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There are four elements in Hades 2 — Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Although the game considers Aether a fifth element, it is technically not used in the same way that the others are. To see these elements, players will first need to perform the Divination of the Elements Incantation at the cauldron in the Crossroads.

Each element in Hades 2 naturally functions differently than the others, and this is a significant reason why some can be more effective than others. While prioritizing one element in a run can be helpful, players should still go with whichever combination best suits their playstyle.

The following tier list is not based on the best Infusion Boons for each element in Hades 2 but on how each element generally benefits the player.

Closeup of Chronos from Hades 2
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S-Tier Element: Fire

Fire Boons are the best in Hades 2 for one notable reason: Scorch. While every Hades 2 run is about survival, it's also about dealing as much damage as possible, and Fire Boons are one of the best ways to master that balancing act. With most of Hestia's Fire Boons, players can inflict Scorch on their enemies, which gradually ticks away at their health.

After building up enough Scorch on an enemy, players can then either move on to the next enemy or use Melinoe's Sprint to avoid danger while Scorch steadily takes care of things. Scorch may not damage enemies as quickly as if players were to deal more direct damage, but it's one of the most efficient ways to defeat enemies while staying alive.

A-Tier Element: Water

Water in Hades 2 has gotten a bit of a bad rap, but it can be highly effective when used correctly. Specifically, Water should primarily be used in Hades 2 for two things: keeping enemies away and utilizing Poseidon's Splash effect. Most of Poseidon's Boon sets offer at least one that prioritizes knocking enemies away or using Splash on them.

With Splash, players can inflict damage over a wider area, which is especially useful when the arena is filled with destructible terrain. Furthermore, when coupled with a Boon like Slippery Slope, players can deal even more damage to their enemies by inflicting the Slip debuff on them. Finally, if players choose to go this route, they can get a Hestia/Poseidon Duo Boon called Scalding Vapor that causes any foes suffering from the Slip debuff to be engulfed in steam if they are hit by fire from Hestia. As Fire is arguably the best element in Hades 2, combinations like that only make Water that much better.

B-Tier Element: Earth

Earth is one of those elements in Hades 2 that some players might prefer over others, simply due to what its Boons generally offer. As implied by its rock symbol, Earth Boons primarily revolve around damage mitigation, health, and restoration. Since a major part of Hades 2's gameplay is survival, it could be argued that Earth should be higher on the list of the best elements in the game. Unfortunately, aside from the tank-based Boons the Earth element offers, there isn't much else worth grabbing. However, if players are interested in obtaining some of the best Earth Boons in Hades 2, they should seek out Boons from Demeter or Artemis.

C-Tier Element: Air

At the bottom of the list is Hades 2's Air element. The worst part about Air in Hades 2 is that it is heavily underutilized. After all, Melinoe can Sprint, so one would assume there would be more Air-based Boons that would improve that — but that's simply not the case. For the most part, Air Boons are about increasing attack and cast speed, as well as dodge chance. Disappointingly, many of these numbers are too insignificant to make a huge difference, so they are generally best avoided if possible. That said, players seeking to do an Air-based build in Hades 2 should look for Boons from Hermes and Aphrodite.