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- Boons come in Common, Rare, Epic, and Legendary rarities.
- They are offered by Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Chaos, Demeter, Hades, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hestia, Poseidon, Selene, and Zeus.
- Each god focuses on a specific aspect, meaning the right builds can make the most of them.
Boons can make a dramatic difference in how you fare on your runs. Against Chronos, Melinoe needs all the help she can get from her divine family. Here’s a detailed list of the boons you can obtain from every god in the game.
How to unlock boons
As you run through the underworld and the path to Olympus, you’ll obtain boons from gods via chamber rewards or shops like Charon’s or Shrines to Hermes. You’ll get a choice of three boons from a particular god to pick from. These are random so you can’t plan for these in advance. Some keepsakes (obtained by gifting Nectar) let you increase the likelihood of meeting specific gods. While you need to meet Hera first on the surface to unlock her boons, the other gods don’t have any prerequisite conditions. Boons can be enhanced by finding Poms of Power, shaped like a pomegranate.
Here’s how boons are split based on rarity:
- Common: White.
- Rare: Blue.
- Epic: Purple.
- Legendary: Orange.
- Heroic: Red.
And here are the types of boons you’ll encounter on your runs:
Regular god boons
These are offered by a variety of gods, from Aphrodite to Zeus. They can affect your Attack, Specials, Omega moves, movement, and stats. Boons can influence the game in other ways as well.
Boons of Chaos
You’ll need to take on a debuff for some encounters before earning a buff. These are usually stronger than regular boons.
Infusion boons
These grow stronger when you have the necessary number of Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Aether boons. Each boon has an affinity attached to it.
Gifts of the Moon
Think of these as Selene’s boons. They affect Hexes, ultimate abilities that can be activated after using a certain amount of Magick on enemies.
Duo boons
These boons combine aspects of two gods for enhanced effects. Either of the two gods can offer this to you.
Legendary boons
You may run into these if you favor a single god during a run.
Hades’ boons
Focused on thwarting Chronos, you can gain these boons in the house of Hades.
Full boon list for every god
While you can’t pick which boons you run into in advance, try to pick gods whose effects align with your strategy. Status effects like Hera’s Hitch, Demeter’s Freeze, and Aphrodite’s Weak can make a massive difference while fighting hordes of foes or bosses. They’re among our top picks on our best boons guide. Some of these pair well with Melinoe’s Arcana Cards and gifts from vendors like Echo and Arachne. And with that, let’s get to the boons offered by every friendly god in Hades 2.
All Aphrodite boons
Aphrodite’s boons focus on health, close-up damage, and the Weak effect. Weak enemies deal less damage, letting you go closer with melee builds to deal extra damage with Flutter Strike. Glamor Gain selects one foe for you to gain Magick from, making it a good pick against bosses. If you want to improve your durability, I’d suggest Healthy Rebound, which brings you back to full health after an encounter as long as your health is above a specific threshold (60-80%). It’s handy in boss fights, especially with Wispy Wiles to enhance your dodge chance. Melee weapons like the Sister Blades and Moonstone Axe pair incredibly well with Aphrodite’s selection of favors.
| Aphrodite Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Flutter Strike | Your Attacks deal more damage to nearby foes. | +80/100/120/140% close-up damage |
| Flutter Flourish | Your Specials deal more damage to nearby foes. | +100/150/200/250% close-up damage |
| Secret Crush | Once you enter a location, Prime 20 Magick to add power to your Attacks. | +5/7/8/11% attack power |
| Passion Dash | Your Dash blasts foes near where you start and end the dash, inflicting Weak. | 20/30/40/50 damage |
| Glamour Gain | In each encounter, 1 foe is always Weak. You gradually restore Magick near Weak foes. | 6/8/10/12 Magick per second |
| Shameless Attitude | While you have at least 80% health, deal more damage. | +10/15/20/25% bonus damage |
| Heart Breaker | Whenever you use 30 Magick, create a Heartthrob. | 120/180/240/300 area damage |
| Life Affirmation | Any Health rewards you find have a greater effect. | +40/50/60/70% life gain |
| Rapture Ring | Your Casts drag foes in and inflict Weak. | +10/15/20/25% Weak damage reduction |
| Healthy Rebound | Whenever you exit a Location, restore 100% health if you have not lost too much. | 80/70/60/50% life required |
| Broken Resolve | Your Weak effects are more potent. | +10/12/14/16% Weak damage reduced |
| Shameless Attitude | While you have at least 80% health, deal more damage. | +10/15/20/25% bonus damage with high health |
All Apollo boons
Apollo’s kit revolves around Daze, which makes enemies unleash fewer attacks. Pair it with Back Burner to deal backstab damage, making you a boss assassin. Super Nova is another good pick that makes your Casts grow in size to trap more enemies. For durability, Self Healing is a good pick that restores some health after you take a hit. Phoenix Skin is even better but it’s a Duo boon with Hestia so it’s hard to come by. It grants you delayed health regeneration at the cost of -100 Max Life. Back Burner is a natural fit for the Sister Blades while the Super Nova’s large Casts can help your Umbral Flames’ ranged hits. In addition, Nova Strike and Nova Flourish will improve the range of all your Attacks and Specials.
