Hades 2: How To Defeat The Mega-Dracon

Minibosses in Hades 2 can be annoying and difficult, but the Great-Dracon is a welcome respite to the dangerous swarms of Mount Olympus. Although you might be hesitant to challenge a room with that dreaded miniboss sigil, the idea of a familiar, easier challenge in return for an Olympic boon should certainly tempt you.

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We walk you through how to defeat Chronos in Hades 2.

Mega-Dracon likes to intimidate with his size, but we promise that the mechanical beast is more spark than inferno (we'll leave the inferno to Prometheus). However, don't let the familiarity lure you too firmly into a sense of security. One wrong move could leave you a little more than singed.

Mega-Dracon Move Descriptions And Counters

Attack

Wind-Up Tells And Attack Description

Suggested Counters

Fire Ball Spin

Gathering light energy in its mouth, it begins to glide to one side (typically counter-clockwise) and spews 12~ fireballs that fly out in an arc.

If the Dracon spun counter-clockwise, stay to the Dracon's right and begin attacking (staying outside the arc). If the Dracon spun clockwise, stay to the Dracon's left.

Flaming Charge

Dracon pulls its head back as its eyes begin to glow. Shortly after, it charges forward, spewing flames under and shortly ahead in a straight line until it reaches the edge of the arena. The flames last slightly behind the Dracon, leaving a trail for approximately two seconds.

When you see the glowing eyes, begin sprinting left or right of the Dracon's head, dodging if necessary to avoid being in front of it.

Spin

Purple energy gathers on the Dracon's tail. It straightens out and then unleashes a large spinning attack.

Either sprint out of the Dracon's immediate range to follow-up with a ranged attack or, if you're on a melee build, stay on the border of the spin and dash inward for a Dash-Attack just as the spin begins.

Fire Breath

Gathering energy in its mouth, the Dracon rears back and then spews fire forward. The trail of fire can track the player, curving up to 45 degrees from the original line.

Get close to the Dracon and doge either to the left or right of it. If not close enough to make it before the flames begin, sprint on the outside edge of the arena, dodging the final frames of the attack if necessary.

The Mega-Dracon thankfully doesn't have any new attacks outside the standard Dracon moveset.

Between the two, the most glaring difference is in the size of the attacks. Because most projectiles are far larger than their normal counterparts, please study the table and counters above to ensure you don't underestimate the distance on habit.

How To Beat The Mega-Dracon

As previously mentioned, the best part about this boss is that it isn't anything you haven't faced before. The key differences between the Mega-Dracon and its lesser counterparts are:

1. It's much, much bigger in size.
2. It has a higher damage output (and larger attack radii).
3. It always comes with armour (more health and no stagger).
4. It can be affected by the Testaments, making Shadow Clones and perks a possible danger.

Your main preparations should be made with Prometheus in mind, but if you have the ability to take up these things without risking your run against him, we recommend the following:

• Skills that increase the damage dealt to foes with armour.
• Boons that increase the potential for you to evade or dodge attacks.
• Hestia's Legendary boon that negates all Fire damage to one damage.

Poseidon's push and slip boons can also be useful as they can push the Dracon out of the arena, and while outside the arena, it is incapable of starting attack animations.

Hestia's Legendary boon also has the added benefit of being extremely helpful for Prometheus's fight as it also negates most of his attacks to one damage.

To power through the Dracon's armour, you'll have to be very aggressive in capitalizing on his openings.

Thankfully, each of his attacks has an opportunity for damage, but these are the best:

• Fire Ball Spin: This is the best opportunity for damage since the attack animation is very long and easy to avoid. Abuse it by staying on the appropriate side and making the most of it.
• Fire Breath: If you're on his side during the start of this attack (or close to), he'll be locked into a distant flame attack animation while you attack for the duration.

If you've already encountered Athena and gotten a Deflect boon, the Fire Ball Spin can be deflected for extra damage.

If the above isn't enough to make you feel cozier in your toasty fight with the Mega-Dracon, we've compiled some more useful, general tips:

• Mega-Dracon's moves typically punish those that try to keep their distance. Staying up-close and personal with Mega-Dracon is generally the better play.
• If you're playing with a Shadow Dracon, focus on the regular Mega-Dracon. If you can't get to the real one, do what damage you can on the shadow in the interim. Otherwise, it isn't worth expending time on.
• Blocking Mega-Dracon with the Black Coat's Omega Attack isn't consistent, and we don't recommend it unless you have the World Collider boon to make the sacrifice of damage worth it.
• Because the amount of time Dracon spends in animations is so long, you'll have the opportunity for ample backstab damage. Sister Blades users should not let these opportunities go to waste.
• Don't count on Freeze with the Mega-Dracon. It's already slow, and slowing it further doesn't make much of a difference.
• Likewise, Cast doesn't appear to serve well in keeping him in check. He doesn't care to stay in it very much (especially not long enough for normal Omega Cast damage), so zoning via Cast is not reliable.

Although zoning with a Cast is not reliable, do not discredit the possibilities performed by casts beyond zoning. The Charon Axe and Poseidon's immediate detonation boon can both be useful for getting your Omega detonation damage.

Meanwhile, boons that throw the cast for damage (like Hestia and Dionysus's boons) can be a great alternative for ranged attacks when necessary. Passive effects (with boons from Hestia, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Zeus, Apollo, and others) should also not be discredited for getting in a little extra damage.

Once Mega-Dracon's armour is broken, you can consider the fight well-and-truly over.

Easily staggered, you should spam your normal attack on Mega-Dracon as soon as his armour is gone. He won't be able to fight back, and the match will be secure.

If you're also fighting with the shadow duplicate, we recommend juggling dodge while attacking the real threat.

At this point, your goal should be to prevent the real Dracon from making any attacks so that you won't be pressed to dodge two sequences of attacks simultaneously.

When the Dracon is finally put down, you'll likely get a boon from it. Pick the one that best suits you and your plan for Prometheus.

After all, the dreaded Titan of Foresight is just around the corner, and the Mega-Dracon was just a light warm-up to the fiery battle about to ensue.

Hades 2: How To Beat Prometheus

Need some tips for beating Prometheus in Hades 2?