Part 3

Hades II Part 3 covers Attack Boons like Aphrodite's Heartbreak Strike, Ares' Curse of Agony, Artemis' Deadly Strike, and Athena's Divine Strike.

Dionysus, Drunken Strike – Hangover

Drunken Strike inflicts Hangover (4 damage / 0.5 seconds, for 4 Seconds) with a stack limit of 5. This boon is less effective with high-frequency attacks that surpass the stack limit or low-frequency attacks that could benefit more from immediate damage. While a hit-and-run dash strike tactic with Stygius might work early on, better weapons and boons are generally available.

Aphrodite, Heartbreak Strike – Weak

Heartbreak Strike offers a +50% damage increase and applies the Weak status effect. It is viable on most weapons, including the Heart-Seeking Bow, Stygian Blade, Eternal Spear, and Shield of Chaos. It is particularly favored for the Stygius Aspect of Arthur, Coronacht Aspect of Chiron, and Coronacht Aspect of Hera. The Weak effect reduces incoming damage by 30%, allowing for safer combat. Although considered “low-frequency” due to the inability to stack Weak multiple times on one enemy and its 3-second duration, its potency is enhanced by supplementary boons like Sweet Surrender and Broken Resolve. The Legendary boon Unhealthy Fixation can grant a 15% chance to Charm enemies, synergizing well with high-frequency attacks. Heartbreak Strike is viable on any weapon, but its suitability as the best boon depends on your build.

Ares, Curse of Agony – Doom

Curse of Agony deals 50 damage after 1 second. It is a viable option for the Heart-Seeking Bow (unless using Flurry Shot) for players prioritizing pure damage over Weak. However, it is difficult to justify on weapons with repeating or combination attacks due to poor stacking without supplementary boons. Its viability is mainly limited to the Bow and Shield of Chaos, where it competes with the superior Heartbreak Strike. Curse of Agony lacks the power to be a primary damage source against sturdy bosses and offers no other utility.

Artemis, Deadly Strike – +20% damage, 15% chance for critical hit

Deadly Strike provides a general damage increase and a 15% chance for a critical hit, with no stack limit concerns. While adequate for any weapon or circumstance, it lacks specialized benefits that can significantly alter your battle approach or address specific build weaknesses. It serves as a reliable fallback if other boon choices are incompatible with your current weapon.

Athena, Divine Strike – +40% damage, Deflects

Divine Strike offers a +40% damage bonus and deflects projectiles. While deflection is valuable, Divine Strike is not always the optimal way to achieve it. It is best suited for melee weapons with broad-sweeping attacks, making the Shield of Chaos a compatible choice for deflecting projectiles and knocking back melee enemies. It can also be used with Stygius and the Eternal Spear, particularly with its sweeping dash-strike. However, it is often a fourth-best option for many weapons. It is particularly viable on the Stygius hidden Aspect of Arthur and the Twin Fists hidden Aspect of Gilgamesh, allowing for safer close-quarters combat against projectiles.

Poseidon, Tempest Strike – +30% damage, Knockback

Tempest Strike provides a +30% damage bonus and applies Knockback. The guide expresses a general dislike for Poseidon boons, citing that knockback effects are not useful in boss fights, complicate aiming for ranged weapons, and push enemies out of melee range. The Wave Pounding boon can add extra boss damage to knockback attacks.