| Apollo Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Strike | Your Attacks deal more damage in a larger area. | +40/50/60/70% bonus damage |
| Blinding Sprint | Your Sprint is faster and inflicts Daze on nearby foes. | +30/40/50/60% sprint speed |
| Lucid Gain | While standing in your Casts, gradually restore Magick. | +12/18/24/30 Magick per second |
| Extra Dose | Your Attack has a chance to hit twice. | +5/8/10% chance |
| Perfect Image | In each encounter, deal more damage until you take damage. | +10/15/20/25% bonus damage |
| Nova Flourish | Your Specials deal more damage in a larger area. | +60/80/100/120% bonus damage |
| Light Smite | After you take damage, your foe takes damage and you inflict Daze on all foes. | 50/75/100/125 damage |
| Solar Ring | After your Omega Cast expires, rapidly deal damage in an area for 2 seconds. | 10/15/20/25 Omega Cast damage per 0.13 seconds |
| Super Nova | Your Casts expand in size until they expire. | +40/50/60/70% max Cast size |
| Dazzling Display | Your Attacks may inflict Daze. | 150 Daze damage |
| Critical Miss | Foes take damage whenever Daze causes them to miss. | 100 Daze damage |
| Self Healing | While you have at least 3 Fire elements, restore some health whenever you take damage. | 30% damage returned as health over five seconds |
| Back Burner | Foes with Daze take more damage if struck from behind. | +50/75/100/125% backstab damage |
| Beach Ball | Your sprint creates a watery sphere behind you. After it stops, it surges ahead and bursts. Duo boon with Poseidon. | 140 blast damage |
| Exceptional Talent | Your Omega Attack and Omega Special fire twice but use more Magick. | +20% Magick cost |
| Sun Worshipper | In each encounter, the first foe you kill returns to fight for you. Duo boon with Hera. | 75 Servant damage |
All Artemis boons
It’s hard to make a build that focuses on Artemis’ boons as they don’t appear on chamber gates. You’ll find her when you try to get other resources like Ashes, Psyche, max health, or Magick. Despite that, her boons are great at enhancing most builds. They focus on Critical hits, meaning you’ll deal more damage if you rely on the Umbral Flames’ waves of projectile attacks. Support Fire grants extra arrows to Melinoe’s attacks and can even deal backstab damage. As for Death Warrant, it’s a good way to deal with boss health bars.
| Artemis Boons | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Death Warrant | A random foe occasionally becomes Marked. If it takes critical damage, this repeats. | 20/18/16/14 seconds between Marks |
| Lethal Snare | Foes in your Casts may take critical damage from your Attacks. | +8% Critical chance |
| Easy Shot | A piercing arrow fires toward any foe damaged by your Omega Cast. | 20/30/40/50 damage |
| Silver Streak | After you Dash, your Omega moves deal more damage for 2 seconds. | +10/15/20/25% bonus Omega damage |
| Pressure Points | Any damage you deal may be critical. | +3/4/5/6% Critical chance |
| First Blood | Foes with at least 80% health or 80% armor may take critical damage. | +10% Critical chance |
| Support Fire | After you hit with your Attacks or Specials, fire a seeking arrow. | 10/15/20/25 damage |
All Chaos boons
Just like Artemis, you won’t always run into a Chaos Gate. It costs some health to slip into one and meet Chaos. While you’ll have to handle a debuff, the improvements are always worth the effort. Just keep track of your encounters and don’t walk into a boss fight with one hand tied behind your back. Ordinary Defiance gives you another life after a fatal hit while other boons improve damage and health. Caustic Favor is another solid pick that improves the odds of you running into high-quality boons. These boons can benefit all of the Nocturnal Arms.
