Highlights

  • Unlock tools with Night's Craftwork to mine materials and upgrade weapons in Hades 2 for a better gameplay experience.
  • Use Incantations like Aspects of Night and Darkness to master weapons and gain boons for powerful runs in Hades 2 .
  • Gain animal companions, switch out keepsakes, and unlock allies like Moros to enhance Melinoe's abilities in Hades 2 .

Zagreus from the first game and Melinoe from Hades 2 are two completely different characters gameplay-wise and how they act. Melinoe is a witch, so a lot of her combat skills are magic-based as if she were something like a Necromancer in the Diablo series. Besides her magical rod and combos in battle, Melinoe can also operate a large cauldron back at the home location.

Related
Hades 2: How Long to Beat

Though Hades 2 is only in Early Access right now, it still offers a nearly complete experience – and takes a considerable amount of time to finish.

By adding materials to the pot, players can unlock things that will progress the story or new ways to beef up Melinoe’s powers. These upgrades are called Incantations In Hades 2, and these are just a few of the best so far in the game’s Early Access build.

8 Night’s Craftwork

Create Tools To Gather Materials

Night’s Craftwork incantation in Hades 2

One of the new mechanics in the game allows players to mine for certain materials. Gathering most resources requires tools that can be unlocked via the Night’s Craftwork Incantation. Players can then craft these tools, like the Shovel, to use in a dungeon. Hades 2’s Shovel will dig up seeds, and another Incantation, Flourishing Soil, will create plots of land to shove these seeds into at The Crossroads. There are about as many tools as there are weapons, so players should unlock them all as quickly as possible.

7 Aspects Of Night And Darkness

Gain Ways To Upgrade Weapons

Aspects Of Night And Darkness incantation in Hades 2

Players will begin the game with the Witch’s Staff weapon and then they can build the other four after that. Aspects of Night and Darkness is an Incantation that will allow players to upgrade these five weapons in several ways. These upgrades are called Aspects, and they can change the functionality of weapons, just like in the first Hades. An upgrade to the Moonstone Axe, for example, can reduce cooldowns. Players should choose one or two weapons to master at first and then prioritize those upgrades.

6 Rise Of Stygian Wells

Unlock Extra Ways To Get Boons On Runs

Rise Of Stygian Wells incantation in Hades 2

When players go on runs, they will come across gods and goddesses in Hades 2 who will grant them Boons. These are temporary abilities or boosts in power that will delete themselves after death. Players can also buy upgrades via Charon at his shop for Gold.

Related
Hades 2: Beginners Tips and Guide

Hades 2 can be a tough challenge for newcomers. With these beginner tips, players can learn the basics of the game.

Rise of Stygian Wells is an Incantation that will randomly set up mini-shops in locations for Charon’s wares. They can range from healing Melinoe to granting her other ungodly types of Boons.

5 Summoning Of Mercantile Fortune

Unlock One Of The Best Shops At The Crossroads

Summoning Of Mercantile Fortune incantation in Hades 2

There are a lot of returning characters in Hades 2, even though their designs may have changed. A character that looks the same is the Wretched Broker, who resided within the halls of the Underworld in the first game. He will set up shop in the HQ for Hades 2 as well, The Crossroads, after players use the Summoning of Mercantile Fortune Incantation. The Wretched Broker will give players important upgrade items, like Ash, through the trading of Bones. Players should also gain the Floral Fortune Incantation to make this exchange more fruitful.

4 Faith Of Familiar Spirits

Gain An Animal Friend To Boost Stats

Faith Of Familiar Spirits incantation in Hades 2

The first game had pet-like Keepsakes but the sequel has full-on animal companions via Familiars. Players can gain their first one after using the Faith of Familiar Spirits Incantation, which may take a while to unlock. The aforementioned first Familiar should be obvious, Frinos, Melinoe’s faithful frog that greets her after every death. Bringing Frinos on runs will increase Melinoe’s HP by 10 and Frinos can also satiate one Shade in the dungeons. It won’t help much in better, but those two things alone make Frinos worthwhile.

3 Kindred Keepsakes

Switch Out Keepsakes Between Floors

Kindred Keepsakes incantation in Hades 2

Like the first game, players can give Nectar to NPCs back at HQ or in dungeons. These NPCs will then give Melinoe a Keepsake, which is kind of like an accessory in an RPG. To do this, players must first use the Kindred Keepsakes Incantation.

Related
Hades 2: Best Demeter Boons, Ranked

Take down Chronos with the most powerful boons from Demeter, Hades 2's Goddess of the Seasons.

One example can be seen with Poseidon in Hades 2. He will give his niece the Vivid Sea Keepsake, which will increase the rarity of Poseidon’s Boons, but that is on the lower tier of Keepsakes.

2 Fated Intervention

Gain A New Ally

Fated Intervention incantation in Hades 2

The Fated Intervention Incantation is kind of necessary to keep Hades 2’s story going. Players will find out that Chronos wants to find The Fates for some unknown reason. Fated Intervention will seemingly fail for Melinoe but she will see Doom, aka Moros, in a vision. Players can then use the Doomed Beckoning Incantation and then Moros will be stationed at The Crossroads. He will be an interesting companion to bond with, leading to more answers about the, well, fate of The Fates.

1 Permeation Of Witching-Wards

Travel Toward Olympus

Permeation Of Witching-Wards incantation in Hades 2

One of the biggest differences between this game and the original is that Melinoe can go to the surface for an extended period. First, players have to use the Permeation of Witching-Wards Incantation to unlock the gate to the surface. Like Zagreus in Hades, Melinoe cannot last long on the surface, making this unlock seemingly pointless. However, the Unraveling a Fateful Bond Incantation will give Melinoe unlimited time on the surface, thus leading to two new areas to explore. Th game is unfinished, though, so after a point, players will have to return to The Crossroads.

Hades2CoverArt
Hades 2

Platform(s)
PC
Released
2023-00-00
Developer(s)
Supergiant Games