How to build your favorite Hades 2 characters in DnD

Want to build a Hades 2 DnD character? I certainly did – on seeing Hades 2’s awesome cast, I was immediately inspired to turn them into distinctive Dungeons and Dragons character builds, so I’ve cooked up six complete options for you to try. From gutsy protagonist Melinoë to the catchy-yet-deadly tunes of Scylla, these will put a mythic twist on your next campaign.

At Wargamer, we really love coming up with weird and wonderful new DnD character builds. Creating a new DnD character is one of the most creative and rewarding parts of the Dungeons and Dragons experience, and theming your builds around your favorite videogame heroes and villains is a splendid way to marry up your beloved hobbies.

Supergiant Games’ hit roguelike sequel Hades 2 came out in Early Access in May 2024, and its big names translate perfectly to DnD – so I’ve created six complete character builds you can play, complete with DnD classes, appropriate DnD races or Lineages to pick, and your starting DnD stats.

I’ve calculated the starting stats using the Points Buy system (check our DnD character creator for details on how that works) and factored in racial stat increases. For each build, your priority stats for each DnD level up are shown in bold. With that, let’s meet the team!

Melinoë – Hexblade Warlock + Shadow Sorcerer

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Starting Stats

In sharp contrast to the first game’s headstrong leading man Zagreus, Hades 2’s main character Melinoë is a cautious and methodical witch. The Aasimar lineage fits the divine parentage of Melinoë and gives her some thematically nice features like Necrotic Shroud or Radiant Soul.

Start with the DnD Warlock class and Hexblade subclass up to level three, to cover the witchy part of Melinoë’s kit, as well as her proficiency with weapons and medium DnD armor. Pick up Pact of the Chain to recreate Melinoë’s familiars. For your Eldritch Invocations choices, Agonizing Blast is a staple of any Warlock build, and Gift of the Everliving Ones gives Melinoë some solid survivability with enhanced heals.

From there, fill out the rest of your build by multiclassing into DnD Sorcerer levels, specifically the Shadow Sorcerer subclass. Strength of the Grave fits perfectly as a ‘Death’s Defiance’ for Melinoe, while Hound of Ill Omen can be re-flavored as Melinoë’s familiar, Toula the Cat. Shadow Walk is easily represented in DnD as one of Selene’s blessings (particularly Wolf Howl). Once you’ve maxed out Charisma, opt for the ever-useful DnD feat Lucky to get better rolls, or Metamagic Adept for more sorcery points.

Hecate – Trickery Cleric

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Hecate is the witchy goddess of magic. Illusions, polymorphs, summoning wraiths, and good old-fashioned fire projectiles make up most of Hecate’s kit. The Eladrin lineage fits Hecate’s magical and ancient roots perfectly.

Take the DnD Cleric class, and focus fully on the Trickery Domain Cleric subclass. The Invoke Duplicity feature easily recreates Hecate’s penchant for illusory magic. Cloak of Shadows is yet another way for Hecate to confuse opponents and works well when paired with her plethora of teleportation abilities.

For combat D&D spells, Polymorph and Spirit Guardians are a must. Once you max out Wisdom, there are two Feats to take: pick up Fey Touched for access to Misty Step, and War Caster to channel Hecate’s impressive ‘constitution’ (her abs).

Nemesis – Battlemaster Fighter + Vengeance Paladin

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In contrast to the slender sorceress Melinoe, the muscular manifestation of pure retribution Nemesis prefers to destroy opponents with the Stygian Blade. The Shadar-Kai lineage of Dungeons and Dragons’ Shadowfell setting works perfectly to represent the Cthonic blood of Nyx’s children.

Begin with the DnD Fighter class and Battlemaster subclass, to reflect Nemesis’ martial prowess, and so you can don heavy armor. Nemesis may be brutally honest, but her skills with the Stygian blade are a sharp contrast to her bluntness. Menacing Attack, Pushing Attack, and Trip Attack fit well for Nemesis. For Fighting Styles, opt for Great Weapon Fighting with your Fighter level, then Defense with your Paladin levels later on.

After the third Fighter level, fill out the build with levels as a DnD Paladin, choosing the Oath of Vengeance Paladin subclass. Thematically, it’s perfect, but mechanically, Divine Smite levels are stronger with more spell slots to play with. The single-target fury wrought by Channel Divinity Features like Abjure Enemy, Vow of Enmity, and Soul of Vengeance is more than fitting for the goddess of revenge. Meanwhile, Relentless Avenger mimics Nemesis’ stubborn determination to exact vengeance.

After you fill out Strength, you could either fill out Constitution, or pick up the Martial Adept feat for more Battle Master maneuvers, and Great Weapon Master for hard-hitting two-handed attacks.

Scylla – Fathomless Warlock + Glamor Bard

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The sultry siren Scylla is one of the breakout stars among the Hades 2 bosses, thanks to her catchy tunes and deadly vocals. DnD’s Sea Elf lineage is ideal, granting Scylla the beauty of the sea and, more importantly, the ability to swim and breathe in it.

Class-wise, the dip into Fathomless Warlock gives Scylla enhanced swim speed and a thematically fitting tentacle attack. For Eldritch Invocations, pick up Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast, so you can match her thunderous vocals in the Scylla boss fight. Speaking of which, pick up Booming Blade as a melee cantrip, in addition to Eldritch Blast.

From there, fill out the build with DnD Bard levels in the College of Glamor Bard subclass, to reflect her musical talents. Scylla can inspire her groupies (you should call your party this when roleplaying as Scylla) with Mantle of Inspiration. Meanwhile, features like Enthralling Performance, Mantle of Majesty, and Unbreakable Majesty showcase the terrifyingly catchy power of an arch siren’s song.

Once you reach 19 Charisma, get it up to 20 with the Actor feat to gain an advantage on Performance and Deception checks, and the ability to mimic other people’s voices.

Heracles – Zealot Barbarian

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Unlike the happy-go-lucky portrayal from Disney, Hades 2’s Heracles is a bitter warrior whose stoicism hides a burning fury. Unlike the rest of the Olympians, Heracles is an extraordinary human who attained godhood through his feats, so Variant Human fits him perfectly. Tavern Brawler lets Heracles grapple and break bones with whatever’s closest to him.

The Barbarian 5e class and Zealot Barbarian subclass are all you need to recreate Heracles’ godlike strength and unrelenting resilience. Divine Fury makes his blows even mightier, while Warrior of the Gods, Fanatical Focus, and Rage Beyond Death ensure Heracles can keep on swinging.

Once you’ve maxed out Strength, pick up the Great Weapon Master feat, to make Heracles’ club hit even harder. Other feats to consider are Grappler and Tough, especially if you intend on recreating feats like strangling Nemean lions.

Eris / Icarus – War Wizard + Artillerist Artificer

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Personality-wise, Eris and Icarus have nothing in common. Eris is Strife Incarnate, a chaotic force who exists only to please her whims. Meanwhile, Icarus is a shy yet friendly shade who helps out Melinoe with upgrades. For roleplay, just shift some of the proficiencies and backgrounds depending on who you prefer.

Mechanically, however, they are remarkably similar.

These winged menaces lay waste on the battlefield with a barrage of bullets and bombs. Since Eris’ wings are natural, and Icarus’ are glued fast to his back, Winged Tiefling is the mechanical choice here for ease of flight. A dip into the DnD Wizard class and War Magic Wizard subclass gives them access to Arcane Deflection and Tactical Wit, powerful features that give them enhanced protection and initiative on the battlefield.

From there, finish the build with levels of DnD Artificer, choosing the Artillerist subclass for extra gunnery goodness. The Eldritch Cannon is an excellent stand-in for Eris’ Adamant Rail, while Icarus likely wields one of his creations. For Artificer Infusions, some good ones to pick up are Boots of the Winding Path, Enhanced Arcane Focus, and Repeating Shot.

Opt for Evocation spells like Firebolt, Fireball, and Scorching Ray for more firepower. Once you’ve maxed out Intelligence, pick up the Sharpshooter feat, then max out Dexterity to maximize the gun aspect of the build.

Any one of these builds should give you a satisfying Dungeons and Dragons character to take through an entire DnD campaign, roleplaying the talents, abilities, and personality of your favorite Hades 2 character or boss.

If you need a little help getting started in the game, check out our guides to creating your DnD character sheet and how to play DnD for beginners. For the latest dungeoneering updates, bookmark our DnD news homepage or follow Wargamer on Google News.

Source: Wargamer