Overall, there are about 30 Hades game characters that we face off against, some of them you’ll come to be fond of, while some you’ll come to despise. They each offer something to the story and they’re all entertaining in their own ways.
We’ve chosen to rank the Hades characters based on what keepsakes they offer to the game since keepsakes aid in your effort to beat the game, along with the difficulty each Hades boss provides during your confrontations with them, and how likable they are in terms of character development and engagement.
These are solely my opinions. I’ve included some spoilers and general insights into the game in case you’re still debating on picking it up. Spoiler: you’ll probably end up picking it up.
26. Orpheus
Keepsake: Distant Memory
At the bottom of the barrel of Hades game characters, we have Orpheus, the forlorn court musician confined by Hades for his refusal to sing. His keepsake is probably the most unreliable one there is in the game as it allows you to deal higher damage the further you get from your enemies, pretty impractical unless you’re using a bow. And with all the structures in the way, that may be quite difficult to navigate.
Not to mention that most enemies in Hades tend to charge right at you rather than stand still or wait around. In terms of story, it is cute to see him reunited with Eurydice, and his song is a fun addition – but that’s it.
25. Thanatos
Keepsake: Pierced Butterfly
Often confused with Hades, Thanatos is the God of Death that everyone should fear instead. Although, his demeanor is pretty much an emo kid that hates general brightness and the mortal realm. Thanatos’ keepsake ‘Pierced Butterfly’ is also rather hard to obtain and hard to use as an object in battle.
To fully unleash its power, you would need to clear an entire room of enemies for the keepsake to take effect. The effect is simply increased damage, which is not a great trade-off when you get hurt in the process.
24. Sisyphus
Keepsake: Shattered Shackle
As legend dictates, Sisyphus’ punishment is to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity while being tortured by other Hades game characters like Megaera – which is why he has a boulder with him at all times nicknamed Bouldy.
Given his circumstances, Sisyphus is pretty polite and light-spirited, making it a shame that he has to endure such punishment.
His keepsake ‘Shattered Shackle’ can be quite powerful if you know what you’re doing, but we don’t recommend it for beginners. Plus, you can’t use or accept any boons when using his keepsake throughout the run – a disadvantage that could be difficult for newcomers to handle.
23. Charon
Keepsake: Bone Hourglass
Of all the Hades game characters, Charon is unique. He’s the boatman of the river Styx that ferries the dead. As a shopkeeper, he also operates the Wells of Charon which you can find throughout the realm to get certain goodies. He’s one of my personal favorites because he doesn’t say much, he just groans a lot which is a mood.
His keepsake is partial to the items you’ve purchased from the Well of Charon, extending the duration of their effect. But in this case, it might be a waste of a keepsake slot, especially if you could use that slot for something more useful. However, Charon’s keepsake is worth it if you’re planning to invest in all the items in his shop.
22. Megaera
Keepsake: Skull Earring
As the oldest of the Fury Sisters, Megaera is tasked with preventing your escape from the Underworld by guarding the way to Asphodel. If she’s defeated, you can find her drinking in the lounge or lurking in the hallway opposite Nyx’s spot to romance her or build a friendship with her.
Megaera’s keepsake is not a great pick for beginners either, as its effects depend on Zag’s health. The lower your health pool, the higher the damage dealt. This is not something a beginner or most people would attempt unless they’re comfortable with dying. She is the only Fury that you could befriend and would reappear in the lounge at House of Hades.
21. Achilles
Keepsake: Myrmidon Bracer
One of the first few characters you’ll meet in the game, Achilles is a long-time friend of Zagreus as he taught him how to fight for the sake of letting his lover Patroclus into the famed Elysium. From the beginning Achilles is a source of encouragement and support, even giving you a Codex for you to navigate the various personalities and items you come across.
His keepsake ‘Myrmidon Bracer’ focuses most on survivability, which is in line with Achilles’ wish for Zag. However, this keepsake largely minimizes the damage taken from the front, not so much the back. It is less useful in situations where you are being surrounded and attacked from all sides.
20. Nyx
Keepsake: Black Shawl
One of the most beautiful Hades game characters and a maternal figure to Zag, Nyx is a beloved character by many. She’s one of the main figures that aids Zagreus in his escape from the Underworld, granting him the Mirror of Night to help with his progression.
