Hades 2 marks Supergiant Games’ triumphant return to the action RPG rogue-like genre. With a number of meaningful improvements to the first title accompanying a compelling new protagonist, the game’s early access is garnering a lot of positive attention.

This is because Melinoë finds a lot of new mechanics in the Underworld and outside of it. She needs every advantage she can get in the fight against Chronos, the Titan of Time and her grandfather.

Incanting the Crossroads to Life

As Melinoë begins to make her way to the Underworld to eventually reach Olympus, she finds that the Crossroads acts as a great central hub. With her trusted mentor, Hecate, to guide her, she soon finds that there is a lot more to this area than meets the eye.

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By using special items gained from battle or found in the world, Melinoë can perform Incantations to add special functionality to the Crossroads and add new buildings to it. In her quest to find a way to open up the Crossroads Taverna, she learns of the Rite of Social Solidarity, which requires Garlic as a special ingredient.

Where to Find Garlic in Hades 2 (and How to Use It)

It’s a bad idea to try and hunt down Garlic in the Underworld. It grows only on Olympus, and Melinoë has a lot of homework to do before she can get there. Moreover, she can only collect Garlic Seeds, which must then be planted at the Crossroads and given enough time to yield a reward.

Considering that Olympus is one of the later regions in the game, it can be useful to equip Melinoë with everything she may need to cultivate Garlic later on. To begin with, unlocking the gate to Olympus, which can be found directly opposite the Underworld gate in the Crossroads, requires Eve to perform Incantations to unlock more of the area before she can access Olympus.

Eventually, Melinoë learns the Permeation of Witching-Wards incantation that allows her to travel to the surface world. It requires several rare resources, requiring you to progress through the game to collect them all. This Incantation allows her to enter Olympus. Surviving there is another matter entirely.

While she is in the process of unlocking the Olympus gate, Melinoë can choose to add Unraveling a Fateful Bond Incantation to her repertoire. Coming from the Underworld, the air of Olympus is toxic to her, gradually wearing down her HP and forcing her to return to the Crossroads from time to time. Without this Incantation, it can be difficult for her to survive long enough to reach the City of Ephyra.

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With both Incantations in place, the final step to allow Melinoë to harvest Garlic Cloves from Ephyra is the Silver Spade, which she can craft for 10 Silver at the Silver Pools. Once the Garlic Cloves are in your possession, return to the Crossroads.

In the early-access stage, the main use for Garlic is to unlock the Taverna. Note that in addition to 2 units of Garlic, Melinoë will also need the same amount of Nectar for the Rite of Social Solidarity. Simply interact with the Cauldron at the Crossroads and select the Incantation.

Garlic is one of the many resources that Hades 2 players have to hunt down. For more help, look no further than our Hades 2 guides.