| Chaos Boons | Descriptions | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Addled Chasm/ Blood/ Flourish/ Mind/ Creation/ Affluence | For the next 3/4/5 encounters, each time you use Casts, get hit for -3/4/6 health. | +54% Cast damage, +10/11 life after leaving a location, +71% Special damage, +56/61 max Magick, +1 all elements, +50% Gold |
| Atrophic Affluence/ Discovery/ Flourish/ Revelation/ Soul/ Will | For the next 4 encounters, you have -22/24 max Life. | +50% more Gold, 62% chance to double gathered resources, +80% Special damage, channel Omega moves 10% faster, +35 max Life, Magick regen per second |
| Caustic Chasm/ Celerity/ Creation/ Favor/ Talent | For the next 3 encounters, slain foes toss an Interno-Bomb at you. | +48% Cast damage, +40/50% sprint speed, +1 elements, +47% Rare boon chance, -45% Magick cost |
| Doomed Affluence/ Chasm/ Favor/ Mind/ Revelation/ Will/ Soul/ Flourish/ Strike | You have 120 seconds to clear 3 encounters or get hit for -500 health. | +45/105% more Gold, +66% Cast damage, +44% Rare boon chance, +62 Max Magick, channel Omega moves 15% faster, +5 Magick per second, +32 max Life, +67% Special damage, +36% Attach damage |
| Enshrouded Chant/ Soul/ Will/ Discovery/ Favor/ Flourish/ Celerity/ Chasm/ Blood/ Affluence | For the next 4/5/6 locations, location reward previews are hidden. | +30% Omega move damage per Aether element, +27 max Life, +5 Magick per second, +60% chance to double gathered resources, +61% Rare boon chance, +61% Special damage, +40% move and sprint speed, +46% Cast damage, +4 life after a location, +145% Gold |
| Excruciating Discovery/ Blood/ Celerity/ Creation/ Talent/ Will | For the next 4/5 encounters, you take +33/45/49% damage. | +70% chance to double gathered resources, +40% more Gold, faster move and sprint speed, +1 all elements, -35% Magick cost, +8/8.5 Magick per second |
| Fixated Blood/ Chasm/ Discovery/ Mind/ Soul/ Strike | For the next 3/5 encounters, whenever you use Magick, Prime it. | +10/17 life after a location, +71% Cast damage, +75% chance to double gathered resources, +33 max Magick, +60 max Life, +24% Attack damage |
| Flayed Blood/ Favor/ Mind/ Will/ Chasm | For the next 4 encounters, each time you use Specials, get hit for -3/5 health. | +11 life after a location, +48/70% Rare boon chance, +48 max Magick, +13.5 magick per second, +22% Cast damage |
| Gagged Creation/ Discovery/ Revelation/ Talent | For the next 3 encounters, each time you use Omega moves, get hit for -6 health. | +1 all elements, +66% chance to double gathered resources, Channel Omega moves 18% faster, -40% Magick cost |
| Hobbled Affluence/ Creation/ Favor/ Soul/ Will/ Revelation | For the next 5 Encounters, your Dash is slower and uses 5 Magick. | +50% Gold, +2 all elements, +55% Rare boon chance, +30 max Life, +4.5 Magick per second, channel your Omega moves 17% faster |
| Maimed Chasm/ Favor/ Revelation/ Soul/ Will/ Defiance/ Flourish/ Creation | For the next 4/5 encounters, each time you use Attacks, get hit for -5/6 health. | +47% Cast damage, +45/57% Cast damage, channel Omega moves 24% faster, +30 max Life, +4/10.5 Magick per second, +1 Death Defiance, +51% Special damage, +2 all elements |
| Ordinary Affluence/ Defiance/ Discovery/ Revelation/ Strike/ Will | The next two Boons you find are restricted to Common blessings. | +85% Gold, +1 Death Defiance, +60/63% chance to double gathered resources, channel Omega moves 15% faster, +29% Attack damage, +4/8/12/16 Magick per second |
| Paralyzing Blood/ Charm/ Charm/ Chasm/ Strike/ Talent/ Discovery/ Flourish | For the next 4/5 encounters, you are stunned for 0.5/0/9/1.1 seconds. | +20 health after a location, +55% Cast damage, +29% Cast damage, +41% Attack damage, -60% Magick cost, +74% chance to double gathered resources, +44% Special damage |
| Pauper’s Revelation/ Blood/ Mind/ Strike/ Creation | For the next 3 encounters, you cannot earn Gold. | Channel your Omega moves 14% faster, +3 life after a location, +60% Magick, +55% Attack damage, +1 all elements |
