Hades is the roguelike that converted people who hate roguelikes. Supergiant Games created a game where dying is genuinely fun because each death advances a rich story with fully voice-acted dialogue that changes based on how you died, what weapons you used, and which gods you interacted with. The gameplay loop sends Zagreus through four distinct regions of the Underworld, collecting boons (power-ups) from Olympian gods that synergize in wildly creative ways. Over 300 unique boon combinations mean every run feels different, and the weapon Aspect system adds another layer of build diversity. Even after your first successful escape, the Pact of Punishment adds escalating difficulty modifiers for hundreds of hours of replayability.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
boon selection
Olympian gods offer boons (abilities) after clearing rooms. Each god has a theme: Zeus adds chain lightning, Artemis adds critical hits, Aphrodite adds damage weakness, Ares adds damage-over-time, etc. Boons attach to your attack, special, cast, dash, or call. Combining two gods' boons can trigger Duo Boons — rare, powerful hybrid effects like Merciful End (Ares+Athena) that trigger Doom on deflected attacks.
mirror upgrades
The Mirror of Night in Zagreus's bedroom provides permanent meta-progression upgrades purchased with Darkness currency. Key upgrades include Death Defiance (3 extra lives per run), Greater Reflex (extra dash), and Privileged Status (bonus damage to enemies with 2+ status effects). Each mirror talent has two options — the alternate options unlock later and enable different playstyles.
weapon aspects
Each of the six weapons (called Infernal Arms) has four Aspects that fundamentally change how they play. For example, the Stygian Blade's Aspect of Nemesis adds +15% crit after special, while Aspect of Arthur transforms it into a massive slow sword with a 50-HP shield aura. Aspects are unlocked with Titan Blood from boss encounters.
keepsake system
Keepsakes are equippable trinkets earned by giving Nectar to NPCs. Each keepsake provides a unique passive effect — Cerberus's Shattered Shackle adds damage in special-less rooms, while Zeus's Thunder Signet guarantees a Zeus boon at the next eligible door. You can swap keepsakes between regions, allowing strategic planning.
relationship building
Giving Nectar and Ambrosia to NPCs advances relationship storylines with unique dialogue at each stage. Some relationships unlock powerful Companion summons — Megaera's companion deals 2500 damage on use. The story advances through dozens of runs, with dialogue trees that reference your specific gameplay choices and death circumstances.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stygian Blade | A | Dash in, use special for the crit buff, then spam attacks on the boss. Artemis boons stack crit to 30%+ making your DPS extremely high. | Critical chance, attack speed, base damage percentage |
| Heart-Seeking Bow | A | Tag enemies with one charged attack, then spam special to auto-home 4+ arrows on the tagged target. The Ares Doom procs stack devastatingly. | Attack percentage damage, special hits, Doom damage |
| Shield of Chaos | S | Throw the shield and let it bounce between all enemies while blocking with bull rush. Add Zeus lightning for massive AoE clear speed. | Bonus bounces, lightning damage, attack speed |
| Adamant Rail | S | Fire your special grenade, dash into the explosion to trigger Eris buff, then empty your magazine into the boss with +75% damage for 4 seconds. | Attack percentage, fire rate, special detonation timing |
| Twin Fists of Malphon | A | Pull enemies in with Talos special, then rapid-punch to stack Hangover. The fast attack speed means status effects apply faster than any other weapon. | Attack speed, on-hit effects, status damage stacking |
Stygian Blade (A-Tier): The Stygian Blade has fast attacks and a powerful special that hits in an arc. Aspect of Nemesis adds +15% crit chance after using special, synergizing perfectly with Artemis crit boons. The blade is the most beginner-friendly weapon with good reach and quick recovery. Aspect of Arthur transforms it into a massive greatsword with a 50-HP aura but much slower attacks.
Heart-Seeking Bow (A-Tier): Coronacht (the bow) excels at safe, ranged damage with charged power shots. Aspect of Chiron causes your special to automatically target the last enemy hit by your attack, creating a reliable damage loop. Pair with Aphrodite attack for massive power shot damage and Ares special for stacking Doom on auto-target specials.
Shield of Chaos (S-Tier): Aegis (the shield) is the safest weapon because holding attack blocks all frontal damage. Aspect of Zeus causes the thrown shield to bounce between enemies dealing continuous damage. Pair with Zeus attack boon to add chain lightning to every bounce. This build clears rooms by throwing the shield and watching it bounce-destroy everything.
