What to know

  • Aspects are unlocked by casting the Aspects of Night and Darkness incantation at the Crossroads Cauldron.
  • The incantation appears only after specific progress — you must defeat Hecate while using each Nocturnal Arm (weapon).
  • Casting the incantation requires materials, most commonly five Bronze and one Nightshade.
  • Non-default Aspects need Nightmares to upgrade; take an Aspect to Level V and speak to the right NPC to reveal a hidden Aspect.

Unlocking aspects fundamentally changes Hades 2's combat, giving each weapon unique abilities and encouraging experimentation. The process, while straightforward, requires progression through a series of steps, including defeating key bosses and collecting specific materials.

Prerequisite 1: Gathering your first Nocturnal Arms

Before Aspects appear, you need the full arsenal at your fingertips. Head to the Silver Pool in the Crossroads after waking from your ritual, where you craft these weapons using basic reagents like Bones or Bronze. Each one demands a run to test its mettle, pushing you to adapt mid-battle.

Prerequisite 2: Triggering the Aspects of Night and Darkness Incantation

Hecate's defeat marks your gateway to deeper power. You face her as the Erebus guardian, her illusions testing your reflexes with frost waves and spectral hounds. After clearing all six weapons and using them to fell her once each, return to the Crossroads.

Hecate's dialogue shifts during your next encounter, revealing the incantation recipe: 1 Moly (from surface herbs) and 2 Fate Fabric (from Fated List prophecies). Brew it at the Cauldron to unveil Aspect options at the Silver Pool. This step, refined in the 1.0 patch, ensures you're versed in every tool before customization.

How to craft and upgrade core Aspects

With the incantation active, the Silver Pool's first tab lists Aspects for each weapon. The default Aspect of Melinoë comes free, but the other two demand targeted farming. Collect from bosses like Scylla (Cinder) or Eris (Bronze), then craft and upgrade in sequence. Upgrades cap at level 5, boosting damage or effects by 20-50% per tier, using Nightmares from Moros in the Waning Moon hub.

Here’s a comprehensive table of the Nocturnal Arms and their core Aspects, blending weapon unlocks and Aspect details for clarity:

Weapon

Description

Weapon Unlock Cost

Region for Weapon Reagents

Aspect

Aspect Unlock Cost

Key Effect

Upgrade Benefit

Witch's Staff

A versatile polearm for ranged omega blasts and sweeping attacks.

1 Bone

Erebus (early foes)

Of Momus

2 Cinder, 1 Pearl

Attacks heal on cast, aiding sustain.

+10% heal per level.

Sister Blades

Dual daggers for rapid slashes and backstab specials.

3 Bronze

Surface (Fields of Mourning)

Of Hestia

3 Bronze, 1 Ash

Specials chain to nearby foes.

+15% chain range per level.

Umbral Flames

Torch throws that ignite groups, with flame-wall omegas.

2 Ash

Oceanus (coastal drops)

Of Prometheus

4 Lime, 2 Nightshade

Omegas explode twice.

+20% explosion radius per level.

Moonstone Axe

Heavy cleaves and charged throws for crowd control.

4 Lime

Tartarus (deep underworld)

Of Thanatos

5 Cinder, 1 Bronze

Power attacks slow enemies.

+25% slow duration per level.

Argent Skull

Summoning rod that calls ghostly allies for diversions.

5 Nightshade

City of Ephyra (surface herbs)

Of Medea

2 Pearl, 3 Ash

Summons last longer.

+1 summon count per level.

Black Coat

A new addition in 1.0, blending evasion with shadow strikes.

6 Cinder

Chaos Realm (trials)

Of Nyx

6 Nightshade, 1 Fate Fabric

Evasions spawn shadows.

+10% shadow damage per level.

You select an Aspect before each run, swapping freely to experiment—pair the Staff of Momus with healing boons from Demeter for endless pushes.

Unlock hidden Aspects step by step

Step 1

After completing the Hecate runs, check the Crossroads Cauldron for a new recipe named “Aspects of Night and Darkness.” Cast it by paying the required ingredients (commonly five Bronze + one Nightshade). This enables the Aspects interface in the Silver Pool.

Step 2

After casting the incantation, open the Silver Pool. You should now see multiple Aspects for each weapon. Each must be unlocked individually by paying that Aspect’s specific cost. Unlock the ones you want first; you can then equip them for runs.

Step 3

Invest Nightmares (and other resources) to upgrade a non-default Aspect. Non-default Aspects typically require Nightmares to reach high ranks. Upgrade one until it reaches Level V.

Step 4

After bringing a non-default Aspect to Level V, talk to the corresponding NPC. This will unlock the hidden Aspect for that weapon.

Step 5

To farm the needed materials efficiently, target Testaments and Guardian fights for Nightmares rather than random grinding; Testaments are a direct source for the rare upgrade currency.

Step 6

Rotate runs between:
(A) farming Bronze/Nightshade nodes or rooms,
(B) Hecate attempts with the weapon you still need,
(C) Testament runs for Nightmares.

Tailoring Aspects to your playstyle

You might lean into the Moonstone Axe of Thanatos for deliberate, crowd-slowing strikes if you prefer control, or the Witch's Staff of Momus for reactive healing during aggressive boon stacks. Experiment post-1.0, where patches buffed omega synergies by 15%. Track progress in the Fated List, ensuring no run feels wasted as you weave gods' favors into your blade.

Mastering the shadows ahead

As your Aspects gleam with unlocked might, Hades 2's realms feel less like obstacles and more like canvases for your legend. Push deeper, and watch Melinoë's arsenal eclipse even Chronos's grasp—your next run awaits with untold boons.