How to defeat the Infernal Beast in Hades 2

After Hecate and Scylla, the Infernal Beast is the third main boss you will encounter in Hades 2. If you’ve played the first installment of the series, you might recognize this boss to be Cerberus.

However, fighting him isn’t the same as it was in the first game. The boss has brand-new moves and techniques you'll need to familiarize yourself with before taking on the challenge.

This boss can be a major roadblock and end your long run if you barge in unprepared. Here's how to deal with the Infernal Beast's attacks, what tactics to use in each phase, and how to take him down.

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Beating Infernal Beast in Hades 2

The Cerebus fight consists of two phases. The second one starts once you reduce his health to below 50%. Cerberus is stuck to the ground in the first phase and uses a limited number of attacks, while in the second, he will follow you and use new attacks alongside his phase-one moves.

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Infernal Beast phase 1 attacks

Cerberus using Flame Fangs during phase 1 (Image via Supergiant Games || YouTube @Johnnie's Here)

Paw Stomp: Cereberus slams his paws, creating an AOE shockwave. Spot this attack by noticing him raise his arm or both arms. Dash away or time your dash as soon as the paws hit the ground.

Charged Vines: Cerberus grows a ring of vines around himself that explodes after a short delay. This attack has a generous escape window, keep an eye on the ground for the vine’s ring.

Triple Vine Rings: A variation of the above attack, Cereberus summons three rings of vine around him that explode after a short duration. The attack has the same escape window, watch out for the rings and dash away before the attack lands.

Flame Fangs: Cerberus shoots a stream of flame shaped like fangs. Spot this attack by watching the movement of Cereberus’s heads. All three heads will lurch forward and then retract before the flames come out.

Flaming Swipe: Cerberus casts multiple flame orbs that travel short distances. Spot this attack by noticing his right paw for the signal of an upcoming Flame Swipe attack. Dash away to one side.

Miasma Smoke: Small orbs come out from his back that explode when they hit the ground. There’s a very generous escape window, and you can easily spot the orbs in the air before they crash. Avoid the crash area by dashing or moving away.

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How to deal with Infernal Beast phase 1

Dodging his AOE attacks and using long-range weapons or spells is the key to victory in phase 1 (Image via Supergiant Games || YouTube @Johnnie's Here)

Infernal Beast uses multiple AOE attacks that can quickly end your run if you’re not careful with your positioning. Thankfully, Cerberus will be stuck to the ground during its first phase.

If you’ve racked up some boons that increase your area coverage like Poseidon’s King Tide or Hepaestus’ Volcanic Strike, you can easily deal considerable damage from a safe distance.

Keep an eye out for attacks like Triple Vine Rings and Miasma Smoke. They cover a wide area but are well-telegraphed, so you should easily know when they're approaching.

While you can use any weapon in Hades 2, you will have an easier time using a long-range weapon like Witch's Staff or Moonstone Axe.

Focus on dodging the AOE moves and surviving as long as you can to study his movements. Do not try to overpower him by spamming your attacks. While several moves can take a huge chunk of your health, those are well-telegraphed and offer generous dodge windows.

Overall, the fight in phase 1 isn’t all that difficult as long as you pay attention to the moves and don’t spam the attack button.

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Infernal Beast phase 2 attacks

Cerberus spawns armored enemies in his phase 2 transition (Image via Supergiant Games || YouTube @Johnnie's Here)

Once you take down 50% HP of Infernal Beast in Hades 2, he will disappear and spawn armored minions. Defeat them before Cerberus reappears.

Upon reappearing, Cerberus will not only use the moves from his first phase but also throw in some new ones to the mix. Here’s a list of new moves and how to deal with them:

Safe Ring: Cerberus casts a safe area around himself while the rest of the boss room explodes. You can tell he’s about to use this attack when he buries both paws underground and leans forward before the whole arena turns red to signal the explosions.

Inhale: Cerberus unleashes a vacuum that pulls you toward him. Notice the wind stream coming and immediately dash away to the side of Cerberus.

Fireballs: Cerberus shoots a barrage of homing fireballs. Sprint in one direction and keep moving around him in circles till the attack ends.

Flame Arc: Cerberus shoots a short-distance flame arc that travels in one direction. Dodge out of the way of the arc.

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How to deal with Infernal Beast phase 2

Look for small attack windows while fighting Cerberus in phase 2 (Image via Supergiant Games || YouTube @Johnnie's Here)

While the first phase is about avoiding attacks, the second phase is more about finding opportunities to land hits without taking damage. Infernal Beast has more aggression in his second phase, so it’s best to wait a few seconds and focus on his attack frequency.

Attacks like Safe Ring and Inhale give ample time to land hits with Witch’s Staff or Moonstone Axe. Moreover, if you have boons that increase your attack range, these prove to be quite useful for this fight. Use the weapon’s special charge attack ability to hit Infernal Beast from afar. Dash in, charge attack, dash out.

If you feel overwhelmed by a flurry of attacks, rush to corners of the boss room to catch some breath.

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Rewards for beating Infernal Beast in Hades 2

Cerberus after being defeated (Image via Supergiant Games || YouTube @Johnnie's Here)

Defeating the Infernal beast in Hades 2 rewards you with Tears. You can use this resource to unlock The Queen Arcana card to boost your chances of obtaining a Duo Boons by 6% or use it as an ingredient for the "Attending a Faithful Beast" Incantation.

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Infernal Beast is going to be your next major challenge after defeating Scylla. While his attacks may feel overwhelming, focus on survival and understanding attack patterns to gain the upper hand.

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