Hades 2 The Warsong Update patch notes add new location and characters

As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been thrilled to see how Hades 2 has grown since its early release last year. Today, Supergiant Games unveiled The Warsong Update, the second significant expansion for this captivating roguelike sequel. This update introduces a challenging final boss battle, new characters, and refinements to various existing game elements. I can’t wait to dive back in!

Hades 2 The Warsong Update patch notes

The patch notes for the latest Hades 2 update were posted on Steam today.

Highlights

The Grand Showdown: Climb Mount Olympus to unveil the unknown…

– New Divine Ally: Encounter the god of war personally, and decide among his array of benefits
– New Companion Found: Discover your final animal companion to accompany you on your odyssey, aiding in combat
– Enhanced Boons: Acquire numerous potent new and enhanced blessings from various deities
– Refreshed Altar of Ashes: Trigger several reworked effects, with every Card now featuring brand-new artwork
– Improved Resource Collection: No longer fret about the resources you can gather
– Enhanced User Interface: Enjoy new and upgraded animations across multiple menu screens
– Extended Narrative: Engage in conversations about the impending battle and more with a multitude of characters.

General Gameplay

1. As a gamer, I’ve shifted my focus away from prioritizing tool gathering in the Training Grounds, but I can still collect resources of any type once they’re unlocked. The rate at which resources appear has been adjusted as part of this change.

2. In my gameplay, Psyche is no longer a Location Reward; instead, Bones may show up more frequently now.

3. All Guardians and Wardens with Guardian-like health bars are now resistant to the slowing effect of my Casts. Previously, only some of them had this resistance.

4. Any damage resistance effects I have no longer affect the armor I’m wearing.

5. Certain key events early in the game now require less to trigger; this should allow me to reach the surface earlier than before.

Nocturnal Arms & Abilities

1. Witch’s Staff: The sequence of attacks speeds up, and the final blow is more potent; the Omega Attack is even stronger; the special ability now fires a swift, powerful shot that penetrates enemies.

2. Argent Skull: The attack pattern has been revamped to fire straight ahead; the Omega Attack is stronger; the special ability now gathers Shells in the vicinity around you.

3. Black Coat: The damage of the Omega Attack has been boosted significantly; your dash no longer interrupts the process of channeling the Omega Attack, instead, you will immediately perform it after the dash.

Altar of Ashes

All the cards now feature distinct artwork; some cards’ themes have been swapped or modified, as detailed below:

– Eternity: Theme altered from Night; revised – now slows everything while you perform Omega moves; please note this effect is no longer associated with Silver Wheel (Hecate).
– The Messenger: Reworked – your spells momentarily make you invulnerable and boost your speed.
– The Swift Runner: Sprint ability now also lets you pass through enemies.
– Night: Reduced Grasp cost; theme changed from Death.
– The Wayward Son: No longer grants double recovery at low health; base recovery has been improved.
– Death: Theme altered from Eternity.
– Persistence: Theme changed from The Titan.
– The Enchantress: Theme changed from The Fates.
– The Fates: Theme changed from The Seer.
– Grasp upgrade costs have been adjusted as part of changes to resource gathering.

Oath of the Unseen

1. Introduced additional Testaments for the final showdown

2. Altered Vow of Shadow: revised specific encounters with it

3. Vow of Fangs: eliminated unusual combinations of Perks that were excessively harsh…

4. Scaled back fear requirements for certain Testaments to lessen difficulty spikes; decreased fear requirements in some instances (for the selected Testaments)

Boons & Blessings

Here are the changes in a more natural and easy-to-understand format:

