Polyphemus the Cyclops in Hades 2: How to Defeat Him, Tips and Tricks

The Cyclops Polyphemus in Hades 2 is one of the main bosses you will encounter while traveling across the surface, once you have gained access to this part of the game (check out our related guide for more details) and reach the final chamber in the City of Ephyra.

In this section of our guide, we will share the essential tips and tricks you need to defeat the Cyclops Polyphemus easily, as well as explain his main attacks and weaknesses so the battle does not give you too much trouble. Take note!

How to defeat the Cyclops Polyphemus

Polyphemus is an enormous shepherd Cyclops with formidable strength who can take a sizeable chunk out of your health bar with every blow. He is also accompanied by plenty of minions throughout the battle. However, he has a limited set of moves that are easy to memorize and very clearly telegraphed, so he should not pose too much of a challenge. In fact, if you are skilled enough, you may even defeat him on your first attempt.

Below, we take you through his main attacks:

• His most basic and troublesome attack consists of his powerful stomps. He will jump and slam both feet into the ground, creating red shock waves around himself.
• He can slam his fist into the ground in front of him or kick forward, sending out a shock wave in a straight line.
• Be extremely careful if he begins to glow and raises both arms. If you are standing in front of him, he will grab you and continuously deal damage until he lets go.

• As you deal damage to him, he will occasionally protect himself with a temporary shield and summon various enemies. Try to eliminate them as quickly as possible.
• After losing half of his health, he will also perform powerful stomps that create expanding circular earthquakes around him. Move away or time your dash correctly to pass through them.
• During the final stages of the battle, he will sometimes take heavy steps that create smaller shock waves. If necessary, attack him from a distance instead.

Polyphemus has two major weaknesses you can exploit. First, he is a fairly slow boss who takes time to move and whose attacks are easy to anticipate. Second, he will often stand still for a few moments after each attack, giving you a sizeable window in which to hit him repeatedly—sometimes even several seconds, if you are lucky.

The most important things to watch out for are his annoying shock waves, which you should avoid at all costs by timing your dashes correctly, and his glowing grab attack. He does not use the latter very often, but it can deal a lot of damage if it catches you. You should not forget about his minions either, especially the ogres that throw explosive barrels. When these barrels explode, they leave behind small burning areas that make dodging the boss much more difficult. Try not to let that happen.

Aside from that, Polyphemus is a fairly straightforward boss—perhaps even the easiest of them all—so he should not make you break too much of a sweat once you get the hang of the battle.

Reward for defeating the Cyclops Polyphemus

Each time you defeat the Cyclops Polyphemus, you will receive one Wool as a reward. This reactive resource is primarily used in Incantations related to roughness and touch.