Every decision matters in Hades 2 and can be the difference between survival and defeat. Even a skilled fighter must sometimes take the tactical route. Here are all Hades 2 door icons explained to keep you on the right path.
Every door in Hades 2 explained
While your combat prowess can take you a long way in Hades 2, knowing what every door icon means is essential to progressing through the game. With this in mind, here’s what every icon means:
Ashes reward
Most door icons indicate the reward you’ll receive when you beat the encounter. This symbol means you’ll earn Ashes for defeating whatever is inside the room. Ashes are used to unlock Arcana Cards and are essential items for progression.
Psyche reward
You’ll earn a small amount of Psyche for clearing the encounter behind this door. Much like Ashes, you can use Psyche to raise your Grasp, which lets you activate more Arcana Cards. Psyche won’t improve your current run but will upgrade your base stats for future attempts.
Bones reward
Bones won’t improve your current run but can be traded for resources. If you’re min-maxing, there’s a case for collecting these every chance you can. That said, I would prioritize boons to strengthen your current run, which we will cover next.
God Boon reward
You can call on the power of the Olympian Gods by collecting their Boons, and these are guaranteed if you beat the encounter in these rooms. Boons can give your build a theme or strengthen your favorite abilities in unique ways. Each God has a specific symbol. You’ll quickly memorize them as you play.
Boons are usually worth going for unless you’re shooting for a specific build. If you ever see two Boons on a door, it means you can pick from a couple of options.
Pom of Power reward
You’ll earn a Pom of Power for defeating this encounter, which can be used to strengthen one of your existing Boons. This reward is perfect for when you’re happy with your existing build or have particular skills in mind for later.
Centaur Health reward
You’ll increase your maximum health threshold if you complete the encounter in this room. Keep in mind that your current health isn’t completely restored when you clear the area, but you do gain a little, and it may help in a pinch.
Gold reward
While Boons are a great power source, it’s sometimes nice to have the choice. The symbol above means you earn a cash reward if you complete the encounter. Gold can be spent in Charon’s Shop, which is a separate room altogether and well worth a visit if you’ve lined your pockets.
Charon’s Shop
You’ll find several items in Charon’s Shop, including boons and health. You’ll need gold to buy Charon’s wares, but there’s more to the shop than you may think.
Even if you’re broke, you can use the shop to avoid a fight and skip specific encounters. You can also dodge a God Boon if you don’t like what’s on offer. I don’t usually use Charon’s Shop unless I’m in trouble or have 150 Gold to spare. Boons typically cost 150, while other items cost a little less.
Elite encounter
The small skull on these doors indicates an elite enemy is inside. These encounters are tough, but the rewards are usually worth it if you can handle the pressure.
As a new player, you may want to avoid these, but I urge you to practice them as they may improve your run as a whole. Take these rooms on if you can handle the pressure, as your bravery will usually be rewarded with a higher rank Boon than normal.
Boss encounter
The boss encounter on each floor has a distinct icon, like this one from the first area. These encounters are unavoidable, and there’s no way to improve your health or get more items before you enter.
As you can see, there’s a lot to memorize, but you’ll be familiar with the basics within a few runs. At the time of writing, Hades 2 is in Early Access, but already has a promising roadmap planned for the future. Even though it’s an Early Access title, there’s already dozens of hours of content to enjoy.
