5 Builds to Beat Hades | Hades Guide, Tips and Tricks

Here's a quick guide to help if you are struggling to get your first victory against Hades, check out these builds! They won't guarantee victory, but they should be a good starting point to help you get your first W! This video doesn't go super in-depth for how to play each build but just gives you a few ideas for simple builds that can get very strong. Good luck!

Build 1 Thunder!: 0:50
Build 2 Doom!: 1:32
Build 3 Shotgun! : 2:25
Build 4 Athena!: 3:10
Build 5 Support Fire!: 3:36

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Hades is a god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler that combines the best aspects of Supergiant's critically acclaimed titles, including the fast-paced action of Bastion, the rich atmosphere and depth of Transistor, and the character-driven storytelling of Pyre.

BATTLE OUT OF HELL
As the immortal Prince of the Underworld, you'll wield the powers and mythic weapons of Olympus to break free from the clutches of the god of the dead himself, while growing stronger and unraveling more of the story with each unique escape attempt.

UNLEASH THE FURY OF OLYMPUS
The Olympians have your back! Meet Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, and many more, and choose from their dozens of powerful Boons that enhance your abilities. There are thousands of viable character builds to discover as you go.

BEFRIEND GODS, GHOSTS, AND MONSTERS
A fully-voiced cast of colorful, larger-than-life characters is waiting to meet you! Grow your relationships with them, and experience hundreds of unique story events as you learn about what's really at stake for this big, dysfunctional family.
BUILT FOR REPLAYABILITY
New surprises await each time you delve into the ever-shifting Underworld, whose guardian bosses will remember you. Use the powerful Mirror of Night to grow permanently stronger, and give yourself a leg up the next time you run away from home.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
Permanent upgrades mean you don't have to be a god yourself to experience the exciting combat and gripping story. Though, if you happen to be one, crank up the challenge and get ready for some white-knuckle action that will put your well-practiced skills to the test.
SIGNATURE SUPERGIANT STYLE
The rich, atmospheric presentation and unique melding of gameplay and narrative that's been core to Supergiant's games is here in full force: spectacular hand-painted Underworld environments and a blood-pumping original score bring the Underworld to life.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Hades is designed for Early Access from the ground up. Join the conversation here or Supergiant's official Discord server, and let our team know what you think of the game. We read 100% of player feedback, and each Major Update is heavily informed by it.

[villybones]

Take Spear into a run:
Ares’ doom on basic attacks
Zeus lightning AoE when dashing
Zeus chain lightning cast
Hermes’ amplified dash (+x per level)
Hermes upgrades dash that gives MS and sturdiness
Hammer upgrade that makes attacks faster

Proceed to constantly dash-attack with the spear and gore+speed run across every level :D

[alphayoung]

After 30 runs I decided to cheat and check out this video, the Doom+shield build helped me get my first clear. Thanks man!

[pabloarielcorderovillacort]

I always try to get the Athena's Dash... sorceresses on Elysium dies just by deflecting their big ball of projectiles :D

[batmate]

I found the hammer upgrade for the Sword that gives you less health but restores health on hit quite helpful in getting my first successful run

[mindmagemethin]

Super helpful tips I've already beaten Hades a couple of times and these tips are even still useful for me.
Maybe not really the place for it but I would love to see a Keepsake related to the hammer maybe meet Icarus and get like a wax feather or something that increases your chances of finding hammers.

[ladynikkie]

Usually the furthest I get is Asphodel but yesterday I actually got through Elysium and beat Theseus and the Minotaur on the very first try my built was drunken strike, deflector dash, and Artemis aid. Even though I got killed in Styx, I learn something new every escape. Thank you for the tips

[stevenlockhart]

I've watched so many videos on this game just to realize that the game has been changed multiple times since then. Guess that's the double edged sword of early access

[wollyram]

Holy shield (deflect after taking damage) is a life saver, as Hades has no grace period after taking damage.
And sure footing (reduced damage from traps) will save your bacon in your first few styx runs.

[blueberrylps]

Hell yes, great tips. I got my first win with a doom bow build, all thanks to you for the help

[alpacatears]

I got my second Hades defeat last night with the shield. I basically hid in a corner with my shield up to deflect all damage and occasionally hit Hades with a doom effect. It took absolutely forever to kill him but it was so easy 😁😂

[zweavill]

What a great guide! Thoughtfully laid out and well explained.

[Penzig]

Long time after beating hades the first time, I still started runs without a plan, due to not having put enough effort into checking out all the boons and builds you could make. Then I tried Poseidon with the shield. It became my first "build" that I sometimes aimed for, and it's to this day still my favourite build. It has a downside in single target boss damage, but I do like to add my reasons still for why I like it:

- The shield has knockback on attack by default
- After picking up a tier 1 boon from Poseidon (I prefer the Dash), you have two tier 2 boons that will drastically elevate your damage potential. Namely the one increasing slam damage, and the one making watery blast when enemies are slammed into something. Getting just one of these, and things start to get easy. Getting both, and most regular enemies becomes a cake walk for the ENTIRE rest of the run.
- There are some great duo boons you can pick up as well, my favorite being lightning on pushback, with jolted.
- Any random curse effect on Attack for privelege status, preferably athena (+exposed) or aphrodite (coupled with rupture from knockback). But doom works great too, and kinda playes into the "hit once and then knock them away from you"-playstyle, and even hangover or chill has its usefullness.
- I aim to have "my boss damage" come from the cast, and thus picking up a strong cast and some Artemis boons tends to be my keepsake choice and strategy for the last underworld region when rounding off the build.
- Not many great hammer choices, but 900% dash-attack damage against armored foes are my #1 pick for this build.

I never block! No need, when you dash enough. Knockback is a great defensive tool.
Spinning disc Aspect is my go to Aspect aswell, almost exclusively to deal with explosive carts in Elysium.
YAY!

[shawnbaltazar]

Thanks my one mistake was just picking random boons in the shop

[Dro]

I did my first clear today! I had the spear but got the demeter chill on atk, got 2 hammer upgrades. 1 that made my attacks longer range and the other made the 3 spears in a pattern. From there it was honestly easy mode. I got dyonisis hange bomb thing for a cast so it was very easy to lob dmg and i got zues as a call. What made the run possible was a duo boon with demeter and athena that leg me regen hp during encounters. Havent been able to clear it since. That hp regen definitely was the kicker

[ultanesh]

My favorite braindead build is pretty easy : you just need the aspect on the bow that loads your cast into your next attack
-grab Dionysus cast
thats all
GGWP

[greenteawhoney]

This was super helpful. I just hit 100 runs and haven't been able to clear it yet, but gotten pretty close. I'm definitely trying some of these and maybe I'll FINALLY get my first clear.

[brofenix]

Good advice and agreed, Greater Dash is incredible :O

[chummer]

I just beat Hades for the first time. I had shield with a mix of Zeus and Ares. Got a bunch of boons that beefed up the blade whirl.

[pedroserranoviejo]

the first time i defeated hades was with the railgun and dionisus atack plus aphrodite special making poision stacks a lot

[MrProtastic]

The strongest build I figured out for me is an Ares cast build with the bow upgrade that lets you shoot your cast with normal attacks.
While relatively weak at the start, if you can get most of the stuff listed below from Ares and the Hunting Blades Duo from Artemis you literally can't loose anymore. (The + I would recommend to level up.)

Ares:
Slicing shot +
Urge to kill +
Battle rage
Black metal +
Engulfing Vortex +
Vicious Cycle (Legy)
Hunting Blades (Duo)
Artemis:
Deadly Strike
Artemis Aid