Hades 2: Best Athena Boons Tier List

As someone who’s spent countless hours navigating the labyrinthine halls of Hades 2, I can confidently say that Athena’s boons are as crucial as a well-timed Dash or a perfectly aimed Cast. If you’re looking to make the most out of your time in the underworld, let me guide you through my top picks.

In the latest Olympic update for Hades 2, we see the comeback of two deities from the initial game: Dionysus and Athena. While Athena was an exceptionally powerful God in the original Hades due to her numerous overpowered blessings, she is now a Helper NPC in Hades 2 rather than providing blessings throughout a player’s run.

In the game Hades, you’ll find Athena exclusively along the Surface path, and she’ll make a surprise appearance as a “Divine Intervention” in one of the rooms within the new Olympus area at random. Fortunately, even though she only provides six boons, the top-tier Athena boon is still available – and with her return comes Divine Dash.

6 Defensive Posture

Become Impervious When Taking Damage

After you take damage, become Impervious for 2 Sec.

Base Recharge Time: 13 seconds

In Hades 2, having the Defensive Posture as an Athena boon can be beneficial, but it comes with a significant downside – Melinoë taking damage. Since this ability recharges every 13 seconds, it might not be the best choice compared to other Athena boons due to its relatively slow recharge rate.

Instead of Defensive Posture’s standard version, a boosted one might be beneficial to consider. The rarities of Epic and Heroic lower this effect duration below 10 seconds. Since it lasts for two seconds, you’ll take less damage in intense battles such as those against Prometheus and Chronos, due to the reduced impact during these high-damage encounters.

5 Phalanx Shot

Specials Can Deflect, Sometimes

Your Specials also launch a projectile ahead that can Deflect, rearming after 2 Sec.

Base Projectile Damage: 10

In the game Hades, one of Athena’s potent abilities was Deflect, which enabled Zagreus to bounce back any projectiles thrown at him when he Dashed. This ability is back in Hades 2 across several of Athena’s blessings. Among the three Athena blessings in Hades 2 that offer Deflect, Phalanx Shot is considered the least powerful.

As a fan, I’d enthusiastically recommend giving Phalanx Shot a try! While it may not significantly boost your Special damage, its unique ability to deflect projectiles every two seconds is quite impressive. If your current weapon’s Special is slow and relatively easy to aim, such as the Black Coat or Sister Blades, which both launch multiple Specials simultaneously, Phalanx Shot could be a game-changer for you. It can be tricky to precisely control where the Deflect effect goes, but the benefits it offers are definitely worth the effort!

4 Stalwart Stand

Prime An Enormous Amount Of Magick For Death Defiances

Gain +1 Death Defiance that replenishes in each Location, but you Prime Magick.

Base Magick Primed: 150

In the game Hades 2, Death Defiances function as lifesavers for the character Melinoë by replenishing some of her health whenever she dies. This ensures that she won’t return to the Crossroads, and because it guarantees at least one Death Defiance in every location, Stalwart Stand is an exceptional Athena boon. However, be aware that its Magick Prime cost is quite high.

By standard, this Boon automatically demands that you accumulate 150 Magick points initially, which is an impressive quantity even when you reach Olympus. If your Magick exceeds 250, or if you possess a robust Magick regeneration Boon, or choose not to rely on Omega Casts, this Boon significantly increases the likelihood that you’ll complete your journey successfully.

3 Mental Block

Reliably Proc Deflect With Casts

Your Casts also deal a burst of damage and make you briefly Deflect.

Base Cast Damage: 60

As a passionate admirer of Hades 2, I’d say one effective strategy for triggering the Deflect with Athena boons is by choosing the Mental Block ability. With this boon equipped, your casts will unleash a burst of damage and bestow Melinoë with the power to Deflect for a brief period.

One way to rephrase that statement in a more natural and easy-to-read manner could be: “The advantage of the Athena boon lies in its flexibility – Melinoë can deflect projectiles regardless of her current location. You don’t have to use the Omega Cast for this ability, but if you must choose between this and Divine Dash, Divine Dash remains a superior option.

2 Renewed Faith

Replenishes All Death Defiances & Enhances Them

Replenish all spent uses of Death Defiance now, and improved their potency.

Base Extra Health Restoration: 20%

In the course of reaching Olympus and progressing far enough to meet Athena, you’ll probably exhaust most of your Death Defiances. Despite its difficulty, Olympus is a zone in Hades 2. However, the Renewed Faith boon granted by Athena can provide you with the power to persevere until the climactic battle against Prometheus.

This ability, Faith Renewal, not just refills all your spent Life Line reserves, but additionally, it makes each subsequent use of Life Line restore more vitality for you (with a base 20% increase in health recovered upon death). The only instances where you might opt for a different Boon are when you haven’t used up any Life Lines yet, or if you obtain Divine Escape and prefer to create Shield instead of gaining additional opportunities to survive the game.

1 Divine Dash

The Best Athena Boon (& Canonically Zagreus’ Favorite)

Your Dash deals damage to surrounding foes where you end up, and can Deflect.

Base Dash Damage: 10

In the game Hades 2, choosing between Renewed Faith and Divine Dash for Athena’s boon can be a tough decision as they are quite comparable. However, Divine Dash stands out due to its versatility, proving to be an exceptionally powerful pick regardless of your current run status, whereas Renewed Faith is beneficial only when your Death Defiances have been depleted.

With the divine gift of Athena, Melinoë can swiftly dodge (or evade) and instantly send any nearby projectiles back to their originators without requiring a specific aim or a four-second waiting period for recharge – this continuous deflection ability, known as Divine Dash, makes it an exceptional choice among Athena boons in many scenarios.

2024-10-24 23:55