Hades 2 features animal companions called Familiars that can buff and help the player during combat. Here’s how to get and upgrade them
One of the most unique aspects of Hades 2 is the ability to equip Familiars. These friendly creatures assist you in both combat and harvesting materials, making them absolutely indispensable. Of course, getting your hands on them, just like anything in Hades 2, isn’t straightforward. Fortunately, we’ve explained absolutely everything you need to know about Familiars below.
All Familiars in Hades 2
There are currently two Familiars in Hades 2: Frinos the Frog and Toula the Cat. Frinos is a support familiar that increases your max health by 10 when equipped. He also will move around arenas during combat, distracting enemies and taking ranged damage. Finally, he can use the Table of Peace Gathering Tool once per night.
Toula, on the other hand, is far more aggressive. She can resurrect you once per night back to 10 health by using Death Defiance. Additionally, she has a cooldown attack that will deal 99 damage to a nearby enemy when you sprint near her. Finally, she will give one extra charge to the Rod of Fishing.
The Best Familiar in Hades 2
By far, the best Familiar is Frinos the Frog. His supportive capabilities make him far more useful in combat than Toula. Currently, Toula’s attack ability isn’t effective enough, especially with the cooldown to be worthwhile. However, the additional health, in combination with the ability to take attacks, makes Frinos far more useful.
Of course, if you prefer a more aggressive Familiar, then Toula is your best choice. But we definitely recommend Frinos over Toula. In our experience, Frinos has just proven to be more helpful and has gotten us out of many tough encounters that we’d have definitely died to otherwise.
How to Unlock Familiars in Hades 2
Unlocking Familiars is a little complicated in Hades 2, but far from impossible. It requires you to follow a few steps to unlock the Incantation Faith of Familiar Spirits. You’ll then need to use this to make Witch’s Delight, which you can then give to either Frinos or Toula to make them your Familiar. We’ll go over the exact steps below:
- Unlock and then use the Woodsy Lifespring Incantation to create the Hidden Glade in Erebus
- You’ll need 3 Silver and 1 Moly. If you’re unsure how to get those, you can check out our full materials guide here.
- Gather Nectar and Lotus at least once
- Locate the Hidden Glade in Erebus and head inside. Speak to the cat at the entrance and leave.
- Head back to the Hidden Glade and pet the cat three times. After your third trip, Melinoe will ask if the cat is hungry.
- Next, you’ll need to defeat the first boss, Headmistress Hecate, in Erebus multiple times until you get the option to talk about Animal Familiars.
- Choose to speak to her about it and then beat her once more. After doing so, she’ll give you the Incantation Faith of Familiar Spirits.
- Head back to the Cauldron of Crossroads and cast the Faith of Familiar Spirits Incantation with 2 Nectar and 1 Lotus. This will create the item Witch’s Delight.
- Find either Frinos or Toula and give them the Witch’s Delight to make them your Familiar.
It will take quite a while, around 15 or so hours, to successfully complete all of these steps. So, don’t worry too much about getting a Familiar in the early game. Once you’ve chosen your first Familiar, you’ll learn the Incantation Beast-Loved Morsel, which you can use to create more Witch’s Delight at the Cauldron for 1 Star Dust and 2 Lotus.
Where to Find Frinos and Toula in Hades 2
Frinos the Frog Familiar is located in Melinoe’s camp. You’ll be able to talk to him, and he’ll offer some sound advice. Simply give him the Witch’s Delight, and he’ll become your Familiar. If you want to find Toula, you’ll need to put in some leg work.
Toula will move from the Hidden Glade after you’ve unlocked the Witch’s Delight. So, you’ll need to head back to the surface region of the Rift of Thessaly. Head to the left of the pier area you arrive at after beating the Guardian, and you’ll see her lying on the ground. Simply give her a Witch’s Delight to make her your Familiar.
How to Equip Familiars in Hades 2
To equip a Familiar in Hades 2, you’ll need to head to the Crossroads Training Grounds. Head to the bottom-left of the silver pool to find your unlocked Familiars. Walk over to the Familiar you want to equip and press the prompted button when it appears over their heads. On controller, this is RB.
This will equip them, and they’ll start following you around. You’ll also gain their passive buffs and abilities. If you want to switch Familiar, simply head over to the other Familiar and press the prompted button when it appears.
Image Credit – Destructoid
How to Upgrade Familiars in Hades 2
To upgrade a Familiar in Hades 2, you’ll need to locate them in the Crossroads Training Grounds and select the Treat option. This will cost you one Witch’s Delight, so make sure you have some on hand. Choosing the Treat option will bring up the Familiar Bonds menu. It is from here that you can upgrade your Familiars abilities. For example, you can upgrade the amount of health that Frinos will increase your life by.
After unlocking the Incantation Attending a Faithful Beast, you’ll be able to upgrade your Familiar’s harvesting ability. So, in Toula’s case, this would increase the number of charges you get with the Rod of Fishing. To use the Attending a Faithful Beast Incantation, you’ll need 1 Tear, 1 Wool, and 4 Wheat.
That’s everything you need to know about Familiars in Hades 2. For more guides just like this one, be sure to check out our Guide Hub.