Hades Getting Started Guide: Essential Tips for Beginners

Hades, developed by Supergiant Games, is a fast-paced roguelite steeped in Greek mythology. Whether you’re brand new or looking to sharpen your early runs, this guide will walk you through the best beginner weapons, key resources, essential upgrades, and survival strategies to help you climb your way out of the Underworld.

Choosing the Best Starting Weapons

There are six weapons in Hades, but you start with the Stygian Blade. As you collect Chthonic Keys, you can unlock more. Two of the best beginner-friendly weapons are:

Heart-Seeking Bow (1 Key): Great for learning enemy patterns while keeping a safe distance. Strong special attack and long-range capabilities.
Shield of Chaos (3 Keys): Offers both defense and offense. Block with it, bash enemies, or throw it for ranged control—great for new players.

Tip: Each run features a “+20% Darkness” bonus on one weapon. Use this to try new ones and level up faster.

Unlocking Essential Skills with the Mirror of Night

In Zagreus’ bedchamber, the Mirror of Night lets you unlock permanent upgrades using Darkness. Start by investing in:

Death Defiance: Revives you once per run (restoring 50% HP at level 1). Vital for surviving longer.
Chthonic Vitality: Restores a small amount of health after each chamber—helps sustain you early on.
Greater Reflex: Adds an extra dash. Crucial for dodging, repositioning, and mobility.

Revisit the mirror often to fine-tune your build as you progress.

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Understanding Enemy Patterns and Movement

Learning enemy attack patterns is key to survival. Watch for visual and audio cues:

Brimstones glow before firing lasers.
Wretched Pests lob bombs that explode on delay.
Skull Crushers slam down vertically—dash sideways, not backward.

Mastering movement is just as important as dealing damage.

Using the Environment to Your Advantage

The Underworld is full of hazards you can use against enemies:

Falling Pillars (in Asphodel or Elysium): Knock over columns to crush enemies.
Bomb Traps: Lure foes next to them, then trigger explosions from a safe distance.

Use the map’s layout to add damage without expending resources.

Choosing the Right Rewards

Each chamber offers different reward types—learn to prioritize what helps you most:

🟣 Darkness: Permanent currency for Mirror upgrades.
🗝️ Chthonic Keys: Unlocks weapons and Mirror talents.
❤️ Centaur Hearts: Adds +25 to your max HP.
🔨 Daedalus Hammer: Enhances your weapon’s moveset—highly valuable.
⚡ Boons (Olympian Gods): Temporary but powerful upgrades for each run.

Early on, prioritize Centaur Hearts, Hammers, and Darkness for long-term benefits.

Best Boons for Beginners

Not all gods are created equal when you’re just starting out. Focus on:

Athena: Offers Deflect, allowing you to reflect enemy projectiles—excellent for defense.
Hermes: Boosts mobility and attack speed, helping with dodging and DPS.
Poseidon: Grants powerful knockback effects that control space and interrupt enemies.

You’ll get more comfortable with aggressive gods (like Ares or Zeus) as you gain experience.

High-Risk, High-Reward Opportunities

Two types of optional challenges can yield strong rewards if you’re willing to take a risk:

Chaos Gates: Sacrifice HP to enter the realm of Chaos, gaining powerful boons after a few rooms of drawback.
Infernal Troves: Time-based challenges that reward HP, Darkness, or Obols based on how fast you clear enemies.

Tackle these once you’re confident in your dodging and damage output.

Maximizing Keepsakes

Keepsakes are items gifted by NPCs after giving them Nectar. Great early-game options include:

Old Spiked Collar (Cerberus): +25 max HP—ideal for survivability.
Lucky Tooth (Skelly): Grants a one-time revive with HP—perfect for tough boss fights.
Evergreen Acorn (Eurydice): Reduces damage taken from bosses—a reliable safety net.

After unlocking the Keepsake Collection upgrade, you can switch Keepsakes between zones.

Spending Resources with the House Contractor

Once unlocked, the House Contractor lets you invest Gemstones in permanent upgrades. Start with:

Fountain Chambers: Adds healing rooms in each biome—massive quality-of-life boost.
Keepsake Collection: Lets you change Keepsakes between Underworld regions.
Plunder Lesser: Activates Infernal Troves for optional challenges and bonus loot.

Prioritize utility and survivability upgrades before cosmetic or luxury features.

Final Thoughts

Hades rewards persistence, experimentation, and adaptability. Each run—win or lose—helps you get stronger. Learn enemy patterns, upgrade strategically, and don’t be afraid to test new builds. Over time, you’ll improve your reflexes, build knowledge, and eventually escape the Underworld.