Hades Guide#

Hades is a roguelike action RPG from Supergiant Games (Pyre, Transistor). You play Zagreus, son of the lord of the underworld, fighting through layer after layer to escape Hades and reach the surface — and every death brings a different combination of boons and story fragments. This guide covers every Olympian boon and build, all six Infernal Arms, the enemies and bosses of each region, and the affinity system.

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch | Release Date: September 17, 2020 (full release)

Game Information#

About the Game#

Hades blends the punch of an action game with the randomness of a roguelike and a remarkably strong narrative. Whether or not you know Greek mythology, night after night of escape runs lets the family drama between gods and the dead unfold. With its content volume and art direction, the game took home numerous 2020 awards and is widely regarded as the peak of the roguelike genre.

The Core Loop#

From “getting the boons you hoped for” to “a fully formed build,” every run is a rehearsal of a new playstyle. The loop is efficient and the feedback is clear — exactly what makes “one more run” so enduring.

Weapons#

The Six Infernal Arms#

Aspects#

• Each weapon has several Aspects that offer completely different combat characteristics.
• Some Aspects require completing specific chambers of challenge; Aspect levels are raised with Titan Blood.
• Each Aspect suits a different playstyle — pick a progression route that matches your pace.

The World and Four Regions#

The final boss is Hades himself, lord of the underworld — beating him is the first true “escape.”

Boons#

The Olympian Gods#

• Boons come in Common, Rare, Epic, and Heroic rarities, and can be enhanced with extra elements via the “Boon Enhancement” feature.
• Duo Boons — the core bonuses unlocked by specific combinations — are the heart of advanced builds.

The Powers of Chaos and the Depths#

• At Chaos’s chambers you can take on “costs” in exchange for stronger, conditional temporary buffs.
• Depths boons and some rare boons can produce additional effects in specific combinations.

Mirror of Night#

The Heat System#

• Clearing the game unlocks Heat, which raises difficulty through Pacts of Punishment in exchange for more rewards and cosmetics.
• Heat is divided into multiple tiers; climbing from 6-10 is recommended.
• 32 Heat is the community’s accepted conventional limit — allocate Pacts sensibly, prioritizing high-risk conditions like “no revives.”

Affinity and Companions#

• Give gifts (Nectar, Ambrosia) to raise your relationships with gods and family.
• Once a “companion bond” is established, you can summon them into battle.
• Maxing all affinity unlocks the hidden “epilogue” chapter.

Beginner Tips#

1. Your first escape will probably fail — keep a level head and treat every death as progress.
2. Don’t stick to one weapon — try them all and find the rhythm that suits you.
3. Prioritize your boons — settle on a main damage direction first, then let the build come together.
4. Upgrade the Mirror of Night — investing Darkness in talents beats any single great boon.
5. Manage your resources — early on, trade Darkness for steady growth.
6. Stay calm before bosses — low health is fine; focus on dodging and finding your windows.

Endgame Content#

• Completing the initial escape unlocks the epilogue, a story chapter beyond the main line.
• Pair high Heat with speedrun challenges to test your limits.
• Full completion includes “all weapon Aspects” and “the complete boon collection” among its ultimate goals.

Weapon Aspect Progression by Heat#

This table is ordered from low to high Heat, for reference when graduating from beginner to high-Heat play. “Core loop” refers to the combat rhythm you should maintain above all else with that Aspect.

Boon Priorities at High Heat#

Above Heat 16, boon choices are no longer about raw per-hit damage — you must balance “survival windows” against “damage continuity.” Priorities by stage:

• Stage 1 (Heat 16-20): Athena’s dash deflection first, on any weapon — it is the most reliable insurance in melee. Then Ares’s attack-added curse for shredding elite shields.
• Stage 2 (Heat 20-28): Combine Hermes’s movement speed with Poseidon’s knockback for a “kiting” style. Weapon Aspects should lean ranged or semi-ranged, like the bow or rail.
• Stage 3 (Heat 28+): Rely on Zeus’s lightning chain proccing off Artemis’s crits, using high-frequency multi-hit damage — and drop defensive boons entirely, switching to Dionysus’s hangover control.

Room Reward Quick Reference#

Use this decision table to pick your exit based on your current boon count and run progress:

Run Pacing: Segment Goals from Start to the Styx#

• Through Tartarus: Practice switching weapon Aspects at least twice and learn the recovery cancels of your current Aspect. Bank at least 100 coins for a core boon at Charon’s shop in Asphodel.
• Asphodel: Keep the “damage on the move” habit — no fight should last more than 40 seconds. If it does, your boon mix needs adjusting; swap boons at the panel before the next fight.
• Region three to four boundary: Make sure you have at least one “control-break” boon or item (such as Athena’s aid or a Moonbeam item), or late elites with multi-hit control will lock you down.
• Before the final fight at the Styx: Check that your health is above 150. If it is lower, prioritize a Centaur Heart room or a fountain — sacrifice a boon slot if you must to survive.

Verified Duo Boon Combinations#

These combos meaningfully raise clear speed in practice, ordered by how easy they are to trigger:

• Poseidon’s attack knockback + Zeus’s lightning chain: knockbacks carry lightning — works with every melee weapon.
• Athena’s dash deflection + Ares’s attack curse: deflect while cursing, double pressure on ranged enemies.
• Artemis’s crit rate + Hermes’s attack speed: crits proc far more often — ideal for fast weapons like the fists.
• Dionysus’s hangover attacks + Aphrodite’s weakness specials: hangover lowers hit chance, weakness lowers damage — a safe standing zone.
• Hermes’s longer dash + Poseidon’s dash damage: the dash itself becomes a damage tool for hit-and-run play.

Common Deaths and Fixes#

• Dying to the Bone Hydra’s grapple in Asphodel: keep a dash charge item, and sidestep early during the grapple’s wind-up — don’t greed for damage.
• Dying to a Fury’s combo: the third hit of the combo has a brief wind-up; dash deliberately through and behind it, then attack from the back.
• Dying to the twin-headed hound’s breath before the Styx: the breath telegraphs with a red line on the ground — move perpendicular to it, not backward; retreating keeps you in the beam.
• Dying to your own curse stacks: Chaos’s downsides can be fatal late. Always check your remaining curse stacks before entering a Chaos gate — above two, take a “cleansing” item first.

Community Resources#

Version Info#

• Includes the full release and all subsequent updates
• Guide last updated: July 2026

Related Games#

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — the benchmark of open-world action adventure
• Stardew Valley — a farming management simulation
• Balatro — a poker-themed roguelike card game
• Bloodborne — a gothic horror soulslike action RPG
• Hollow Knight — a metroidvania action game

Related Rankings#

Best Indie Games of All Time: Top 10 · Best Roguelike Games · Best Soulslike Games · Hardest Bosses

Full Guides#

In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, the full story, the character roster, combat mechanics, all six weapons and their Aspects, boons and Duo Boons, the Mirror of Night, keepsakes, boss strategies, enemy compendium, region exploration, prophecies, collectibles, achievements, builds, Heat, affinity, endgame, and FAQ — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Hades section.

This guide is community-contributed