disrupting enemies. His boons are very powerful when you are surrounded by a group of enemies as they can hit many enemies at once.

• Lightning Strike: Your Attack deals bonus lightning damage that chains to nearby enemies.
• Thunder Flourish: Your Special unleashes a burst of lightning.
• Cloudburst Shot: Your Cast creates a thundercloud that periodically strikes enemies.
• Thunder Dash: Your Dash periodically strikes foes with lightning.

Poseidon: God of the Sea and Earthquakes

Poseidon’s Boons focus on knockback, wave damage, and manipulating the battlefield. His boons are most powerful in chambers that feature walls.

• Tidal Strike: Your Attack deals bonus damage and knocks enemies away.
• Ocean Flourish: Your Special creates a tidal wave that damages and pushes enemies.
• Flood Shot: Your Cast creates a swirling vortex that pulls enemies in.
• Tempest Dash: Your Dash creates a shockwave that damages nearby enemies.

Aphrodite: Goddess of Love and Beauty

Aphrodite’s Boons inflict the Weak status effect, reducing enemy damage output, and offer supportive buffs.

• Crush Shot: Your Cast inflicts Weak and deals bonus damage.
• Heartbreak Strike: Your Attack inflicts Weak.
• Sweet Surrender: Enemies inflicted with Weak deal less damage.
• Dashing Infatuation: Your Dash inflicts Weak.

Artemis: Goddess of the Hunt and Wilderness

Artemis’ Boons provide critical hit chance, increased damage to distant enemies, and piercing projectiles.

• True Shot: Your Cast deals high damage and pierces through enemies.
• Deadly Strike: Your Attack has a chance to deal critical damage.
• Hunter Dash: Your Dash fires a seeking arrow.
• Support Fire: After you cast, fire a seeking arrow.

Ares: God of War and Bloodshed

Ares’ Boons inflict the Doom status effect, dealing delayed damage, and offer powerful area-of-effect attacks.

• Curse of Agony: Your Attack inflicts Doom.
• Blood Flourish: Your Special inflicts Doom.
• Slicing Shot: Your Cast creates a blade rift that damages enemies over time.
• Dire Misfortune: Increases Doom damage.

Demeter: Goddess of the Harvest and Winter

Demeter’s Boons inflict the Chill status effect, slowing enemies down, and provide defensive buffs.

• Frost Strike: Your Attack inflicts Chill.
• Winter Harvest: Enemies chilled for long periods of time take bonus damage.
• Snow Burst: Your Cast inflicts chill in an area.
• Icy Dash: Your Dash inflicts chill.

Hera: Queen of the Gods and Marriage

Hera’s boons help to empower and support others around her.

• Snap Shot: Your Cast is stronger for each foe in the Cast Area.
• Goddess Glow: After using your Special, create a blast that aids companions and summons.
• Parting Shot: Hitting with your Cast briefly makes you invisible.
• Crown Influence: Your summons also deal damage to your foes.

Hephaestus: God of the Forge and Craftsmanship

Hephaestus’ Boons helps to protect and build up your defences.

• Safety Plan: While you have no Magick, restore a bit of health.
• Forge Hammer: After using your Special, gain Armor.
• Mine Cart: Whenever you use your Cast, restore a bit of health.
• Extra Tools: Restore a bit of Magick after collecting resources.

Apollo: God of Music and the Sun

Apollo’s Boons focus on increasing damage output while moving.

• Musical Shot: Your Cast travels at a slow pace but pierces through your enemies.
• Harmonious Strike: After striking foes with your Attack, briefly move faster.
• Resonant Flourish: Your Special travels quickly.
• Moving Target: After you Dash, strike foes near you.

Hestia: Goddess of Home and Hearth

Hestia’s Boons can affect your speed and damage reduction.

• Hearth Warmth: While at full health, restore some magick.
• Fiery Presence: After standing still for a while, inflict Scorch on your foes.
• Kindling Shot: Casts near you will ignite the ground.
• Safe Embrace: Use less Magick when using the Omega moves.

Hermes: Messenger of the Gods and Speed

Hermes’ Boons enhance movement speed, attack speed, and provide various utility effects.

• Swift Strike: Increases your Attack speed.
• Quick Favor: Increases your Dash speed.
• Hasty Harvest: You gain bonus Darkness and other valuables.

Chronos: The Titan of Time

Chronos Boons focus on increasing the effectiveness of your Omega moves.

• Reckless Trigger: Using Omega Moves uses less Magick.
• Unraveling Bolt: After using Omega moves, the area where you cast had Chronos’ Essence.
• Unraveling Blast: Using your Omega moves increases the effectiveness of Chronos’ Essence.
• Unraveling Flourish: After using your Special, briefly increase the effectiveness of Chronos’ Essence.

Duo and Legendary Boons: The Pinnacle of Divine Power

Duo Boons represent powerful synergies between two different Gods, unlocking unique effects that are not possible with single-God Boons. Legendary Boons are extremely rare and potent gifts that represent the height of a God’s favor, often requiring specific conditions to unlock. These boons can change the whole run and may require to completely change your existing strategy.

(Specific examples will be added as more information is available in Early Access).

Crafting Powerful Builds: Boon Synergies and Strategies

The key to success in Hades two lies in creating effective Boon synergies. Choosing Boons that complement each other and your weapon is crucial for maximizing damage output and survivability.

• Cast Build: Combining Aphrodite’s Crush Shot (Weak infliction) with Artemis’ True Shot (high damage, piercing) creates a potent burst damage combination.
• Attack Build: Stacking Zeus’ Lightning Strike (chain lightning) with Ares’ Curse of Agony (Doom infliction) creates a powerful damage-over-time effect.
• Defense/Sustain Build: Athena’s Divine Dash (invulnerability) combined with Demeter’s Frost Strike (Chill infliction) provides excellent defensive capabilities.

(Specific builds for different weapon aspects will be added as more information is available in Early Access.)

Tips for Strategic Boon Selection

• Prioritize Boons that synergize with your chosen weapon and playstyle. If you prefer a fast-paced, aggressive playstyle, focus on offensive Boons. If you prefer a more defensive approach, prioritize survivability Boons.
• Consider your weaknesses and choose Boons to address them. If you struggle with dodging attacks, prioritize Boons that improve your mobility or provide invulnerability.
• Pay attention to Boon rarities and choose higher rarity Boons whenever possible.
• Be flexible and adapt your Boon choices based on the Gods that are available during your run.
• Consider how arcana cards can enhance boons that you use most often.

Managing Your Divine Gifts

During your descent, you’ll have limited control over the Boons you receive. However, you can influence the odds in your favor.

• Use Wells of Charon to reroll Boon choices, allowing you to potentially find a more desirable option.
• Equip Keepsakes that belong to the god whose power you are after and you will likely see them appear at least once in the run.

Conclusion: Embrace the Power of the Gods

Mastering the art of Boon selection is paramount to conquering the challenges of Hades two. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each God, exploring Boon synergies, and adapting your strategy based on the available options, you can craft powerful builds that will carry you through the underworld and beyond. Remember that Hades two is an evolving game, so experiment with different combinations, adapt to the changes, and embrace the power of the Gods to forge your own path to victory. So be sure to try a variety of different gods to see which boons you find the most effective and fun to use.