Hades 2’s early access release has enthralled fans of the first game and newcomers alike. With meaningful improvements over the previous game and a brand new protagonist, it is sure to be one of 2024’s biggest releases.

With an entire pantheon of Greek gods to engage with and a compelling main story following the exploits of Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld, there are a lot of secrets to discover and rewards to unlock. As she makes her way through the Underworld toward Olympus, Melinoë makes many interesting discoveries.

The Never-Ending Pursuit of Knowledge

The Book of Shadows is one such item in Hades 2. It is a compendium of Melinoë’s discoveries as she goes through the Underworld, automatically updating itself to reflect events that occur. Melinoë can learn more about different locations, weapons, bosses, and NPCs using the Book of Shadows and even expand its capabilities to track her affinities with individual characters through a special Incantation.

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It’s clear that this book is a must-read as far as the Underworld is concerned. Obtaining it for Melinoë to use is as easy as defeating a specific character a few times over the course of the game.

How to Unlock the Book of Shadows in Hades 2

As she makes her way through the Underworld’s first area, Erebus, Melinoë encounters her mentor, Headmistress Hecate, who challenges her to a one-on-one battle to test her skills. It is a fairly challenging fight for the initial stage of the game, testing all of Melinoë’s skills at dodging and counterattacking.

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You will need to defeat Hecate three times, upon which she rewards you with the Book of Shadows. With the book in your possession, all you need to do is swipe Up on your D-pad or press C on your keyboard if you are playing on PC.

Note that tracking your affinity with individual characters requires you to upgrade the book through a special Incantation. Called Empath’s Intuition, it requires 3x Myrtle and 1x Fate of Fabric, which you can easily obtain through exploring the world or by purchasing them from the Wretched Broker. Perform the Incantation at the Crossroads Cauldron to unlock the upgrade.

The Book of Shadows is very useful in tracking affinities, which you progress by giving the character in question Nectar as a gift. You could invite them to go fishing or take a dip in the hot springs as you unlock them to further improve your bond with them. The Book of Shadows will let you know how far along your bond with them is after such interactions.

Another interesting aspect of the Book of Shadows is its ability to track the number of times you have defeated an enemy. Additional lore on each enemy type unlocks the more you defeat those enemies during your runs through Hades 2’s exquisitely designed world. Expect more functionality out of the book as development continues.

With the Book of Shadows now in your possession, it’s time to take on the rest of what Hades 2 has to offer. For instance, the boss fight against Scylla and the Sirens is sure to be challenging and memorable. For anything else you need in Hades 2, our guides are sure to help.