Best Weapons In Early Access

Zagreus’ iconic starting weapon from the original Hades was a broadsword. It’s a common weapon to give heroes in games from roguelikes to good old-fashioned turn-based RPGs. Eventually, players could unlock other weapons for Zagreus, like a bow which added range to his attacks and made things a bit easier for some players unaccustomed to the roguelike challenge loop. Hades 2 gives the heroine, Melinoë, a ranged weapon right from the start, which is a staff that shoots magic. Melinoë is a witch, so giving her a magical weapon from the start makes sense.

She does eventually get some other weapons too. Each weapon in the game has four attacks. There is the Basic attack and the Special attack, and both of these can be charged. Melinoë gets a fifth attack too, a Cast, but this attack does not change with the weapons she gets. It changes based on Boons acquired during a run in Hades 2. For example, Poseidon can channel watery waves to explode within the Cast ring. That’s everything players have to know about attack basics, so let’s get to the five weapons in the game and see how they stack up against each other.

Updated December 6, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: Throughout the Hades 2 Early Access weapons have slowly but surely received new updates, including new Aspects and changes to the way each weapon works. With the Olympic update, the list of all Hades 2 weapons has expanded with a new option for Melinoe to wield: Xinth, the Black Coat. This mech suit-like armament is one of the most powerful weapons in Hades 2 as of the Olympic Update, and it’s worth unlocking as fast as you can to experience its incredibly unique (and strong) moveset. This list of every weapon in Hades 2 has been updated to include a basic overview of the Black Coat, as well as unlock requirements and a list of Aspects for all Hades 2 weapons listed below.

6 Umbral Flames

Dual-Wielding The Power Of Fire

• Umbral Flames Aspects: Aspect of Melinoë, Aspect of Moros, Aspect of Eos
• How To Unlock Umbral Flames: Requires 3x Silver and 3x Cinder

The Umbral Flames are two twin rods that look a little like batons set on fire. The name could be a fun nod to Bayonetta in her titular series, who was an Umbra Witch. These are mostly mid-range weapons that specialize in protecting Melinoë’s body. Their Basic attack will shoot out small bars of fire, and if players keep holding the attack button down, these fireballs will grow in size. This will use Melinoë’s Magick energy, as all charged attacks do.

The Special attack will send a flame out, which will protect Melinoë but then quickly fade. If the Special is charged up, flames will surround Melinoë for a longer period. This charged effect is the best thing about the Umbral Flames, otherwise, they’re a tricky weapon to use. Since the flames move in an arc, it can be hard to hit enemies with reasonable accuracy.

5 Witch’s Staff

Powering Up Melinoe’s Natural Magic Talents

• Witch’s Staff Aspects: Aspect of Melinoe, Aspect of Circe, Aspect of Momus
• How To Unlock Witch’s Staff: Unlocked by default

The Witch’s Staff will be Melinoë’s starting weapon, which is different from Zagreus’ loadout from the first Hades. He had a sword, whereas Melinoë gets started with a ranged weapon. Like most magical rods in games, the Witch’s Staff will shoot out blasts of non-elemental magic for a Basic attack, which has a shorter range and acts more like a melee weapon.

A strong beam will erupt when the basic attack is charged, giving it more range as well. Players can use the Special attack to fire a bigger blast of energy, and then the charged version will cover an even greater distance if aimed well. It’s an okay starting weapon, but things only get better from here.

4 Argent Skull

A Long-Ranged Grenade Launcher Using Bones

• Argent Skull Aspects: Aspect of Melinoë, Aspect of Medea, Aspect of Persephone
• How To Unlock Argent Skull: Requires 1x Bronze and 2x Glassrock (G. Rock)

The Argent Skull is a strange weapon in that it is literally just a skull with a bunch of markings on it. The Basic attack will launch a skull forward, and it will explode as if it were a grenade or rocket in Call of Duty. The area of effect is decent, and the attack power is deadly too. Players will be equipped with three skulls, and they have to be recovered after launching them.

If those skulls go out of bounds, they will eventually return to Melinoë, so it’s not a big deal. The charged-up Basic attack for this will have the skulls act like a mortar, arcing the blast if players want a more precise attack. The Special attack is a dash forward, and the charged version will make this dash stronger, launching skulls out of the sides of the dash’s wake. Overall, this is a very powerful weapon with good range, and the only downside is the limited starting ammo that has to be retrieved.

3 Sister Blades

Blades That Give Melinoë The Best Of Both Worlds

• Sister Blades Aspects: Aspect of Melinoë, Aspect of Artemis, Aspect of Pan
• How To Unlock Sister Blades: Requires 1x Silver

The Sister Blades are the weapons used in the cover art for Hades 2, which is odd for the lore since Melinoë is a witch who starts the game using a staff. Cover oddities aside, these twin blades are great; one is a sickle while the other is a dagger. Their Basic attack pattern turns Melinoë into a bit of a rogue, and the charged version looks like an assassination attempt that will deal critical damage.

This weapon’s Special attack will have Melinoë throw her dagger at enemies, which gives the weapon an overall good balance between ranged and close-up attacks. The charged version will create a fan pattern of daggers that players can shoot at a group of enemies. If players use this charged Special up close, every phantom dagger will hit the target instead. It’s kind of like how shotguns are more effective in games in close-proximity.

2 Moonstone Axe

Close Range Power With A Defensive Twist

• Moonstone Axe Aspects: Aspect of Melinoë, Aspect of Charon, Aspect of Thanatos
• How To Unlock Moonstone Axe: Requires 15x Silver

The Moonstone Axe just narrowly beats out the Sister Blades. The sheer power of this mighty axe makes up for the slow swinging speed of the Basic attack, and it’s not as bad as similar axes in action games like Dark Souls. The charged attack of the Moonstone Axe can send Melinoë into a swinging arc like a deadly axe-based tornado.

The Special attack is interesting, because Melinoë will start to spin, creating a shield that will block most attacks. After the charging period, a large arc will burst forward sort of like dominoes falling into place. It’s great for dealing with large onslaughts of enemies, along with getting those hefty boss health bars down quickly. The defensive spin is a nice bonus on top of the attack power of this weapon, which makes it the best weapon in Hades 2 as it stands right now.

1 The Black Coat

It’s A Mech Suit With Power Fists – What’s Not To Love?

• The Black Coat Aspects: Aspect of Melinoë, Aspect of Selene, Aspect of Nyx
• How To Unlock The Black Coat: Requires 2x Cinder and 1x Adamant

The Black Coat is a new weapon added to Hades 2 in the Olympic Patch for the Hades 2 Early Access – and it’s an awesome one. The Black Coat is one of the strongest Hades 2 weapons and one of the flashiest, as Melinoë essentially dons a gundam suit with charged attacks, missiles it can launch at targeted enemies, and rapid speed that makes it easy to escape overwhelming combat situations.

Though the Black Coat is significantly empowered with the right Boons, it’s one of the few weapons in Hades 2 that makes it easy to reach the endgame areas (including the new Olympus zone with its new Titan boss). Though it can struggle in these high-level zones without a good build, getting there is relatively easy on both surface and underground routes.