The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2 Best Builds, Boons, & More

The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2  Best Builds, Boons, & More

As a seasoned adventurer who’s faced my fair share of trials in the underworld, I can confidently say that each Black Coat Keepsake serves its purpose like a well-oiled machine in a Hades workbench.


In the initial rendition of Hades, I wielded the formidable twin fists of Malphon. Fast forward to the Olympic Update in Hades 2, my kid sister dons the enigmatic Black Coat – a set of electrifying fists that aid Melinoe in her relentless journey through the Underworld. This newfound weapon, with its blinding speed and explosive might, has become an irresistible upgrade to an already captivating Roguelike experience.

Constructing strategies around this weapon may seem challenging initially due to its numerous distinctive attributes. It possesses an attack-block feature, its missiles exhibit peculiar homing abilities, and it boasts a special dash attack that can be challenging to master at first. Yet, as players grasp the benefits of which enhancements will transform this formidable weapon into a devastating force of nature, they’ll be capable of tearing through Chronos and the new boss safeguarding the road to Olympus with ease.

Xinth, the Black Coat Overview: Regular Attacks, Ω Moves, Aspects

Power Punches, Shields, Missiles, And More

Emerged from the darkness, the Nocturnal Arms came to life, yet the shadows surrounding them persisted and solidified into a single shape. Named as such due to their connection to us, they serve as our extensions and embodiments of our will. Xinth is merely the physical embodiment of this concept.

The character known as The Black Coat employs mechanized fists and missile-launching systems to annihilate Chronos’ minions. Its rapid basic attacks, guided rockets, distinctive dashing assault, and potent Omega abilities make it adaptable for construction in numerous diverse strategies.

In this revised version, “The Black Coat obtains the defensive capacity previously held by the Moonstone Axe during its Ω Attack.” This defense mechanism can be tricky to manage, but it prompts Melinoe to engage aggressively, ward off any incoming blows, and retaliate with a potent strike.

Regular & Ω Moves

NormalOmega
Attack
  • Melinoe punches in front of her and moves forward with each punch
  • Punches don’t have a very long range; they are a little shorter than the Witch’s Staff attacks
  • The attack sequence has some unique properties
    • It’s only two punches
    • It doesn’t have an ending and can be repeatedly chained into itself
  • The first punch deals 30 damage while the second punch deals 40 damage
  • Melinoe charges her punch and conjures a shield in front of her
    • This shield blocks most melee attacks
    • The shield does not block some projectiles or ground shockwaves
  • The longer this attack is charged, the stronger it is
  • At max charge (30 Magick), this punch deals 200 damage
  • This attack takes about 3 seconds to fully charge
Special
  • Melinoe fires two rockets, each one dealing 30 damage
  • Recovery frames can be canceled into any action other than another Special
  • Only homes on targets in front of Melinoe when rockets were launched
  • Melinoe charges her special and targets enemies in a small cone in front of her
  • Enemies in the cone can be locked on to up to 5 times.
    • Each lock costs 3 Magick
    • Each missile deals 30 damage
  • Players can sweep this cone around them while charging
  • This omega attack inherits some of the player’s momentum when charging
Dash Attack
  • Melinoe spins and creates an explosion around her
  • This attack can hit three times
  • Each hit deals 15 damage for a total of 45 damage
  • Only usable with the Aspect of Nyx
  • Melinoe charges her attack while sprinting
  • 2 second charge time
  • The fully-charged attack costs 30 Magick
    • This attack cannot be released before it reaches a full charge
  • Deals 150 damage

Black Coat Aspects

  • Aspect of Melinoe: Attacks, Sprint, and Move speed are faster. (Increases speed by +20% at max rank)
  • Aspect of Selene: Start with a hex that hits foes with a column of light. Each foe hit takes 50% more damage from Omega attacks for 8 seconds.
  • Aspect of Nyx: Gain an Omega Sprint. At max charge, Melinoe explodes in a small area around her, dealing 150 damage to any enemies caught in the explosion and gaining a buff that can split her attacks and specials into two additional hits.

Among the three options, the aspects of Melinoe and Selene are particularly strong in terms of build potential. The Aspect of Melinoe functions quite independently and doesn’t demand many additional resources or bonuses to perform effectively. On the other hand, the Aspect of Selene starts off with less power and heavily depends on Omega attacks at the beginning. However, as more boons for Selene are accumulated during the game, this aspect transforms into a dominating force in the latter stages.