| Rejected Chasm/ Creation/ Mind/ Revelation/ Will/ Discovery | The next 3 Boons you find will have one fewer blessing to pick from. | +45% Cast damage, +1 all elements, +40/60/80/100 max Magick, channel Omega moves 13% faster, +8.5 Magick per second, +66% chance to double gathered resources |
| Slothful Blood/ Celerity/ Favor/ Strike/ Revelation/ Flourish | For the next 4 encounters, your movement and sprint are slower by 24/30/40/47/58%. | +4 health after a location, +30/40/50/60% move and sprint speed, +63% Rare boon chance, +25% Attack damage, channel your Omega moves 24% faster, +67% Special damage |
All Demeter boons
Demeter easily has some of the best boons in the game thanks to her Freeze status effect. It’s particularly potent with the Arctic Ring Cast paired with Gale Force, creating a cyclone inside your Cast. With the new game relying on more enemies, Freeze is a great solution. And if you bring the Silver Spade along, Plentiful Forage is great at boosting your max Life. Demeter’s boons fit well with every weapon. I’m partial to the Argent Skull here because its basic attacks have a decent radius to inflict Freeze, especially with the Cold Storage boon’s extended Freeze effect. But even the standard Witch’s Staff can benefit from Ice Strike and Ice Flourish. Bosses can be slowed too, making Infernal Cerberus’ AoE attacks easier to dodge as Melinoe.
| Demeter Boons | Description | Rarity Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Flourish | Your Specials deal more damage and inflict Freeze. | +40/60/80/100% Special damage |
| Frigid Sprint | Your Sprint forms a Cyclone around you that lingers after you stop. | 4/6/8/10 cyclone damage per 0.25 seconds |
| Tranquil Gain | After remaining inactive for 1 second, rapidly restore Magick until you act. | +25/35/45/55 Magick restored per second |
| Weed Killer | Your Omega Attack deals more damage but uses +10 Magick. | +50/75/100/125% Omega Attack damage |
| Winter Coat | After you enter a location, Prime a barrier that absorbs 1 instance of damage. | 20/15/10/5 Magick Primed |
| Ice Strike | Your Attacks deal more damage and inflict Freeze. | +30/45/60/75% Attack damage |
| Gale Force | Your Casts also create a Cyclone at the binding circle. | 4/8/12/16 cyclone damage per 0.25 seconds |
| Arctic Ring | Your Cast repeatedly deals damage in the area and inflicts Freeze. | 10/15/20/25 Cast damage per 0.5 seconds |
| Plentiful Forage | Whenever you gather plants, seeds, or mushrooms, gain health. Receive one Mystery Seed now. | +5/8/10 Max life gained |
| Local Climate | Your Omega Cast deals bonus damage and follows you, even as you start to Channel it. | +20/30/40/50% Cast damage |
| Rare Crop | Your Boons become common, then gain rarity every 3 encounters. | 1/2/3/4 random boons affected |
| Coarse Grit | While you have at least 6 Earth Essence, you cannot take more damage per hit than the limit. | 15 max damage per hit |
| Cherished Heirloom | Most other Keepsakes you equip are stronger this night (if possible). | +1 bonus Keepsake rank |
| Cold Storage | Your Freeze effects last longer. | +2/3/4/5 second Freeze bonus |
| Natural Selection | Location rewards exclude max life, max Magick, and Gold Crowns. Boons are more likely to be Rare or better. | +20% improved rarity chance |
| Torrential Downpour | Each time you use your Omega Cast in an encounter, it gets stronger but uses +5 Magick. | +20% damage boost per Omega Cast |
All Hades boons
While Hades’ boons can only be picked up once per run, their focus against Chronos can help you win his lethal two-phase boss fight. Life Tax can help you maintain enough health in the house of Hades to make it to Chronos. Other boons like Unseen Ire let you turn into a shadow on taking damage before striking with +100% damage. You can take advantage of these irrespective of which weapon Melinoe brings to an underworld run.
