If you’ve made your way far enough into the Altar of Ashes, you may be scratching your head over one card’s requirement of something called “Z Sand.” It’s an exceptionally rare material. But where is it? Here’s where to get the Z Sand — or Zodiac Sand — resource in Hades 2.
As you may have gleaned, the full name of the Z Sand resource in Hades 2 is Zodiac Sand, which is awarded after a late-game boss fight. As it is a rare resource found deep within the rougher neighborhood of spoiler town, I should offer a warning: This guide contains late-game spoilers for Hades 2, so make sure you want to proceed before scrolling further.
Z Sand – Zodiac Sand – resource location in Hades 2
As the resource is so rare, it doesn’t show up in many in-game recipes. You likely first heard of it while perusing the Altar of Ashes. The Arcana Card XXV – Judgment requires one Z Sand along with 50 Ash to unlock. Clearly, whatever this sand is, it doesn’t come easy. And it doesn’t.
Z Sand, aka Zodiac Sand, is rewarded after defeating Chronos, the final boss of Hades 2. The Guardian of Tartarus, Chronos stands as the greatest threat to Olympus. Defeating him is only the start of the battle, but doing so grants you access to the sand for use in recipes. Though I’ll admit it does feel like a consolation prize, as Chronos won’t exactly go quietly into the night.
What is Z Sand used for in Hades 2?
Zodiac Sand is used for a handful of recipes. As mentioned, you need one to unlock an Arcana Card. But once you claim some for the first time, other recipes begin to appear.
Over in the Incantations menu at the Crossroads cauldron is a new spell: ‘Summoning of Historic Travails’. Those who finished at least one run in the original Hades know of the Administrative Chamber, which allows you to view details of your runs. The Learned Sage, summonable via the Historic Travails incantation, fills this role in the sequel.
There are likely other things to unlock with the sand, so it’ll be wise to gather up more. Just keep in mind that Chronos won’t make it easy.
