Give players incentive to use Zagreus aspects

[Evil Ambassador]

I am really enjoying this game, but after putting about 200 hours into it, I realized that I almost never use Zagreus aspects for any of the weapons anymore. Other aspects enhance or change the gameplay so distinctly that default ones feel rather boring by comparison. Now that new future aspects have been implemented, the difference is more pronounced than ever. Does anyone else feel this way?

Personally, I think I would enjoy using them if there was some small but pleasant incentive to doing so. From the top of my head, I can come up with two solutions: 1) Implement codex entries that can only be unlocked by using Zagreus aspects (maybe even about Zag himself), and 2) Slightly increase the Dark Thirst multipliers when using Zagreus apsects.

[Zymeth]

I feel simmilar, although I am now during a run with Zagreaus bow on my highest heat - but thats indeed an exception. Not every 4th aspect is the strongest (shield , bow, idk about the gloves), so they should be changed in some way imo. More darkness on Zag aspects sounds really reasonable.

[wwwJam]

I am so very incredibly sorry for this wall of text but I've been thinking about this too and have a lot to say and suggest.

I disagree on 3 of the weapons' Zagreus Aspects.
-Zagreus Aspect for Fists and Rail are fantastic for on-hit builds using the likes of Lightning Strike and Support Fire, and the dodge on the Fists' Zag Aspect is ultra nice for safety. I also feel they're thematically sound for the weapons without being TOO boring.
-The Spear can make a rather powerful Special build, especially if you get the bouncing upgrade, or the exploding one, from a Hammer.

Stygius can get some time in the sun now with that new Hermes boon, but it's still comparatively a bit lame I'll admit.
But the Shield's 10% damage reduction is... Boring, and doesn't help you kill anything any faster, and in most cases will only be reducing damage taken by 1-2 per hit. Which does add up but... Boring. And the Bow's 10% crit chance bonus is... Boring, and only really shines if you have a strong Artemis build going. It's not very versatile.

With all that said, yes, most of the Zagreus Aspects are not quite as attractive as the other Aspects. So, what can we do? I don't think a Darkness boost is the way to go. Make these Aspects attractive to use on their own in some way, don't just give more of a currency you eventually outgrow the need for (and wouldn't even earn much of in Heats you've yet to clear).
I'd suggest, in most cases, keeping to their current themes.

-Ignore the Fists and Rail, they're absolutely fine as is. The extra attack speed & dodge, and extra ammo, are absolutely killer. If you have to do ANYTHING, add like 10% attack speed to Rail's Zag Aspect, but even that's unnecessary.
-Spear? Double down on boosting the special in some way. Perhaps on top of extra special damage, the recall itself could do even MORE extra damage? Like, the throw is 25% stronger, while the recall is 75% stronger? Reward tossing and recalling the spear, AND your positioning! Or to keep the exploding spear hammer upgrade appealing, maybe split it down the middle and just increase both the toss and recall by 50%?
-Sword? Maybe make it so dashes deal a fraction of your attack damage, make the longer dash mean something, literally slice and dice through groups. Synergizes doubly so with various Hermes boons, too!

Shield and Bow BOTH have 2 Aspects that drastically change the functionality of their special, and they BOTH have a cast-centered Aspect (which are even oddly similar), but neither really have anything that changes the function or meaningfully boosts their basic attack. (Rama sucks for that, shut up)

-For Shield, perhaps a minor damage boost (just 1 extra damage per point, max 5), BUT, add a built-in wall slam bonus! The flat damage bonus will ensure it remains useful against bosses AND increases benefit for attack-centered builds (and when using the double-strike hammer upgrade which removes the knockback), while the wall slam bonus will synergize with a certain god that doesn't get enough love despite Supergiant's many attempts to make him a powerful choice beyond Duos. And I don't mean Ares.
-For Bow... I really honestly don't know, if there's really just no other good idea, maybe just add extra attack damage on top of its current crit bonus. Again, a focus on attack damage can make currently unattractive build routes more appealing.

The biggest offenders are obviously the Shield and Bow. They are LAME. But I don't know how crazy Supergiant would be willing to get with their Zagreus aspects. Whatever they do, it really should focus on the attack, and not the special (and PLEASE not the Bull Rush again)

[Morton Koopa Jr.]

1) Implement codex entries that can only be unlocked by using Zagreus aspects (maybe even about Zag himself), and 2) Slightly increase the Dark Thirst multipliers when using Zagreus apsects.
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I'd really rather them not add these incentives and unlocks in order to increase usage of what some might deem as a boring attack. I like the neutral freedom as-is, with the only incentive being the darkness/gem boost that cycles across the weapons.