Witch's Staff

“	Descura, the Witch's Staff. With me, my friend.	„
	~ Melinoë

The Witch's Staff (also known as Descura, The Staff of Dusk) is one of the Nocturnal Arms and is Melinoë's starting weapon in Hades II.

Book Of Shadows entry

'...Amongst the Nocturnal Arms, Descura was first to wake when you approached. She is yours. How does it feel to wield her, something which should have never been used? Forged in Chaos as a last resort, to bring her brother-arms to heel if need arose.'

Fighting Style

This staff is the first weapon you get, and it is definitely more focused on regular use of the charged Ω attacks. The basic Attack and basic Special are functional but have a rather low damage output, while the Ω Special and particularly the Ω Attack are quite the opposite. The Ω Special fires a radial blast at a targeted point, and the Ω Attack fires a narrow but long-range line burst that bypasses obstacles and initially also fires behind you for VERY good damage, and one of its key Hammer upgrades gives you a rare self-heal on kill with this move. If you can secure one or more of the various options for having a constant high Mana regeneration rate, allowing you to fire the Ω attacks regularly, this weapon is highly effective.

Statistics

Move	Description	Damage	Notes
Attack	Press Attack > Attack > Attack for combo.	20 - 25 - 60
Dash-Strike	Press Attack quickly after Dashing.	30	The damage calculation for Dash-Strike is based on Attack.
Ω Attack	Channeled Attack, uses 20.	160	Dashing does not interrupt channeling. Ω Attack's recovery animation can be cancelled through Dashing. Ω Attack requires a prior use of Attack or Dash-Strike before it can be channeled, introducing a buffer that may interfere with effects consumed during the initial action—such as Dionysus' Bottomless Drink.
Special	Press Special to fire a Bolt.	40	Bolt pierce through enemies. Special's recovery animation can be cancelled through Dashing, Dash-Strike, or Attack.
Ω Special	Channeled Special, uses 10.	80	Very weak homing.

Auto-Fire Statistics

Move	Combo	Combo (if is depleted)	Notes
Attack	Normal Sequence: Attack > Attack > Attack > Ω Attack (repeat) If is greater than 0 but insufficient for Ω Attack: Attack > Attack > Attack (repeat)	Attack > Attack > Attack (repeat)	While attacking, dash to perform a Dash-Strike and seamlessly continue the combo. When using the Mirrored Tharsher , the effect and Auto-Fire function are effectively disabled if drops below 5. These remain inactive until 5 is regained. Currently Bugged: If is depleted and the combo switches to its alternate version, it may interfere with Born Gain and Mortal Gain. Since this combo does not include or attempt to use Ω Moves, these boons may not activate as intended, preventing proper regeneration. However, this issue does not occur when using Mirrored Thrasher , as its usage correctly triggers these boons. This issue can be avoided by using any other Ω Moves, such as Ω Cast, to correctly triggers these boons.
Special	Ω Special > Ω Special (repeat)	Special > Special (repeat)	The Special > Special (repeat) combo is affected by its recovery animation, which takes a considerable amount of time. However, it can be canceled by either Dashing or holding the Attack button to transition into the Attack moveset. Currently Bugged: If is depleted and the combo switches to its alternate version, it may interfere with Born Gain and Mortal Gain. Since this combo does not include or attempt to use Ω Moves, these boons may not activate as intended, preventing proper regeneration. This issue can be avoided by using any other Ω Moves, such as Ω Cast, to correctly triggers these boons.

Aspects

Icon	Description	Cost	Notes
	Aspect of Melinoë Gain and greater Power for your Specials. ▸ Max Magick & Special Power: +0/+15/+30/+45/+60/+75 “ A waxing crescent moon; the promise of power, the responsibility to ready oneself „	Rank I: Free Rank II: 2 10 Rank III: 3 20 Rank IV: 4 30 Rank V: 10 50 Rank VI: Premium Service
	Aspect of Circe Whenever you use Casts, so does your Animal Familiar, forming a Psychic Leash. ▸ Psychic Leash Damage (every 0.2 Sec.): 10/15/20/25/30/45 “ A high priestess of the Unseen once used the staff to bring about necessary change „	Rank I: 5 5 Rank II: 1 Rank III: 1 Rank IV: 2 Rank V: 3 Rank VI: Premium Service	Psychic Leash A strong connection with your Animal Familiar, harmful to foes. Lasts 5 Sec.
	Aspect of Momus Whenever you use Ω Moves, each fires in place up to 3 times until you use it again. ▸ Delay Between Omega Bursts: 3.5 Sec./3 Sec./2.5 Sec./2 Sec./1.5 Sec./0.5 Sec. “ Not even the ever-patient Night herself spared much time for his insolence „	Rank I: 1 2 Rank II: 1 Rank III: 1 Rank IV: 2 Rank V: 3 Rank VI: Premium Service	Only one pulse orb of each type of move can be active at a time, recasting the same Ω Move replaces the current one with a new orb. Night only affect the initial hit of Ω Moves and does not apply to the Ω Move pulse orb ability. The Ω Attack/Special pulse orb ability is unaffected by Apollo's Exceptional Talent and does not activate boons triggered by using Ω Attack/Special (e.g., Hestia's Controlled Burn, Hera's Fine Line). However, it does trigger boons and upgrades that apply on-hit effects, such as Poseidon's Splash, Icarus' Explosive Intent, and Ares' Cut Above. The Ω Cast pulse orb ability is affected by any Ω Cast boons and upgrades, such as Poseidon's Geyser Spout, Apollo's Lucid Gain, Ares' Meat Grinder, Artemis' Easy Shot, and Hostile Environment Duo boon, except for Apollo's Prominence Flare.

