Hades 2 has just received a major early access update, known as The Olympic Update, featuring a new region, new characters, and new familiars. The popular roguelike is a sequel to Hades, initially released in 2020, and follows Melinoë, a mentee of Hecuba and sister of Hades protagonist Zagreus, as she attempts to defeat Chronos, god of time.

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So what are the benefits of finding and befriending familiars in Hades 2? Primarily, they serve as guardians and assistants to Melinoë throughout her adventure to kill Chronos, each offering different benefits as they work alongside her. It helps to choose a favorite; only one familiar can be brought on a run at a given time. Here are a few tips on how to gather familiars and how to choose which to use.

5 Unlocking Familiars

Which Tasks Must Players Complete First?

Gameplay footage

Recruiting familiars first requires defeating Hecuba. Before the fight, there is a chance Hecuba will explain through her dialogue about familiars. This unlocks the incantation Faith of Familiar Spirits, which can be performed at the Cauldron at the Crossroads.

This incantation requires 2 Nectar and 1 Lotus Flower. Lotus flowers are found across Oceanus. Nectar is found in rooms with Nectar symbols. Alternatively, it can be purchased from the wretched broker. This incantation produces the indulgence item Witches' Delight, which can be given to familiars to begin a relationship with them.

4 Where To Find Familiars

Each Familiar Resides In A Different Area

Gameplay footage

Every familiar in Hades 2 is found in a different area of the world, sometimes disappearing and reappearing later. This means sometimes players will have to hunt them down or search on multiple runs. They should also ensure they're carrying their Witch's Delight in order to befriend their familiar of choice.

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At present, the location of the game's two original familiars, Frinos and Toula, is better known than the newer pair, Hecuba and Raki. Frinos the frog can be found near Melinoë's spawn location, ready to find her upon return from runs. Toula the cat is located between the City of Ephyra and the Rift of Thessaly, at the docks. The newer familiars, Raki the Raven and Hecuba the Hound are still somewhat elusive to players, with some reporting Raki has been spotted in the Fountain Room in Erebus, and Hecuba in Echo's Room in the Field of Mourning.

3 Benefits to Melionë

Choose A Stat Boost

Melinoë on a backdrop of gameplay footage

Next, it is imperative to check the stats of each familiar, in order to choose who to bring on a run. Different familiars will prove more suited to particular play styles, or different parts of the game. While Toula offers a death-defying heart bond, Frinos' life bond boosts players' health. All familiars can be upgraded three times to improve these abilities.

Frinos' +10 (+20/+30) health bonus is great for facing heavy attacks on runs, while Toula's death defiance is essentially a very feline extra life, restoring Melinoë after she's run out of health points. While this information isn't well known, it is reported that Hecuba offers Melinoë an additional +15 Magic, while Raki improves the player's chances of dealing critical damage. Both these bonuses will prove highly beneficial to players, but it's unclear right now which will prove to be a favorite in the long run.

2 Soul Bonds?

Do All Familiars Offer The Same Benefits?

Friends the frog on a background of blurred gameplay footage

Frinos the Frog's Tool Support comes in the form of the Tablet of Peace, which allows players to gain Psyche from the Lost Shades. Toula, on the other hand, helps Melinoë fish without needing the Fishing Rod, skipping the fishing mini-game automatically. The utility of these bonds depends upon each player's individual roles. However, some have commented that Toula's fishing skills as particularly useful for saving time on speed runs.

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It waits to be seen whether Hecuba and Raki also offer the same offer of tool support, and which tools they will provide players, but this will ultimately get a lot clearer over time.

1 Combat Stats

Which Familiar Offers The Best Boost?

Toula the cat on a backdrop of blurred gameplay footage.

While Frinos and Toula both offer helpful combat moves, many players have argued that Frinos' Strength Bond far outweighs Toula's Claw Bond. Some have deemed Toula's move frustrating, while Frinos' ability to jump on foes can be really helpful while fighting bosses, often sparing Melinoë's health significantly.

Hecuba and Raki's combat boosts are yet to be thoroughly experienced in gameplay, but it's said that Raki swoops to peck enemies, while Hecuba has the ability to stun Melinoë's foes. Both familiars can be upgraded to increase the probability of these moves, surely creating some formidable assistants to Melinoë's attack on Chronos. Players are sure to determine their favorite familiar to use in combat as they continue to play the game.

Hades 2 Tag Page Cover Art

Hades 2
Action
Roguelite
Hack and Slash
RPG
Systems
super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
Released
September 25, 2025
ESRB
Teen / Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
Supergiant Games
Publisher(s)
Supergiant Games
Engine
Proprietary Engine
Prequel(s)
Hades
Franchise
Hades

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Genre(s)
Action, Roguelite, Hack and Slash, RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty