Part 5

Hades II Part 5 covers Artemis's Divine Flourish, Poseidon's Tempest Flourish, and Cast boons like Sticking and Non-Sticking.

Artemis, Divine Flourish

Divine Flourish offers +60% damage and the ability to deflect projectiles. While useful defensively, especially for the Heart-Seeking Bow, it lacks the deflection range on the Aspect of Chiron or Aspect of Rama Specials. It is not considered Athena's best boon, with a superior Deflect ability yet to be detailed.

Poseidon, Tempest Flourish

Tempest Flourish provides +70% damage and knockback. Its use with the Adamant Rail can be problematic, unintentionally drawing enemies closer. Viable uses include:

• With the Eternal Spear Aspect of Zagreus and Exploding Launcher, it creates a fast, spammable projectile that hits enemies against walls and traps, preventing them from approaching. Without Exploding Launcher, enemies return on the projectile's path and aiming is less precise.
• With the Heart-Seeking Bow (excluding Aspect of Rama), it can keep enemies at bay in a spammable manner, but is not damage-efficient, vulnerable to ranged foes, and ineffective in boss fights.

Poseidon's primary boons are generally considered weak; refer to supplementary boons for more helpful effects.

CAST BOONS

Cast boons are important but typically contribute a small portion of total damage unless powerful synergies, often involving Duo boons, are established. The strongest base Cast boon damage at Common rarity is 100. With limited cast uses per run (regardless of Infernal Soul or Stygian Soul), weapons are often more reliable for key fights. The casting animation also leaves you vulnerable.

Sticking Casts: Bloodstones deal immediate damage and lodge in enemies. They are dislodged after a delay or via the Stygius Aspect of Poseidon's Special. Sticking Casts deal damage more quickly but have less frequent use (depending on Mirror of Night skills). The supplementary boon Exit Wounds (Artemis) and the Mirror of Night skills Boiling Blood and Abyssal Blood only affect Sticking Casts.

Non-Sticking Casts: These create continuous damage or effects within the chamber. Bloodstones are retrieved immediately after the effect expires, allowing for quick reuse. The Mirror of Night skills Boiling Blood and Abyssal Blood have no effect with Non-Sticking Casts.

Mirror of Night Synergy:

• Infernal Soul attribute generally stacks well with Non-Sticking Casts, which often have higher direct damage potential with complementary boons.
• Stygian Soul attribute generally stacks well with Sticking Casts, which benefit from debuffs via Boiling Blood and Abyssal Blood.

These are general rules and can be altered by available boons.

Complications for Infernal Soul vs. Stygian Soul:

1. Hermes's Legendary boons (Greater Recall for Infernal Soul, Bad News for Stygian Soul) affect Cast boon effectiveness.
2. Boons providing additional bloodstones (from Chaos and Artemis) scale differently with each Soul option.
3. The Duo boon Lightning Rod, arguably the best non-speed run boon, is only available with one of these Soul choices.

Hermes Boons:

• Greater Recall (Legendary, for Infernal Soul): Synergizes with Sticking or Non-Sticking Casts by automatically returning bloodstones from anywhere in the chamber as soon as they are visible.
• Bad News (Legendary, for Stygian Soul): Deals +50% Cast damage to enemies without a bloodstone stuck in them. This significantly buffs Non-Sticking Casts, potentially reversing the general rule regarding Infernal Soul and Non-Sticking Casts.

Bloodstone Count Boons

Chaos boons are highly recommended.