Aspect of Nyx can hit like a truck because of the raw power behind its Omega Sprint, but building around it doesn’t match the simple destructive power of Melinoe’s Aspect nor the ranged damage potential of Selene’s Aspect. Additionally, Nyx’s Aspect is still reliant on getting a good Gain Boon early, and a decent Sprint Boon later to make the most of its unique ability.

Best Black Coat Boons And Builds

Bolded choices
should be prioritized over the rest.

Best Boons For Aspect of Melinoe

The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2  Best Builds, Boons, & More

In order to unleash its full potential, the Characteristics of Melinoe tend to favor frequent assaults and utilization of its unique abilities. Therefore, blessings that amplify the damage Melinoe inflicts per attack or special activation would suit it exceptionally well.

SlotBest BoonsReasoning
Attack
  • Wave Strike (Poseidon)
  • Frost Strike (Demeter)
  • Flutter Strike (Aphrodite)
  • Heaven Strike (Zeus)
Wave Strike is the best boon to use with this aspect. The Aspect of Melinoe strikes fast enough to make the most of the splash damage, and dash attacks hitting multiple times will also hit with multiple splashes for a megaton of damage. Acceptable alternatives can buff attack damage output or set up other parts of the build to deal more damage.
Special
  • Heaven Flourish (Zeus)
  • Flame Flourish (Hestia)
In an ideal world, Wave Strike and Heaven Flourish would always be paired together. These two can build into the Killer Current duo boon and complement each other extremely well. One dash attack with a Rare-level Wave Strike and a single attack will activate Blitz. If Heaven’s flourish is unattainable, Flame Flourish is a good alternative since it also activates the Origination Arcana Card and builds into Scalding Vapor.
Cast
  • Smolder Ring (Hestia)
  • Arctic Ring (Demeter)
Smolder Ring is the best here because it also helps build into Scalding Vapor, and deals more damage to enemies as they stand in the cast. Arctic Ring is a good alternative just for its ability to apply freeze to enemies.
Sprint
  • Soot Sprint (Hestia)
  • Passion Dash (Aphrodite)
  • Breaker Sprint (Poseidon)
There are no wrong options for Sprint boons. Soot Sprint is best for surface runs since it makes Eris a much easier fight to handle. In comparison, Breaker Sprint will help build toward King Tide and is another source of splash damage for Slippery Slope. Passion Dash is nice to have for the additional damage it provides, and for applying weak to enemies.
Gain
  • None
Aspect of Melinoe doesn’t use very much magick, and doesn’t need any gain boons. If you had to pick one, Hestia’s Hearth Gain would be the best, but it still remains wholly unnecessary.
Additional Boons
  • King Tide (Poseidon)
  • Slippery Slope (Poseidon)
  • Static Shock (Zeus)
  • Nimble Limbs (Hermes)
Poseidon boons in general are just good for the Aspect of Melinoe. Getting Slippery Slope is necessary for more damage, and if the player finds Breaker Sprint, Fluid Gain, or Geyser Spout, they can get King Tide next to maximize their damage. Static Shock is also an amazing boon to have because of how often Aspect of Melinoe will attack. Nimble Limbs is also great, because it helps Melinoe attack more often.

Best Boons For Aspect of Selene

The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2  Best Builds, Boons, & More

Selene’s Feature prefers to employ Magic regularly in order to energize its exclusive Hex, Sky Fall. Once this Hex is fully powered up, Melinoe can activate it, consistently harming nearby adversaries and amplifying the damage they receive from Ω abilities by 50%.

