Hades: Best build for the Stygian Blade sword

The Stygian Blade sword is one of the first weapons that Zagreus will unlock in Hades, but it can be upgraded drastically with the right build to complete your runs with flair and ease. 

The weapon can be upgraded to the Aspect of Zagreus in the early game, which gives you enhanced attack and movement speed. However, it isn’t until mid-game that you unlock the weapon’s full potential and use it to shed through enemies like a piece of cake. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the best build for the Stygian Blade sword, the best aspects to use, and how to use it to defeat your foes in Hades without sweat.

What Aspect should you choose for the Stygian Blade sword in Hades?

Among the four aspects of the Stygian Blade sword in Hades, I recommend you unlock and upgrade the Aspect of Nemesis for the Stygian Blade. Unlike other weapon upgrades, this Aspect increases your critical chance by up to 30 percent on the final upgrade using Titan Blood. 

But, if you’re looking to down the defensive by trading some power, you can use the Aspect of Arthur which gives you increased damage resistance stats crucial for surviving the fury of the Underworld bosses. 

What Gods are the best for the Stygian Blade sword in Hades?

Boons could make or break your perfect speed run in Hades. Thus, selecting your eyes on the right ones could be a game-changer. You’ll need to seek the Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hermes boons for this particular build.

While you can’t guarantee Hermes’ boons, you can get a keepsake for Aphrodite and Artemis to let them give you their boons because they will directly synergize with your build. Aphrodite’s weak effect causes foes to suffer extra damage, and Artemis’ boons cause extra critical damage to your normal attack, making it perfect for your build’s hefty damage. If you get Hermes, opt for his attack speed boons, which let you sneak in more attacks than usual to have the highest damage output. 

If the Greek gods are on your side, you might get lucky with a duo boon called Heart Rend, which will serve as the final cherry on top of your damage-heavy build. Heart Rend allows you to deal even more damage to weak-inflicted enemies through your critical damage, but it is unlikely to appear in your early game and mainly in the late game before facing the final bosses. 

If you get unlucky in your Boons, visit Charon, the boatman of the river Styx, between the biomes who will sell you some random boons that might add to your existing build or give you that one last boon to round up your build.

Strategy for using the Stygian Blade build in Hades

Like any Stygian Blade builds, you have to dash through the arena and slice your enemies. Having so much damage at your disposal, enemies will get sliced almost immediately, but always remember to dodge projectiles to avoid damage. 

As it is a glass-canon build, you need always to wrap up your fights quickly. Otherwise, you’ll be vulnerable to damage from the enemies. Moreover, you need to always refuel your health and prioritize raising your maximum health because the longer you stay alive, the easier it’ll be for you to defeat the bosses before they defeat you. 

Now that you know everything about this build, it’s time to visit the game’s sequel and look at the new weapon aspects to plan your next run.