While Hades 2 introduces several new characters with intriguing new boons, it's hard to argue against Circe being the most interesting of the bunch. While Narcissus, Echo, and the others all offer extremely helpful boons, for the most part, they are all relatively straightforward, providing upgrades that Hades regulars would not be surprised to find. Circe does offer her share of basic boons, but the best of her offerings affect Melinoë in ways most players never saw coming.

Hades 2 Hardest Bosses Chronos Eris Polyphemus
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Circe is encountered late in the Rift of Thessaly. Both she and Medea were sent by Hecate to report on Hades 2's new surface area. Circe's encounters can be fairly rare, and generally come late in a surface run. Because of this, it seems as though many of her boons are meant to help deal with Eris, the surface's final Guardian (currently). This guide will explore the entire list of Changes & Fortunes, and organize a list of Circe's best boons.

Hades 2 is currently in Early Access. This means that much of the game is subject to change. If any aspect of Circe's boons is altered in any future update, this guide will be updated accordingly.

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7 Black Night Banishment

  • Black Night Banishment

    • Randomly draw one of your active Vows and remove its effect this night.

  • Black Night Banishment is a special case, and deserves its own special place on this list. Vows are only accessible after you defeat Chronos, Hades 2's current final boss. They work much the same way Heat worked in the original game. So, having the ability to remove the effects of one, while still acquiring Hades 2's Nightmare material, is extremely compelling. However, by the time you get to Circe, you are basically at the current end of a surface run and have only one enemy to fight: Eris. There's no doubt that it is easier to defeat Eris without a Vow than with one. But this is not the only issue with this boon.
  • Many players will not even see Black Night Banishment, because it is only offered if you have a Vow active. For this reason, it will currently stay at the end of the list. However, once Mt. Olympus is introduced into Hades 2, there is a good chance that this may change.

6 Chants to the Bewitched

  • Chants to the Bewitched

    • Various Animal Familiars abilities are 100% stronger this night.

  • For reasons similar to Black Night Banishment, Chants to the Bewtiched is lower on the list than it might otherwise be if more of Hades 2 was currently available. By the time you reach Circe, it's hard to imagine how doubling Frinos or Toula's abilities would help defeat Eris, at least enough to justify not taking one of Circe's other boons. This list will likely need to be reevaluated once more familiars are introduced into the game.

5 Red Citrine Divination

  • Red Citrine Divination

    • Randomly draw one of your inactive Arcana and activate it this night.

  • From this point forward, the rest of Circe's boons have the potential to be extremely helpful. Red Citrine Divination can be very subjective, because it depends greatly on the inactive Arcana you currently possess in your Altar of Ash. This does not mean any Arcana you are not using. This refers specifically to the Arcana you have unlocked, but are not using. If you currently have a low Grasp level, but several unlocked and inactive Arcana, then this could be a helpful boon. However, if you are using all Arcana you desire, then it's better to pass this boon over in favor of another.
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4 Lapis Lazuli Insight

  • Lapis Lazuli insight

    • Randomly draw one of your active Arcana and upgrade it this night.

  • For most players, Lapis Lazuli Insight will be better than Red Citrine Divination. Having a chance to upgrade the Arcana you already favor can be extremely helpful. Of course, just as with the previous boon, there are exceptions to this rule. If it is early in the game, and you have far more inactive Arcana, then you may want to consider going with that boon. Or, if all of your active Arcana are fully upgraded, it may be better to skip this boon. It is currently unknown if this boon can upgrade your Arcana beyond the cap.

3 Old Herbal Remedy

  • Old Herbal Remedy

    • Any health effects are 25% stronger. Restore 50% health now.

  • Once the surface section is fleshed out, this boons may slip down the list. But for now, restoring health immediately can be extremely helpful for those players struggling to get through the Rift of Thessaly. While the extra 25% strength for health items will really only help you if Charon is selling an item, this boon is still worth nabbing if you need that crucial health boost before taking on Eris.
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2 Word of Greater Girth

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  • Word of Greater Girth

    • Grow in size, so that your strikes deal +15% damage.

  • While there is currently no evidence of there being any material benefits for turning Melnoë into a giant beyond the 15% increase in damage, there must be a psychological benefit, because every fight against Eris with this boon active has been incredibly one-sided, at least during the creation of this guide. Still, the extra damage makes this boon incredibly powerful, and one of the best offered by Circe. It helps that Melinoë's voice is altered, though we won't spoil it here.
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1 Word of Smaller Stature

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  • Word of Smaller Stature

    • Shrink in size, so that you move +15% faster, and have +15% chance to Dodge.

  • Word of Smaller Stature is not just Circe's best boon, it's one of the best boons in Hades 2. It's a shame that it is currently only helpful against Eris, because the increased speed and incredibly high Dodge chance can make that fight almost trivial. It seems designed to counter all of Eris' strengths. Eris moves quickly, but not as quickly as tiny Melinoë. The barrage from the Adamant Rail is much less dangerous when Melinoë has a chance of dodging numerous shots. To top it all off, hearing Mel's dialogue while this boon is active is a true treat. The first major update cannot come soon enough, as any chance to use this boon more is an exciting prospect.
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Hades 2
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Action
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Hack and Slash
RPG
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Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
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Released
September 25, 2025
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Teen / Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
Supergiant Games
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Supergiant Games
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Action, Roguelite, Hack and Slash, RPG