Moonstone Axe, Aspect of Charon Build Guide (2024)

The Moonstone Axe, Zorephet with the Aspect of Charon enables a powerful Cast-focused playstyle with very few mandatory Boons and upgrades. This build uses the +3 second Cast duration from Charon to turn your Cast into a powerful single target nuke with a very hands off playstyle. Which is where Zeus comes in, offering an Omega Cast with extremely high single target damage. There are many ways to build, the Moonstone Axe, Zorephet so feel free to experiment with different Arcana, Boons and Keepsakes!

Weapon Aspect

For this build, you don't need to increase the rank of your Aspect of Charon. This Aspect is used for the +3 second Cast duration, without channeling the Special to Cleave-Cast. This isn't the only way to play with Aspect of Charon, but it's more beginner friendly than relying on your Omega Special for damage.

While not required, you can switch to the Cleave-Cast playstyle if you obtain the Daedalus Hammer upgrade which allows you to channel your Special faster. Using your Cast as a fire and forget nuke greatly simplifies the playstyle and Storm Ring does enough damage that you won't notice the DPS loss.

Arcana, Keepsakes and Familiar

Before you set out each night, you need to choose your active Arcana, Keepsakes and Familiar. Which Familiar you use is up to you, Frinos provides some defenses and Toula adds a Deaths Defiance plus some damage. You have the option to switch up Keepsakes between each region but the remaining choices are fixed for the entire run.

Arcana

Keepsakes

• Start out with the Cloud Bangle from Zeus to ensure you have access to Storm Ring.
  • Remember to Rarify Storm Ring if you're able to!
• Barley Sheaf from Demeter is your best bet for a second Olympian as she enables Freeze via a Boon for your Attack or Special.
• For the final zone, Knuckle Bones from Odysseus gives you a damage reduction and reduces the final boss's health.
• Alternative Keepsake options:
  • Aromatic Phial from Narcissus, use this to rarify Storm Ring if you obtain it at Common rarity.
  • Silver Wheel from Hecate is a great way to have unlimited Magick for Omega Cast spam within one region.
  • Use Iridescent Fan from Hera to inflict Hitch with your Attack for additional AoE (area of effect).
  • Purest Hope from Apollo gives you access to additional quality of life such as increased Cast AoE.

Hex

Phase Shift is tremendously helpful if you're playing Cleave-Cast as it slows enemies to a crawl and gives you plenty of time to dispatch them with an Omega Special combo. Otherwise Total Eclipse or Twilight Curse provide damage and crowd control respectively.

Boons and Upgrades

You can play Aspect of Charon with a variety of Boons, but this build focuses on using Storm Ring from Zeus due to its huge single target damage potential. Storm Ring causes your Omega Cast to deal 120 DPS (damage per second) to an enemy within the radius. This scales very well with rarity and level, using the Aspect of Charon doesn't increase your DPS but does cause your Cast to persist for a longer duration. This is by far your best option for single target damage.

Smolder Ring from Hestia, Anvil Ring from Haphaestus and Arctic Ring from Demeter are alternatives, they provide more clear speed as the effects damage multiple foes in exchange for significantly lower damage on bosses.

On the other hand, Apollo's Solar Ring does similar DPS to Storm Ring in an AoE but requires you to drop your Omega Cast then wait for it to end or trigger it with an Omega Special. If you plan to play the Apollo version, invest into rank 5 Aspect of Charon.

Additional Boons

In addition to the recommended Boons, here are a few things to keep an eye out for when playing Aspect of Charon.

• Apollo's Purest Hope gives you larger Cast AoE making it easier to keep enemies in your Cast.
• Ice Strike and Ice Flourish from Demeter provide a way to Freeze enemies, so they can't escape from your Cast.
• Stand in your Cast with Lucid Gain from Apollo for reliable Magick recovery.
• Picking up Heaven Strike or Heaven Flourish from Zeus boosts your single target damage by inflicting Blitz.
• Soot Sprint from Hestia allows you to destroy enemy projectiles as you run around while your Cast deals damage.
• Another way to deal with AoE is to use Hitch, a Curse from Hera, you can enable this through Sworn Strike, Sworn Flourish, or Nexus Sprint.
• Gale Force from Demeter creates a Cyclone on your Cast which slows enemies and their Projectiles.

Playstyle

Your goal in any encounter is to drop your Cast then avoid damage as it takes care of enemies. If an enemy isn't in your Cast, try to kite them over it. You need to be careful when fighting Chronos as it's easy to take damage from one of his attacks while you're channeling your Omega Cast if using the Zeus/Apollo versions of the build.

• On most normal enemies, drop your Omega Cast then use your Attack for additional damage or crowd control.
• On swarms of enemies, use your Omega Cast then Omega Attack.
• Against Armored foes, Freeze them or look for an opening in their attack pattern then use your Omega Cast to break their armor before engaging.
  • Try to keep your Omega Cast down against Armored foes to maximize your damage!
• Treat bosses similarly to Armored foes, observe their attack pattern then use your Omega Cast to deal damage and chip away at them.
  • Don't forget your Hex on boss fights!
  • Remember, The Sorceress won't slow time when fighting Chronos. This leaves you vulnerable while channeling your Omega Cast or in the window between when you Special ends and Omega Special activates.

If you're struggling against a dangerous foe, don't be afraid to drop your Omega Cast then move out of melee range and simply run in circles until it expires. When you're able to stand still and spam your Omega Attack the burst it adds is tremendous.

Overworld

There aren't many differences between the challenges you face in the underworld and overworld with this build. It's pretty easy to deal with Eris by dropping your Cast on her. If you get Soot Sprint from Hestia, this makes the Eris encounter much easier as it allows you to destroy all her projectiles by Sprinting.

Video

Check out this video from Tenkiei using the Aspect of Charon.

Summary

Use the Aspect of Charon to extend the duration of your Omega Cast and maximize its damage uptime. This Aspect doesn't require specific boons but scales incredibly well with Zeus's Storm Ring. Unlike a lot of builds in Hades 2, you don't need any Daedalus upgrades for this setup to shine. Use Keepsakes to encounter Zeus and Apollo or Demeter while activating Arcana Cards to provide Magick, health and damage. Because of the build's flexibility you need to check the Boon section carefully for more details.