| Hades Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Howling Soul | Your Casts launch a projectile dead ahead. The blinding circle forms where it hits. | 200 Impact damage |
| Deep Dissent | In your confrontation, Chronos summons fewer reinforcements. | 50% less reinforcements |
| Last Gasp | Deal more damage for each spent Death Defiance. | +10% damage per spent Death Defiance |
| Old Grudge | In your fight, Chronos takes a burst of damage after the first 3 seconds. | -20% Chronos life |
| Life Tax | Restore Life for 1% of damage you deal, until you reach the limit. | 100 health restored over time |
| Unseen Ire | After you take damage, go Dark for 10 seconds. Recharge after 40 seconds. | +100% damage while Dark |
All Hephaestus boons
Hephaustus’ boons are broken right now, and I mean that in the best way possible. Volcanic Strike and Volcanic Flourish are some of the most potent boons in the game. Pair them with Furnace Blast and you can cook bosses quickly. As your boons gain rarity, their cooldowns decrease, making them even more lethal. Trusty Shield is a good defensive pick that grants you some Armor for every encounter. While the numbers aren’t astounding, breaking your armor causes a slow-motion effect that can help you pace yourself better against hordes and bosses. Even Chronos won’t see it coming. And if armored foes are bugging you, try Molten Touch to deal more damage against armor, irrespective of your weapon choice.
| Hephaestus Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Volcanic Flourish | Your Specials occasionally create a blast that deals 400 damage in the area. | 20/18/16/14 second recharge time |
| Anvil Ring | Your Casts deal damage 3 times in succession but in a smaller area. | 50/70/80 Cast damage per second |
| Fixed Gain | You take -10% damage and restore some Magick whenever you take damage. | 50/75/100/125 Magick restored |
| Volcanic Strike | Your Attacks occasionally create a blast that deals 200 damage in the area. | 12/10/8/6 second recharge time |
| Smithy Sprint | After you Sprint for 1 sec, use 10 Magick to create a blast that deals damage to nearby foes. | 200/300/400/500 area damage |
| Uncanny Fortitude | Gain bonus health based on your Magick limit. | +20/30/40/50 max Life from Magick |
| Molten Touch | Your Attacks and Specials deal bonus damage to armor. | +20/30/40/50% damage to armored foes |
| Mint Condition | At the start of each Encounter, you are briefly Impervious. | 8/10/12/14 seconds |
| Trusty Shield | After you enter a Location, Prime 30 Magick to gain Armor until the next location. | +10/15/20/25 starting armor |
| Tough Trade | If you take damage during your Attacks or Specials, they are stronger if they hit. | +100/125/150/175% bonus weapon damage |
| Martial Art | Your Attack and Special deal more damage for each Earth Essence you have. | +5 damage per Earth boon |
| Heavy Metal | Your Attacks and Specials deal bonus damage to armor. | 50/75/100/125 armor |
| Furnace Blast | Your blast effects from Hephaestus also inflict Vent on foes. | 300/400/500/600 Vent damage |
All Hera boons
I love Hera’s Hitch status effect. While you need to go to the surface to meet her, she can appear in the underworld later. Hitch lets you chain damage between multiple foes, letting you eliminate pests and damage bosses at once. There’s a Brave Face legendary that consumes Magick to resist up to 50% of all damage but it’s pretty rare. Instead, you’re better off relying on the Hitch effect. Against reinforcements, use the Engagement Ring to damage them all right as they arrive. It’s especially helpful against Scylla’s final attack. As for weapon choices, the Umbral Flames can inflict Hitch on multiple enemies, especially with the Daedalus Hammer upgrade that splits your ranged shots. Melinoe’s other weapons are great with Hera’s boons too.
