Everything you need to escape the Underworld in Supergiant's Hades: what to spend each currency on, the Mirror of Night, the six Infernal Arms and their Aspects, how Boons and Duo Boons fit together, boss tips for all four regions, and the road to the true ending and high Heat.
Researched September 2026 — current as of the final v1.0 build (last patched February 2022 for Steam Deck support). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.
Status: Hades (full release September 17, 2020) is finished. Its last patch in February 2022 made it Steam Deck Verified. Supergiant's sequel, Hades II, launched v1.0 on September 25, 2025. This guide covers the original.
| Currency | Where from | Spend on |
|---|---|---|
| Darkness | Runs, chamber rewards | Mirror of Night talents |
| Chthonic Keys | Chamber rewards, Hades's bounties | Unlocking weapons and Mirror talent slots |
| Gemstones | Chamber rewards | House Contractor renovations (Fountain Chambers in the Underworld, House cosmetics, and utilities like the Wretched Broker) |
| Nectar | Chamber rewards, Charon, the Wretched Broker | Gifts. The first Nectar to a character gives a Keepsake |
| Diamonds | Late bosses, bounties | Major House Contractor projects |
| Ambrosia | Late bosses, bounties | High-affinity gifts, companions |
| Titan Blood | Bosses (first clears, Heat bounties) | Weapon Aspects |
| Obols (Charon's) | During runs only | Charon's shop, Wells of Charon |
Contractor priorities: the Fountain Chamber upgrades (healing fountain rooms in each region), the Wretched Broker (a currency exchange), the Fated List of Minor Prophecies, and later the Rod of Fishing.
Each slot has two alternative talents, which you can swap at will once both are unlocked.
| Slot | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Presence (damage when striking from behind) | Fiery Presence (damage on first hit) |
| 2 | Chthonic Vitality (heal on entering chambers) | Dark Regeneration (heal when picking up Darkness) |
| 3 | Death Defiance (extra lives) | Stubborn Defiance (revives once per chamber) |
| 4 | Greater Reflex (extra dash) | Ruthless Reflex (bonus damage on dash-dodge) |
| 5 | Boiling Blood (bonus vs. Cast-stuck enemies) | Abyssal Blood (enemies with Cast are weakened) |
| 6 | Infernal Soul (more Cast ammo) | Stygian Soul (Cast regenerates) |
| 7 | Deep Pockets (starting Obols) | Golden Touch (interest on Obols) |
| 8 | Thick Skin (max health) | High Confidence (damage at high health) |
| 9 | Privileged Status (damage vs. enemies with two status curses) | Family Favorite (damage per god boon) |
| 10 | Olympian Favor | Dark Foresight |
| 11 | Gods' Pride | Gods' Legacy |
| 12 | Fated Authority | Fated Persuasion |
Slots 10 and 11 improve your odds of higher-rarity rewards (Gods' Pride targets Epic boons; Gods' Legacy targets Duo and Legendary boons). Slot 12 gives you Fate rerolls, which reroll chamber rewards or the boons and items you're offered. Check each talent's in-game tooltip before choosing.
Beginner order: Death Defiance, Chthonic Vitality, Greater Reflex, Thick Skin, then Shadow Presence or Fiery Presence, then the rest.
| Weapon | Unlock | Playstyle | Beginner-friendly aspect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stygius (Sword) | Default | Fast combos, strong special | Aspect of Zagreus (default), later Aspect of Arthur |
| Varatha (Spear) | Chthonic Keys | Reach, a charged spin, and a throw that returns | Aspect of Zagreus, later Aspect of Guan Yu |
| Aegis (Shield) | Chthonic Keys | Block, charged Bull Rush, and a shield throw that bounces | Aspect of Zagreus, Aspect of Beowulf |
| Coronacht (Bow) | Chthonic Keys | Charged shots, volley special | Aspect of Chiron (special homes in on targets hit by your attack), Aspect of Hera (your Cast loads into your shots) |
| Twin Fists of Malphon | Chthonic Keys | Very fast melee, uppercut special | Aspect of Talos, Aspect of Gilgamesh |
| Adamant Rail | Chthonic Keys | Automatic fire with reloads, bomb special | Aspect of Hestia, Aspect of Lucifer |
Aspects are unlocked and levelled with Titan Blood. Each weapon has a hidden aspect (Arthur, Guan Yu, Beowulf, Rama, Gilgamesh, Lucifer) that you unlock through specific story conversations once you've invested in that weapon's other aspects.
| God | Signature effect | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Zeus | Lightning (chain, bolts) | Great ranged or AoE damage and chain-hits |
| Poseidon | Knockback, bonus damage on impact with walls | Wall slams, crowd control, money boons |
| Athena | Deflect | The best defense in the game. Divine Dash is a top pick |
| Ares | Doom (delayed big hit), Blade Rift | Strong burst, good with slow heavy hits |
| Aphrodite | Weak (enemies deal less damage) | High damage and safety |
| Artemis | Critical hits | Crit builds, strong on fast weapons |
| Dionysus | Hangover (poison stacks) | Damage-over-time and Festive Fog dodge |
| Demeter | Chill (slow, then shatter) | Control and big AoE on shatter |
| Hermes | Speed, dodge, attack speed | Not a damage god, but his boons make any build better |
| Chaos | Temporary curse, then a permanent boon | High risk, high reward. Pick curses you can live with |
Useful Duo Boons (require at least one qualifying boon from each god):
Legendary Boons have prerequisites (for example, Zeus's Splitting Bolt and Athena's Divine Protection). Chasing them is how you get very powerful runs.
| Region | Boss | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Tartarus | Fury Sisters: Megaera, then Alecto and Tisiphone on later runs | Dodge the whip lines, stay mobile, punish after each dash-attack |
| Asphodel | Bone Hydra (Lernie) | Kill the extra heads it summons. Stay off the lava edges and dodge the slam |
| Elysium | Theseus and Asterius | Focus one of them. Killing either one enrages the other, so save burst for the second. Watch Theseus's spear throws and the god he calls for help |
| Temple of Styx | Hades (reached with the Satyr Sack from the Styx tunnels) | Two phases. Dodge his spin and cast, and save a Death Defiance for phase two |
Styx tip: each tunnel may hold the Satyr Sack. A Pom or Healing reward in the Styx hub is often worth a detour.
Extreme Measures (a Pact condition) gives each boss new mechanics at higher Heat.
How many escapes for the real ending? Ten successful escapes play out the epilogue. Your first escape is only the beginning.
What's the best weapon for beginners? Stygius (sword) or Aegis (shield). Both are forgiving, and the shield's block is very safe.
How do I unlock hidden aspects? Invest in a weapon's standard aspects, then progress the related story conversations. Each hidden aspect is revealed through dialogue.
What does Heat do? Each Pact of Punishment condition makes runs harder and adds Heat. Bounties reward escaping at new Heat levels with each weapon.
Is there a God Mode? Yes. God Mode (in settings) gives damage resistance that grows each time you die. It doesn't lock you out of anything.
Should I play Hades or Hades II first? Hades first. Hades II (v1.0 since September 2025) is a direct sequel and builds on its story, though it stands on its own.