There are six major weapons in Hades, which are referred to as Infernal Arms. They all have something different to offer players. Some are good in close combat only, some specialize in ranged fighting, and then there are special combo ranges as well. The point is this roguelike has a lot of variety to it and in turn a lot of replay value.
Something not working out? Try a new weapon. That’s where this ranking comes into place, to help better understand the strengths and weaknesses of these six weapons. Additionally, each weapon has four aspects to play around with that can vary from slight adjustments to total overhauls.
Note: Each aspect on this list is judged by its maximum level, after fully upgrading the weapon.
Updated on April 19th, 2021 by Hodey Johns: When this article was first written and updated, only thirteen aspects had been uncovered by the writers. There are twenty-four total aspects and now that we've beaten the game with each one and seen how far we could crank the heat up, it's time for a final list.
24 Malphon - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Dodge chance: +15%
It's insulting to only get a 15% dodge bonus for a weapon that forces you to be in a totally vulnerable position. Even if you managed to get every single legendary boon, you might very well lose with this garbage aspect.
23 Stygius - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Bonus attack and move speed: +15%
It's the first weapon in the game and it's not a surprise that it's weak. Thankfully, you'll be able to move past this aspect well before considering how Heat and Pact of Punishment work.
22 Varatha - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Special damage, range, and speed: +25%
The Varatha's first aspect can easily spoil the feeling of ranged combat. The attack is weak even with the bonus and it limits mobility. If you insist on using this, you'll need to find a keepsake that can carry you.
21 Malphon - Aspect Of Gilgamesh
- You have the Claws of Enkidu, whose dash-upper can maim foes.
- Maim damage: 400
- Claws of Enkidu: Heavy attack, +2 dash charges, dash-upper inflicts Maim
- Maim: Foes take 25% more damage but deal +50% more damage for 4 seconds, then take a burst of damage
The dash charges are quite useful, but the Maim effect is not viable against bosses. Amping up their damage by 50% is a great way to lose a run.
20 Varatha - Aspect Of Hades
- Your Spin Attack becomes Punishing Sweep
- Punishing bonus damage: +150%
- Punishing Sweep: A huge spin attack that makes foes take more attack and special damage for 10 seconds.
Now things are starting to get good. This charged attack fills up almost the entire screen. Without a knockback, it can be hard to position and you'll be vulnerable after the charge has finished, but it's nice against clearing trash mobs.
19 Exagryph - Aspect Of Hestia
- After you manually reload, your next shot is Empowered
- Empowered shot base damage: 150
Finally, an aspect without a downside. You will have to remember to manually reload and the clip is very small, but if you're disciplined about your bursts, it is a welcome mini-nuke.
18 Stygius - Aspect Of Nemesis
- For 3 seconds after your special, your attack may deal critical damage
- Bonus critical chance: +30%
A 30% crit chance bonus is actually a whopper and it might be a top-five ability if it were on any other weapon. Still, it does make the Stygius not feel like a total piece of junk.
17 Exagryph - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Bonus ammo capacity: +12
The only bad thing about this is that the Daedalus Hammer can essentially make it obsolete with the infinite ammo buff. But for those who don't want to keep reloading early and hope for good luck later, this first aspect of the Exagryph is a nice one.
16 Varatha - Aspect Of Achilles
- After your special, you can retrieve your spear with Raging Rush
- Post-Raging Rush bonus damage: +150%
- Raging Rush: Dash to your spear, damaging foes. Your next 4 attacks or casts are stronger.
Dashing is already something the pros have mastered, but give them this weapon aspect and suddenly they become a blur. It also has the added bonus of boosting attacks and casts in between these Raging Rushes.
15 Exagryph - Aspect Of Lucifer
- You have Igneus Eden, which launches volatile Hellfire
- Hellfire blast damage: 100
- Igneus Eden: Beam Attack deals ramping damage, special launches Hellfire
Oftentimes this aspect is considered one of the worst, but Hades experts realize its potential. There's actually an unlisted benefit to Hellfire that deals damage over time to any unit near the orb.