Her keepsake ‘Black Shawl’ allows you to deal significant damage to your enemies, so be sure to position yourself in a way that would allow you to maximize your damage. Plus, striking your enemies from the back grants extra damage as well, so utilize your dash and get it done!
19. Persephone
Keepsake: Pom Blossom
Zagreus’ actual mother and mystery figure Persephone. Not much is known of her and how or why she escaped the Underworld, but you’ll only be able to meet her once you get to Greece. You can only get her keepsake if you’ve successfully persuaded her to return to the House of Hades.
Her keepsake can be very powerful if you have a clear picture of your build, but because you can only get this keepsake super late in the game, it might not be worth it. The ‘Pom Blossom’ levels up a random Boon every time Zag survives several encounters.
18. Dusa
Keepsake: Harpy Feather Duster
Medusa, or Dusa for short, is the floating Gorgon head and maid of the House of Hades. She’s generally a nervous mess around Zagreus, but overall adds entertainment and character to the game. She’s one of the few unique Hades game characters, as she doesn’t have a body and largely keeps to the house.
Her keepsake ‘Harpy Feather Duster’ ensures that you get a healing item in the many urns that you come across in your journey. Make sure to break those urns to find out! This effect is enhanced as you continue to clear out more and more enemies, but it might not be worth it for this keepsake to take up a slot in the long run.
17. Chaos
Keepsake: Cosmic Egg
Chaos is different from the other Hades game characters, and it is interesting to see how the developers created a character that contains and embodies Chaos in a tangible form. You’ll find him typically in the Chaos Gates.
His keepsake allows you to enter the Chaos Gate without losing health and blessings received from Chaos himself have a chance to be rare or better. To get his keepsake, you’ll have to accept Chaos’ Boon in the Chaos Gate. For the best effects, you would have to clear a couple of rooms for the keepsake to be beneficial. It is an investment that can only be fruitful in the long run.
16. Hades
Keepsake: None, Sigil of The Dead perhaps?
The father of Zagreus and God of the Underworld himself, Hades. He is essentially the final boss of the game and doesn’t provide you with any proper keepsakes. The only thing he’ll grant you would be the Sigil of the Dead to call upon Hades’ Aid in battle as well as increase Zagreus’ God Gauge percentage.
Hades Aid will render you invisible, and this Sigil will make your God Gauge go up by 10-30%. He’s a terrible father though, and he’ll only grant you this Sigil for helping him bring Persephone back to the Underworld. Not much fatherly love there at all.
15. Eurydice
Keepsake: Evergreen Acorn
The object of all of Orpheus’ desires, Eurydice is a deceased nymph in the tower of Asphodel. She’s the former wife of Orpheus who failed in his quest to bring her back to the mortal realm. Eurydice’s keepsake ‘Evergreen Acorn’ allows you to take several hits from bosses without any damage.
Naturally, the effects of this keepsake can be enhanced if you clear enough rooms. It is a powerful keepsake, and great if you’re coming up against unfamiliar bosses. It grants you time and you’re able to take several hits to figure out their movesets. Even better if it is a familiar boss, so you can be invulnerable and plan your hits.
14. Patroclus
Keepsake: Broken Spearpoint
The separated lover of Achilles, Patroclus lives on in Elysium and instead of attacking Zagreus on his journey, he offers an assortment of items instead. You won’t be able to gain his keepsake unless you reveal his real name one way or another, even if you know who he is.
His keepsake ‘Broken Spearpoint’ allows you to be invincible for a short time after getting hit. You won’t be taking damage after getting hit for 1-1.5 seconds. The duration and effects last longer the more rooms you clear. This keepsake is pretty useful towards the end game as it holds off the poison inflicted by certain enemies.
13. Hypnos
Keepsake: Chthonic Coin Purse
Although Hypnos may be condescendingly annoying in the beginning, he does get somewhat bearable towards the end. Treat him as your annoying younger brother and you won’t be as bothered. But his keepsake is a money bringer, which does help you in your journey. This is especially true if you’re relying on items from shopkeepers like Charon and Patroclus.
You’ll get to receive 100-150 Obols to spend per run. You can use your Obols to spend on stronger boons to help in the early stages of your run or items later on. In terms of late-game, it’s pretty much useless though, especially if you’ve used it all up.