Adamant Rail (S-Tier): Exagryph (the rail gun) is the most unique weapon — a machine gun with a grenade launcher special. Aspect of Eris gives +75% damage for 4 seconds after absorbing your own special blast. This means you fire a grenade at your feet, absorb the blast, then unload your entire magazine with a 75% damage buff. It melts bosses.
Twin Fists of Malphon (A-Tier): Malphon (the fists) have the fastest attack speed in the game, making them ideal for on-hit effects. Aspect of Talos adds a magnetic special that pulls enemies toward you and deals bonus damage. Pair with Dionysus attack for stacking Hangover ticks — each fast punch applies a poison stack, and rapid punching builds 5 stacks almost instantly.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Hades builds guide.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Coronacht | The Heart-Seeking Bow that fires charged power shots and a spread of homing arrows on special. | Heart-Seeking Bow |
| Varatha | The Eternal Spear with long range poke and a thrown special. | Any build |
| Aegis | The Shield of Chaos blocks all frontal damage when holding attack. | Shield of Chaos |
| Exagryph | The Adamant Rail is a rapid-fire gun with a grenade special. | Adamant Rail |
| Malphon | The Twin Fists attack the fastest of any weapon, hitting 3-5 times per second. | Twin Fists of Malphon |
Coronacht: The Heart-Seeking Bow that fires charged power shots and a spread of homing arrows on special. Aspect of Chiron is the standout — special arrows auto-target whoever you last hit with attack, stacking boon effects reliably. Chiron bow is one of the most consistent boss-killing setups in the game.
Varatha: The Eternal Spear with long range poke and a thrown special. Aspect of Guan Yu trades max HP for a massive spinning attack that heals on hit. It's a high-risk high-reward aspect that rewards skilled play. The standard spear is a safe, reliable weapon for learning the game.
Aegis: The Shield of Chaos blocks all frontal damage when holding attack. Aspect of Zeus makes the thrown shield bounce continuously between enemies. Combined with Zeus attack boon, the bouncing shield deals chain lightning with every bounce, clearing rooms without you needing to be in danger.
Exagryph: The Adamant Rail is a rapid-fire gun with a grenade special. Aspect of Eris grants +75% total damage after absorbing your own grenade blast. This aspect has possibly the highest burst DPS in the game. The rail also benefits from the Cluster Bomb Daedalus hammer that splits grenades into multiple bomblets.
Malphon: The Twin Fists attack the fastest of any weapon, hitting 3-5 times per second. Aspect of Talos adds a magnetic pull to your special that groups enemies together for combo damage. The fists excel with on-hit boons like Dionysus Hangover or Zeus Lightning because more hits means more procs.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Tartarus | Chambers 1-14 | Core boon foundation, Daedalus Hammer, Chaos boons, Charon's shop |
| Asphodel | Chambers 15-24 | Mid-tier boons, Eurydice (kitchen upgrades), second Daedalus Hammer |
| Elysium | Chambers 25-36 | Highest-tier boons, Patroclus (shop/buffs), Theseus/Asterius drops |
| Temple of Styx | Chambers 37-42 | Final boon upgrades, pom of power, Satyr Sack (progression) |
| Surface | Final boss | Successful escape (story progression), Titan Blood, Diamond |
Tartarus: The first region with relatively weak enemies but dangerous traps (spike floors, lava). Contains 14 chambers before the first boss: Megaera (or her sisters, depending on story progression). Focus on building your core boon loadout here. The Chaos Gates in Tartarus are worth entering for powerful Chaos boons.
Asphodel: A lava-flooded region with ranged enemies and magma hazards on the floor. Contains ~10 chambers before the Bone Hydra boss (Lernaean Bone Hydra). The Hydra is a DPS check — it spawns additional heads at 66% and 33% HP that must be killed. Asphodel is where bad builds start to struggle.
Elysium: The hardest combat region with shielded enemies, armored exalted warriors, and the brutal mini-boss duo Theseus and Asterius. Shielded enemies require you to hit them from behind or use shield-piercing attacks. Theseus and Asterius fight together — kill Asterius first since Theseus calls in god attacks at 50% HP.
Temple of Styx: Five short tunnel branches, each ending with a satyr mini-boss that drops a sack. One random sack contains the item needed to progress to the final boss. The Tiny Vermin (poison rats) are the most annoying enemy in the game — they're small, fast, and apply poison. Bring area damage.