| Hera Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Sworn Flourish | Your Specials deal more damage and inflict Hitch. | +60/70/80/90% Special damage |
| Engagement Ring | Your Casts last 200% longer and deal damage to every foe that joins the encounter. | 70/100/130/160 on-spawn damage |
| Nexus Sprint | Your Sprint inflicts Hitch on nearby foes, which spreads to other foes near them. | 1/2/3/4 additional foes Hitched |
| Born Gain | Whenever you run out of Magick, Prime some Magick to restore all Magick up to the reduced limit. | 10/8/6/4 Magick Primed |
| Uncommon Grace | While none of your other Boons are common, deal more damage. | +10/15/20/25% bonus damage |
| Nasty Comeback | After you take damage, inflict your foes with Hitch and deal damage in greater measure. | 500/750/1000/1250% damage reflected |
| Sworn Strike | Your Attacks deal more damage and inflict Hitch. | +50/60/70/80% Attack damage |
| Dying Wish | Whenever Hitch-afflicted foes are slain, damage all other Hitch-afflicted foes. | 40/60/80/100 Hitch death damage |
| Hereditary Bane | Your Hitch effects deal more damage and last +5 seconds. | +15% hitch damage |
| Queen’s Ransom | Give up all your Boons of Zeus. For each one, raise the rarity level of all your Boons of Hera. Duo boon with Zeus. | +3 bonus levels per Zeus boon |
| Bridal Glow | Your Boons become Heroic, then lose rarity every few encounters. | lose rarity every 5/7/8 encounters |
| Keen Intuition | Whenever you use Omega moves while you have 100% Magick, they deal more damage. | +30/45/60/75% Omega damage |
| Proper Upbringing | While you have at least 3 Earth Essence, all your common Boons gain rarity. | Improve rarity to Rare |
| Family Trade | Any sacrifice boons you choose are stronger. One will be offered as soon as possible. | +2/3/4/5 levels |
| Soul Mate | Foes that are Hitched take more damage and are Weak but you can only affect two foes at a time. Duo boon with Aphrodite. | +20% damage vs Hitched foes |
All Hermes boons
Hermes specializes in speed and wealth buffs. Swift Strike makes your attacks faster, especially helpful for the hard-hitting Moonstone Axe. As for mobility, Nitro Boost will give you a faster sprint while making you immune to a few hits. It’s great when enemies like Hecate spam AoE attacks. Some may prefer the Mean Streak boon for dealing more damage per slain enemy but it’s not great in boss encounters. Instead, boosting your dodge with Greater Evasion is a better bet. Hermes’ boons can help most builds, regardless of which weapon aspect you pick. Quick Buck’s bonus Gold is a nice treat but doesn’t help you in direct combat. The Argent Skull’s Aspect of Medea gets a good boost from them as it relies on getting close to enemies.
| Hermes Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Saved Breath | Your Omega Cast uses less Magick. | -50/60/70/80% Omega Cast cost |
| Hard Target | Most foes’ ranged shots are slower. | -30/40/50/60% enemy projectile speed |
| Quick Buck | You find Coins in greater quantities. Receive 100 Coins now, plus the bonus. | +20% bonus Gold |
| Swift Flourish | Your Specials are faster. | +15/18% Special speed |
| Swift Strike | Your Attacks are faster. | +10/15/20/25% Attack speed |
| Mean Streak | Each time you slay a foe, deal more damage for the next 30 seconds. | +1/1.5/2/2.5% bonus damage per slain foe |
| Greater Evasion | Whenever you are struck, you may Dodge any damage. | +10/15/20/25% dodge chance |
| Nitro Boost | Your Sprint is 20% faster and gives you a barrier that ignores instances of damage. | +1/2/3/4 hits blocked per encounter |
| Midnight Oil | While your Hex is ready, you move and strike faster. | +20% bonus move and weapon speed |
| Witty Retort | Your Hex requires using less Magick before it is ready. | -15/20/25/30% Magick cost |
| Tall Order | While you have at least two each of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire elements, deal more damage. | +20% bonus damage |
All Hestia boons
Hestia focuses on the Scorch condition, hurting enemies over time with the Smolder Ring Cast. This is great against weaker enemies but it takes a while to harm bosses. That’s where the Fire Extinguisher boon comes in, letting you cash in on damage instead of waiting. Burnt Offering can be a mixed blessing but if Hestia selects a boon you’re not using, make space for a better boon and get some max Life and Magick buffs. Since Hestia’s boons don’t slow enemies, they’re fair game for all weapons to take advantage of.
