The Surface is one of the most exciting and demanding regions in Hades 2. It represents a tonal and difficulty break, not just because of the new biomes and foes but also since Melinoë herself is troubled by the Chthonic laws that separate the Underworld from the mortal realm. Reaching the Surface is a mid-game accomplishment that requires a bit of planning, a few incantations, and some frustrating resource hunts. Surviving is a whole different story, as the game immediately inflicts a debilitating curse upon you.
This guide walks you through every step of opening up the Surface — from meeting Hermes to concocting the Permeation of Witching-Wards — and informs you how to live through the deadly curse following your arrival.
Unlocking the Surface
The path to the Surface isn’t a direct shot. You won’t stumble into it by accident — instead, the game requires specific conversations and crafting actions.
Your first breakthrough is accomplished once you’ve defeated Hecate. Once she’s dead, Hermes has an opportunity to appear in one of your future runs (typically by the second or third). His dialogue strongly suggests the Surface, informing Melinoë that she must go upwards, but he’s vague on the specifics.
Hecate herself eventually provides enlightenment. After speaking with her on several occasions at the Crossroads, she provides you with the recipe for the Permeation of Witching-Wards, the spell that removes the magical seal shutting off the stairway to the Surface.
Brewing the Permeation of Witching-Wards
You brew this spell at the large cauldron in the Crossroads. The recipe involves a mix of exploration and alchemy:
- 3 Moly: Yellow blooms scattered around Erebus. They spawn randomly, so grab them when you see them.
- 1 Cinder: Drop from defeating Hecate. Since she’s the first major boss, you’ll obtain this naturally as you go along.
- 1 Shadow: This requires some more work. Switch tabs to alchemy at the cauldron and concoct Shadow Extraction, which has its own recipe.
Shadow Extraction requires:
- 30 Ash (from Ash-marked rooms or the Wretched Broker),
- 30 Psyche (earned in Psyche-marked rooms, from the Broker, or by helping Lone Shades),
- 3 Fated Fabric (purchaseable or earned from prophecies).
Unlike most cauldron recipes, Shadow Extraction must brew for 12 encounters before it’s ready. Once complete, you’ll have the Shadow necessary to finish the Permeation of Witching-Wards.
When you’ve brewed the incantation, head toward the chamber with Commander Schelemeus. Instead of taking the usual exit, you’ll now find stairs leading upward. With the ward dispelled, those stairs become your gateway to the Surface.
The Chthonic Fate Curse
Unfortunately, stepping onto the Surface doesn’t mean freedom. Almost immediately, you’ll notice Melinoë is afflicted by the Chthonic Fate curse. This unique debuff continuously drains her health — growing worse every five seconds — making it impossible to clear more than two or three rooms before collapsing.
This is on purpose: the Surface is locked behind a further layer of advancement. To remove the curse, you need to cast another spell: Unravelling a Fateful Bond.
Unlocking Unravelling a Fateful Bond
The recipe for this spell is provided to you by Moros after your first death on the Surface. It’s an unavoidable story beat, so embrace the inevitability. Once you’ve gotten back to the Crossroads, you can check the cauldron for the new recipe.
The ingredients are more demanding, requiring resources from a number of areas:
- 2 Nightshade: Plant nightshade seeds in the Crossroads garden. Seeds are uncovered by digging in Erebus using the Silver Spade.
- 2 Lotus: These pink flowers are fairly common in Oceanus, so grab them whenever you spot any.
- 2 Moss: This only grows on the Surface itself. You’ll have to endure several trips into the cursed zone until you’ve gathered enough. Luckily, two attempts are generally enough.
- 2 Thalamus: Grown in your garden from origin seeds, which are dug up in Chaos. Chaos will yield one origin seed after your first Surface excursion — enough to complete this prerequisite.
Plant as soon as possible, since gardening on Hades 2 runs is effective.
Preparing to Survive the Surface
Once Unravelling a Fateful Bond is brewed, the curse is lifted, and Melinoë can explore the Surface without the constant HP drain. Survival above ground still demands preparation, however:
Expect more hostile enemies. Enemies on the Surface hit harder and are less forgiving than those in Erebus or Oceanus.
Amass plenty of resources. Healing, Death Defiance charges, and Magick regeneration become even more essential. Cards like Persistence, The Unseen, or Death are excellent assists.
Garden management matters. Many ingredients for late-game incantations, including Surface-related ones, are tied to plants you must grow. Always keep your plots busy.
