How to defeat Chronos in Hades 2

Chronis in Hades 2 is the fourth and final boss that you need to defeat to complete your run of the Underworld. His fight is the greatest challenge you will face to help Melinoe extract her revenge against the Titan of Time. This fight is split into multiple phases, and Chronos can easily get overwhelming with his diverse moveset if you’re not paying attention to the fight arena or his animations.

This guide will teach you how to deal with Chronos in Hades 2, what tactics and equipment to use in each phase, and how to take him down.

Beating Chronos in Hades 2

The Chronos fight is split into two phases in Hades 2. The second one starts after you reduce his health to 0%. In the second phase, Chronos will transport you and himself to a new arena, gain 100% health, and acquire some brand-new moves.

Chronos phase 1 attacks

Chronos using Dash in his first phase in Hades 2 (Image via YouTube/Azulazu || Supergiant Games)

Chronos has two phases and a huge pool of attacks that he can use. The range of attacks he uses only increases as you lower his health. Here is a list of all the attacks Chronos uses in his first phase:

Satyr Bodyguards: Chronos has six Satyrs that assist him. These enemies will use their tails (indicated by their tips glowing red) to lunge and spin at your current location.
Dash: Chronos dashes towards you leaving a rift behind him. This trail explodes after a few seconds.
Scythe Throw: Chronos will throw his scythe that covers a large area ahead of him.
Time Bubble: Chronos summons a bubble and teleports away once it forms. It will cause you to freeze for its duration if you get caught in it.
Scythe Slash: Chronos swings his Scythe in an arc that leaves an exploding rift.
Orbs: Chronos summons twelve golden orb projectiles that orbit him during his next attack and then explode.
Reinforcements: Chronos becomes invulnerable and summons reinforcements in the form of six Satyrs or two Large Satyrs.
Time Banners: Chronos summons four banners that will grant him and his summons a barrier that absorbs damage up to four times.
Orb Pulse: Chronos teleports to the middle of the arena and summons 12 orbs that move in waves around him. He will only use this attack if he has minions summoned on the field.
Sand Whirlwind: Chronos spins his Scythe which creates a whirlwind. This whirlwind can suck you into his spinning scythe if caught. There is a very small escape window during which you can dash through without taking damage.
Arc of Light: During his Sand Whirlwind, a light will form beneath Chronos' feet and he will dash in the direction he’s facing.

How to deal with phase one of Chronos in Hades 2

Chronos shields himself and summons his minions in the first phase (Image via YouTube/Azulazu || Supergiant Games)

As soon as the battle starts, you should focus on his Satyr summons. Killing them early will remove the distractions and obstacles between you and Chronos.

In the first phase, most attacks will have sufficient escape windows as long as you pay attention to Chronos’ movements. He relies on a few main moves but you should specifically look out for Scythe Throw. The attack covers a large area, and you can easily get caught in its explosion. However, you can spot this attack and dodge it by noticing his Scythe charge and glow for a brief moment before he performs this attack.

His other main move is Scythe Slash, which you can easily avoid by dashing to one side at the right moment. You can deal a massive amount of damage over time by simply dashing and attacking Chronos at the right moment during this move.

Chronos will also occasionally shield himself and summon more minions, these could be six regular-sized Satyrs or two large ones. They’re regular mobs you’ve faced already on your way through, so they should not be a major problem. Chronos will not attack you while shielded, so this moment will offer some breathing room in the battle.

Chronos will also summon Time Bubble to slow you down as you’re hitting him. You'll have to notice his movements to escape from it. That said, the attack has a relatively lengthy animation, and as long as you’re not spamming your attack button, you should be able to spot it.

