Battling through Hades is no easy task. Thankfully, Zagreus has his Infernal Arms to defend agains the Underworld’s shades — and to make them even more powerful, he can unlock Hidden Aspects to tap into other heroes’ power. For Aegis, the Shield of Chaos, this is the Aspect of Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon hero.

Not only will Zag’s attacks deal more damage, but he can also utilize the Dragon Rush move. After pressing the Cast button to load bloodstones into the shield, the player can then hold and release Attack to deal greater damage than a usual Bull Rush, as well as damage from the Cast. Naturally, this unique moveset means that Hades players must develop a specific build to use this weapon most effectively.

Best Keepsakes

Unlike certain weapon aspects that have drawbacks to them, the Aspect of Beowulf doesn’t have any inherent flaw that Zag’s keepsakes can directly counter. Players are free to use whatever keepsake they favor most, be it the Old Spiked Collar, the Pom Blossom, the Lambent Plume, or any other choice.

As discussed below, certain Boons synergize particularly well with the Aspect of Beowulf. To increase Zag’s chances of picking up one of these useful buffs, it may be worth taking along the keepsake belonging to the Olympian who grants that boon.

Best Boons

Considering that this aspect is based primarily around Zag’s Cast, Cast-based boons (which appear as Flare-type boons when wielding the Aspect of Beowulf) are the way to go. Most work well, with the exception of Ares and Athena, but the following are the best options.

  • Flood Flare (Poseidon): Deals damage to foes nearby when the Cast is used, and knocks them away. Thunder Flare (Zeus): Zag’s Cast causes a lightning bolt to strike nearby. Passion Flare (Aphrodite): Damages enemies nearby and inflicts Weak, thus decreasing the damage they deal to the player. Trippy Flare (Dionysus): Damages nearby foes and leaves behind Festive Fog, which can stun enemies and leave them vulnerable to Zag’s attacks.

Best Upgrades

As with all hidden aspects, the Aspect of Beowulf boasts an exclusive Daedalus Hammer upgrade: Unyielding Defense. With this upgrade active, Zagreus will become Sturdy for 3 seconds after utilizing his Dragon Rush. This means he will take 30% less damage, and that actions such as attacking or dashing cannot be interrupted when he takes an enemy hit.

Additionally, the following non-exclusive upgrades work well with the Aspect of Beowulf’s moveset (and Aegis’ fighting style in general):

  • Breaching Rush allows the Bull Rush/Dragon Rush to deal +400% damage to armored foes. With a full-powered Dragon Rush, this leads to devastating damage. Minotaur Rush also powers up this move, giving Zagreus a Power Rush that deals +500% damage. Sudden Rush allows the Bull Rush/Dragon Rush to charge much faster, thus improving its utility in high-intensity fights.