1. Ares now has a new Duo ability with each other primary Boon-giver.
2. Zeus’s Blitz Curse now activates at the end of its duration if it hasn’t been activated by dealing damage.
3. The Storm Ring (Zeus) has a slightly reduced rate of lightning strikes.
4. Thunder Rush (Zeus) no longer requires magic to strike foes with lightning; it was previously called Thunder Sprint.
5. Electric Overload (Zeus) has been reworked – your chain-lightning effects are stronger and bounce to more enemies.
6. Toasting Fork (Zeus) has been cut from the game and replaced with…
7. Arc Flash (Zeus) is new! Your Omega Moves activate your Blitz effects and make them stronger.
8. Romantic Spark (Zeus x Aphrodite) has a reduced damage bonus.
9. Hera, the Queen of the Olympians, now has Boons of all four elemental affinities, not solely Earth.
10. Engagement Ring (Hera) has been reworked – it now deals immediate damage for each enemy in the binding circle.
11. Bridal Glow (Hera) has been reworked – it upgrades a random Boon to Heroic Rarity and gives it bonus Pom Lv.
12. Nasty Comeback (Hera) has been cut from the game; replaced with…
13. Extended Family (Hera) is new! Your Olympian damage is stronger for each Olympian you met this night.
14. Proper Upbringing (Hera) now requires activation across all four elements.
15. Breaker Rush (Poseidon) has been reworked – whenever you sprint, you damage and knock away the first enemy you run into; it was previously called Breaker Sprint.
16. Geyser Spout (Poseidon) has been reworked – your Omega Cast gains power and knocks enemies away.
17. Buried Treasure (Poseidon) now also drops bones, not ashes or psyche; it was formerly called Ocean’s Bounty.
18. Flood Control (Poseidon) has been cut from the game; replaced with…
19. High Surf (Poseidon) is new! You hit surrounding enemies with a splash as they strike, but prime some magic.
20. Phoenix Skin (Apollo x Hestia) has been cut from the game.
21. Additional adjustments to some Boons’ names and elemental affinities have been made.
22. Minor adjustments to some bonuses from Rarity and Poms of Power have been made.
23. Clarifications to descriptions for various Boons have been provided.
24. Other minor fixes and adjustments have been made.

Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

1. Spiral Blades (Knives): harvested from the game; replaced with…
– Updated Knives (Blades): fresh! Special versions are stronger and Omega Special fires additional shots compared to standard usage

2. Concealed Knives (Blades): new! The special versions are more potent and Omega Special releases a higher number of shots than typical

3. Gathering Set (Skull): Shells now also return quicker; the penalty for total Shells has been removed
– Rapid Return Array (Skull): Shells now come back faster; the penalty on total Shell count is gone

4. Lurking Ignition (Skull): now affects your Omega Attack; reaches full power quicker
– Creeping Ignition (Skull): new! Your Omega Attack is influenced by this; it attains its maximum strength faster

5. Possessed Set (Skull): increased Magick cost
– Haunted Array (Skull): the Magick cost has been raised

6. Rocket Assault (Skull): cut from game since this effect is now inherent; replaced with…
– Enhanced Ignition (Skull): new! After your Dash or Specials, your Attacks are swifter and gain Power

7. Counter Salvo: now fires more rockets, more frequently
– Rapid Counter Barrage: more rockets are launched, more often

Keepsakes

1. New Keepsake acquired since Ares made an appearance, obtainable via the usual method.

2. Silver Wheel (Hecate) revamped — temporarily boosts your Magick limit for the remainder of the night.

3. Fig Leaf (Dionysus) updated — can now influence a single Encounter within each Region, and continues to function even when removed.

4. Engraved Pin (Moros) redesigned — now falls under the category of Death Defiance effects.

5. Evil Eye (Nemesis) revised — targets Prometheus if his Eagle Aetos is responsible for your defeat.

Familiar Pets:

– Gale the Polecat: Introduced! Provides dodge opportunities and increased movement speed, temporarily absorbs damage multiple times throughout each region.
– Toula the Cat: Increases number of consecutive attacks; dozes off quicker (which allows for faster recovery when awakened!).

Materials and Supplies
– Introduced various new items collectible during the climactic battle
– Eliminated Deathcaps in the game, a move that’s part of wider adjustments to supplies detailed elsewhere.