SlotBoonDescription
Attack
  • Heaven Strike (Zeus)
  • Frost Strike (Demeter)
Aspect of Selene’s Hex can sometimes have an upgrade in its Path of Stars that gives its rays of light the same effect as Melinoe’s attack. As a result, Heaven Strike is perfect to increase the damage of this build. Frost Strike is also useful to have since Melinoe first can freeze enemies, then use an Ω Special to finish them off.
Special
  • Heaven Flourish (Zeus)
  • Frost Flourish (Demeter)
  • Nova Flourish (Apollo)
  • Volcanic Flourish (Hephaestus)
Since the Ω Special is the crux of the build, Melinoe will want anything that can increase her Special’s damage. Heaven Flourish is perfect because 4 lock-ons will trigger Blitz. Frost Flourish and Nova Flourish are used to increase the base damage of Melinoe’s Special attack. Volcanic Flourish has a unique interaction where every missile fired can trigger a blast when it’s off cooldown, leading to a large damage burst every few seconds.
Cast
  • Smolder Ring (Hestia)
  • Arctic Ring (Demeter)
Casts aren’t especially important for this aspect. While it helps to have a strong Ω Cast, it’s not a huge priority for this build. Smolder Ring is useful for additional damage, while Arctic Ring is better for managing mobs.
Sprint
  • Soot Sprint (Hestia)
  • Thunder Sprint (Zeus)
  • Breaker Sprint (Poseidon)
Soot Sprint is best used for runs on the Surface. Otherwise, any sprints that use Magick like Thunder Sprint and Breaker Sprint will do in this slot.
Gain
  • Hearth Gain (Hestia)
This boon is the most important part of the build. Hearth Gain provides constant Magick as long as Melinoe is attacking. Both the Black Coat’s Dash Attack and Special are perfect for gaining a large amount of Magick in a short amount of time.
Additional Boons
  • Controlled Burn (Hestia)
  • Spirit Surge (Zeus)
  • Splash Fount (Poseidon)
  • Heart Breaker (Aphrodite)
The Aspect of Selene wants anything that can reward it for repeatedly spending Magick. Controlled Burn is the best boon for this since Melinoe will want to repeatedly use her Ω Special.

Sky Fall’s Path of Stars

​​​​

  • Rare Upgrades:
    • Scorn: Your Hex deals +50% damage each time it hits the same foe.
    • Ferocity: Your Hex gains the bonuses of your Attack Boon.
    • Calm: During your Hex, you take -20% damage.
  • Epic Upgrades:
    • Prism: Hex also strikes +2 Foes each time, but adds +30 Magick Recharge Cost
    • Cascade: Whenever you use an Ω Move, one random nearby foe is struck by the effect of your Hex, but adds +30 Magick Recharge Cost.

When you have the Aspect of Selene with its distinctive Hex, it’s crucial to strategize which abilities should be improved along her Path of Stars. Scorn is ideal for defeating bosses, whereas Cascade serves both mobs and bosses effectively. Ferocity could be a beneficial addition to your build, but consider taking it only if Melinoe’s Attack Boon is advantageous and offers multiple strikes. Heaven Strike exemplifies this, but Frost Strike and Sworn Strike can function similarly in the right circumstances as well.

Best Boons For Aspect Of Nyx

The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2  Best Builds, Boons, & More

In an optimal scenario, The Aspect of Nyx performs most effectively by charging into battles, triggering its Ω Sprint ability, followed by a quick attack or several normal attacks before repeating the sprint to recharge the Ω Sprint. Strategic Boons should be chosen to complement this strategy or enhance the damage inflicted when sprinting towards enemies.

SlotBoonDescription
Attack
  • Heaven Strike (Zeus)
  • Flutter Strike (Aphrodite
  • Wave Strike (Poseidon)
Heaven Strike is the preferred attack boon because Blitz can be activated in a single Ω Sprint explosion. Wave Strike and Flutter Strike are both good choices since they both have high damage output and benefit from having additional attacks.
Special
  • Heaven Flourish (Zeus)
  • Wave Flourish (Poseidon)
  • Sworn Flourish (Hera)
  • Frost Flourish (Demeter)
Heaven Flourish is perfect here since it will increase the Aspect of Nyx’s damage output. Frost Flourish is useful to make enemies hold still so Melinoe can sprint into them, and has the added benefit of increasing Special attack damage. Wave Flourish and Sworn Flourish both increase Special Attack damage but also help this aspect with clearing groups of enemies more efficiently.
Cast
  • Rapture Ring (Aphrodite)
  • Engagement Ring (Hera)
Rapture Ring is perfect because it drags enemies towards Melinoe, which can set up for big Ω Sprint explosions. Engagement Ring also helps clear groups of enemies and further spreads the large damage burst of the Ω Sprint. This cast is also perfect for Scylla and the Sirens if players are looking for a quick way to clear that boss.
Sprint
  • Soot Sprint (Hestia)
  • Breaker Sprint (Poseidon)
  • Passion Dash (Aphrodite)
  • Stamp Rush (Hephaestus)
Soot Sprint remains a useful boon, but having a boon that deals damage during its sprint will help clear rooms more efficiently. Breaker Sprint, Stamp Rush, and Passion Dash all perform this job admirably and fit well into the Ω Sprint’s game plan.
Gain
  • Hearth Gain (Hestia)
Just like it is with the Aspect of Selene, Hearth Gain is incredibly important for the Aspect of Nyx. It gives Magick back as long as Melinoe continues to attack, allowing her to repeatedly use her Ω Sprint.
Additional Boons
  • Spirit Surge (Zeus)
  • Splash Fount (Poseidon)
  • Heart Breaker (Aphrodite)
Similar to the Aspect of Selene, the Aspect of Nyx wants anything that rewards it for using Magick. Spirit Surge, Splash Fount, and Heart Breaker are all good choices because of how close Melinoe has to be to use her Ω Sprint’s explosion.

