Nexus Heroes / Zagreus

Zagreus is a playable character in Nexus Heroes, hailing from Hades.
==Who is Zagreus?==
===THE REBEL PRINCE ===
The only child of Hades, the gloomy god of the Underworld, Zagreus and his father never went along too well. Having grown determined to escape from the depths of the realm of his stern parent, Zagreus must fight his way across the ever-changing layouts of the Underworld, aided in his numerous escape attempts by the rest of his family on Mount Olympus, from which he'll receive godly gifts and boons to enhance his powers and weapons, making him grow stronger with each failed attempt to break out.
==Gameplay==
===Overview===
Zagreus may seem like an ordinary fighter at a first glance, but he is actually fairly complex in his mechanics, although his moveset remains intuitive and easy to use. For starters, Zagreus is a fast and hard hitting character with an incredibly varied moveset, ranging from sword attacks to projectiles and even AoE attacks. However, he is also very light, which means he can only take so much punishment before he is KOed.
His main mechanic is called Godly Boon, and it acts as a series of temporary buffs which Zagreus receives throughout the course of each stock. Upon dealing or receiving a certain amount of damage, Zagreus will receive a Boon from a random Olympian, which modifies the properties of his attacks and his attributes. The higher the damage he inflicts and receive is, the stronger these buffs can get. However, dying completely resets his status, and upon respawning, he'll be assigned a new god to receive boons from. This makes Zagreus a dangerous opponent, especially if he manages to outlast his foes, although staying alive for too long with his light weight may prove to be difficult. Additionally, each godly boon is different, and not all players may find themselves comfortable with certain attributes, making this character quite peculiar and polarizing overall.
* GODLY BOON : Upon inflicting or sustaining a certain amount of damage, Zagreus will receive increasingly stronger buffs from an Olympian god, which are reset upon death. Below is a comprehensive list of every god and the perks their boons come with :
**Zeus : King of the gods and ruler of the skies and Olympus itself, Zeus blesses Zagreus with lightning based boons. Zagreus' attacks will gain electrifying properties on certain hits, which briefly stun enemies and inflict multiple hits per attack.
**Poseidon : The god of the sea and horses will increase the knockback value of all of Zagreus' attacks, hindering his combo potential but enhancing his kill power, potentially leading to end stocks much earlier than usual.
** Athena : Athena, the goddess of wisdom and closest ally of Zagreus on Olympus, will apply a deflecting effect on a variety of attacks in Zagreus' arsenal, allowing him to fare much better against projectiles users.
**Ares : The god of war, Ares, will make Zagreus stronger, enhancing the damage output on all of his attacks.
**Aphrodite : The goddess of love, lust and beauty herself, Aphrodite will make Zagreus more resilient, improving his surviveability.
**Dionysus : Dionysus, the god of wine and revelries, will imbue Zagreus' attacks with a chance to inflict a poisonous effect, allowing him to inflict constant damage to opponents for a few seconds with just a single hit.
**Artemis : Artemis, goddess of the hunt, will bless Zagreus with a chance for any of his attacks to inflict Critical Damage, resulting in an occasional but powerful burst of damage from a single hit.
===Movelist===
  	Name  	Description
Neutral Attack
,,...	Stygius Combo / Malphon's Fury	Two vertical slashes with his blade, Stygius, followed by an horizontal one after a slight delay. If the input is mashed before the third hit, Zagreus will instead perform a rapid jab in the form of a flurry of fists from Malphon, his pair of gauntlets.
Dash Attack
Dash,	Stygian Strike 	Stabs in front of himself with his blade, Stygius, sliding slightly forward.
Side Tilt 	Varatha's Reckoning 	Stabs Varatha, his spear, in front of himself, covering a long range. The attack can also be angled.
Up Tilt 	Rise of the Styx 	An upward arching slash with Stygius, his blade.
Down Tilt 	Aegis Sweep 	Sweeps low to the ground with Aegis, his shield.
Forward Strong
+	Coronacht Shot 	Charges and then fires an arrow from Coronacht, his bow. The longer the move is charged for, the farther the arrow will go.
Up Strong
+ 	Exagryph's Bombard 	Fires a bomb from Exagryph, his firearm, upwards. The bomb will then slowly descend if it hasn't hit anyone, and explode on the ground.
