Updated October 25, 2024, by Christopher Norman Worcester: The Olympic Update for Hades 2 brought with it a wide range of new content, including a re-working of the Chaos Trial mechanic. This update will cover all the new additions to Chaos Trials i n Hades 2, including Abyssal Reflection, the new Incantation that allows players to re-try previously completed trials.
Players making their way through Hades 2 will undoubtedly notice the massive amount of content already available in Early Access. The original was already overflowing with content, and now the sequel adds even more to the table – before the game has even been fully released. While there is a lot of new content to unpack, one of the best additions is the Chaos Trials, which add a totally new gameplay system that rewards players with the rare Star Dust crafting material.
Hades 2: All Echo Rewards, Ranked
In Hades 2, you may encounter Echo in the Mourning Fields, where you must choose your words carefully... Carefully... Carefully...
Hades 2's Chaos Trials are a curated group of encounters that put Melinoë's battle prowess to the test. Given a pre-determined loadout, she must make her way through each trial to receive one of the game's rarest rewards. This guide will explain how to unlock Chaos Trials, and how to get the Star Dust it offers as a reward.
Hades 2 is currently in Early Access. This means that some elements of the game may change before its official 1.0 release. This guide will be updated regularly to reflect any changes to the subject it covers.
Chaos Trials and the Hades 2 Olympic Update, Explained
The Olympic Update for Hades 2 made some significant changes to the Chaos Trials system. Players can now re-try previously completed trials, though they will no longer be awarded Star Dust (S-Dust). Instead, each repeated attempt will earn you 50 Bones.
Abyssal Reflection Requirements:
Melinoe will not immediately have access to this new feature at the Pitch-Black Stone. She will have to complete one of the Olympic Update's new Incantations. The new Incantation requires the following materials:
|
Abyssal Reflection |
Gain the ability to re-attempt cleared Trials at the Pitch-Black Stone for modest rewards of Bones |
Moly x6 F-Fabric x2 Plasma x1 |
|---|
How to Unlock Chaos Trials in Hades 2
The basic steps to unlocking Chaos Trials in Hades 2 are relatively straightforward. The major requirement that players must meet is the completion of the Abyssal Night incantation. This unlocks the Pitch-Black Stone location in the Training Grounds, and allows access to the trials. How to unlock the Incantation itself, is a bit trickier to explain.
Currently, the exact requirements for receiving the incantation from Chaos are slightly nebulous. One thing is certain, however, and that is the fact that you must interact with Chaos multiple times before receiving Abyssal Night. In the playthrough that this guide is based on, the following conditions were met before receiving the incantation:
- All five Nocturnal Arms were unlocked, and their Aspects were revealed (but not all unlocked).
- The Warding Gate to the surface was removed, and the Unraveling a Fateful Bond incantation allowed Melinoë to survive above ground.
- Chaos was visited several times via Chaos Gates, one Nectar was offered, and the Transcendent Embryo Keepsake was gained.
- The Fated List of Minor Prophecies is unlocked, and several prophecies have been completed.
Abyssal Night was then offered to Melinoë during a normal encounter with Chaos, and was subsequently available at the Cauldron.
Abyssal Night Incantation Requirements:
- Fate Fabric is found through several different methods. The Wretched Broker sells them for 60 Bones each. Charon offers a shipment of 3 Obol Points. And Arachne usually offers a dress that gives grants one instantly.
- Nightshade must be planted with seeds dug up in Erebus. Use the Silver Spade tool. They can then be planted after completing the Flourishing Soil incantation.
Once complete, the Pitch-Black Stone (which is actually pink in color) will be activated. It is found behind the Silver Pool in the Training Grounds.
How to Get Star Dust in Hades 2
Star Dust is primarily used for high-level Arcana upgrades, and brewing the Beast-Loved Morsel in the Cauldron, which allows for bonding with Animal Familiars.
Star Dust is the main reward for completing the various Chaos Trials offered at the Pitch-Black Stone. Interacting with the stone will reveal an informational window that explains how it works, followed by the main interface for starting the Chaos Trials.
Chaos Trials Explained:
The Chaos Trials allow Melinoë to face a series of combat trials that vary in difficulty. Each trial has its own predetermined elements, such as loadout and region. The first trail is called the Trial of Origin, which sends Melinoë into Erebus with the Witch's Staff. Many of the trials completely remove all Arcana, posing a significant challenge. The first set of available trials rewards the player with one Star Dust upon completion.
The Chaos Trial interface reveals information about each trial. In the above image, you can see that the Trial of Humility utilizes the Witch's Staff in Erebus. The series of pink dots on the right represent the trial's difficulty level, with five dots signaling a trial offering the highest challenge level. You can bet that the higher the challenge level, the less Melinoë will have when the trial begins.
Players may notice the Natural Talent minor prophecy on the Fated List. Since many of the Chaos Trails strip Melinoë of Arcana, completing a trial in Erebus will meet the requirements of this prophecy. It is therefore wise to wait until unlocking the Pitch-Black Stone to go about taking on this challenge.
Eventually, players will gain access to Star Dust from the Wretched Broker, who sells them for 800 Bones each. It is likely that players must complete at least one Chaos Trial before this is available, and they are assuredly not available before unlocking the Pitch-Black Stone.
Other Methods of Acquiring S-Dust:
As Hades 2 continues to be updated, new methods of getting Space Dust have become available. Players can now get S-Dust in Hades 2 through two characters: the Wretched Broker and Narcissus.
The Wretched Broker now sells S-Dust for 600 Bones. To get S-Dust from Narcissus, you'll have to enter the NPC chamber in Oceanus where he resides, and receive the Heavenly Splendor boon. We did not receive this boon until after we helped Narcissus and Echo come to terms with each other, and then cleared the murky water in Narcissus' chambers. It is not clear if this is a prerequisite, so keep a look out when you visit his chamber.
Hades 2
- Released
- September 25, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Publisher(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Franchise
- Hades
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