| Hestia Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Flame Strike | Your Attacks inflict Scorch. | 20/25/30/35 Scorch damage |
| Flame Flourish | Your Specials inflict Scorch. | 15/20/25/30 Scorch damage |
| Hearth Gain | Rapidly restore Magick but you have -20% health. | +7/10/13/16 Magick per second |
| Soot Sprint | Your Sprint destroys most ranged shots near you and inflicts Scorch on foes that fired. | 2/4/6/8 Scorch damage per projectile |
| Controlled Burn | Your Omega Special also launched a fiery projectile but uses +10 Magick. | 80/120/160/200 blast damage |
| Smolder Ring | Your Casts repeatedly inflict Scorch on foes. | 30/45/60/75 Scorch damage per second |
| Glowing Coal | Hold Cast to aim a fiery projectile that explodes on impact. The binding circle forms there. | 50/70 blast damage |
| Burnt Offering | Gain max health and Magick but give up 1 Boon selected by Hestia. | +50/60/70/80 max Life and Magick |
| Freezer Burn | Whenever you inflict Freeze, amplify any Scorch effects already on the foe. | Enhance Scorch damage |
| Burning Desire | Up to +12 Lone shades appear in locations. Sprint into them to launch a fiery blast. | 160 Lone shade area damage |
| Chain Reaction | If you use Hephaestus’ blast effects right after they recharge, they fire twice. Duo boon with Hephaestus. | +100% blast damage |
| Fire Extinguisher | Foes with at least 300 Scorch take a burst of damage that consumes the effect. | 50/62% damage from Scorch |
| Flammable Coating | Your Scorch effects deal bonus damage to armor. | +100% Scorch damage to armor |
| Natural Gas | Whenever Scorch-afflicted foes are slain, they damage nearby foes. | 60/90/120/150 blast damage |
| Slow Cooker | Your Attacks and Specials gain power for each Fire boon you have. | +2 Power per Fire boon |
| Spontaneous Combustion | Your Omega Special inflicts bonus Scorch if foes are unafflicted. | +62% bonus Scorch damage |
All Poseidon boons
Poseidon’s boons aren’t great in Hades 2. While using Wave Strike or Wave Flourish to push enemies back helps against weaker foes, the bonus damage isn’t enough against bosses, even with the Slippery Slope boon. Fluid Gain is a nice passive to gain Magick but that’s about it. Using an Arcana Card to gain Magick regeneration can make this seem unnecessary. As for which weapons go well with Poseidon’s boons, the Umbral Flames’ high projectile count can help you inflict Splash damage on as many enemies as possible.
| Poseidon Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Wave Strike | Your Attacks hit foes with a splash that knocks other foes away. | 15/20/25/30 Splash damage |
| Breaker Sprint | Your Sprint deals damage on impact and knocks foes away but uses 5 Magick per hit. | 80/120/160/200 impact damage |
| Fluid Gain | After you strike foes with your weapon, a spirit bubble may appear. Gain Magick when you collect them. | +10/12/14/16% Spirit Bubble chance |
| Ocean’s Bounty | Any Minor Finds and Coins are worth more. | +50/75/100/125% reward value |
| Sunken Treasure | Gain Coins health, and sometimes Ashes and Psyche. | +90/117/144 Gold Crowns, healing, Ashes, or Psyche received |
| Hydraulic Might | At the start of each encounter, your Attacks and Specials are stronger for 10 seconds. | +100/133% Attack and Specials damage |
| Double Up | Whenever you claim a minor find or similar resource reward, a copy may appear. | 20/25/30/35% double chance reward |
| Wave Flourish | Your Specials hit foes with a splash that knocks other foes away. | 20/30/40/50 Splash damage |
| Geyser Ring | Your Omega Casts immediately, dealing damage and knocking foes away. | 100/150/200/250 Omega Cast damage |
| Flood Control | After you enter a location, Prime 30 Magick to reduce any damage. | -2/3/4/5 damage reduction per hit |
| Water Fitness | While you have at least 4 Water Essence, gain health. | +100 max Life |
| King Tide | Your splash effects from Poseidon are larger and deal bonus damage to Guardians. | Bonus guardian damage |
| Crashing Wave | Whenever your knock-away effects slam foes into barriers, create a blast in the area. | 50 blast damage |
| Island Getaway | You take less damage from nearby foes. Boons of Aphrodite treat all foes as nearby. | +15% damage resistance |
| Slippery Slope | Your splash effects from Poseidon also inflict Slip on foes. | +5/10/15/20% Slip damage |
All Selene boons
Think of Selene’s Hexes as a replacement for Calls from the previous game. As ultimate abilities, these need Magick usage to be triggered. Simply using Magick won’t suffice, it has to deal damage. While the Lunar Ray laser beam is powerful, it makes you a sitting duck that can be attacked. Instead, I recommend the Moon Water boon for a bag of healing potions. Phase Shift’s slow is great too, especially against bosses. As for Dark Side, you’re not absurdly powerful but being Impervious to damage is a nice touch. Selene’s boons don’t have an affinity with specific weapons, meaning you’re free to pick any of Melinoe’s Nocturnal Arms.