Hidden Aspect

Icon	Description	Cost	Notes
	Aspect of Anubis You have the Ankh Scepter, which raises Lone Shades wherever you slay foes. ▸ Omega Move Speed & Damage: +10%/+15%/+20%/+25%/+30%/+45% “ Behind the leering maw of a black jackal, a staunch protector of the dead. „	Rank I: 5 2 Rank II: 2 Rank III: 2 Rank IV: 2 Rank V: 3 Rank VI: Premium Service	Ankh Scepter Alternate Moveset: Attacks create damaging fields, Specials draws foes in. Lone Shades Spirits lingering in some Encounters. Rally them against your foe using Sprint.

Revealing the Hidden Aspect

Reveal the Aspect of Anubis by meeting the following requirements:

• Have any aspect of the Witch's staff at level 5
• Talk to Circe (with any weapon equipped) until she gives you the waking-phrase ("I see you guarding graves of mortals passed into the black beyond.").
• Activate the Silver Pool in The Crossroads and the Aspect will be revealed.
• Purchase the Aspect for 5 Tears and 2 Fangs to unlock it.

Upgrades

Icon	Name	Description	Notes
	Wicked Thrasher	Your Attacks have +30 Power.
	Extending Wallop	Your Attack has more range and deals +100% damage to distant foes.
	Melting Swipe	Your Dash-Strike hits a larger area and destroys 60% of any Armor (based on the total).
	Dual Moonshot	Your Specials fire 2 projectiles, but have -40% range.	With Apollo's Exceptional Talent, Ω Special fires 4 projectiles.
	Shimmering Moonshot	Your Special bounces toward up to +2 foes, dealing +10% damage for each hit.
	Cross Cataclysm	Your Ω Attack deals +50% damage and also strikes sideways.	Incompatible with Rapid Thrasher Ω Attack with the Cross Cataclysm upgrade has a unified hitbox, meaning that if an enemy is large enough to be struck by both lines of Ω Attack, they will only take damage once.
	Rapid Thrasher	Your Attacks are 50% faster.	Incompatible with Mirrored Thrasher Incompatible with Cross Cataclysm Incompatible with Vampiric Cataclysm Incompatible with Demeter's Weed Killer Currently Bugged: Rapid Thrasher and Mirrored Thrasher can be used together if Rapid Thrasher is obtained first. However, if Mirrored Thrasher is acquired first, Rapid Thrasher will not be unavailable.
	Rapid Moonshot	Your Specials are 25% faster.
	Vampiric Cataclysm	Whenever you slay a foe with your Ω Attack, restore 5.	Incompatible with Rapid Thrasher Despite being a effect, Vampiric Cataclysm does not benefit from Old Herbal Remedy. Currently Bugged: Vampiric Cataclysm's effect bypasses Vow of Scars, functions at full capacity.
	Giga Moonburst	You can channel +30 in your Ω Special to deal +300% damage in a larger area.
	Aetheric Moonburst	Your Ω Special gains a Power Shot that deals +50% damage and restores 20.	Power Shot: Hold Special then release when you see a brief flash for a stronger shot. Power Shot requires precise timing, activating just after the Ω Special finishes channeling for a few frames. However, this can be bypassed using Auto-Fire function, which automatically fires at the optimal moment, effectively triggering Power Shot consistently.
	Mirrored Thrasher	Your Attacks hit 2 times, but use 5.	With Apollo's Extra Dose, Attack hit 4 times in one use when triggered. With Apollo's Exceptional Talent, Ω Attack fires 4 times. If is depleted, the effect is disabled until you regain at least 5 for Attack and the minimum required for Ω Attack. Currently Bugged: Rapid Thrasher and Mirrored Thrasher can be used together if Rapid Thrasher is obtained first. However, if Mirrored Thrasher is acquired first, Rapid Thrasher will not be unavailable.

Trivia

• Descura is an uncommon Spanish word that means “carelessness”, “inattention”, or "slip-up”.
• The Aspect of Momus is under the name Asclepius in the game files. Asclepius is a son of Apollo and god of medicine; associated with him is the global health symbol of a staff with one snake (often confused with Hermes' caduceus and symbol of commerce, which has two), similarly to the design of the weapon.
  • Coincidentally, a similarly looking staff is seen being held by who's presumably Asclepius in The Centaur Arcana card.
• The Aspect of Anubis is shaped like the Ankh, a symbol which represents life. It was commonly depicted with some Egyptian deities and pharaohs to represent their ability to sustain life and even revive the dead. This is also alluded in the Aspect's special moveset.
  • Ironically, it's not a symbol usually associated with Anubis himself.

Gallery

• 
  Aspect of Melinoë
• 
  Aspect of Circe
• 
  Aspect of Momus
• 
  Aspect of Anubis