MODERATOR NOTE: Some of the sections here are outdated information. For build options, please check the Hades Guide Compendium guide.
Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this guide (Museus#7777, Jerds#1677, Wriste13#7561). Message guardianRoborn#9749 for additions or corrections. To view this guide as a Google Doc (recommended), see here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MhZZAD5lcz3FyU9MGiWEWfnO3Zve0KXb0NQhyGuG0xA/edit?usp=sharing
What do I need to start running?
First of all, welcome! All Hades speedruns require you to submit a video that shows a complete, uncut run that includes the Victory window at the end. Sound isn’t required, but is preferred. You can use a free program (such as OBS) to record your run. You can trim videos easily by editing with something like Windows Photos or Openshot. The video must be set up to be permanent on the platform (e.g. YouTube, Twitch). Recent Broadcasts on Twitch will auto-delete, so will not be approved. Timestamp the run if it is a part of a longer video, such as a Twitch VOD.
Can I use my normal game save to speedrun?
Hades, being a Roguelite, is hinged upon the idea of slowly improving both via practice and experience, but also by collecting in-game currencies and permanent power-ups (e.g. The Mirror of Night). Maxing these out is not necessary for speedrunning. Runners should feel comfortable hopping in right from their normal game file, which more than likely hasn’t farmed the tens of thousands of Darkness and other currencies needed to complete everything.
However, for those that want that extra edge, you can download a complete game file off of the Speedrun.com Resources page. Once downloaded, make sure the file extension is “.sav” (if not you can just change it to .sav). The name of the file should be “Profile#” where the # is the number of the file slot you want the file in. Then copy it over to your Hades game by saving it to the proper folder. You should see your other game files there too, but make sure you back them up first! Where to save the file will depend on where you downloaded Hades to on your computer, but an example file path would be: <C:\Users\Name\Documents\Saved Games\Hades>
Are there any mods typically used for running?
Currently, the leaderboard requires runs be done on an unmodded game. There are mods in place to assist with routing a Seeded run, or are used specifically for races. If these are things you are interested in, please feel free to ask about it on Discord!
What is preferable between controller vs. mouse and keyboard?
There is no right answer to this, as it comes down to personal preference, but most people find it easier to use controller. For M+KB, turning off “aim at cursor” is recommended.
What run categories are there, and what do they mean?
The basic run categories can be seen on the Speedrun.com Leaderboard. The basic description of them and other relevant terms are as follows:
Any Heat: The most “basic” run, defined by a single successful escape attempt. Timing starts on gaining control of Zagreus (when the initial boon/hammer starts to appear) after “Escaping” and ends at final boss kill. This run can be either IGT or RTA, and either Seeded or Unseeded.
- IGT: “In-Game Time,” i.e. timing using the game’s on-screen timer activated via the in-game options. Pausing, Survival Rooms, Thanatos Rooms, etc. pause the in-game timer.
- RTA: “Real-Time Attack,” i.e. “actual” time of run from beginning to end measured with a separate timer (such as a splitter).
- Seeded: A run that has been “mapped out” to some extent (often with the help of mods) by manipulating RNG and the game’s ability to reset runs while preserving seeds. Faster, but more work.
- Unseeded: A “random” run with no mapping. Run videos must begin with a death recorded as a stop-gap to prevent seed manipulation.
Fresh File: a more classic “Any%” run, which begins with the creation of a brand new file and ends on final boss kill. Typically takes place over multiple escape attempts, so is strictly Unseeded and RTA.
3 Weapons & All Weapons: A marathon run of escape attempts back to back. 3 Weapons lets you choose which 3 weapons you’d like to use, while All Weapons uses each of them once. Unseeded and RTA.
32 Heat, 40 Heat, & 50 Heat: The general “high heat” categories, where the category name dictates the amount of heat enabled for the run. Heat amount and choices heavily impact playstyle. These runs can be either IGT or RTA, and either Seeded or Unseeded.
How do Seeds work?
