Hades 2: Elemental Essence Guide (Types, Benefits, & How They Work)

While is a direct sequel to the original game, it's introduced a lot of new mechanics that aren't explained super well in the Early Access state of the game; perhaps the most confusing new mechanic to learn is the Elemental Essences that come with each boon. These essences didn't exist in the original game, and as of now are only briefly explained upon being unlocked in the midgame of the sequel. As is only in early access, it's understandable that things will be confusing for the time being.

Elemental Essences rely on Infusion Boons to truly make your build come alive. While you won't be able to see each boon's element in your early runs, once you unlock the ability to see them, you'll start to receive Infusion Boons that will require your build to include certain elements in order to function. These boons often provide a more passive benefit than traditional boons, acting as small buffs rather than outright changing the way an ability or weapon strike functions.

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There are five Elemental Essence types in and a boon's elemental type seems to be consistent, but arbitrary. Here are the five types and what they look like:

Icon

Elemental Essence

Fire Essence

Water Essence

Air Essence

Earth Essence

Aether Essence

Every boon in has an essence that they're associated with, but these essences do nothing on their own. In order to properly see the essences tied to each boon, you'll have tocomplete the «Divination of the Elements» incantation at the cauldron in the Crossroads. This spell onlycosts five Psyche, so it's relatively easy to unlock. Once you go on your next run, you'll get a quick popup explaining that each boon has an element associated with it and that these elements are relevant to Infusion Boons.

Infusion Boons are special boons that require you to have a certain number of elemental essences in your