Hades II: How to Beat Hecate

***WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR HADES II***

Hades II is packed with difficult enemies to deal with. From the never-ending punching men you meet in the Fields of Mourning to the bloody wailing enemies that just scream in your face, there are plenty of annoyances stopping you from reaching Tartarus and Chronos.

The first major test on your journey is none other than Melinoë's tutor and Headmistress Hecate. The titan is no pushover, and she's out here to prove that you even stand a chance at beating Chronos further on in the game.

While she is the first and least difficult of the bosses you'll encounter, Hecate, like Megaera before her, can put up quite the fight, especially before you manage to upgrade Melinoë's potential. So, if you're struggling to beat her, here's our quick guide on how you can do just that.

Now, Hecate unfortunately doesn't just have an off button, and so there is no decisive way to always beat her. But, luckily this leaves the door open for you to kick her head in any way you want. First, though, preparation is your best bet at beating her, and the best way to prepare is invest in some upgrades at your camp. Getting yourself a Death Defiance using Ashes (or grabbing the Luckier Tooth from Schelemeus) will allow you to make more mistakes in learning Hecate's moveset. Also, the Knuckle Bones from Odysseus (which you get by gifting him one Nectar) will let you scrape off a chunk of Hecate's HP and make you take less damage from her attacks.

Speaking of Hecate's attacks, if you know what you're looking for with them, you'll be able to dodge them more easily. Hecate always starts the fight with her ring of fire, which can be dodged into then out of, allowing for some easy damage while she's immobile. Then, you'll want to watch out for her pulling her arms back. There will be a moment before she swings her staves, hurling arcs of fire your way, but if you dodge just as her model flashes, you'll be able to miss the damage and avoid her tracking you. Rinse and repeat this until you get her to her second phase.

If at any point Hecate splits into three versions of herself, your best bet is to run to the top left corner of the arena, as this is where her attacks can't reach you. If that point isn't safe, get to the opposite corner. You can try and find out which Hecate is the real one, but it can be tricky and so for the most risk-free option, your best bet is to just stay away.

When Hecate summons her witches in the transition to the second phase, the best thing you can do is stay mobile. Even if you think you're safe just plinking away at her from a corner, staying on your feet and constantly moving means you won't become an easy target for the projectiles heading your way. There's only one point in this fight you'll want to become an easy target and it's in the transition to Hecate's third phase. Here, she'll send an orb that seems to track you down no matter what you do and turn you into a sheep. At the time of writing, our best recommendation is just let it happen. If you turn into a sheep early on, it means you'll have less time spent desperately waddling around, as Hecate's witch friends spawn in a couple of moments after you get polymorphed.

After that, again just rinse and repeat by dodging the AoE attacks as best you can, while also sticking close to Hecate whenever she's not split into three. If you keep the pressure up, you'll have her down in no time. One thing to note about phase three is that Hecate will occasionally teleport behind you to try and surprise you, but just keep hold of your dash until you see her appear, and then get behind her and you'll be fine.

How did you beat Hecate?