Well of Charon
· Yarn of Ariadne: no longer consumed when meeting Hades, on whom this has no effect

In the Shrine of Hermes, I noticed a decrease in the amount of maximum life recovery I receive. Also, it seems like the chances of receiving Minor Finds are lower compared to other types of items offered here.

Enemies & Threats
* Enhanced the final Region’s adversaries, introducing new Warden and Guardian types
* Prometheus: modified actions; decreased damage for multiple abilities; occasionally anticipates attacks and evades them, though remains less challenging overall
* Aetos: tempered aggression to some extent…
* Sky-Dracon: decreased tracking speed slightly
* Auto-Seeker: reduced tracking speed slightly
* Eris: improved previews of her various attacks
* New Warden has been added to the Rift of Thessaly
* Charybdis: altered Tentacle behaviors; decreased overall challenge
* Harpy Talon: reduced radius of ranged attack slightly
* Stickler: lowered damage output
* Seesword: increased damage
* Blasket: reduced damage
* Infernal Beast: slightly boosted Life
* Scylla: slightly boosted Life
* New Warden added to Oceanus
* Lurker: gained a defensive backward dodge after taking damage
* Headmistress Hecate: slightly increased Life
* Root-Stalker: altered the behavior of its tail; grew an additional one
* Various other minor adjustments to enemies and combat scenarios.

Enhanced Divine Battles

* Revamped Heracles’ combat encounters – defeat designated adversaries for a reward in Gold
* Aetos will not attack prior to fighting Prometheus more than once
* The rate of occurrence of Moon Monuments and Hidden Seals on the surface has been slightly increased
* The difficulty level of Moon Monument opponents has been slightly raised
* Moon Monuments no longer provide Path of Stars rewards if your Hex is already upgraded
* Athena will more reliably vanquish Revenants from the Vow of Return (Oath)
* Adjustments have been made to the appearance rates of Artemis, Heracles, and Icarus on the surface route
* Two Arachne Cocoon encounters can no longer be very close together in certain instances
* Family Disputes, previously known as Trials of the Gods, now may involve Ares; several Olympians have become more challenging than before…

1. Introduced the final showdown on the outer pathway, along with fresh locations within it.
2. The Olympus Region now offers one less location to explore before reaching the Guardian.
3. Encounter difficulties in the Rift of Thessaly have been adjusted to provide a more balanced experience.
4. Optimal rooms in Ephyra are more probable if you haven’t discovered many during your nighttime exploration.
5. The damage inflicted by Lone Shades freed from Ephyra Pylons has been decreased.
6. Using the Fountain is now mandatory before departing from Ephyra’s central square, if it hasn’t been used previously.
7. Resources can now be found in multiple locations within Ephyra’s central square.
8. The Bat Cage closest to the initial entrance of Ephyra’s central square has been removed.
9. A new location has been added, which could randomly appear in Erebus.
10. A new location has been added, which could randomly appear in Oceanus.
11. Another new location has been added, which could randomly appear in Ephyra.
12. The final battle preceding the Guardian of each region will no longer be replaced by Fountain chambers or character encounters.
13. Resource points in some locations have been adjusted, particularly those near exits that could potentially be overlooked while harvesting.
14. Various minor fixes and enhancements have been made to various locations throughout the game.

1. Upon your return from a Chaos Challenge, you find yourself once more before the Obsidian Stone

2. New Trial – Zeus-themed, taking place in Erebus (Chaos Trials)
3. New Trial – Hera-themed, set on Olympus (Chaos Trials)
4. New Trial – Demeter-themed, in the Fields of Mourning (Chaos Trials)
5. New Trial – Ares-themed, located in Ephyra (Chaos Trials)
6. New Trial – Chaos-themed, on Olympus (Chaos Trials)
7. New Trial – Eris-themed, set in Thessaly (Chaos Trials)
8. Adjustments and improvements to several Challenges within the game

As a dedicated fan,

I’ve been enjoying the refreshed landscape of Crossroads! The tavern is now more navigable, and sometimes I even catch some live music there. The Renewal Project has introduced lots of new decorative items to customize my space. Some of these items can now be unlocked in a new area within the tavern.