A “Seed,” in the context of Hades, refers to the starting parameters of a specific escape attempt. For Hades, a specific seed will mostly determine the rooms, boons, and enemies that will be encountered on a run. The "Give up" option appears in the pause menu after taking damage in a room. Giving up will return you to the House of Hades, but your next run will use the same seed. Speedrunners take advantage of this to route runs, manipulating RNG to produce repeatable results that can then be practiced and refined. Dying (or taking the exit after a victory, which leads to a death) will generate a new seed for your next run. Mods (such as EllosStartingBoonSelector on NexusMods) can also be used to manually select seeds.
What Mirror of Night upgrades are recommended, and why?
A very basic setup is as follows; this is going to be partially based on experimentation and personal preference. Certain builds may also make substitutions.
Shadow Presence - Reliable damage if your positioning is good - Use Fiery Presence if you’re using a weapon that doesn’t care or can’t backstab, like the Rail Chthonic Vitality - Reliable healing, more than likely more healing than Dark Regeneration because we want to be taking basically anything other than Darkness - Synergizes with High Confidence, if you take it - Extra room-by-room healing more likely to keep you above HP threshold needed for Chaos Gates Death Defiance - Often a strat to sacrifice health/DDs on final boss for speed, can do that better with multiple DDs in final fight vs. Stubborn Defiance Greater Reflex - More dashes is basically just better, and more forgiving than Ruthless Reflex Boiling Blood - More damage > not more damage Infernal Soul - More upfront stones better for cast builds - Use Stygian Soul for non-cast builds, as it makes Demeter’s Ravenous Will better and prevents getting offered the Zeus/Artemis Duo Boon Lightning Rod. - Beowulf Shield is it’s own consideration, but can use both effectively. Deep Pockets - Money is more important early vs. late, so the +100 up front is more valuable Thick Skin - More forgiving, but can use High Confidence based on personal preference or skill. Family Favorites - Privileged Status not guaranteed for some builds, but can take it if using a build that gets it reliably Dark Foresight - Boons are basically most important part of builds, so want to maximize availability - Synergizes with Fated Persuasion God's Legacy - Duo Boons and Legendaries are basically the crux of a build, so self explanatory - Use God’s Pride if not looking for any Duos or if Duos are not entirely core, because its a better high roll potential Fated Persuasion - Getting the right boon is crucial, especially when we can force gods with keepsakes
What Keepsakes are recommended, and why?
What specific Keepsake to take is going to depend entirely on what Build you are going for, and how a run is going up until the point you take it. General guidelines are as follows:
Tartarus: More damaging part of your goal duo (e.g. Ares when going for Merciful End)
Asphodel: Second god of your goal duo (e.g. Athena when going for Merciful End)
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If you found your second god naturally in Tartarus, you can take a god’s keepsake for good support boons for your build, or optionally skip right to taking coin purse/hourglass.
Elysium & Styx: The general strategy is to take Coin Purse in Elysium and Acorn in Styx. More money is good for more boons, and Acorn lets you burst down Hades faster. It also lets you keep up High Confidence longer, if you’re using it.
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Both of these can be replaced with Hourglass in mid-biome, if the well has something very useful (like extra casts or Braids on a cast build). -
Due to the Hades Keepsake nerf, it is no longer an instant take in the later biomes. It can still be used to some benefit, but now another keepsake + a good call (like Zeus’s) is typically better.
For Companions, Meg is the popular choice. Using her can be tricky, but the beginner advice is to try and line yourself up perpendicular to the line you want the damage to fall on.
Is there any rule or recommendation for what Heat to use?
Extreme Measures 2 makes the Lernie fight faster by grouping the heads closer together. Forced Overtime makes enemies spawn faster, but is also much riskier. FO2 is rarely used, and some slower weapons might not want to use any FO at all. When running real-time (RTA) categories like All-Weapons or races, Tight Deadline removes survival rooms. However, in-game time (IGT) categories benefit from survival rooms because they pause the timer.
Can you cheese a run using the final story escape attempt where Hades lets you past?
The rules state the final victory screen must be recorded for a run to be valid, and the final story fight does not provide one, so no, this run is not allowed.
