How To Beat Theseus And Asterius In Hades.The battle between Theseus and Asterius is generally cited as the most difficult boss fight in Hades. Here’s how to get beyond this stumbling obstacle with ease.
When it comes to defeating Hades, each boss works as an obstacle. Don’t be fooled by streamers who beat the game on the “first” try; they’ve spent a long time practising against each encounter in past playthroughs. The battle against Theseus and Asterius is one of the most difficult.
In any game, a boss fight that pits players against two beings at once is challenging, but especially so in Hades, where taking damage and losing lives mounts up. Here are some pointers on not only how to win this fight, but also how to make it to the end in good enough shape to face the final boss.
Table of Contents
Gearing Up
| Weapon | Aegis |
| Aspect | Chaos |
| Keepsake | Lucky Tooth / Pierced Butterfly |
| Companion | Shady |
Although the Coronacht is the most popular weapon, and rightfully so, it’s the optimal shield build for taking on the two everlasting companions. In terms of damage, nothing compares to a Chiron aspect bow, but keep in mind that a dead Zagreus has no DPS.
Zagreus will be protected by the Aegis from harm that is difficult to dodge with other builds. The damage isn’t awful either; in fact, in terms of damage, the Chaos portion of the Aegis is likely second only to Chiron. It’s extremely potent when given a decent boon to Zagreus’ special. Use the Aegis even if the player hasn’t unlocked this facet or levelled it up to maximum yet; it’s that effective against these two.
There are several excellent mementos here, but it’s difficult to argue against utilising Skelly’s Lucky Tooth, at least at first. It’s essentially an extra charge of Death Defiance, which offers Zagreus a second chance to return after dying in battle.
The Pierced Butterfly boosts damage every time Zagreus clears an engagement without taking damage after acquiring some trust with the shield. When targeted correctly, the Aegis can block almost everything, and even a mediocre gamer will likely acquire an extra 20% -30% damage by the time they run into Theseus and Astorius.
While Antos is appealing as a companion because it does damage to both bosses, Shady is the better choice because the healing it offers translates directly to more time alive and greater damage to opponents. Some of the companions can be difficult to obtain, so make sure you select the appropriate improvements from the contractor.
Mirror Of Night Settings
- Shadow Presence
- Chthonic Vitality
- Death Defiance
- Greater Reflex
- Boiling Blood
- Stygian Soul
- Deep Pockets
- Thick Skin
- Family Favorite
- Olympian Favor
- God’s Pride
- Fated Persuasion
With this build, there is a lot of room for personal customization, but there are a few must-haves. Shadow Presence increases damage while attacking adversaries from behind, and Bull Rush ensures that the build has a disproportionate number of backstabs.
Death Defiance is more stronger than Stubborn Defiance. Multiple do-overs on a difficult fight are far superior to a single do-over on each room. Boiling Blood increases special damage against enemies who have the cast debuff, which is the Chaos aspect’s primary source of DPS.
Thick Skin should be preferred above High Confidence by even the best players. When you’re above 80% health, a little extra damage is excellent, but an extra 50 health is far better. Not only will Zagreus be more difficult to kill, but he’ll also be able to obtain more buff damage and variety instead of having to utilise Centaur Hearts to open doors.
Every diety can be beneficial to Zagreus, but not every boost is appropriate for the build, therefore Fated Persuasion can come in handy when you need a new set of buffs. Beginners learning the game will relish the opportunity to work on honing their best skills just as much as specialists.
Ideal Gods And Boons
There aren’t many terrible options when it comes to boons. Because charm pushes Asterius or Theseus to fight the other, Aphrodite is chosen as the finest deity. However, most gods will suffice, as Chaos shield is useful for stacking debuffs, Zeus strikes, or Artermis’ attack damage with the special attack, and ordinary attack bonuses also apply to bull rush, which will be employed frequently.
Make sure any boon applied to Zagreus’ special has a substantial damage boost. This is more important than any specific debuff. There are also several useful Chaos boons to obtain, and Zagreus should be able to manage the damage and debuffs connected with Chaos thanks to his high defence.
While no god is completely useless, anything that turns Zagreus’ spell into an area of effect should be avoided. Ares and Dionysus are two examples; the damage is fine, but it won’t offer Zagreus the 50% damage boost (at maximum rank) that Boiling Blood provides.
Dealing With Asterius
Astorius’ moves can be simplified into three basic attacks:
- Axe Swing: Asterius swings his axe twice in a wide arc in front of him.
- Leap: Asterius leaps into the air and leaps toward Zagreus, dealing damage if he connects on the hit. He can repeat this attack up to two more times. When below 50% health, Asterius also unleashes a ring of damage that waves out from his landing point.
- Bull Rush: Asterius sprints at Zagreus, locking on on his position. If he comes into contact with a wall or pillar, he becomes stunned and takes damage. If he hits Zagreus, he will stop and do high damage instead. When below 50% health, Asterius also unleashes a ring of damage that waves out from his contact point.
Always attack Asterius first, leaving Theseus to his own devices. The worst-case scenario is if both drop below 50% at the same moment, and their movements get faster and better at the same time. Because Asterius defaults to charging Zagreus, he is the superior choice to kill first. Keep a pillar between Zagreus and Theseus and dash to the opposite end of the arena from Theseus. This allows the player to totally ignore Thesus until Asterius is defeated.
This is made simple by Aegis. Charge up a bull rush, aim for Asterius, and then let go and charge straight through him when he isn’t dealing damage. Follow up with a special strike, then start charging up for the next bull rush. The shield will prevent his moves below 50% from causing area of effect rings. It’s actually that simple, and it’s made much easier by a solid boon selection.
Dealing With Theseus
When fighting Asterius away from him, he possesses several moves, but only three of them will be used:
- Spin: Theseus performs a spin attack centered on himself, dealing damage if he hits Zagreus. He will charge in Zagreus’ direction as he spins.
- Throw: A crosshair will appear on Zagreus. After a delay, he throws his spear. He can then recall the spear back at any time, which also deals damage while returning. This can be dodged or blocked with pillars.
- Olympian Aid: This move can only be triggered when Theseus is below 50% of his health. Several area of effect spells will appear on the ground and detonate after a brief delay, dealing damage. Theseus also applies a debuff if he hits Zagreus personally. This debuff changes based on the god whose aid he enlists.
When fighting around Asterius, Theseus can throw him or generate a large ring of damage. Always battle on the opposite end of the area from Theseus until Asterius is dead to exclude these moves from the equation.
Theseus has only two moves left, both of which can be prevented if you hold on to bull rush and face him.
He now has a move that can truly hit a Zagreus equipped with the Aegis when he drops below 50%. The Aegis can also block certain area of effect spells if they are aimed at the detonation’s core. This is the ideal opportunity to utilise a fully charged call, as Aphrodite’s will deplete almost all of Theseus’ remaining health, leaving the player with only a few strikes to finish him off.
The appropriate legendary boon will speed things up even further, but even with bad luck and modest upgrades, this plan will work. With enough experience, players can win the encounter without losing any health, putting them in a better position to face the final boss.