I’ve noticed that various creatures roam around Crossroads now. Certain groups of Shades even have captions when I give them a salute! The pacified Shades in the Training Grounds now display unique appearances.

Melinoë tends to cover up her family portrait when she’s been brooding too much, and Odysseus occasionally offers resources I might need – you can sometimes find him lounging in the tavern. Eris is tidier during conversations with others, and Hecate’s witch attendants disappear when she’s present.

The presentation of harvestable plants in the Garden has been improved, and supply shipments no longer require as much interaction. The moon phases change in the Training Grounds vista scene!

Cauldron Spells

· Fury of the Elements (new): Grants you the ability to summon statues on Olympus for protection

· Pathway to Desired Blessings (new): Assists in identifying the prerequisites for Boons listed in the Book of Shadows

· Greeting of Another Destiny (new): Perform the Oath of the Unseen to rearrange that night’s random events

· Alteration of Famous Ballads (new): Allows the Music Maker to select tunes on your behalf if desired

· Bleak Fate (new introduction): No longer allows you to swap plants for Bones; only fish are now acceptable…

· Fragments of Psychic Understanding: Removed from the game as part of resource system adjustments

· Wise Bones of the Arcane: Now increases Magick limit with Bones instead of providing Armor; previously known as Bones of Burnished Bronze

Titled: A Collection of Foretold Minor Prophecies

– Unlocking each of the Main Weapons now grants you a unique reward.
– Choosing different Boons of Ares will earn you special rewards.
– Prevailing on the surface route brings forth new rewards.
– Clearing the surface route with each Main Weapon presents new rewards.
– Choosing all Legendary Boons has its own set of rewards, no longer part of the individual Olympian’s Boon prophecy.

Revised: Book of Shadows
· Included fresh information on several enhancements made in the latest edition
· Modified the depiction of character relationships following the Intuitive Incantation Empath for appropriate figures.

User Interface and Menus Enhancements:
– Revised the main menu to align with this Major Update
– Embellished artwork for all Arcana and rearranged layout in the Altar of Ashes screen
– Introduced animations for the Crossroads Cauldron, Pitch-Black Stone, Wretched Broker, Fated List, Inventory, Crossroads Renewal, Music Maker, Archived Trivia and Past Deeds screens
– Improved visuals for the Gifts of the Moon screen
– Added animations to info banners, such as when entering Locations or vanquishing Guardians
– Enhanced animations on the Main Menu and related sub-screens like the Pause menu
– Refreshed art and animations for Book of Shadows prompts
– Refreshed art and animations for Fated List prompts
– Refreshed art and animations for Incantation Learned and similar prompts
– Revamped the look of many in-world status icons
– Displayed your Change of Fate count when selecting Boons
– Simplified resource exchange for Prestige, with a new warning if needed resources remain
– The Victory Screen now varies thematically depending on the cleared route
– Enhanced feedback in the Altar of Ashes for fully upgrading your Grasp
– Improved presentation when multiple Incantations are unveiled simultaneously in the Crossroads Cauldron
– Revised text descriptions for Animal Familiar upgrades
– Adjusted Godhood Gained presentation after God Mode failure; the presentation no longer occurs once damage resistance limit is reached
– Damage numbers from environmental effects and traps now have a unique color
– Modified prompts on several menu screens
– Implemented various fixes and improvements.

Modifications to Art & Visual Effects
– Refreshed the environment art in various locations across Crossroads
– Revamped the appearance of Shades in diverse Regions, including those that can be pacified using the Tablet of Peace
– Improved clarity in battle with updated visual effects (ongoing work)
– Updated visual effects for Scalding Vapor (Poseidon and Hestia)
– Updated visual effects when foes with Armor are struck
– Revised teleportation visual effects for Animal Familiars, Artemis, and others
– Made some updates to visual effects for Umbral Flames (Moros)
– Enhanced presentation during flashback sequences in the narrative
– Refreshed background art during narrative scenes in Erebus
– Added new background art for Selene
– Introduced new animations for Hermes
– Provided alternate portraits for Melinoë and Odysseus
– Tweaked portraits for Zeus and Artemis
– Added death animations for Charybdis’s Tentacles
– Implemented various other minor visual improvements in the game.