12. Ares
Keepsake: Blood-Filled Vial
As the God of War, Ares is more chaotic and violent compared to his sister counterpart Athena. All this is reflected in his boons and keepsake ‘Blood-Filled Vial’. Gift Ares Nectar before accepting one of his boons and you’ll have a higher chance of getting a rare bounty from him during your run.
There is a chance for you to deal a lot of damage, especially with his Blade Rifts, but his damage can be quite inconsistent. If you’re looking for damage and reliability in terms of consistency, Aphrodite or Artemis would be a better choice. Ares’ boons are powerful if you’re someone that enjoys chaos though.
11. Zeus
Keepsake: Thunder Signet
The King of Olympus himself, Zeus, God of Sky and Thunder allows you to deal huge raw damage to enemies with the power of lightning in your veins. Activate his keepsake by giving him Nectar before accepting his boon and his blessings have a chance to incorporate more rare boons for you to use.
Zeus’ dual boons are best connected to characters like Artemis and Poseidon if you want maximum damage. But his usual boons are pretty strong on their own as well like Clouded Judgement that helps accelerate your God Gauge.
10. Poseidon
Keepsake: Conch Shell
Brother of Zeus and God of the Sea, Poseidon’s character is reminiscent of a cool and fun uncle. Just like the other Olympian Gods, give him Nectar before accepting his boon and you’ll get rare boons to use. Although his boons are pretty average, his Tidal Dash is the second-best dash modifier in the game next to Athena’s Divine Dash.
Tidal Dash itself can carry you through many rooms, and activated with Zeus’ dual boon – Sea Storm, you can make your way further in the game with ease. Just let the powers of your uncle course through your veins and cruise you through a couple of rooms.
9. Demeter
Keepsake: Frostbitten Horn
Demeter is the Goddess of Seasons and her personality is that of a stoic grandmother. She offers one of the highest raw damage increases in the game. Her boons inflict Chill which slows down and shatters enemies, causing AoE damage that spreads to nearby enemies.
Her keepsake enhances the chance for you to get her rare boons. Aside from dealing damage, Demeter’s boons mostly help with survivability and healing. All of this is great for your runs, which makes forming a bond with Demeter a rather great idea. Go on, show some love to your grandma and she’ll show you how it’s done!
8. Dionysus
Keepsake: Overflowing Cup
Here comes the God of Wine, they are always somewhat drunk but they also grant useful boons in battle. His signature Hangover works better than Demeter’s in slowing down and stunning enemies and he has a ton of utility boons to put to use. It’s great to know that hangovers suck even in the Underworld.
His individual and dual boons are useful for your runs. Additionally, calling for his aid helps you deal significant AoE damage which is always useful in tight situations with incoming enemy hordes. For his keepsake, gifting him Nectar before accepting his call would enhance your chance of getting a rare boon from him.
7. Artemis
Keepsake: Adamant Arrowhead
In this world, Artemis is the awkward animal-loving character who is often overlooked but can pack a punch if you end up befriending her. Why won’t you, anyway? She’s quiet, powerful, and has a lot of furry friends. Her keepsake enhances the chance of you getting a rare blessing from her.
Her damage numbers can go insanely high with critical hits, especially with her speed-based bow attacks. Aside from that, her boons work well with the boons of other characters so you won’t have to worry about your pairings, she’s quite flexible.
6. Aphrodite
Keepsake: Eternal Rose
And here we have the Goddess of Love herself, Aphrodite! You’ll either love her or hate her, but one thing’s for sure – her boons are something you’ll want to have for your runs. Her demeanor did annoy me at first, but her boons draw me in and she’s not so bad after all. She provides the biggest damage boost to your attacks whilst inflicting her signature Weak which also reduces damage taken by Zagreus.
Aside from that, her boons are great for ensuring your survivability as it makes your enemies’ damage less effective. Her keepsake allows you to gain rare boons from her, just gift her Nectar before accepting her message.
5. Hermes
Keepsake: Lambent Plume
The speedy messenger/delivery boy of the Olympians and overall trickster, Hermes would naturally grant you a boost in speed. His boons grant speedy recovery, faster movement, and increased speed in attacks. In this sense, his boons are largely focused on utility for your runs.
