Hades II Guide

Practical build guide

Choose one damage engine

Build around the move you want to scale: rapid hits, heavy bursts, Cast control, Omega moves, ranged Specials, or reliable survival.

01

Fast-hit status build

Best forSister Blades, Black Coat, Umbral Flames

PlaystyleMany small hits, high uptime, and constant movement.

Core idea

Fast weapons reward effects that trigger or stack on repeated hits. Scale one frequently used move with chain damage, Scorch, Blitz, Freeze, or another curse instead of chasing one huge number.

Good gods

  • Zeus — repeated hits apply Blitz quickly.
  • Hestia — rapid attacks stack Scorch consistently.
  • Demeter — Freeze controls rooms and creates safe openings.
  • Poseidon — splash and knockback improve room clearing.

How to build it

  1. Put your first core boon on Attack for the Blades, or Attack/Special for the Coat and Flames.
  2. Add a curse from a second Olympian to activate Origination.
  3. Choose Daedalus upgrades that add hits, speed, or coverage to the same move.

ArcanaThe Sorceress, The Huntress, The Furies, Persistence, Origination, The Champions

Keepsake routeCloud Bangle / Everlasting Ember / Vivid Sea, then a second god keepsake; finish with Luckier Tooth or Knuckle Bones.

02

Big-hit burst build

Best forMoonstone Axe, Argent Skull, selected Staff aspects

PlaystyleSlower decisions with high damage on every committed hit.

Core idea

Slow weapons already have high base damage, so percentage bonuses and wide hitboxes make every committed swing more valuable.

Good gods

  • Aphrodite — large, straightforward core damage bonuses.
  • Apollo — larger hit areas make slow attacks safer.
  • Hephaestus — adds periodic burst to deliberate hits.
  • Demeter — controls enemies while you prepare the next hit.

How to build it

  1. On the Axe, start with Aphrodite or Apollo on Attack.
  2. On the Skull, use Attack for ranged explosions and Special to retrieve spent shells safely.
  3. Place Cast before committing to a slow Attack or Omega move.

ArcanaThe Sorceress, The Furies, Persistence, Death, Origination

Keepsake routeBeautiful Mirror / Harmonic Photon / Adamant Shard; switch to Knuckle Bones before a difficult Guardian.

03

Cast control build

Best forWitch's Staff, Moonstone Axe, Cast-focused aspects

PlaystyleControl space first, then fight enemies on your terms.

Core idea

Cast is both crowd control and a damage setup. Hold foes in place, then attack them inside the circle or channel an Omega Cast when the room is safe.

Good gods

  • Demeter — excellent control and a reliable curse.
  • Apollo — improves area coverage.
  • Zeus or Hestia — adds persistent punishment.
  • Hera — supports linked damage and secondary curse setups.

How to build it

  1. Open each encounter with Cast.
  2. Fight inside the Cast zone and use Omega Cast only when channeling is safe.
  3. Use Attack or Special to apply a second curse and trigger Origination.

ArcanaThe Sorceress, The Furies, Persistence, Death, Origination; add The Moon for Hex builds.

Keepsake routeBarley Sheaf / Harmonic Photon / Cloud Bangle; use Moon Beam when committing to a Hex.

04

Omega and Magick build

Best forWitch's Staff, Umbral Flames, Moonstone Axe

PlaystyleSpend Magick for stronger moves while managing channel time.

Core idea

Omega moves need enough Magick, a safe channel window, and upgrades that specifically improve the Omega move you use most.

Good gods

  • Apollo — wider, cleaner Omega hits.
  • Demeter — creates safe channel windows.
  • Hestia — adds damage while you reposition.
  • Selene — turns Magick spending into Hex charge.

How to build it

  1. Choose one Omega move as the primary damage engine.
  2. Secure Magick recovery before stacking more costs.
  3. Do not over-channel in rooms where enemies can interrupt you.

ArcanaThe Sorceress, The Huntress, The Furies, Persistence, The Unseen; add The Moon for Hexes.

Keepsake routeSilver Wheel is the simplest Magick start; Moon Beam supports Hexes. Blackened Fleece is a higher-risk option.

05

Ranged Special build

Best forWitch's Staff, Sister Blades, Umbral Flames, Black Coat

PlaystyleSafe mid-range damage for learning encounters and Guardians.

Core idea

When melee Attack is costing too much Life, turn Special into the main button and scale its frequency, tracking, or area damage.

Good gods

  • Poseidon — strong room clearing and knockback.
  • Zeus — rewards Specials that hit repeatedly.
  • Hestia — repeated Specials stack Scorch.
  • Apollo or Hephaestus — coverage or periodic burst.

How to build it

  1. Put your first core boon on Special and stay at mid-range.
  2. Use Cast to stop enemies from closing the gap.
  3. Prioritize Special frequency, tracking, and area upgrades.

ArcanaThe Huntress, The Furies, Persistence, Death, Origination, The Champions

Keepsake routeVivid Sea / Cloud Bangle / Everlasting Ember / Harmonic Photon, followed by a defensive keepsake.

06

Beginner survival build

Best forAny weapon before your first reliable clears

PlaystyleReduce mistakes, keep the build focused, and clear first.

Core idea

Consistency beats a fragile damage ceiling. One primary damage engine, one secondary curse, and one survival layer are enough for a strong run.

Good gods

  • Demeter — slows rooms down and protects setup time.
  • Poseidon — keeps enemies away while clearing groups.
  • Aphrodite — simple damage with defensive Weak effects.
  • Hestia — steady damage without staying in danger.

How to build it

  1. Choose Attack, Special, Cast, or one Omega move as your only primary engine.
  2. Take upgrades that support that engine and ignore unrelated offers.
  3. Switch to Guardian or revival keepsakes when learning a boss.

ArcanaThe Sorceress, The Furies, Persistence, Death, Origination, The Champions, The Wayward Son

Keepsake routeCore god → second god → Knuckle Bones → Luckier Tooth or Engraved Pin. Ghost Onion is useful early.

HADES II

Simple builds by weapon

Use these as starting points, then adapt to the boons and Daedalus upgrades offered during the run.

Six rules for every run

  1. Choose one main move: Attack, Special, Cast, or one Omega move.
  2. Put your first god's core boon on that move.
  3. Add a second Olympian curse to activate Origination.
  4. Choose Daedalus upgrades that improve the same move.
  5. Skip unrelated boons once the engine works.
  6. Use defensive keepsakes while learning Guardians.