Down Strong
+ 	Varatha's Spin Attack 	Holds up Varatha, his spear, then performs a 360° sweep with it, hitting all around himself.
Neutral Aerial
Airborne	Slash of Darkness 	Swings his blade, Stygius, in a vertical circle around himself.
Forward Aerial
Airborne	Fire of the Rail 	Shoots three bullets from his firearm, Exagryph, in front of himself.
Back Aerial
Airborne	Chaos Impact 	A powerful back hit with his shield, Aegis.
Up Aerial
Airborne	Rush Kick 	Performs a somersault kick which hits enemies above himself.
Down Aerial
Airborne	Varatha's Punishment 	Stabs Varatha below himself three times, in quick succession.
Grab 	Grab 	Holds the opponent with one hand.
Pummel
, 	Cry of Malphon 	Punches the opponent in the stomach using Malphon.
Forward Throw
,	Varatha's Judgement 	Tosses Varatha, his spear, which impales the opponent and drags them away, launching them.
Back Throw
, 	Stygian Slay 	Performs a front flip, ending at the opponent's back, then slashes them away with Styigius, his blade.
Up Throw
, 	Coronacht's Search 	Flips the opponent over his head, then fires an arrow from Coronacht, his bow, which sends the opponent flying upward.
Down Throw
, 	Exagryph's Warcry 	Slams the opponent down with his foot, then launches a bomb into them with Exagryph, his firearm.
Floor Attack
Grounded >	Aegis' Torment 	Sweeps in front and then behind himself with his shield, Aegis, low to the ground.
Edge Attack
Ledge >	Low Shot 	Climbs up and ducks, firing a low to the ground arrow from Coronacht, his bow.
NEUTRAL SPECIAL	Bloodstone 	Fires a Bloodstone from his palm, a bloody projectile which travels pretty slowly and deals moderate damage to opponents. Up to three can be fired in quick succession. 
When Zagreus has an active Boon, this attack's properties will change :
*Zeus : The Bloodstone will become a quick Bolt of electricity, which deals ELECTRIC* damage to opponents and bounces off them once in a random direction.
*Poseidon : The Bloodstone becomes a slow Water projectile which bursts into a splash once it touches a surface or enemy, dealing high knockback to anyone caught in it.
*Athena : The Bloodstone becomes a slow energy projectile made from shields, which deflects any incoming projectile. It deals less damage than the normal version.
*Ares : The Bloodstone becomes a vortex of Blades which slowly spins forward, trapping opponents into a series of multiple hits whenever they come in contact with it.
*Aphrodite : The Bloodstone becomes a heart-shaped projectile, and whichever enemy is hit by it will have their damage output reduced for a few seconds.
* Dionysus : The Bloodstone becomes a grenade which travels in an arch, and upon landing unleashes a fog which deals deals POISON* damage to anyone who comes in contact with it. The fog dissipates after a few moments.
*Artemis : The Bloodstone becomes a target-seeking arrow, with a chance to inflict Critical Damage.
SIDE SPECIAL 	Bull Rush 	Charges up Aegis, his shield, then dashes forward at high speed with it, damaging anything he meets in his path. The longer the attack is charged for, the longer the distance Zagreus will travel.
When Zagreus has an active Boon, this attack's properties will change : 
*Zeus : Whenever foes are hit by the Bull Charge, they'll be struck by lightning, which deals ELECTRIC* damage to them.
*Poseidon : The Bull Charge creates a splash at the end of its path, which deals high knockback.
*Athena : The Bull Charge will deflect incoming projectiles for as long as it is active, and make Zagreus completely invulnerable. It deals less damage than the regular Bull Charge.
*Ares : The Bull Charge deals more damage.
*Aphrodite : Enemies hit by the Bull Charge will deal less damage for a few seconds.
*Dionysus : Enemies hit by the Bull Charge have a chance to be POISONED*.
*Artemis : The Bull Charge has a chance to deal Critical Damage.
UP SPECIAL 	Rising Cutter 	Uppercuts with Malphon, his gauntlets, rising upward with a powerful fist. The distance it travels is pretty short on its own, though it has good power.
When Zagreus has an active Boon, this attack's properties will change :
*Zeus : Rising Cutter deals ELECTRIC* damage to foes hit by it.
