Early Runs — Focus the Damage
Hades is built on repeated runs. Inside each one, the single most important habit is narrowing your Boons so all the damage piles onto either Attack or Special. Try to power up everything and you end up powering up nothing.
-
1
Pick your main axis (Attack or Special)
From the first Boon onward, decide whether your damage comes from basic attacks or Specials.
-
2
Stack Boons from the same god
Multiple Boons from one god compound, push toward Duo conditions, and feel much stronger together.
-
3
Take healing and damage reduction
Aphrodite's healing, Athena's deflect, and similar survival Boons keep runs alive — never skip them.
-
4
Invest the Mirror after each death
Back at base, spend resources on max HP, Dash, and extra revives so the baseline rises.
Filling your Boon slots (Attack, Special, Dash, Cast) means the next room is more likely to offer a different category. If you want a specific god, lock in early Boons in your less-important slots first to bias the RNG.
Build the Baseline with the Mirror
Hades progresses on two tracks — your skill, and your character's permanent upgrades. Every time you die, spend collected resources at the Mirror of Night.
| Upgrade | Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Max HP / healing | Raises survival floor | High |
| Dash improvements | More invulnerability frames, fewer hits taken | High |
| Death Defiance (extra lives) | One or more revives per run | High |
| Damage modifiers | Raises overall damage floor | Medium |
Early on, expecting to escape is unrealistic. The pattern is "die, invest in the Mirror, push a little further" — that is the design. Stack permanent upgrades patiently and you'll naturally reach the deeper biomes.
What's Next
Once movement clicks, focus on stronger builds and weapon mastery. The full Boon strategy is in Best Boons and Builds, and weapons plus Aspects are covered in Weapons and Aspects. For the overall verdict, see our Honest Review.
★Honest Take: Dying Has Never Felt This Good
Honestly, Hades is one of the very few games where dying is something to look forward to. Each failed escape unlocks new dialogue at the house, and the Mirror always has another upgrade waiting. That cycle is why losing feels productive. Stay focused on funneling damage into one source and keep investing the Mirror — the rest takes care of itself.
