What is the Pact of Punishment? (A Simple Guide)

So, you've battled your way through the Underworld and proven your might. What's next? In the world of Hades II, the true challenge begins with the **Pact of Punishment**. Think of it as a special contract with the gods of Olympus where you willingly choose to make your escape attempts harder. Why on earth would you do that? For glorious rewards, of course! Each challenge you activate on the Pact adds a certain amount of **Fear** to your run. The higher your total Fear, the tougher the enemies and the more treacherous your journey becomes. In return for your bravery, the gods will grant you precious bounties—like the Titan Blood, Diamonds, and Ambrosia you need to unlock new weapon aspects and forge bonds—but only when you defeat the final boss at a new level of Fear.

This system is the brilliant core of the game's endless replayability. It allows you to become your own game designer, perfectly fine-tuning the difficulty to match your skill and the power of your current build. This calculator is designed to be your strategic partner in this process. It's a simple, interactive playground that lets you easily plan out which Pact conditions you want to take on. You can instantly see the total Fear for any combination of Vows and Burdens, helping you figure out the easiest (or the most challenging!) way to reach the next reward tier. It's about taking the guesswork out of the Pact so you can focus on what matters most: fighting your way through the Underworld and showing Chronos who's boss.

How to Use the Calculator

Crafting your perfect challenge run is a simple, real-time process:

1. Browse the Pacts: The main area lists all the available conditions from the Pact of Punishment, neatly grouped by category just like they are in the game. Read the description to understand what each one does.
2. Select a Rank: For each condition you want to activate, simply click on the desired rank (e.g., "+20%" or "Rank 2"). The button will light up, and all ranks below it will activate automatically. Clicking an active rank will deactivate it and any ranks above it.
3. See Your Total Fear Instantly: The "Total Fear" display on the right will update in real-time as you click, showing you the combined difficulty of all your chosen conditions.
4. Share Your Challenge: Once you've created a build you're proud of (or terrified of), click the "Copy Share Link" button. This will copy a unique URL to your clipboard that saves your exact Pact setup, so you can share it with friends or save it for later.
5. Reset and Experiment: Want to try a different combination? Just hit the "Reset Pacts" button to clear all your selections and start fresh on a new plan.

Tips for a Successful High-Fear Run

• Start with the "Free" Fear:** Not all Fear is created equal! Some Pact conditions are much easier to handle than others, depending on your playstyle and weapon. Conditions like **Vow of Scars** (you take more damage) or **Vow of Commotion** (more enemies per room) are often considered good starting points for adding Fear without dramatically changing the core combat. They make the game harder, but in a predictable way.
• Beware the Enemy Buffs:** The most dangerous conditions are usually the ones that directly empower your foes. Vows like **Burden of Dominance** (foes have more health) can turn boss fights into long, grueling battles of attrition, while **Burden of Fury** (foes move and attack faster) can make even basic enemies incredibly deadly. Only take these on when you're confident in both your damage output and your dodging skills.
• Plan for Your Bounties:** Remember that you only get the special boss rewards (like Titan Blood) for clearing a run with a specific weapon at a Fear level for the *first time*. Use this calculator to create different builds that add up to the exact Fear level you need to unlock your next bounty. For example, if you've already cleared Fear 4, your next goal is to build a combination that adds up to exactly Fear 5.
• **Build for the Pact:** The best players adapt their Boons and Keepsakes to counter the Pact conditions they've chosen. If you've activated **Burden of Riches**, which forces you to spend money, then Hermes' Boons or the Lambent Plume that reward you for speed become much more valuable. If you've activated **Vow of Scars**, then defensive Boons from Aphrodite or a Keepsake like the Centaur Flag become essential.