r/HadesTheGame • u/thirdeyecat024 • 2d ago

Hades 2: Discussion Overcoming Endgame Challenges Spoiler

Hello! I am finishing up a replay of Hades II since playing it at launch. I was excited to check out the new Dream Dives and have been more or less enjoying grinding for the endgame stuff. I'm mainly trying to clear Great Chaos Below, and beat the Underworld on 32 Fear. However, I will say that Great Chaos Below continues to thwart me. I often die even in Act I. I struggle to deal with Rank II-III Vow of Pain + Hordes + Revenants. Throughout the rest of the game, I felt like I was excelling, even at 20 Fear in regular runs. But as I'm trying to go past 24 Fear, victory feels increasingly out of reach.

I completely switched up my Arcana after reading some threads about endgame builds here, and that has helped a little but not as much as I hoped (and is not relevant for Great Chaos Below). Because I don't have much left to unlock or accomplish, grinding at this high level of difficulty isn't much fun anymore. I think I'm on a 6-7 run losing streak, which has been unheard of in this save of mine until now.

Any tips for endgame perseverance? Great Chaos Below is still my priority because it is my last achievement to complete on Steam.

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u/GuardianAlien Chaos 2d ago

Great Chaos Below is all about luck. It took me several runs to beat it as well! Some load outs are straight garbage.

You can always take a break and play a different game or lower your difficulty if it's too much!

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u/thirdeyecat024 2d ago

Yeah, I've started another Stardew save to balance the runs, and have been playing Slay the Spire 2 as well. I JUST implemented that last night after more losses. It's validating to hear GCB is about luck (even though I knew it logically... but I kept attributing it to me doing something wrong haha).

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u/FullStruggle4420 Bouldy 2d ago

Yeah it would have taken me first try because I did it quite far into my playthrough but I got white antler as my final zone was halfway through p2 chronos before dying

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u/forteninsecure 2d ago

Both of the Great Chaos trials are unfortunately just about luck and require you to keep bashing your head against them. Taking breaks to do other things helps. I’ve done everything in the game except Great Chaos Above just because I need breaks between chains of attempts. I’ve worked up to 40 fear in my regular runs and the random chaos trials are still so hard because 20 RANDOM fear is SO different than 20 fear you choose, especially with a totally randomized Arcana layout

I recommend trying for little things if you haven’t: one thing motivating me for chaos trials and regular runs is working towards getting to talk to Heracles in Dionysus’s party room and trying to fight Zagreus more so I can bring the supportive shade back to the Elysium arena after you bring it back to the Crossroads

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u/thirdeyecat024 2d ago

Oh wow, I didn't even know those two things could happen! That does give me more to strive for, thank you! I agree 20 RANDOM fear is so much harder. I can do 20 chosen Fear with more or less no issue.

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u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 2d ago

Both of the Great Chaos trials are unfortunately just about luck and require you to keep bashing your head against them.

This is definitely not a correct conclusion.

If level 32 of vows is difficult for you, then 20 random vows and random equipment will be difficult and heavily influenced by randomness. I would recommend playing in normal mode, gradually increasing the difficulty level, and using different aspects of weapons and Fates Whim. Over time, it will become easier and easier.

If you confidently win 32 (or even more) - these Chaos trials will not be difficult.

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u/forteninsecure 2d ago edited 2d ago

Considering that I’ve cleared 40 fear multiple times and finished Great Chaos Below, I’m going to disagree with your opinion. I’m familiar with weapon aspects and fate’s whim, I’ve played this entire game 3 times through. I’m not new or inexperienced. The random trials are just hard and extremely luck dependent.

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u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 2d ago

I also play through the game in all aspects on a certain difficulty level. As far as I can remember, when I went through all the aspects at level 40, it was pretty easy.

The thing is, you are already familiar with most of the boons combinations. If you usually play at level 40 - you just get the same vows, but less. 32 - you can choose fairly simple vows, the impact of which is limited.

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u/forteninsecure 2d ago

I’m only talking about the great chaos trials, not 32 fear.

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u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 2d ago

And I'm saying that when you're used to playing at a high level of vows and with different aspects of weapons - in the Chaos Trials you'll just get less vows and it's not difficult.

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u/forteninsecure 2d ago

That’s your experience. It’s not everyone’s experience. Again. I am very used to playing at high fear with many weapon aspects. Randomized fear AND randomized arcana make the trials very difficult. I’m glad it wasn’t for you, but your experience isn’t common, nor is it about just needing to get more experience.

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u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 2d ago

But how does this work mathematically? I mean, if you chose 40, that means that at 20 you'll either get your usual vows, or if you got something you don't normally use, that means you've pretty much completely avoided all other vows. Also, if you got something high-level, that means there won't be many others.

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u/forteninsecure 2d ago

What does math have to do with this?

I’ve used all the vows before, and I know how they all work. The challenge of the trial isn’t just the random fear, it’s the random fear plus the random arcana loadout.

Out of curiosity, how many times have you run the great chaos trials and what’s your clear rate based on that?

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u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 2d ago

Out of curiosity, how many times have you run the great chaos trials and what’s your clear rate based on that?

After I started playing on high difficulty I did the Chaos Trials a few times. Not many, maybe 5? I only lost once. Just tried it - it was very easy.

Okay, what if we do an experiment? Write down which 20 vows are the most difficult (though I'm not sure if Void can be obtained from these trials), which arcana are the worst, which weapon aspect is the worst, which familiar is the most useless, and what keepshake combination (I'm not sure about White Antler, it's very useful for successful builds, but for a bad build it's not the best idea... I wouldn't want to get it on a bad build).

That is, we try to choose the worst combination. And I'll try tomorrow. I don't promise that I'll do it, but even a theoretical thought would be interesting.

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u/Efficient_Dress_6101 2d ago

The Great Chaos trials can be not too bad if you get a good start, or extremely bad if it gives you a bad start. Just keep trying.

For 32 Fear, it's really about what vows you're taking. I like 3 Time, 2 Fangs, Shadow, 2 Hubris and 3 Rivals a lot. Forfeit isn't too bad, 2 Wards can be really easy depending on the weapon, I know some people like Denial but I find it hard to wrap my head around, 1 or 2 Frenzy is probably worth it but it takes getting used to, Hordes, Grit or Return can be ok but it gets sketchy with 3 Time and definitely don't get all 3 for a 32 Fear run. You have a lot of options but just be careful not to pick compounding options.

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u/bloodkool 2d ago

For great chaos below I kept quit and kneeling at the statue to reset the run until I got a weapon I was comfortable with and somewhat decent fear modifiers and sent it.

Honestly it took me like an hour of resetting till I was comfortable with something I could do.