There are lots of Hades 2 characters to meet at the Crossroads and in the regions leading down to the underworld. It's a diverse cast, covering powerful Olympians and Titans, to almighty, mythical mortals. Several deities from the first game make a return, such as Aphrodite, Hypnos, and Zeus, but Hades 2 introduces a host of new heroes to help Melinoe both in battle and back at base. Here are all the Hades 2 characters you'll come across and what they can do for you.
The Hades 2 technical test is still going, which means this guide is based on a limited build of the game that is subject to updates. We'll update this guide with new information as Hades 2 receives new features and updates!
Who do you play as in Hades 2?
Learn about the two Hades 2 weapons Melinoe can wield in the current build, though more will be added in future.
In Hades 2, the player character is Melinoe (Mel-in-OH-ee). She's the daughter of Hades and Persephone, younger sister of Zagreus, and Princess of the Underworld. Hades 2 takes place a while after the first game and, in that time, the Titan of Time, Chronos, has brought ruin upon the House of Hades, forcing many denizens of the underworld out and up towards the surface.
Melinoe lives at a camp in the Crossroads, an area that exists between the underworld and the surface that serves as a haven for House of Hades loyalists. Melinoe seems to have actually spent most of her life under Hecate at the Crossroads and barely remembers her true family.
Despite this, she seeks to descend back down to the Underworld to slay Chronos and save her family, with the help of Hecate and plenty of other figures and Olympians from ancient Greek mythology.
All major Hades 2 characters
These Hades 2 characters are the ones you'll be seeing a lot of, either because they're key vendors or story characters in the Crossroads or because they can provide boons and other benefits during runs:
Note that not every character has a portrait or artwork as the current Hades 2 test build uses placeholders for some characters, while others have not yet been revealed.
Hades 2 Aphrodite
The Goddess of Love provides boons to Melinoe that focus on dealing extra damage up close and applying Weak to enemies.
Apollo
At the end of encounters, the God of Light can offer Melinoe a boon. These boons typically enhance Melinoe's damage and attacks, and apply Dazed to enemies. Artemis is his twin sister.
Arachne
The Silk Weaver spider and purveyor of Silken Fineries, Arachne can offer Melinoe a selection of Outfits if found during a run. Outfits are a new type of mid-run upgrade for Melinoe that provides a buff and limited protection in the form of armor. Once the armor runs out, the Outfit and its buff are lost.
Artemis
The Goddess of the Hunt provides boons that help with ranged attacks and enhance Melinoe's damage output by applying Marked to enemies, increasing the odds they'll take Critical damage. She is the twin sister of Apollo and also occasionally appears mid-encounter, firing various ranged attacks at enemies to assist Melinoe.
Charon
The Stygian Boatman returns and is functionally the same as in Hades 1. Collect gold during your runs and then spend it at Charon's shop on boons and other items and encounter rewards.
Chronos
The main antagonist of Hades 2. He's the Titan of Time and the father of Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon and has currently taken over the Underworld.
Demeter
Demeter is the Goddess of Seasons and grandmother of Melinoe. She provides wintry boons that can inflict Freeze on enemies and create Cyclones.
Hades 2 Hecate
The mysterious Witch of the Crossroads is a powerful moon witch goddess who is Melinoe's mentor, training her for the fight against Chronos. Make sure you chat to her in the Crossroads after every run if she's hanging around near the cauldron. Nearby you can find her dog and polecat familiars and interact with them.
Hades 2 Hephaestus
The God of the Forge's boons improve Melinoe's attacks, especially with explosive blasts that deal high damage in an area.
Hestia
As the Goddess of Flame, Hestia's boons enhance Melinoe's abilities by letting them apply Scorch to enemies, dealing damage over time.
Poseidon
The God of the Sea's boons focus on watery knockback buffs for Melinoe's abilities and Spirit Bubbles that provide Magick.
Selene
As the Moon Incarnate, Selene provides a selection of Gifts of the Moon, each one providing Melinoe with a different Hex power which becomes available after spending a certain amount of Magick.
Hades 2 Zeus
The King of the Olympians and God of Thunder offers boon to Melinoe that allow her to strike enemies with powerful lightning.
Minor Hades 2 characters
Like the first game, Hades 2 has its fair share of minor characters and little guys who might not do much useful for Melinoe but are nice to see and talk to:
- Dora, Listless Shade: A ghost found in the Crossroads near Melinoe's tent who tries to haunt her – but in a friendly way! Dora is probably short for Pandora, who released all the evils of humanity into the world from her box.
- Frinos: The amiable amphibian and Melinoe's pet frog. You can confide in Frinos when you return to the Crossroads after a run.
- Hypnos, Sleep Incarnate: Unsurprisingly, he's asleep, but waking him up will likely be part of the Hades 2 story.
- Lord Moros, Doom Incarnate: Another child of Nyx and Emissary of the Three Fates. Helps Melinoe after performing the Fated Intervention Incantation at the cauldron.
- Nemesis, Retribution Incarnate: A moody warrior and daughter of Nyx who camps at the Crossroads.
- Odysseus, Veteran Tactician: Greek king of Ithica and all-round hero found at the Crossroads, serving as a sort of military commander.
- Schelemeus, Training Master: Skelly the training dummy from Hades 1 is back and better than ever!
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