If you're not building around casts in Hades 2, I'm sorry to report that you are playing this roguelike on hard mode

Hades 2 is a huge roguelike game with endless build possibilities. That can be a blessing or a curse, depending how lucky you are. From which of the Nocturnal Arms you end up favoring to the wealth of Hades 2 keepsakes, godly blessings, and familiar companions to choose from, it's all too easy to get so lost in the sauce that you forget about the basics.

By that, I mean you're neglecting cast and magic builds. I get it, I get it: you've unlocked some of the best weapon aspects in Hades 2 and are far too busy with a belter Persephone Revaal build to care about Mel's humble witchy charms. But I'm here to remind you not to underestimate the power of casts in every single build. Every single one. If you're not making use of them, all you're doing is making your life harder. Allow me to demonstrate.

Here, kitty kitty

First things first: I need you to unlock Circe's Aspect of the Witch's Staff, Descura. It's one of my top three go-to Nocturnal Arms for many reasons, but most importantly, it opened my eyes to the power of casts.

I know what you're thinking. The Sister Blades are your favorite – maybe even the Moonstone Axe if you're a fan of those spicy attack omegas – and you don't want to waste precious Nightmare shards on upgrading your starter weapon. Hear me out, though: Circe's staff gives you two juicy extras in one.

Not only does your Hades 2 animal familiar drop a cast at their location whenever you do, essentially allowing you to be in two places at once, there's a damage-dealing tether linking you and your familiar dealing repeated damage to any foe who touches it. Toula is my go-to for Circe aspect builds.

Like any true feline, the kitty stays put unless summoned to the fight, making for a solid anchor point for you to simply strafe across the rest of the arena like an omnipotent window wiper while she slumbers through decimating those caught in her cast vortex off-screen. Pair this with Hera's Nexus Sprint boon that inflicts domino-like Hitch upon all enemies you run into, and you now have total map mobility.

Your choice of cast boon-giver will factor into how successful this approach is. Personally, I go for anything that deals rapid damage. Our Managing News Editor can tell you all about the iconic boss-melting glory of Hestia's boons, and her omega cast is perhaps my favorite blessing in either Hades game.

Now just imagine the carnage you can deal by stacking two high-DPS cyclones at opposite ends of the field. Buffed with Apollo, Demeter, or Ares' cast-boosting boons like Meat Grinder, and you're essentially doing nothing but running and casting your way to victory with the help of your furry friend.

Even without Circe's aspect, though, casts should still factor into your Hades 2 build. Case in point: Aphrodite's Rapture Ring boon that drags foes into the cast's center and inflicts the Weak status curse upon the lot.

I love doing this on Persephone Argent Skull runs, grouping my foes together like fish in a barrel before tearing through them with the omega special. It's also a great choice for other skull and staff aspects, like Medea or Charon's, or really any weapon that requires a more targeted approach. Take the blades, for example – the Aspect of the Morrigan is my favorite there, and it's even easier to blast through bosses and hordes alike when you can keep your prey in one handy place.

I'm not here to tell you how to play your game. Actually, I guess I am, but it's for your own good. I'm imploring you to play Hades 2 without neglecting the simple stuff, much as it gets harder to care about them once you have access to the critically overpowered likes of the hidden Aspect of Supay. Casts are every bit as important as attacks and specials, and if I hear one more friend or colleague deride them, I am going to fling myself into Asphodel.

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