| Selene Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Lunar Ray | Your Hex fires a beam that deals up to 1200 damage over 3 seconds. | NA |
| Phase Shift | Your Hex makes everything else move 80% slower for 5 seconds. | NA |
| Twilight Curse | Your Hex launches a seeking projectile that inflicts Morph on up to 10 susceptible foes. | NA |
| Night Bloom | Your Hex raises 1 random slain foe from this encounter to fight for you for 12 seconds. | NA |
| Wolf Howl | Your Hex makes you rise, then crash down in the target area for 200 damage. | NA |
| Moon Water | Your Hex restores 25 health up to 3 times. This resets when you use Fountains. | NA |
| Total Eclipse | Your Hex blasts the target area for 1,000 damage after 4 seconds. | NA |
| Dark Side | Your Hex turns you into an Impervious living nightmare with her own abilities for 5 seconds. | NA |
All Zeus boons
Zeus might not hit as hard as the others on this list. But he’s certainly a step up from his brother Poseidon, with a Blitz effect that deals a decent amount of damage. Static Shock adds chain lightning to your regular attacks, helping you clear chambers quickly. If you want to focus your damage output on a single foe, consider the Storm Ring Cast that focuses on a single foe. Use your Omega Cast for even more damage. Demeter and Hestia’s boons let your Cast damage multiple enemies, meaning they’re usually a better option.
| Zeus Boons | Description | Rarity effects |
|---|---|---|
| Heaven Strike | Your Attacks inflict Blitz. | 80/120/160/200 Blitz damage |
| Heaven Flourish | Your Specials inflict Blitz. | 100/140/180/220 Blitz damage |
| Thunder Sprint | Your Sprint causes nearby foes to be struck by lightning bolts which use 3 Magick each. | 20/25/30/35 bolt damage every 0.15 seconds |
| Storm Ring | Your Omega Cast also causes lightning bolts to repeatedly strike 1 foe at a time. | 30/40/50/60 bolt damage every 0.25 seconds |
| Ionic Gain | Gradually restore Magick but your total is reduced by 70%. | +4/6/8/10 Magick per second |
| Static Shock | After you enter a Location, Prime 50 Magick to make your strikes emit chain lightning. | 10/15/20/25 lightning damage |
| Spirit Surge | While you have no more than 10 Magick, all foes are occasionally struck by lightning. | 60/75/90/105 bolt damage every 5 seconds |
| Lightning Lance | Hold Cast to aim where the binding circle appears. Foes within are struck by lightning. | 50/70/90/110 bolt damage |
| Divine Vengeance | After you take damage, your foe is struck by lightning and again 50% of the time. | 100 bolt damage up to 2/3/4/5 times |
| Double Strike | Your lightning bolt effects may strike 1 more time. | +5/10/15/20% bonus strike damage |
| Electric Overload | Whenever your Blitz effects activate, a bolt of chain-lightning fires from the foe. | 10/15/20/25 lightning damage |
| Toasting Fork | Your Blitz effects deal damage even if they expire without being activated. | 75% Blitz expiration damage |
| Apocalyptic Storm | Your Blitz effects last longer and activate against all Blitz foes at once. | Longer Blitz duration and activates on all Blitz foes |
| Air Quality | While you have at least 5 Air Essence, you can never deal less damage than the limit. | 30 minimum damage |
| King’s Ransom | Give up all your Hera boons. Raise the level of your Zeus boons. | +2 bonus levels per Hera boon |
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