When it comes to making progress in Hades 2, defeating bosses and becoming increasingly more powerful, one of the most important things you can do is apply different Aspects to your weapons. This arsenal upgrade system is quite similar to the one featured in the original game and is incredibly useful.
Are you new to the game and unsure how to upgrade your weapons? Do not worry. In this section of our guide, we will explain how to do it, tell you everything you need to know and show you the full list of available upgrades so you can choose wisely.
To unlock the Aspects used to upgrade weapons in Hades 2, you must have progressed far enough to meet the following requirements:
Bear in mind that due to the game's somewhat random nature, each player may receive the aforementioned Incantation at a different point. Hecate should normally give it to you after you have faced her a couple of times with every weapon unlocked. If this still does not happen, we recommend fighting her at least once with each of the game's weapons.
Once you have performed the Incantation, you will gain permanent access to your weapon Aspects. All of these upgrades will become available provided you have the materials required to obtain them, and you will be able to switch between the ones you have purchased depending on which you want to use during each run. Only one Aspect can be equipped at a time for each weapon.
Each weapon available in Hades 2 has up to three different Aspects that can be unlocked, including its default Aspect but excluding one hidden Aspect for each weapon. Every Aspect can also be upgraded to increase its rank, up to a maximum of Rank 5. This will progressively increase the bonus it provides, as well as the amount of resources required for each upgrade.
Below, you can find all the available Aspects, their initial requirements and the bonuses they provide:
These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Witch's Staff:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | You Channel your Omega Moves faster |
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| Aspect of Circe | After landing 21 Attacks or Specials, you gain Serenity |
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| Aspect of Momus | While you have no more than 50% Life, absorb your Omega Special's blast to restore 5 Life |
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These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Sister Blades:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | Your Attacks and Specials deal more damage when striking foes from behind |
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| Aspect of Artemis | While Channeling your Omega Attack, you can Parry certain attacks and immediately gain Riposte |
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| Aspect of Pan | Your Specials seek foes inside your Casts. Channeling fires more blades |
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These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Umbral Flames:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | The flames from your Omega Specials burn for longer before fading |
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| Aspect of Moros | Your Attacks linger for 6 Sec. and explode when struck by your Specials |
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| Aspect of Eos | Your Attacks grow in size and power over 4 Sec. and return to you when you Sprint |
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These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Moonstone Axe:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | You recover faster after using your Attacks and Specials |
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| Aspect of Charon | Your Cast lasts +3 Sec. and erupts like your Omega Cast when struck by your Omega Special |
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| Aspect of Thanatos | Hitting with Omega Moves gives you +1% Critical Chance until you take damage |
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These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Argent Skull:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | Your Attacks deal more base damage for each Shell you have fired but not yet retrieved |
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| Aspect of Medea | Your Attack remains nearby and explodes over a larger area on impact or after 3 Sec. |
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| Aspect of Persephone | Any damage you deal generates Glory, which empowers your Omega Special |
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These are the three Aspects you can unlock to upgrade the Black Coat:
| Aspect | Effect/Bonus | Initial requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Melinoë | Your Attacks, Sprint and movement speed are faster |
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| Aspect of Selene | You begin with Sky Fall, a hidden Hex that strikes multiple foes and inflicts Shine |
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| Aspect of Nyx | You gain Omega Boost, which allows you to produce Nightspawn after activating it |
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Since the release of Hades 2's Unseen Update, it has been possible to unlock a hidden Aspect for each of the game's six available weapons. However, the method for obtaining these special Aspects is quite specific and not entirely clear.
According to various members of the community, each hidden Aspect is connected to a particular character from the adventure. To unlock one, you will need to hear a special waking phrase by speaking to the corresponding character.
The hidden Aspect of each weapon is associated with the following characters:
In principle, you only need to keep speaking to each character until they give you their phrase, although you may need to meet certain requirements before the relevant dialogue becomes available. To be safe, we recommend unlocking all three available Aspects for each weapon, upgrading at least one Aspect of each weapon to its maximum rank and equipping the weapon associated with the character before speaking to them. It is also a good idea to strengthen your relationship with that character as much as possible by giving them Nectar.
For example, if you want to "force" Charon's phrase to appear, strengthen your relationship with him as much as possible, unlock all three Moonstone Axe Aspects, upgrade any one of them to its maximum rank and equip the weapon during the run in which you plan to speak to him. There is no guarantee that doing all of this will make the phrase for each hidden Aspect appear, but it may increase your chances of receiving it.
In any case, as with many other parts of the game, keep progressing through the story and complete all kinds of activities, such as Chaos Trials, Minor Prophecies and Incantations, as you attempt to unlock the hidden Aspects.