Are there any general speed techniques or advice? {OUTDATED}
See the "Starting Speedrunning in Hades" Guide for basic tips from the top runners!
What Weapon or Aspect should I run? Is there any basic build advice? {OUTDATED}
What weapon to run is strictly down to personal preference. Doubtless while playing you’ve gravitated towards one you liked. The weapons are all balanced close enough that speed is mostly a factor of execution. For Aspects, there is typically one or two per weapon that is preferred, but again a big part of success comes from execution. There is also plenty of work being done to experiment with other Aspects and builds, so doubtless things can change.
For the sake of at least providing a starting point, as well as example builds and basic advice, the following is from the general guide for the “All Weapons” category, which obviously attempts to make best use of each individual weapon. There are preferred aspects for each of the six weapons that are generally considered “best.”
Sword Nemesis Sword is considered the general best. You’ll want to start with Artemis keepsake, taking either the dash or attack, and going Aphrodite in Asphodel. You’ll usually want Aphrodite on special, and then you’ll go for Heart Rend. Finding extra dashes from Hermes is excellent as well, and dash-attack damage/attack damage from Chaos makes the build excellent. Double Edge is a must-have hammer.
Spear There’s really only one spear: Achilles Spear. It takes Zeus cast, and involves continuously refreshing your special buff as you cast/attack. Quick Reload makes the build way easier, since Achilles has no way of extracting casts from enemies otherwise (which makes bossing slow). However, it is also a hybrid weapon, meaning you can use hammers like Flurry Jab and Serrated Point (Flurry being considered generally better), and build traditional attack set-ups like Artemis.
Shield Beowulf is established as the go-to shield pick. The most popular approach to playing Beowulf is starting Dionysus cast and going for Mirage Shot, Scintillating Feast, and/or Snow Burst. Prioritizing Chaos Gates for extra casts is huge, as is and levelling your cast whenever possible. Charged Shot, Sudden Rush, and Ferocious Guard are excellent hammers.
Bow The most reliable and fastest bow is Hera. Hera has the most options, being able to use Aphrodite, Athena, and Poseidon casts effectively (Aphrodite is the best however). Snow Burst is effective, as with Beowulf— hammers don’t matter as much, although Triple/Twin Shot are both excellent picks, while Charged Volley is the most desirable pick, since it gives a lot of base supplemental damage. Quick Reload from Hermes is extremely useful.
With Aphrodite cast, you want Snow Burst for Privileged Status. Parting Shot is also fine if you happen to pick it up. With Athena cast, you want to force Aphrodite in Asphodel for Parting Shot. Since Athena’s cast backstabs from the front with Hera, this adds a monumental amount of damage, and can phase Hades instantly if you’re strong enough. With Poseidon cast, finding Mirage Shot by forcing Artemis in Asphodel is how the build scales, focusing more on room AoE than boss damage. Although, with Mirage Shot and (if you’re lucky) Wave Pounding, your boss DPS will still be excellent.
Fists Demeter Fists are literally the only sensible option. The special has a ton of base damage, which works to supplement what you’re missing until you find Merciful End. Since Athena is required on special, there isn’t much variety in the build—just make sure to get Ares on attack, and Athena on dash at some point, which will set up for an ideal Merciful End. Explosive Upper is the most desirable hammer, and most of the attack hammers do something useful except for Heavy Knuckle, which you should avoid. Most of the special hammers are useless, although Flying Cutter technically does something, and Kinetic Launcher has shown promise as a damage-dealer.
Rail Eris Rail is widely considered the strongest aspect, and has lots of options to help it go fast. The “main” build starts with Zeus attack, and angles for Poseidon (for Dash, Breaking Wave, and Hydraulic Might) and Artemis (or Special, Pressure Points, and Hunter’s Mark). Zeus pick-ups include Call and Billowing Strength, as well as picking up his Jolted status effect. The ideal hammer combo is Cluster Bomb and Rocket Bomb, but Targeting System or Delta Chamber are also high tier.
Eris is a strong enough aspect that many different boons can work with it, so it has both a low skill floor but a high skill ceiling.