Chronos phase 2 attacks

Chronos using Time Burst in his second phase (Image via YouTube/Azulazu || Supergiant Games)

Once you’ve successfully managed to beat Chronos down to 0% health, he will teleport you and himself to a clockface arena. He will have a few new moves for his second phase:

Time Burst: Chronos will lift his Sycthe and draw energy to darken the entire room. After a few seconds, the whole darkened area explodes. The safe zone to survive this move will appear as a light on the ground.
Time Circle: Chronos summons a circle that closes to the center of the platform. Touching this circle will deal damage. After Chronos loses 50% health, he will summon two circles, the second from the middle of the arena which moves outward.
Time Bubbles: Chronos summons multiple Time Bubbles that are similar to those in the first phase but smaller in size. They have the same freezing effect and duration as those in phase one.
Clock Hands: Clock hands will appear at the center of the arena and move clockwise. Touching them deals damage.
Reinforcements: Chronos summons two to three Tempuses. These are the same as normal enemies.

How to deal with phase two of Chronos in Hades 2

Maintain distance and use long-range spells and weapons to overcome Chronos' second phase ((Image via YouTube/Azulazu || Supergiant Games)

Chronos gets a lot more aggressive in phase two, however, he has significantly less health compared to phase one. As a result, he will go down much quicker in this phase if you’re able to survive and find attack windows amid the chaos.

Chronos will mostly stay in the middle of the arena in this phase and fire long-range projectiles or area-of-effect moves, so a good strategy is to avoid anything that approaches you.

His first move is usually Time Burst, which you can easily avoid by moving to the lit-up area on the battlefield. You can also try to drop an Omega cast to deal damage as he does this move.

Chronos will summon minions, Time Bubble, and a Clock Hand attack that can be avoided by running around the arena and properly positioning yourself. However, the frequency of these attacks is quite high and may cause you to panic and make bad decisions. Try to stay calm during the battle and utilize a hit-and-run strategy to deal maximum damage to Chronos.

Eventually, you will be able to drop his health to zero. Chronos will then fall to his knees, admitting his defeat and giving you Z Sand as a reward for defeating him.

Build recommendation for beating Chronos in Hades 2

Any form of boons that help with casting is recommended for this battle (Image via YouTube/Azulazu || Supergiant Games)

Beating Chronos in Hades 2 is not an easy task. You will need to carefully study his attack patterns, discover small attack windows, and manage your health to take him down successfully.

That said, you can try the following build and tools to have better chances of defeating this final boss in Hades 2:

Weapon: While you can beat Chronos with any weapon in Hades 2, Witch’s Staff probably offers the best mix of speed and long-range. It is a great help for dealing with his summons and for attacking him from a safe distance during phase two.

Arcana Cards: There are two Arcana Cards that are a must-have during the Chronos fight:

I, The Sorceress: It slows down time for two seconds while casting Omega moves.
XII, Eternity: It starts your run with one Death Defiance, basically giving you a second chance in case you die.

Keepsake: There are multiple Keepsakes in Hades 2, however Knuckle Bones from Odysseus will help you the most in this fight. It causes you to take 15% less damage from Chronos while also reducing his HP by 5%.

Boons: Multiple Gods in Hades 2 grant you boons that boost your casting damage or lower casting time. Here’s a list of recommended boons for Chronos in Hades 2:

Storm Ring (Zeus): Omega casts summons a lightning bolt.
Lightning Lance (Zeus): Allows you to fire your cast at range and deal damage when hit.
Solar Ring (Apollo): Deals bonus damage when Omega cast expires.
Lucid Gain (Apollo): Restores magick when standing within the cast.
Super Nova (Apollo): Increases the range of your cast.
Smolder Ring (Hestia): Your cast inflicts burn on enemies.
Anvil Ring (Hephaestus): Your cast deals damage three times.
Easy Shot (Artemis): An arrow hits the target damaged by your Omega cast.

Hex: You can get Gift of Moon from Selene, these are spells that deal massive damage but only work after you’ve spent a specific amount of Magick. The recommended Hex for this fight are:

Total Eclipse: An area-of-effect attack that deals a large amount of damage.
Phase Shift: Makes everything slow for a few seconds.

Chronos in Hades 2 is going to be your final challenge after successfully defeating Infernal Beast. While he can feel overwhelming, focus on your survival and understanding his attack patterns to seize victory over the Titan of Time.

Check out more Hades 2 articles here:

How to defeat Hecate in Hades 2 || How to defeat Scylla in Hades 2 || All known Duo Boons in Hades 2