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Exploring the universe of Hades 2 can often feel like a daunting journey. Faced with terrifying beasts, ghostly ships, and fierce rock concerts, Melinoe’s task appears incredibly challenging, especially since she seems to be traveling alone. But wait… is she really all by herself?
Not at all! There’s a special incantation that enables Melinoe to harness the power of certain creatures, transforming them into her devoted Animal Familiars. These companions will play a significant role during her adventures, offering numerous benefits and becoming loyal allies. If you’ve ever dreamed of bringing a gigantic frog into battle, you’re in the right spot!
Note:
Hades 2 is currently in Early Access, so the information provided here may change.
Updated October 27, 2024: This guide now includes details about the Olympian Update, which adds the locations and abilities of the new familiars: Raki and Hecuba.
How To Get Animal Familiars
To unlock Animal Familiars, your first task is to encounter a special cat in Erebus. This encounter takes place in a fountain room that can be accessed by casting a specific incantation, which automatically becomes available as you progress through the game.
Here’s a quick guide on how to proceed:
- Use the Woodsy Lifespring incantation to unlock fountain rooms in Erebus.
- Find and meet the cat in one of the fountain rooms.
- Utilize the Tablet of Peace at least twice during your runs.
- Engage in discussions with Hecate to unlock the Faith of Familiar Spirits incantation. This will provide you with a Witch’s Delight, the item needed to tame and upgrade your familiars.
Once you have unlocked Familiars, you can also create more Witch’s Delights using alchemy at the cauldron. Each pair requires one Star Dust and two Lotus, so manage your resources wisely.
In addition, you will gain a new incantation at the cauldron to rest your familiars for more resources on your next quest as long as you have two or more familiars.
Currently, there are four Animal Familiars available in the game:
| Familiar | How to Obtain |
|---|---|
| Frinos the Frog | Simply feed him a Witch’s Delight. You’ll find him next to the sigil where Melinoe appears after completing a night. |
| Toula the Cat | Locate her at the transitional area between Ephyra and the Rift of Thessaly, sitting near the docks. Feed her a Witch’s Delight. |
| Raki the Raven | Find him in the fountain area of Erebus, beside the exit doors. First, interact with him, then return on a second night to feed him a Witch’s Delight. |
| Hecuba the Dog | After obtaining all other familiars and upgrading at least one, wait for Hecate to guide you. Then, find Hecuba in Echo’s room in the Fields of Mourning, and like the others, return to feed her a Witch’s Delight. |
Note: Toula might not appear for some players until they equip the Fishing Rod and catch fish during their runs. Keep trying, and she should eventually show up. You might also need to cast the Attending a Faithful Beast incantation.
How To Upgrade Familiars
Whenever you take a Familiar out on a run and return to the Crossroads, you’ll have the chance to boost their abilities with Witch’s Delights. This will enhance one of their skills by one rank, with a maximum of three ranks for each skill.
Without any upgrades, here’s what each Familiar offers:
- Frinos: Grants +10 extra life and increases the spawn rate of Lost Shades. He can also block projectiles and inflict minor damage by leaping at enemies.
- Toula: Provides one extra Death Defiance use, increases fishing spot appearances, and attacks enemies when you sprint or dodge through her.
- Raki: Enhances critical hit chances, causes more outcroppings to appear, and deals light damage while marking enemies.
- Hecuba: Increases your Magicka by +15, raises the number of digging spots during runs, and can stun enemies with her barks.
You will know when Toula is ready for attack activation when a glowing circle surrounds her.
Each Familiar has unique abilities, detailed in the following table. Upgrades require one Witch’s Delight:
| Ability | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frinos | +20 Life | +30 Life | +40 Life |
| Soul Bond | +25% more Lost Shades | +50% more Lost Shades | +75% more Lost Shades |
| Strength Bond | 10 damage on leap to foes | 20 damage on leap to foes | 30 damage on leap to foes |
| Toula | Death Defiances recover +10 Life | Death Defiances recover +20 Life | Death Defiances recover +30 Life |
| Claw Bond | 1 more attack before losing interest | 2 more attacks before losing interest | 3 more attacks before losing interest |
Raki and Hecuba also have their own unique abilities and upgrade paths to enrich your gameplay and increase your chances of success as you journey through this captivating and challenging world.