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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBronze is mined from metal deposits in the City of Ephyra, the first major area on the Surface route. You need the Crescent Pick to mine it, and you must open the Surface first by brewing Permeation of Witching-Wards at the Crossroads Cauldron. Until you clear the Surface ward, expect a short visit to Ephyra to end the run quickly, so plan early trips as scouting runs.
Where Bronze is found
- Location: metal deposits in the City of Ephyra on the Surface route. Ephyra is the first major Surface area you reach after the gateway opens.
- Required tool: the Crescent Pick. A metal deposit cannot be mined without it, so equip it before you leave the Crossroads.
- Yield: PCGamesN reports that the Reagent Sensing ability can reveal harvestable deposits and that each Bronze deposit yields three Bronze. Treat that as the reported behaviour in the build that guide covered, not a guarantee; check the deposit’s result in your own run.
Unlocking the Surface route
The Surface is sealed until you learn a specific incantation. The steps below follow the order described by GamesRadar and a current independent route guide. Dialogue timing can vary with how far your save has progressed, so if a step does not appear, follow the next explicit character conversation or Cauldron requirement rather than skipping ahead.
- Progress through the Underworld. GamesRadar describes reaching the Fields of Mourning after defeating Scylla, where you meet Hermes and hear about the conflict on the Surface.
- Continue until Hecate teaches you Permeation of Witching-Wards. Its recipe then appears at the Crossroads Cauldron.
- Brew the incantation at the Cauldron. It opens the warded gateway near the weapon area at the Crossroads.
- Take the Surface route from the Crossroads to reach Ephyra.
Recipe ingredients
Two different recipes are involved, and sources disagree on the first one’s ingredients, so check the Cauldron before you gather.
| Recipe | Source | Reported ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Permeation of Witching-Wards (opens the Surface gateway) | Independent route guide, checked against Post-Launch Patch 2 – Hotfix 5 (dated July 28, 2026) | One Cinder, one Shadow, three Moly |
| Unraveling a Fateful Bond (removes the Surface ward) | GamesRadar | Two Lotus from Oceanus, two Moss from Ephyra, two Nightshade grown from seeds collected in Erebus, two Thalamus from Chaos |
The Permeation list comes from a single guide, and the Unraveling list comes from a single outlet. Neither was confirmed against an official Supergiant source in the material reviewed, so the in-game Cauldron entry is the final authority for amounts and sourcing.
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The Surface ward and when to go
Opening the gateway does not remove the ward. The independent route guide describes self-damage that escalates the longer you stay, which is why early visits often end a run. Unraveling a Fateful Bond clears the ward once its recipe is available. Choose your approach based on what you need right now.
| Approach | Best when | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Scouting visit under the ward | You want to locate Ephyra’s deposits and learn the layout before you commit | The escalating ward can end the run quickly |
| Wait until Unraveling a Fateful Bond is brewed | You need a full gathering session in Ephyra and have the ingredients ready | Requires extra progression and gathering before the trip |
Mining Bronze in Ephyra
- Equip the Crescent Pick before entering Ephyra.
- Look for metal deposits. Reagent Sensing can help reveal harvestable ones, as described above.
- Mine each deposit with the Crescent Pick and collect the Bronze that drops.
What Bronze is used for
Bronze appears as an input in several recipes. The resource reference used for this guide lists the Rod of Fishing, the Silver Spade upgrade, the Argent Skull, the Aspects of Night and Darkness, and several weapon aspects. Exact quantities differ between guides and game versions, so open the in-game recipe list to confirm what each item needs before you spend Bronze.
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Supergiant Games released Hades II v1.0 on September 25, 2025 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Epic Games Store. On April 14, 2026, the studio announced Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 availability, stating: “Hades II for Xbox and PlayStation is finally here!” That line is a platform announcement, not gameplay guidance.
The route guide cited above was checked against Post-Launch Patch 2 – Hotfix 5, dated July 28, 2026. We found no official patch note that changes Bronze, the Crescent Pick, or the Surface unlock, so the steps above reflect the current build as reported by those sources rather than a confirmed patch-level change.
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