Calling It -- Hephaestus Will Be Top Tier

[RealVanillaSmooth]

As soon as the game is solved, I think it's very likely that this god's boons are going to be incredibly. Consistent damage, low risk since you limit the number of engagements, guaranteed damage with the vent curse that basically says "double DPS," and 400 damage is just an insane amount to be doing.

We had similar builds with Ares in the first game leading to a few builds that would one shot bosses into their next phase, but we had better weapon aspects too. This game so far just seems to have less broken builds so I don't expect many are going to be as broken to the same degree as Hades 1, but I think Hephaestus is going into a lot of S ranks for tier lists.

[UNBREAKABLE]

He has a little bit of everything and they're good support tools. He's saved my run a couple times when he pops up at the end and gives immediate value to something I neglected earlier.

I really like the boon that increases your health based of mana. Came to Chronos with like 400 health and a mana bar that never runs out.

[Knavenformed]

Do I take 400-800 damage every 10 seconds or so or 300 damage every second from Hestia/Zeus/Aphrodite
Hmmm

I'll need to do a Hephaestus "only" run to try him out for good, but splashing his boons is just bad damage and they take slots away from way better damage boons

Like it's fine to throw out a special smite every now and then, but Bliz is still better

[Hidebehind]

If you take Dagger and Sickle along with Aphrodite's Blessing and a certain Aspect, you'll start dealing an average of 900 damage per hit right at the start of the match. Hephaestus is a support god for real gods, nothing more.
Is Hephaestus able to deal damage equal to half of Kronos' health in three seconds? No, but most of the other gods can.

[Abewr]

I love the cast but not so much the attack or special. I think the attack/special are good when I'm only using one move if it's super buffed so I can throw out some big damage now and then from the move I'm never using. Otherwise I always pass on the attack/special.

[Knavenformed]

Originally posted by Abe:

Otherwise I always pass on the attack/special.

If RNGesus boons you with dualcast special on the staff, you can make a dirty flamethrower build with Hestia
Poseidon can also work with it, but ignite is just dumb dps with Fire Extinguisher

[Abewr]

Originally posted by Knavenformed:

Originally posted by Abe:

Otherwise I always pass on the attack/special.

If RNGesus boons you with dualcast special on the staff, you can make a dirty flamethrower build with Hestia
Poseidon can also work with it, but ignite is just dumb dps with Fire Extinguisher

that sounds interesting. I'll have to give it a try

[Air Conditioner]

Originally posted by Knavenformed:

Do I take 400-800 damage every 10 seconds or so or 300 damage every second from Hestia/Zeus/Aphrodite
Hmmm

I'll need to do a Hephaestus "only" run to try him out for good, but splashing his boons is just bad damage and they take slots away from way better damage boons

Like it's fine to throw out a special smite every now and then, but Bliz is still better

A 2 second cooldown on primary attack with Heph is extremely underrated. I didn't even plan for the run to end up that way, and because it did, I cheesed my way through to Chronos and got him without using any of my death defies. Had 3 just tucked away.

[Eleveneleven]

I mean EA doesn't get "figured out". There will be nerfs and buffs.

[Knavenformed]

Originally posted by Mister Whiskers:

A 2 second cooldown on primary attack with Heph is extremely underrated.

Definitely sounds strong

I've yet to try out Keepsake stuff outside using Zeus for my first Chronos kill since I just like to go with the flow, and usually Hephaestus just doesn't cut it for damage on a whim
He does offer some really good side-buffs so he's not as annoying to get as Selene if you don't actively go for hexes

[roddy]

I only take Hep for the armor that prevents enemies from moving you. Extremely useful so you can ignore the enemies that pull you in. Otherwise, I really found his DPS lackluster so far.

[UPDATED MY JOURNAL]

Fixed damage on a (sometimes long) timer is not that great. His attack/special boons are good early in a run, but get outclassed easily mid/late run by other things. They're fine as supplemental burst damage or if there's nothing better to take, but you can do way more primary damage with other gods.

[Broseidon]

idk, i like him as a supporting god, the fixed damage is high, especially with vent, but the cooldown is too long for your main attack (unless heavily pommed and high rarity),

i also like his impervious for 10s on start of encounter, or extra hp based on mana, he got some fine boons, but not really as a primary damage god.

imo the best way to use him is having an attack or special focused build, and to get heph on the other one, so you can use his nuke on cooldown while attacking with your actual damage,

[Sephastrael]

Hephaestus struggles a lot with the 5-minute timer, particularly in the first two regions. I guess if you can get Heph on Attack or special and get Hera on cast, it fixes a lot, but that's mostly due to Engagement Ring immediately clearing most of the smaller mobs. I do like his boons and the aforementioned 2-second 200 damage is hilarious, but that also takes some setup.

As a supporting god, I think he is really good, but as your main sources of damage, his cooldowns can hurt A LOT if you are going for fast clears.