Cast

Cast is an attack ability that is innate to Zagreus and thus does not depend on Infernal Arms for the base damage, though a few aspects, most notably Beowulf and Hera do modify how casting works. By default Cast is a slow long-range spell that lanches a bloodstone, dealing 50 base damage on impact. Casting costs one from the bloodstone magazine. Zagreus has three reusable when using Infernal Soul with the Mirror of Night, or only one  that regenerates after 3 seconds when using Stygian Soul. When Cast hits an enemy, it stays lodged inside the foe until they are killed or 15 seconds elapse, giving them a status effect. When the bloodstone falls it can be collected to be launched again, or will disappear when using Stygian Soul. Cast is a boon slot and can be upgraded using Poms of Power, however unlike other boons, cast upgrades do not give a % increase, but rather a large base damage increase. Each god's Cast also modifies the speed, area of effect and additional mechanics of the cast. Three casts, Dionysus, Demeter and Ares, create a projectile that does damage on its own instead of lodging into enemies.

Mirror of Night
The Mirror of Night can modify Cast in several ways. The biggest impact is from choosing between Infernal Soul and Stygian Soul as it changes the way are collected. Infernal Soul gives three that will stay present in game once launched and have to be recollected on the ground in order to be launched again. Meanwhile Stygian Soul gives only one, but it regenerates after three seconds, regardless of where the previously launched is. This bloodstone does not drop from enemies to be collected. Regardless of the choice, it is always possible to augment the number of during an escape attempt with Chaos Boons, Artemis’ Legendary Boon and Prometheus Stones from the Well of Charon. The second choice is between Boiling Blood and Abyssal Blood, it affects the status given to enemies with at least one lodged in them. Boiling Blood gives +50% Attack and Special damage, while Abyssal Blood reduces the enemy’s speed and damage by 30%.

Shots
Because filling the cast slot with a boon changes the base damage of Cast, casting with an upgraded boon and applying % damage augmentation on it can give a very high burst of damage. The three projectile casts behave very differently : Dionysos does a big burst of damage before leaving an stun zone, Ares creates a projectile doing slow damage, while Demeter creates crystals doing damage themselves at a distance.

Infernal Arms changes
While Cast boons deal big bursts of damage, the long time they stay stuck in enemies make them unreliable as the primary damage dealer against Bosses if using Infernal Soul. Several weapons aspects remedy this by changing the ammo and firing mechanics.

Aspect of Poseidon
The third aspect of the Stygian Blade allows to dislodge from enemies by hitting them with the Special. The weapon also gives upgradable Cast Damage, from +10% to +50% Cast Damage. This aspect works great with high burst damage casts, but the Special’s ability to dislodge useless with projectile casts or if using Stygian Soul

Aspect of Hera
The third aspect of the Bow allows to load in the next attack, releasing it on impact. Like Beowulf, this allows for massive burst damage, but the does lodge into enemies, keeping a delay between loaded attacks. The Aspect of Hera does not modify the cast boons, but it reduces the drop time of the lodged in enemies, from 10 to 5 seconds when fully upgraded.

Aspect of Beowulf
The hidden aspect of Aegis allows the player to load into the Attack, releasing all the casts loaded in an area of damage burst at the end of a Dragon Rush. (Dragon rush is Beowulf's modified Bull Rush). The cannot lodge itself in enemies and falls instantly, greatly reducing the delay to reuse it. Using the Aspect of Beowulf modifies all casts, including the base cast, into flare attacks which have similar damage to their shot equivalent, but work differently to put more emphasis on AOE damage. Zeus' chain-lightning becomes a lightning bolt, and Demeter's Crystal beam is replaced by AOE chilling damage.