Surface: The final boss arena where you fight Hades himself in a two-phase battle. Phase 1 is manageable with spin attacks and skull projectiles. Phase 2 adds green vases that heal Hades if not destroyed, and his attacks become faster and harder-hitting. Death Defiance lives are often consumed here.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Privileged Status from the Mirror (+40% damage to enemies with 2+ status effects) is the single strongest mirror upgrade. Build around applying two different status effects (e.g., Aphrodite Weak + Dionysus Hangover) to trigger it.
- Duo Boons require having prerequisite boons from both gods. Check the Codex (hotkey available in-run) to see each Duo Boon's requirements so you can plan your build.
- The Pom of Power upgrades one random boon — prioritize it when your core attack boon is already selected. A level 5 Aphrodite Heartbreak Strike does 130% bonus damage vs. 50% at level 1.
- Athena's Divine Dash (deflect during dash) is the best defensive boon in the game. It blocks nearly every projectile in the game and trivializes several boss attacks. Take it whenever offered.
- When facing Theseus and Asterius in Elysium, always kill Asterius first. Theseus stays on his chariot throwing spears until 50% HP, then calls in an Olympian god's attacks. Fighting both plus god attacks is a nightmare.
- Keepsake swapping between regions is powerful strategy. Use a god keepsake in Tartarus to guarantee your core boon, then swap to Broken Spearpoint (invincibility after hit) for Elysium bosses.
- Stubborn Defiance (Mirror alternate to Death Defiance) restores 1 life per room instead of 3 per run. It's better for high heat runs where you expect to die repeatedly but worse for boss attempts where you want multiple lives.
- Chaos boons from the Chaos Gates in Tartarus apply a curse for a few rooms then give permanent buffs. The best Chaos boons add extra dashes, increase boon rarity, or give flat damage boosts. Always enter Chaos Gates in Tartarus.
- The fishing minigame appears randomly at room-cleared markers. Always fish — the catches trade for valuable resources (Diamonds, Titan Blood, Ambrosia) at the Head Chef in the lounge.
- At Heat 16+ on the Pact of Punishment, Extreme Measures 4 transforms the Hades boss fight with new attacks and a full arena redesign. Practice lower heats extensively before attempting EM4.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not taking Death Defiance from the Mirror — three extra lives per run is the difference between clearing and failing. Always max it first.
- Ignoring the Duo Boon prerequisites — grabbing random boons instead of building toward a specific Duo Boon like Merciful End or Ice Wine wastes your build potential.
- Selling boons at Charon's Well that have synergies with your build — always read what Privileged Status and your current effects need before selling.
- Ignoring Daedalus Hammer choices — the hammer modifies your weapon's core mechanics (like adding rocket to the rail or chain bounce to the shield). It's usually the most impactful choice in a run.
- Fighting Hades without at least two Death Defiance remaining — his phase 2 has several near-unavoidable attacks that will catch even experienced players off guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many runs does it take to beat Hades?
Most players escape for the first time between runs 20-40, depending on skill and weapon choice. The story continues through 10 successful escapes to reach the 'credits' ending, and the full epilogue requires dozens more runs plus max relationship levels with key NPCs.
What is the best weapon in Hades?
The Shield of Chaos (Aspect of Zeus) and Adamant Rail (Aspect of Eris) are generally considered the strongest. The Zeus shield bounces indefinitely dealing passive damage, while Eris rail gives a 75% damage boost with a simple combo. That said, every weapon is viable at every heat level with the right boon build.
Does Hades have an ending?
Yes, Hades has a full narrative conclusion. After 10 successful escapes, you see the main story credits. Continuing beyond that unlocks the epilogue questline involving reuniting the Olympian gods, which requires maxing relationships and completing specific events. The full story payoff is worth the investment.
What carries over between runs in Hades?
Darkness (Mirror upgrades), Keys (weapon unlocks), Gemstones (House renovations), Diamonds (contractor upgrades), Titan Blood (weapon Aspects), Ambrosia (NPC relationships), and Nectar (keepsakes) all persist permanently. Your boon build resets each run. Story progress and dialogue are also permanent.
What to Read Next
- Best Hades Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- Hades Tier List — Current meta rankings
- Hades Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- Hades Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- Hades Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
