Hades 2, even in its current Early Access state, has plenty to offer. So much, in fact, that there are alternate paths you can take before starting a run. The first path on the opposite side of the entrance to Erebus is one you’ll notice right away, but won’t be able to open. You need to complete some some tasks beforehand.
If you’re wondering how to gain access to the ward and discover what’s on the other side by yourself, we’ll be avoiding spoilers altogether in the first section below. But if you’re curious about what you might encounter, feel free to jump toward the second half of the guide. Here’s how to unlock the ward in the Crossroads in Hades 2 and gain access upstairs.
How to unlock the ward in Hades 2
Unlocking the ward in Hades 2 is not something you can force. Instead, certain character interactions—mainly with Hecate and two returning characters from the first game—will kickstart a series of conversations about what’s on the other side of that door. Eventually, you’ll get an incantation for it, which has some steep requirements. Tackle the incantation and the ward will become accessible. These are the general, non-spoilery steps in case you want some light guidance.
If you want some additional details, along with mention of the returning characters hinted above, here are the steps to unlock the ward in the Crossroads in Hades 2:
- Chat with Hecate, Hermes, and Chaos whenever possible: You’ll always find Hecate when you get to the boss room of Erebus, while Hermes and Chaos are random encounters who may or may not appear during a run. If you want to make this easier, make sure to gift them nectar at least once whenever you have the chance. Then, equip the Keepsake of each character, which will increase the odds of finding them.
- Characters will start mentioning the ward: After a few conversations with the aforementioned characters, in particular with Hermes, other key characters will catch on to the rumors and bring up the location on the other side of the ward pretty often. At this point, you just need to continue doing runs.
- You’ll eventually gain the Permeation of Witching-Wards incantation: If you haven’t unlocked the Fated Intervention and Doomed Beckoning incantations, make sure to tackle those first. Keep progressing on the runs, focusing on the three key characters we mentioned, until you have access to Permeation of Witching-Wards.
Once you have the incantation for the ward, there are a few more steps to do.
How to get Shadow for Permeation of Witching-Wards in Hades 2
The Permeation of Witching-Wards incantation asks for three materials: One Cinder, which you get by defeating Hecate; three Moly, which you can pick up in Erebus at random; and, lastly, one Shadow, which is a rare resource.
In order to get Shadow in Hades 2, you need to keep on encountering Chaos (and entering their Chaos Gates) until they give you the Shadow Extraction recipe for it. This unlocks the Alchemy tab on the incantations menu.
For the recipe, you’ll need 30 Ash and 30 Psyche, which are both fairly common materials, as well as 3 Fate Fabric, a resource that isn’t as elusive as you think. Once you have everything, begin the incantation—there’s a timer with the number 12, which indicates that you need to either clear at least 12 locations (rooms during a run) or take part in an event that makes time pass (such as gifting bath salts to somebody).
After you’ve gotten your Shadow, you can now complete the Permeation of Witching-Wards incantation. From that moment on, you’ll be able to either take the path below to Erebus, or the previously warded stairs above. For some spoilery details, you can jump to the next section.
What’s on the other side of the ward in Hades 2?
The big reveal that characters keep hinting at is that the ward takes you to the surface. Whereas the surface was reserved for the last leg of a run in the first game, it’s a completely different alternate path in Hades 2, leading to new areas entirely.
Even after unlocking the ward, you’ll retain the choice of where to go each night. Sure, some characters might peer pressure you into picking one over the other, but it’ll be up to you where you want to tackle a run. Keep in mind that some materials and interactions will only be available on either side which, over time, might be more influential in your decisions.
