Athena

Athena
Info
Title	Goddess of Wisdom
Relations	Zeus (Father) Poseidon (Uncle) Hades (Uncle) Demeter (Foster aunt) Ares (Younger Half-Brother) Artemis (Younger Half-Sister) Apollo (Younger Half-Brother) Hermes (Younger Half-Brother) Dionysus (Younger Half-Brother) Zagreus (Cousin)
Affiliation	Mount Olympus
Voice	Marin Miller

“	Hail, noble Cousin. Now let's get you from that miserable place. I'll see that all of us upon Olympus do our part, beginning here with me.	„
	~ Athena

Athena is the Olympian Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. She offers boons to Zagreus that cause his abilities to Deflect enemy attacks. In addition, she also offers boons that reduce damage or increase other defensive options.

Athena offers excellent defensive options with her boons, protecting you from damage with the ability to deflect enemy projectiles and melee attacks, as well as reduce the damage you will take in a run.

Her signature Status Curse is Exposed, which causes enemies to take additional damage from behind. This stacks with Backstab bonuses offered by the Mirror of Night.

As her boon is the reward for clearing the very first room in a fresh save, she will always be the first of the Olympian gods to be encountered.

Affinity

If given Nectar, Athena will give you the Owl Pendant.

Athena's affinity gauge is maxed out at 7 hearts.

Favor

Athena's favor requires seeing all three of Athena's remarks after successfully clearing a run, acknowledging Zagreus' strength.

Codex entry

'...Of some things I am certain, and one of them is this: That there were many times, during my mortal life, when my spear found its mark thanks to Pallas Athena. She favors those of dispositions such as mine, and I would like to think her efforts keep the violent lusting of Ares, her half-brother, well in check. If anybody on Olympus might have the capacity to mend the rift between my Master and themselves, it must be her; though, even in all her wisdom, I remain unsure if she can sway my Master's obstinance.'

Quotes

For quotes and dialogue regarding Athena, please refer to Athena/Quotes.

Mechanics

Many of Athena's boons add Deflect to your abilities. Deflect is a mechanic unique to Athena boons which allows an ability to repel projectiles and damage back at the attacker. A projectile hit with a Deflecting ability will be sent back towards the enemy who cast it, and deals a portion of the enemy's health instead of its base damage. A well timed Deflecting ability can also negate a melee attack, dealing damage to the attacker instead.

(Note: Portion of damage not known. It doesn't appear to be eight times the base damage at least in every case. Needs verifying.)

