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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronacht | S | Heart-Seeking Bow | The Heart-Seeking Bow that fires charged power shots and a spread of homing arrows on special. |
| Varatha | A | Any build | The Eternal Spear with long range poke and a thrown special. |
| Aegis | A | Shield of Chaos | The Shield of Chaos blocks all frontal damage when holding attack. |
| Exagryph | B | Adamant Rail | The Adamant Rail is a rapid-fire gun with a grenade special. |
| Malphon | B | Twin Fists of Malphon | The Twin Fists attack the fastest of any weapon, hitting 3-5 times per second. |
S-Tier: 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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Heart-Seeking Bow |
| Key Mechanic | boon selection |
| Recommended Build | Stygian Blade |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Coronacht: Pairs naturally with Stygian Blade thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: 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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Any build |
| Key Mechanic | mirror upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Heart-Seeking Bow |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Varatha: Pairs naturally with Heart-Seeking Bow thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: 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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Shield of Chaos |
| Key Mechanic | weapon aspects |
| Recommended Build | Shield of Chaos |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Aegis: Pairs naturally with Shield of Chaos thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: 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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Adamant Rail |
| Key Mechanic | keepsake system |
| Recommended Build | Adamant Rail |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Exagryph: Pairs naturally with Adamant Rail thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: 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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Twin Fists of Malphon |
| Key Mechanic | relationship building |
| Recommended Build | Twin Fists of Malphon |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Malphon: Pairs naturally with Twin Fists of Malphon thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Tartarus
- Varatha → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Aegis → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Coronacht → 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.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Hades Guides
- Hades Hades Overview
- Hades Best Builds
- Hades Tier List
- Hades Walkthrough
- Hades Beginner's Guide
- Hades Tips & Tricks
- Hades Combat Guide
- Hades Boss Guide
- Hades Maps & Locations
- Hades Crafting Guide
- Hades Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Hades, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Dead Cells Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