*Poseidon : Rising Cutter ends in a powerful splash which deals high knockback.
*Athena : Zagreus is now invincible for the first few frames of the move, which now also deflects projectiles.
*Ares : Rising Cutter deals more damage.
*Aphrodite : Rising Cutter is less powerful, but it sends Zagreus much higher, and is quicker.
*Dionysus : Rising Cutter has a chance to POISON* enemies.
*Artemis : Rising Cutter has a chance to inflict Critical Damage.
DOWN SPECIAL 	Nova Smash 	Hops up, then slams Stygius, his blade, into the ground, creating a wide shockwave into the ground. It's pretty weak on its own, but it has a good range, and can disrupt an opponent's attempt to approach.
When Zagreus has an active Boon, this attack's properties will change :
*Zeus : Nova Smash causes a Lightning to rain down on Zagreus during the hit, damaging anyone around and even above him during the move, and dealing ELECTRIC* damage to foes hit by it.
*Poseidon : Nova Smash creates a massive splash of water at the impact, making it deal more knockback than usual.
* Athena : Nova Smash creates a force field around Zagreus which nullifies projectiles. It lingers for a few seconds before disappearing. Once activated, the force field cannot be spawned again until the older one disappeared.
*Ares : Nova Smash creates a large vortex of Blades instead of a shockwave, which lingers for one second before disappearing. Once activated, the vortex cannot be spawned again until the older one disappears.
*Aphrodite : Nova Smash creates a force field around Zagreus, and he'll take less damage for as long as he stays within the field, which disappears after a few seconds. Once activated, the force field cannot be spawned again until the older one disappeared.
*Dionysus : The shockwave produced by Nova Smash produces a wave of fog which covers a shorter range, but which also deals POISON* damage to anyone who is hit by it.
*Artemis : The shockwave produced by Nova Smash has a chance to inflict Critical Damage.
FINISHER 	Call of Olympus 	Casts a different Finisher depending on which Godly Boon he is equipped with at the moment of use. All of them have Zagreus call for the active god for help.
*Zeus : Calls for Zeus, who will rain down lightnings from the sky for a few seconds, badly damaging opponents who come in contact with them.
* Poseidon : Calls for Poseidon, who will engulf Zagreus in a tidal wave. He'll then move forward at high speed, damaging and dragging all enemies who are hit by it across the stage.
*Athena : Calls for Athena, who will make Zagreus completely invincible for several seconds.
*Ares : Calls for Ares, who will turn Zagreus himself into a vortex of Blades who can move along the floor and badly damage anyone he touches.
*Aphrodite : Calls for Aphrodite, who will send out heart-shaped projectiles which stuns and weakens enemies, opening them up for an easy KO.
*Dionysus : Calls for Dionysus, who will produce a massive POISONOUS* cloud over the stage, which deals great and constant damage to anyone in it, as well as making the opponents flinch every time they take damage.
*Artemis : Calls for Artemis, who will shoot out a large energy arrow which targets enemies automatically, and has a chance to deal up to 100% of damage upon contact. The lowest damage it can inflict is 20%.
===Intro Animation===
Lands in from above, then gets up and rests Stygius on his shoulder.
===Taunt===
Holds up one open palm, making a symbol appear in a sphere of light. The symbol is the one of the Olympian god Zagreus will receive aid from during his current stock, so players can use this taunt to immediately know what boon they'll get.
===Idle Poses=== 
*Lifts up one foot and looks at the ground below, realizing he's leaving flames below his feet.
*Crosses up his arms, striking a pose reminiscent of the one in the boxart of Hades.
===Quotes===
====Selection Lines====
*" In the name of Hades. "
*" You won't stop me. "
*" Time to go get killed. "
==== Successful KO ====
* " Out of my way. "
* " Sorry about that. "
*" That's what you get. "
*" I only grow stronger. "
*" Send Charon my regards. "
*" Nice chat there, mate. "
*" Away with you, shades. "
*" I sure am keeping Than busy. "
*" You're just more paperwork for Father. "
*" My weapons are growing more powerful .."
