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There are six planned weapons forHades 2, but none hit as hard in a single swing as the Moonstone Axe. Available in the early game, you might be put off by its slower speed or the strange deviation from Melinoe’s magical style, but don’t be fooled. The Moonstone Axe is an S-tier weapon you don’t want to set aside.
With an incredibly wide range for its Omega Special and ability to cleave through armour and empowered bosses like they’re your average Shade, the Moonstone Axe is the epitome of ‘BONK.’ If you want to earn some style points and become an axe-wielding witch of nightmares, we have everything you need to know to make it happen.
Hades 2 is currently in Early Access, meaning that the details below may change over the course of development.
Updated July 11, 2025 by Alexis Campbell:We’ve updated this guide to reflect numerous Olympian and War Song changes affecting the significant changes to Moonstone Axe movesets and upgrade abilities. Revisions to reflect new Olympian boons and their synergies with the axe have been made.
Description
Attack
Melinoe swings the axe three times, scaling from 40 damage and doubling damage with each hit for a total of 160 damage on the final strike (or 320 damage for the entire combo). It swings left, then right, and then slows to charge a final, mighty overhead swing.
You can dash through this final swing to suddenly move it to another location within dashing distance.
Omega Attack
Holding the attack button to charge, Melinoe will begin to spin, increasing speed until fully charged and erupting with several quick spinning attacks once unleashed.
Special
A quick, forward, and short-range attack that throws and slightly spins the axe. It deals a quick amount of damage before returning.
Omega Special
Melinoe charges while the axe spins in front of her. When fully charged, it releases a massive wave of strikes forward and across the arena in a straight line. The wave spreads outward as well, potentially damaging enemies on the fringes.
The Moonstone Axe isa slow but extremely sturdy weaponthat makes up for its terrible speed with incredible damage.
Its normal attack is impressive enough with its damage output and wide, arcing range and a rapid-spinning Omega Attack, but itshines the most with its Omega Special.
The Moonstone Axe special no longer blocks attacks or interrupts projectiles.
Dishing out massive damage in a wide area ahead,the axe Omega Special shuts down most enemy mobsandhas great synergy with almost every damage-infusing god boon.In Erebus, this attack can one-shot most standard enemies.
With the Patch 2.0 updates, this Omega Special has an additional lingering barrier for the few frames between the finished charge and the use of the Omega Special attack for more reliable blocking.
Aspect of Melinoe
This is the default incarnation. It has no special effects to begin with, but upgrading it will increase your Max Life as well as grant additional power for all your attacks.
Aspect of Charon
This aspect will empower your Casts, by lengthening their staying time. However, you’re able to detonate your Casts as well sooner by hitting your Cast with your charged Omega Special.
Aspect of Thanatos
This aspect gives you the chance to build a Critical Hit chance while also increasing your Attack speed. Each time you hit an enemy with an attack, you will gain one percent Critical chance up to a certain threshold. This Critical chance only affects your Omega attacks (Attack, Special, or Cast). Your built Critical chance resets to zero when you take damage.
You won’t be able to unlock the chance for aspects until youunlock them via their incantation, but once you do, theonly aspect available to start will be Charon’s.
TheAspect of Thanatos is gained after several instances of dialogue with Chaos. Eventually, he will grant you access to this aspect, turning your axe into a scythe. It requires a piece of Darkness granted by Chaos himself to unlock.
Each aspect has its pros and cons. None of them have a claim to being the best, butone might be a better fit for your playstyle than another:
Best Boons and Upgrades For The Moonstone Axe
In general, you’re able to assume that any upgrades or boons that increase the axe’s ability to quickly attack or increase survivability are coveted.
You want to cover the possible deficiencies of this weapon while playing on its strengths as far as you can.
Effect
Giga Cleaver
Your cleaving attack will strike twice for an additional 15 magic cost.
This takes everything great about the Omega Special and doubles it on a budget. You’ll be able to mass-curse mobs of enemies (if they even survive) while saving magic and sneaking in a second attack in a fraction of the time.
Psychic Whirlwind
Allows you to use your Omega Attack while dashing, attacking, or casting.
