Hades beginner guide: first escape priorities
Choose useful chamber rewards, improve Zagreus between attempts and build around one reliable attack.
Edition covered
Original Hades PC release and its final base-game systems, not Hades II. Publisher screenshots include early-access builds and illustrate environments rather than exact current HUD values.
Read the reward before choosing a door
Door symbols tell you what a chamber awards. Early escapes can deliberately gather lasting resources; a promising boss attempt may benefit more from a boon or health. Check current health and your main attack before choosing.
| Reward | Benefit | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Olympian boon | Adds or upgrades a god-given power | Your main attack has no boon |
| Centaur Heart | Raises maximum health for this attempt | Survival is the limiting factor |
| Pom of Power | Raises an eligible boon’s level | A core boon already supports the build |
| Daedalus Hammer | Changes weapon behavior | You want a meaningful weapon upgrade |
Keep permanent progress separate from a run
Returning to the House removes temporary combat rewards but preserves collected progression currencies. Spend between attempts, speak to available characters and then practice your weapon on Skelly. An unsuccessful escape can still unlock a stronger start.
| Resource | Kept after death? | Main early use |
|---|---|---|
| Darkness | Yes | Buy Mirror of Night ranks |
| Chthonic Keys | Yes | Unlock weapons and more Mirror talents |
| Nectar | Yes | Give first gifts for many keepsakes |
| Charon’s Obols | No | Buy supplies during this escape |
Build one dependable damage option
Choose an Attack or Special boon that suits the weapon you actually use. A Daedalus Hammer changes the weapon’s moves, while a Pom improves an eligible boon. Read the individual effect instead of assuming every rarity increase solves the same problem.
Learn a room before committing to a combo
Stay clear of traps and watch an enemy finish its attack before moving in. Dash into open ground, then turn back to attack. In lava-filled Asphodel, short controlled movement is easier to recover from than repeatedly dashing to an unseen landing.
A useful first objective is reaching a new boss with a build you understand, even before you can defeat it.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Chamber Reward | hades.fandom.com |
| Darkness | hades.fandom.com |
| Chthonic Key | hades.fandom.com |
| Daedalus Hammer | hades.fandom.com |