Boons

Athena's boon flowchart

Athena's duo boon chart

Boon	Description	Rarity	Notes	Prerequisites
Divine Strike	Your Attack is stronger, and can Deflect.	Common: Attack Damage: +40% Rare: Multiplier: 1.3–1.5 Epic: Attack Damage: 1.8-2.0 Heroic: Multiplier: 2.3–2.5	Tier 1	None
Divine Flourish	Your Special is stronger, and can Deflect.	Common: Special Damage: +60% Rare: Multiplier: 1.3–1.5 Epic: Multiplier: 1.8–2.0 Heroic: Multiplier: 2.3–2.5	Tier 1	None
Phalanx Shot	Your Cast damages foes in a small area, and can Deflect.	Common: Cast Damage: 85 Rare: Cast Damage: 102 Epic: Cast Damage: 119 Heroic: Cast Damage: 136	Tier 1 Damage Radius: 250 Cannot be combined with Aspect of Beowulf	None
Phalanx Flare	Your Cast damages foes around you, and can Deflect.	Common: Cast Damage: 80 Rare: Cast Damage: 90 Epic: Cast Damage: 100 Heroic: Cast Damage: 110	Tier 1	Unique to Aspect of Beowulf
Divine Dash	Your Dash deals damage and can Deflect.	Common: Dash Damage: 10 Rare: Dash Damage: 12 Epic: Dash Damage: 14 Heroic: Dash Damage: 16	Tier 1	None
Athena's Aid	Your Call briefly makes you Invulnerable and Deflect all attacks.	Common: Effect Duration: 1.5 Sec. Max Gauge Bonus: x6 Duration Rare: Effect Duration: 1.65 Sec. Epic: Effect Duration: 1.8 Sec. Heroic: Effect Duration: 1.95 Sec.	Tier 1	None
Holy Shield	After you take damage, damage nearby foes and briefly Deflect.	Common: Revenge Damage: 30 Rare: Multiplier: 1.3–1.5 Epic: Multiplier: 1.8–2.0 Heroic: Multiplier: 2.3–2.5	Tier 1 Damage Radius: 225	None
Bronze Skin	Resist damage from foes' attacks.	Common: Reduced Damage from Foes: 5% Rare: Reduced Damage from Foes: 7.5% Epic: Reduced Damage from Foes: 10% Heroic: Reduced Damage from Foes: 12.5%	Tier 1	None
Sure Footing	Resist damage from Traps.	Common: Reduced Trap Damage: 60% Rare: Reduced Trap Damage: 75% Epic: Reduced Trap Damage: 90% Heroic: Reduced Trap Damage: 95%	Tier 1 Allows the player to walk in Asphodel's magma without taking damage for a short amount of time. Does not protect against puddles of magma created by fireballs. This boon cannot be upgraded via poms.	None
Proud Bearing	You begin each Encounter with your God Gauge partly full.	Common: Starting Gauge: 20% Rare: Starting Gauge: 25% Epic: Starting Gauge: 30% Heroic: Starting Gauge: 40%	Tier 2	Aphrodite's Aid, Ares' Aid, Artemis' Aid, Athena's Aid, Demeter's Aid, Dionysus' Aid, Poseidon's Aid, or Zeus' Aid
Blinding Flash	Your abilities that can Deflect also make foes Exposed for 5 Sec.	Common: Bonus Backstab Damage: +50% Rare: Bonus Backstab Damage: +62.5% Epic: Bonus Backstab Damage: +75% Heroic: Bonus Backstab Damage: +87.5%	Tier 2	Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, or Divine Dash
Brilliant Riposte	When you Deflect attacks, they deal more damage.	Common: Deflect Damage: +80% Rare: Multiplier: 1.3–1.5 Epic: Multiplier: 2.0–2.5 Heroic: N/A	Tier 2	Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Divine Dash, or Holy Shield
Deathless Stand	Death Defiance makes you Impervious longer. Replenish 1 charge now.	Common: Effect Duration: +2 Sec. Rare: Effect Duration: +2.5 Sec. Epic: Effect Duration: +3 Sec. Heroic: Effect Duration: +3.5 Sec.	Tier 2 Unsellable Does not add a charge if all Death Defiance charges are full.	Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, or Divine Dash
Last Stand	Death Defiance restores more than usual. Replenish 1 charge now.	Common: Improved Restoration: +10% Rare: Improved Restoration: +12% Epic: Improved Restoration: +14% Heroic: Improved Restoration: +16%	Tier 2 Unsellable Does not add a charge if all Death Defiance charges are full.	Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, or Divine Dash
Divine Protection	You have a barrier that negates incoming damage. Barrier Cooldown: 20 Sec.	Legendary	Tier 3 Attacks that are successfully blocked do not remove the barrier.	Brilliant Riposte
Parting Shot	Your Cast gains any bonuses you have for striking foes from behind. Bonus Backstab Damage: +25%	Duo (Aphrodite)		One of each: Athena: Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, Divine Dash, or Athena's Aid Aphrodite: Heartbreak Strike, Heartbreak Flourish, Crush Shot, Passion Dash, or Aphrodite's Aid
Merciful End	Your attacks that can Deflect immediately activate Doom effects. Doom Combo Damage: 40	Duo (Ares)		One of each: Athena: Divine Strike or Divine Flourish Ares: Curse of Agony or Curse of Pain
Deadly Reversal	After you Deflect, briefly gain +20% chance to deal Critical damage. Critical Duration: 2 Sec.	Duo (Artemis)		One of each: Athena: Divine Strike or Divine Flourish Artemis: Deadly Strike, Deadly Flourish, True Shot, Hunter's Flare or Artemis' Aid
Stubborn Roots	While you have no Death/Stubborn Defiance your slowly recovers. Life Regeneration: 1 (every 0.8 Sec.)	Duo (Demeter)		One of each: Athena: Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, Phalanx Flare, Divine Dash, or Athena's Aid Demeter: Frost Strike, Frost Flourish, Crystal Beam, Icy Flare, Mistral Dash, or Demeter's Aid
Calculated Risk	Your foes' ranged-attack projectiles are slower. Foe Projectile Speed Reduction: +50%	Duo (Dionysus)		One of each: Athena: Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Divine Dash, or Athena's Aid Dionysus: Drunken Strike, Drunken Flourish, Drunken Dash, or Dionysus' Aid
Unshakable Mettle	You cannot be stunned, and resist some damage from Bosses. Boss Damage Reduction: +10%	Duo (Poseidon)	Bosses include the Furies, the Bone Hydra, the Heroes of Elysium, the Secret Boss, and Final Boss.	One of each: Athena: Divine Strike, Divine Flourish, Phalanx Shot, Phalanx Flare, or Athena's Aid Poseidon: Tempest Strike, Tempest Flourish, Flood Shot, Flood Flare, or Poseidon's Aid
Lightning Phalanx	Your Phalanx Shot Cast bounces between nearby foes. Max Bounces: 3	Duo (Zeus)	* Cannot be combined with Aspect of Beowulf	One of each: Athena: Phalanx Shot Zeus: Lightning Strike, Thunder Flourish, Thunder Dash, or Zeus' Aid

Gallery

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  Athena Reward

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  Athena Symbol

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  Athena Bond Forged Icon

Additional notes

For additional information on Athena that does not pertain to Hades, see Wikipedia's article: Athena