Hades II is Supergiant Games' follow-up to their GOTY-winning roguelike, casting you as Melinoe, Zagreus's sister, on a quest to defeat Chronos the Titan of Time. The game introduces a magick system with Omega attacks, a crafting loop via gathering and incantations, and entirely new gods offering boons. Currently in Early Access, it already features dozens of hours of content across multiple surface and underworld regions. The combat is faster and more spell-focused than the original, with the Arcana card system replacing the Mirror of Night.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness — factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Witch's Staff | S | Mid-range caster who controls space with Omega specials and AoE boons. | Witch's Staff, Arcana: The Sorceress, Keepsake: Metallic Droplet |
| Sister Blades | S | In-your-face aggression with rapid strikes and dash-cancels. | Sister Blades, Arcana: The Huntress, Keepsake: Silken Sash |
| Umbral Flames | A | Long-range bombardier who zones enemies with persistent fire effects. | Umbral Flames, Arcana: The Furies, Keepsake: Discordant Bell |
| Moonstone Axe | A | Methodical heavy hitter who times big swings between enemy attack windows. | Moonstone Axe, Arcana: The Titan, Keepsake: Knuckle Bones |
| Argent Skull | B | Projectile specialist who relies on cast damage boons and positioning. | Argent Skull, Arcana: The Unseen, Keepsake: Luckier Tooth |
S-Tier: Witch's Staff
The staff offers excellent range and strong Omega special that creates lingering AoE zones. Its attack speed is moderate but the reach keeps you safe from most melee enemies. Best paired with Zeus or Hephaestus boons for area damage stacking.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Witch's Staff | Melinoe's starting weapon with balanced range and damage. |
| Core Gear | Witch's Staff, Arcana: The Sorceress, Keepsake: Metallic Droplet | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Magick Recovery > Damage > Health | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | magick casting | Melinoe has a magick meter (blue bar) that powers Omega versions of her attacks and specials. |
How to Play Witch's Staff
Mid-range caster who controls space with Omega specials and AoE boons.
The staff offers excellent range and strong Omega special that creates lingering AoE zones. Its attack speed is moderate but the reach keeps you safe from most melee enemies. Best paired with Zeus or Hephaestus boons for area damage stacking.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Witch's Staff and magick casting creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Witch's Staff, Arcana: The Sorceress, Keepsake: Metallic Droplet amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Magick Recovery > Damage > Health) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Sister Blades
Fast dual daggers with rapid attack chains and a dash-strike Omega attack. The bleed-like effect from rapid hits synergizes well with Aphrodite and Hephaestus boons. Highest sustained DPS weapon but requires aggressive positioning.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Sister Blades | Dual daggers unlocked early via incantation. |
| Core Gear | Sister Blades, Arcana: The Huntress, Keepsake: Silken Sash | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Attack Speed > Crit > Damage | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | arcana cards | The Arcana system at the Altar of Ashes lets you equip passive buffs using a limited number of grasp points. |
How to Play Sister Blades
In-your-face aggression with rapid strikes and dash-cancels.
Fast dual daggers with rapid attack chains and a dash-strike Omega attack. The bleed-like effect from rapid hits synergizes well with Aphrodite and Hephaestus boons. Highest sustained DPS weapon but requires aggressive positioning.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Sister Blades and arcana cards creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Sister Blades, Arcana: The Huntress, Keepsake: Silken Sash amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Attack Speed > Crit > Damage) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Umbral Flames
Torches that throw fireballs at range and create flame circles with Omega special. Excellent for kiting and dealing with large groups. The Omega attack lobs a slow but devastating fireball that ignites areas.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Umbral Flames | Paired torches that function as ranged weapons, lobbing fireballs with normal attacks. |
| Core Gear | Umbral Flames, Arcana: The Furies, Keepsake: Discordant Bell | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Magick Recovery > Special Damage > Health | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | grasp system | Grasp points determine how many Arcana cards you can equip simultaneously. |
How to Play Umbral Flames
Long-range bombardier who zones enemies with persistent fire effects.
Torches that throw fireballs at range and create flame circles with Omega special. Excellent for kiting and dealing with large groups. The Omega attack lobs a slow but devastating fireball that ignites areas.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Umbral Flames and grasp system creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Umbral Flames, Arcana: The Furies, Keepsake: Discordant Bell amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Magick Recovery > Special Damage > Health) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Moonstone Axe
Slow but devastating axe with the highest per-hit damage. The Omega attack is a massive overhead slam that can one-shot regular enemies. Pairs exceptionally well with Poseidon knockback boons and Artemis crit boons.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Moonstone Axe | A heavy axe with slow swings but massive damage per hit. |
| Core Gear | Moonstone Axe, Arcana: The Titan, Keepsake: Knuckle Bones | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Damage > Health > Magick Recovery | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | gathering and incantations | Between runs you can gather resources like Silver, Nightshade, and Moly from the crossroads garden and during runs. |
How to Play Moonstone Axe
Methodical heavy hitter who times big swings between enemy attack windows.
Slow but devastating axe with the highest per-hit damage. The Omega attack is a massive overhead slam that can one-shot regular enemies. Pairs exceptionally well with Poseidon knockback boons and Artemis crit boons.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Moonstone Axe and gathering and incantations creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Moonstone Axe, Arcana: The Titan, Keepsake: Knuckle Bones amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Damage > Health > Magick Recovery) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
B-Tier: Argent Skull
A throwable skull projectile with unique bounce mechanics. The Omega cast creates a powerful explosive that detonates after a delay. Tricky to master but rewarding when you learn enemy positioning and bounce angles.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Argent Skull | A throwable skull that bounces between enemies. |
| Core Gear | Argent Skull, Arcana: The Unseen, Keepsake: Luckier Tooth | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Cast Damage > Magick Recovery > Health | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | boon combos | Gods like Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and new additions like Selene and Apollo offer boons that modify your abilities. |
How to Play Argent Skull
Projectile specialist who relies on cast damage boons and positioning.
A throwable skull projectile with unique bounce mechanics. The Omega cast creates a powerful explosive that detonates after a delay. Tricky to master but rewarding when you learn enemy positioning and bounce angles.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Argent Skull and boon combos creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Argent Skull, Arcana: The Unseen, Keepsake: Luckier Tooth amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Cast Damage > Magick Recovery > Health) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Sister Blades — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Witch's Staff once you understand core mechanics and have access to Witch's Staff
- Keep a Umbral Flames setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Argent Skull for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Unlock the gathering tools incantation first — Silver Pick and Crescent Pick let you harvest resources during runs that fuel all other upgrades
- Selene's Moon boons are uniquely powerful: her Hex ability charges over time and unleashes a devastating screen-wide attack
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
