Ars Goetia's dark fantasy dungeon crawler released on 26 May 2022 through Dear Villagers, and it asks you to pick which of six demons your character serves before the first fight. That pact is the class system: Lucifer, Beelzebub, Baal, Satan, Asmodeus and Leviathan each hand you a different skill tree, different stat growth per level and a different Demon Form. Combat is turn based on a fatigue clock rather than a strict you go, I go order, so cheap actions can chain before an enemy ever moves.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balam's Strike | S | Consistent single target melee damage | Deals double melee damage in one action, the cleanest damage Momentum in the melee trees. |
| Apocalyptic Choreography | A | Opening a crowded fight or finishing a wounded pack | Hits every enemy on the field for heavy damage but fires only once, recharging when your Demon Form triggers. |
| Wound Aggravation | A | Poison and bleed builds after two or three stacking actions | Doubles all poison and bleeding stacks on every enemy at once. |
| Time Warp | B | Emergency resets when a boss is about to act | Adds 7 seconds of fatigue to every enemy, which on the fatigue clock is close to skipping their turn outright. |
| Destruction | B | Long boss fights where crits have already piled up | Cannot miss, adds 30 percent damage, and stacks another 20 percent for every critical you have already landed in the fight. |
S-Tier: Balam's Strike
Deals double melee damage in one action, the cleanest damage Momentum in the melee trees. Cheap enough to replace your basic attack once Rage income is stable.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Consistent single target melee damage |
| Key Mechanic | Demonic pact instead of a class |
| Recommended Build | Lucifer |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Balam's Strike: Pairs naturally with Lucifer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Apocalyptic Choreography
Hits every enemy on the field for heavy damage but fires only once, recharging when your Demon Form triggers. Treat it as a one per fight opener, not a rotation button.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Opening a crowded fight or finishing a wounded pack |
| Key Mechanic | Fatigue clock turn order |
| Recommended Build | Beelzebub |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Apocalyptic Choreography: Pairs naturally with Beelzebub thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Wound Aggravation
Doubles all poison and bleeding stacks on every enemy at once. On a Baal or Asmodeus build it turns a slow damage over time setup into an immediate kill window.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Poison and bleed builds after two or three stacking actions |
| Key Mechanic | Momentums and Postures |
| Recommended Build | Baal |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Wound Aggravation: Pairs naturally with Baal thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Time Warp
Adds 7 seconds of fatigue to every enemy, which on the fatigue clock is close to skipping their turn outright. It becomes available again once you drop into survival range.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Emergency resets when a boss is about to act |
| Key Mechanic | Demon Form charged over five fights |
| Recommended Build | Leviathan |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Time Warp: Pairs naturally with Leviathan thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Destruction
Cannot miss, adds 30 percent damage, and stacks another 20 percent for every critical you have already landed in the fight. It recharges on each kill, so it scales through trash waves.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Long boss fights where crits have already piled up |
| Key Mechanic | Recipe scrolls and crafting |
| Recommended Build | Asmodeus |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Destruction: Pairs naturally with Asmodeus thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Byleth
- Apocalyptic Choreography → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Wound Aggravation → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Balam's Strike → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Read the demon description before you pick. There is no way to change pact mid run, and each of the six lays its skill tree out differently even where the abilities overlap.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Hellslave Guides
- Hellslave Hellslave Overview
- Hellslave Best Builds
- Hellslave Tier List
- Hellslave Walkthrough
- Hellslave Beginner's Guide
- Hellslave Tips & Tricks
- Hellslave Combat Guide
- Hellslave Boss Guide
- Hellslave Maps & Locations
- Hellslave Crafting Guide
- Hellslave Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Hellslave, check out these related guides:
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- Baldur's Gate 3 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