*" That'll shut you up. "
====Respawning====
*" Oh, lovely. "
*" Nyx, watch over me. "
*" It's me and you. "
*" I'm not in the habit of giving up, you know. "
*" I'll never stop trying. "
*" Gods of Olympus, grant me strength. "
*" Let's just hope Meg didn't catch that .. "
*" What's on the Boons menu today? "
*" Let's take this slow .. "
*" Again. "
===Victory Poses=== 
*UP : Holds up one palm, as a large, floating and shapeless patch of Titan Blood is absorbed into his body. Zagreus then grins at the camera.
*SIDE : Combs his hair back a little, then looks at the camera with a grin and crosses his hands in front of himself, striking the pose he has in the boxart of Hades. During this, he says "Tell Father I say hi".
*DOWN : Zagreus appears from thin air, performing a 360° sweep with Varatha, ending with a pose. During this, he says "Darkness! Heh".
==Arcade Mode==
Each of Zagreus' encounters in his Arcade Mode is themed after a god he receives Boons from.
In the first match, Zagreus fights Cole who, with his electric-based attacks and powers, represents Zeus. Following up, an encounter with Master Chief takes place, and he represents Athena, due to his use of energy shields which mirrors Athena's protective Boons and her emblematic Shield.
After completing a Bonus Stage, Zagreus moves on to a fight against Aloy, a capable and skilled huntress who mirrors Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. It helps that Aloy is also associated with greek deities. After that, battle number four is against two opponents : Shovel Knight and Delta. They both represent Poseidon, as Delta is associated with the sea, and Shovel Knight represents the sunken riches which Poseidon will occasionally gift to Zagreus through his Boons.
Following a second Bonus Stage, Zagreus is now faced with a god of war in the flesh, Kratos, who Zagreus faces in a on-on-one encounter. After this, the last battle before Kerrigan sees him facing his Rival, Undyne. Their battle is titled "Fighters of the Underworld", as both Zagreus and Undyne hail from a location below the ground (Zagreus the Underworld and Undyne the Underground), and both are also characters from acclaimed indie titles.
Round 	Opponent 	Stage 	Music 	
1 	Cole 	Lake Of Nine 	Brothers Of Blood 	
2 	Master Chief 	Pridemoor Keep 	The Fateful Reunion 	
Bonus Stage 1	Bonus Stage 1	Bonus Stage 1 	Bonus Stage 1 	Bonus Stage 1
3 	Aloy 	Kaer Morhen 	The Hunter's Path 	
4 	Shovel Knight
 Delta	Mêlée Island 	Big Whoop And Finale	
Bonus Stage 2	Bonus Stage 2	Bonus Stage 2 	Bonus Stage 2 	Bonus Stage 2
5 	Kratos 	Hydra Chamber 	From Olympus 	
6 	Undyne
(Rival Battle)	Snowdin 	Undertale 	
7 	Kerrigan 	Kerrigan's Leviathan	Conscience 	
==Alternates==
===Alternate Colors===
*RED : Default appearance, based on his design from Hades.
*BLUE : Based on Megaera, a rival and potential love interest of Zagreus.
*BLACK : Based on Thanatos, a childhood friend and potential love interest of Zagreus.
*GREEN : Based on Dusa, the maid of the House of Hades and a dear friend of Zagreus.
===Alternate Costume===
File:PN ZAGREUS RENDER.png|"Default" Costume
File:PN ZAGREUS ALT.png|"Unseen One" Costume
*Default : Based on his appearance in Hades.
*Unseen One : Based on the placeholder design some characters had in the early builds of Hades.
==Trivia==
*Zagreus leaves flames beneath his feet when he walks, like in Hades.
*Another nod to the game is in his double jump, which has him engulf himself in flames and dash upward, akin to his Dash in Hades.
*He and Chun-Li are the only character in the game to have more than one Finisher.
*Zagreus is also the only character who may speak actual words when he is KOed, instead of groaning or screaming.
*The only gods who give Boons in Hades to not make an appearance in Zagreus' moveset are Hermes, Demeter and Chaos. According to game designer AlwaysDREGOL, Hermes was considered but dropped because he lacks a Call in the original game, Chaos was not considered because he is not an Olympian and Demeter was cut to not give Zagreus too many vastly different Boons to work with, and because she is likely the last Olympian the player will come in contact with in Hades.
Category:Project Nexus
Category:Project Nexus / Movesets
Category:Movesets