14 Coronacht - Aspect Of Rama
- You have Celestial Sharanga, which can cause Shared Suffering
- Shared Suffering damage: 60% of attack
- Celestial Sharanga: Wide, heavy attack; special is a triple shot
- Shared Suffering: Foes hit by your special take damage when you attack any foes for 7 seconds
This is the perfect weapon when there's a big boss with lots of units around. Simply shoot the boss with the special, then attack the minions. The boss will die why their mobs are getting wrecked.
13 Aegis - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Attack and dash strike damage: +15
The 15 extra damage is a pittance, but it doesn't matter. The Aegis is underrated and overpowered. Many amateurs hate it because they spam the regular attack button instead of charging up. The block radius is much, much larger than it should be. In this form, it doesn't hit hard, but it's perhaps the very best early choice for beating the game within only a couple of runs.
12 Stygius - Aspect Of Arthur
- You have Holy Excalibur and an additional 50 life total
- Aura Damage Reduction: 40%
- Holy Excalibur: Heavy attack, special creates a defensive aura that slows foes
This is the aspect the Stygius needs; something that provides bonuses to both melee and ranged defense while in combat.
11 Malphon - Aspect Of Talos
- Your special becomes Magnetic Cutter; its pull deals 20 damage
- Magnetized attack and cast bonus: +50%
- Magnetic Cutter: Pulls foes in and they take more damage for 6 seconds
When engaging in point-blank battles, positioning is everything. This moves enemies out of their comfort zone, into Zagreus' reach, and makes them susceptible to more damage.
10 Aegis - Aspect Of Zeus
- Your special becomes Blitz Disc
- Blitz Disc base damage per hit: 30
- Blitz Disc: You special deals rapid damage, returning on command. Your attack is not disabled.
This can be a tough aspect to use and position, but practice makes perfect. It's great for bosses that have moments of standing in place as the shield will come to a stop and rack up loads of damage. Best of all, this Blitz Disc special does not prevent Zagreus from blocking as the normal special would.
9 Coronacht - Aspect Of Zagreus
- Critical Attack Chance: +15%
Look, a 15% critical hit chance might not seem like a lot. Actually, it isn't a lot. But this is a testament to Coronacht. The bow is a fan favorite for a good reason and even the initial aspect is in the top half of weapons in the game.
8 Exagryph - Aspect Of Eris
- For 4 seconds after absorbing your special's blast, deal more damage.
- Bonus damage: +75%
This is the default favorite for Exagraph masters. You will have to cast your special on yourself, but exchanging that for nearly double damage is a sacrifice that is well-earned.
7 Malphon - Aspect Of Demeter
- After landing 12 strikes, your next special hits more times
- Bonus special hits: 5
As soon as you've got a damage-boosting boon on your special, it's game over with the Aspect of Demeter. Landing five specials at once will take chunks out of bosses and kill anything else with ease.
6 Stygius - Aspect Of Poseidon
- Your special dislodges your cast from foes
- Cast damage: +50%
It might be surprising to see a Stygius aspect so high, but those who practice this aspect will rarely play anything else. It's essentially a built designed around a strong cast. This is usually weak because you'll have to wait on getting your shard back, but the Aspect of Poseidon will knock it out right away and give it back to you. Combine this with the right mirror buff and you'll be a virtual machine gun with a bullet stronger than anything the Exagryph can keep up with.
5 Coronacht - Aspect Of Hera
- Your cast loads into your next attack, firing on impact
- Bloodstone drop time: 5 seconds
- Bloodstone: Ammunition for your cast
- Cast: Use cast to load into an explosive into your next arrow, regenerates
The weakest part of the bow is that the cast goes to waste since the attack and special are already being regularly used. The Aspect of Hera not only makes the cast relevant, it does so without interrupting your rotation.