This makes the Omega Attack far more viable and less risky to use. With a wider range of versatility, you can use this devastating attack without worrying about canceling attacks to dodge or taking damage from beefier enemies.
Executioner’s Chop
Makes the final attack in your Attack combo chain hit twice in exchange for 20 magic.
Although a costly upgrade, this upgrade means that the final move of your Attack combo will deal 320 damage alone. It does require building a steady source of magic regeneration, but the payoff can be tremendous.
Rapid Slash
Your Attack speed is increase by 30 percent.
This upgrade is pretty straightforward but can make an enormous impact on your gameplay, especially if you’re using the already speed-boosting Thanatos Axe and any of Apollo or Hermes’s speed boons. It was originally the Marauder’s Slash, but the Patch 2.0 upgrade moved this ability from “niche” to a firm recommendation in our books as it has dropped its negative points and now also increases your Omega Attack speed as well.
While there are several good boons for the axe,the four above stick out amidst the restwith the first two being the ones you’ll be dying to get for most of your runs (pun intended).
There are two boonsfor the axe, however,that we realized are not always the best optionsfor successful runs and fall into the niche category:
Evaluation
Demeter
Being able to freeze enemies will be a massive benefit for a slow weapon. It’s a massive benefit and a way to get even more devastating blows in.
Zeus
Blitz’s damage threshold for activation is no hard achievement for the axe. With a single blow, the axe can trigger Blitz and then reapply it (if your enemy is even still standing) with your next. The Arc Flash boon introduced in the War Song update also increases the damage of Blitz when activated by Omega moves, making it a perfect mold for the Omega-heavy axe.
Hephaestus
The exploding attack can be a devastating addition to an already powerful weapon. An additional 200 or 400 damage with your swings cannot be scoffed at. Likewise, additional armor is nice for a build likely to get penalized for poor speed. But the greatest benefit of Hephaestus is his Invulnerability boon which allows the set-up for catastrophic attacks like Charon Axe’s Omega Special or the axe’s Omega Attack without risking your health.
Apollo
Apollo is the premium option for Charon Axe builds thanks to the wider Special ranges and devastatingly important Cast boons, Super Nova and Prominence Flare (increased Cast size and detonation damage). Additionally, Daze’s chance to help you dodge is a benefit for this slow weapon.
Additionally, Apollo’s Exceptional Talent boon stacks with Giga Cleaver, allowing your Omega Special to fire four times. The total Magicka cost, however, is 65.
Ares
The Wounds mechanic substantially increases the already impressive damage output of the axe. Subsequently, Blood Drop boons, Grievous Blow, and Single Elimination just add to the potential damage total - especially Blood Drops that help the axe’s lackluster speed.
The best boons you may take from the gods are those that lean into your damage and raise your own speed.
When it comes to the remaining gods:
The Thanatos Axe can create a deadly Critical build with Artemis’s boons, Artemis’s White Antler keepsake, and Raki the familiar - best used to in the first area of any run. This type of build can burn through entire entry areas in under two minutes, making it the easiest and most reliable way for speedruns.
How To Best Use The Moonstone Axe In Combat
The Moonstone Axe requires a balance of melee and distanced combat.While it’s tempting to come in hot, it’s actually best to juggle your melee Attack and distant Omega Special.
Instead,follow these tips:
Of course, there are always minor changes in playstyle when using different aspects. The most notable for the axe is Charon’s Axe, meaning you’ll want to focus primarily onsetting up your Cast firstand only then attacking from afar with theOmega Special.
Some bosses will have attacks that prevent you from getting close or require a retreat to survive, soyour Omega Special will be key.This means that you’ll have towatch your magic bar at all times.
When it comes to general strategy in choosing boons:
Finding a way to increase or create self-sustaining magic will be key.
Keep in mind that when it comes to magic consumption, the axe is second only to the torches.
As long as you have a solid magic regeneration and can manage this juggling style, the Moonstone Axe will never betray you. Your enemies will quake in fear as you raise the gleaming, moonlit blade above your head.