Best Black Coat Builds

  • Wave Strike: With the Aspect of Melinoe, Poseidon’s Wave Strike — and later Slippery Slope — helps the Black Coat fly through levels at a remarkable pace. The dash attack can trigger Wave Strike multiple times, which in turn will melt through a majority of enemies. This build is fairly flexible in what direction it can go after that foundation is set, and the pilot should be looking for a good Special Boon to complement Wave Strike.
    • This build is also used in speedruns. However, current speedrun builds disable the XII.Eternity Arcana card in favor of the XXIII.Strength card. This maximizes Melinoe’s damage at the cost of no longer having any Death Defiances to rely on.
  • Blitz: The idea behind this is to use Attacks or Specials to both apply and activate Blitz as fast and as often as possible. This is usually done through a Zeus boon in the Attack or Special slot followed by a high-damage boon in the other slot. The Aspects of Nyx and Selene benefit from this kind of build since their Ω abilities are perfect for Blitz activations, but the Aspect of Melinoe with Wave Strike can also recreate this idea with Heaven Flourish.

Best Black Coat Arcana Cards

Customizing The Black Coat To Your Playstyle

Every build can benefit from universally good Arcana cards like XII.Eternity and II.The Wayward Son, but there are a few unique cards that the Black Coat aspects can make the most out of.

In the context of this tarot reading, the aspects of Selene may be strengthened by both the ‘Moon’ and ‘Sorceress’ cards due to Selene’s emphasis on Ω Specials. However, it’s worth noting that the ‘Unseen’ card is generally avoided as initiating a run with an advantageous Gain boon might render its ominous implications unnecessary.

Benefiting from the X.Death Arcana, Nyx’s aspect can effectively transition between its Ω Special and Ω Sprint abilities.

In summary, the facet of Melinoe gains strength from any cards that boost damage-dealing abilities. Notably, the XIV.Origination card is a convenient option for amplifying damage during gameplay because this aspect can be adaptable regarding the boons it acquires after using Wave Strike.

Arcana NumberArcana NameEffectBest Aspect To Use With
IThe SorceressYour Ω moves are 30% faster.Selene
VThe MoonYour Hex also charges up automatically as though you used 3 Magick every 1 second.Selene
XDeathYou have a +15% chance to deal Critical Damage with each move in an Ω Combo.Nyx
XIVOriginationYou deal +50% damage to foes with at least 2 curses from different Olympians.Melinoe

Best Black Coat Keepsakes

GIving Melinoe The Best Starts, And The Easiest Routes

The Black Coat Weapon Guide For Hades 2  Best Builds, Boons, & More
  • Vivid Sea (Poseidon): Since Poseidon synergizes so well with the Black Coat, using this keepsake at the start of a run guarantees starting with Wave Strike.
  • Everlasting Ember (Hestia): Two of the aspects are heavily reliant on Magick generation, and starting out with Hearth Gain will make runs much smoother.
  • Blackened Fleece: Great to use with Aspect of Selene against Chronos. It’ll increase the damage of Ω moves by 40%.
  • Fig Leaf: Best for speedruns or runs that need some free rooms. Fig Leaf automatically clears a room up to 3 times per night. It’s best used in Tartarus or Olympus.
  • Aromatic Phial: Increases the healing power of Fountains, and upgrades a common boon to Heroic. If Melinoe has a build centered around one skill that just so happens to be common, or if she only has a common of a powerful Athena, Dionysus, or Hermes boon, then Aromatic Phial is perfect for making those boons even more powerful.
  • Moon Beam: Great for Aspect of Selene. This keepsake will ensure the next boon is from Selene and gives more upgrades for the Path of Stars.

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2024-10-24 02:04