1. Enhanced the dialogue between characters by adding over 2,000 new voice lines.

2. Following a successful clear, Homer’s narration will provide more outcomes.

3. You’ll find Chronos expressing his opinions more frequently when you leave Erebus.

4. Characters respond to resource-gathering and interactions in various ways.

5. Several minor alterations have been made to the prerequisites and content for numerous events throughout the game.

As a game developer, here’s how I would rephrase the given text in a more natural, first-person perspective as a gamer:

* I’ve added thrilling new tunes to the final showdown and its prelude!
* Icarus now has his unique theme song!
* Echo also got her own distinct melody!
* A catchy tune was added, but you’ll have to unlock it first!
* Once unlocked, you can customize each of these tracks in the Music Maker!
* I’ve created fresh victory jingles for both story routes!
* The music in the Music Maker softens during dialogue scenes now!
* I’ve spruced up the Main Menu with new sound effects!
* The Crossroads Cauldron, Wretched Broker, and other areas now have enhanced soundscapes!
* I’ve fine-tuned sounds for Staff Special attacks!
* Some foes and encounters have updated auditory elements as well!
* Made a few tweaks here and there to polish the overall experience!

Settings
· God Mode Limit: new! You now can reduce the effect of God Mode if you wish

Miscellaneous
· Updated Development Roadmap to reflect our progress and plans for the next Major Update
· Clear times in the Past Deeds screen for the Surface route have been reset now that it is extended
· Adjusted presentation when Death Defiance effects activate
· Adjusted presentation when leaving the Training Grounds for the night
· Adjusted presentation when trying to attack while out-of-Shells with the Argent Skull
· Some Wardens’ Life Bars now follow their movements more closely
· Improved timing of Polyphemus knockout sequence
· Minor improvements to Charybdis fight intro
· Improved presentation choosing Boon Boon Boon (Echo)
· Added several Commendation messages that may appear on the Victory Screen
· Added more error messaging we hope no one will ever see
· Updated Credits with several additional contributors
· Updates and fixes to translations in all languages

– Resolved an issue where Rapture Ring (Aphrodite) didn’t harm enemies at the periphery of the binding circle.
– Rectified a problem where Moon Monuments would occasionally manifest unexpectedly if you lacked Hex of Selene.
– Improved Icarus’s accuracy to prevent him from missing his targets unpredictably (unless he’s actually your father and has learned to expect disappointments).
– Adjusted optional rooms in Ephyra so they no longer count towards the encounters needed to clear Chaos Curses.
– Eliminated unexpected delays before pre-fight dialogue with Hecate, Polyphemus, and Eris.
– Modified Gameplay Timer to pause correctly during pacifying Lost Shades in certain situations.
– Resolved an issue where Moonstone Axe (Thanatos) would play the full-charge sound repeatedly when transitioning into new Locations.
– Corrected a problem where Nemesis got stuck wandering the Mourning Fields on occasion.
– Fixed an issue where Nemesis switched targets after completing Chaos Trials.
– Rectified a problem where Dual Moonshot (Daedalus – Staff) sounds didn’t play for each shot.
– Corrected a bug where foes played hurt sound effects when taking damage to their armor rather than their health.
– Many other minor issues have been addressed as well.

Here are the fresh modifications and introductions you’ll find in the Warsong Update. For the most recent news on Hades 2, stay tuned to Shacknews.

In the Warsong Update, you’ll discover new elements and revisions. Keep an eye on Shacknews for the latest updates on Hades 2.

Or:

The Warsong Update brings some fresh features and alterations. Be sure to check out Shacknews for the newest information about Hades 2.

2025-02-19 23:32