He provides some of the best mobility boons available in the game with ‘Greatest Reflex’ and ‘Hyper Sprint’. These boons are great for you to speed run through rooms, especially at the beginning of your runs, as those rooms would be easier for you with experience.
4. Cerberus
Keepsake: Old Spiked Collar
One of the best Hades game characters is Cerberus, the massive three-headed Hound of Hell. He’s usually found sitting right next to Hades when you respawn through the River Styx, and you can give him unlimited pets!
You will come across Cerberus in your run though, as he guards the exit to the Temple of Styx. But no worries, give him a Satyr Sack as a bribe and you’re good! His keepsake increases Zag’s maximum health up to 50% which is always a useful keepsake to maintain your health during the early game.
3. Skelly
Keepsake: Lucky Tooth
Skelly is a character that appears in your weapons room and acts as a training dummy for you to test out your weapons and abilities. His employer and past remain a mystery, and his existence is only known to Zag and Achilles. He’s a fun guy that reincarnates every time you kill him or enter the room.
His keepsake grants you an extra life upon death, which is one of the best abilities to have in this game of endless death. This is a great keepsake for beginners, so make sure to spare a Nectar for Skelly and get this keepsake for your runs!
2. Athena
Keepsake: Owl Pendant
It comes as no surprise that the Goddess of Wisdom would be one of the best Hades game characters. Athena is beginner-friendly and her boons are easy to use while exuding great damage on your enemies. The Owl Pendant keepsake grants you access to more of Athena’s rare boons.
She also has some good defensive boons to protect you from damage or deflect projectiles back to your enemies. Her boons largely help you with survivability, and her Divine Dash is the best dash ability out there. Her signature boon – Exposed allows enemies to get additional damage to their backs as well.
1. Zagreus
Keepsake: None.
Naturally, Zagreus is the best character in the game, trying to help everyone out even while trying to escape the Underworld himself. His sarcastic nature could easily entertain you as you continue to die and fight through countless rooms repeatedly.
It takes a lot to persuade players to continue playing the game even after dying countless times, and Zagreus’s personality helps with that. Plus, he can wield multiple weapons and depending on how you build him, he can pretty much be unstoppable on the field. Nothing beats the feeling of being an overpowered God anyway.
Hades Game Characters: Main Bosses
These Hades game characters are your enemies that do not care for your well being, unlike the ones we’ve listed above. You can’t gift them anything or befriend them either. It just seems like a great inclusion to have them on the list since they are part of the characters in the game as well.
5. Lernie, the Bone Hydra
The Lernaean Hydra was nicknamed Lernie after being defeated countless times in Zagreus’s run. Among the other bosses, Lernie is the easiest and most predictable one, so it comes as no surprise that it would be ranked last.
The environmental hazards are more daunting during the fight with Lernie as her moves are predictable and formulaic. Your first few runs would help you get a hang of things for sure, just make sure to stay alive long enough to figure out her patterns.
4. Tisiphone
The Tormentor of Murder is essentially a zombie, and one of the Fury Sisters. Tisiphone’s stage is relatively small when compared to her other sisters. This makes it easier for your attacks to reach her, just remember to defend yourself when need be. Her movements are also rather predictable which makes this somewhat of an easier fight.
Tisiphone appears after defeating Megaera a couple of times, as a substitute for her spot in Tartarus.
3. Alecto
The youngest of the Fury Sisters, Alecto the Tormentor of Passion, will appear in Tartarus as a replacement for Megaera, similar to Tisiphone’s case. She is the strongest of the Furies with her crazy spinning blades that are seemingly unavoidable. Running into her earlier in the game could be game over for you if you have yet to properly build Zagreus.
Alecto is not allowed into the House of Hades, so when defeated she dissolves into a flurry of red bats instead.
2. Theseus
Theseus serves Elysium as a king, and he’s also the former king of Athens. He is the final boss of Elysium paired up with the Minotaur Asterius, and a pain to deal with. It’s ironic, as he was the one to slay Asterius in the first place and now they’re comrades in battle.
Theseus is super powerful at maximum heat, although less threatening than Asterius could be. His pesky shield gets in the way of you damaging him, which is annoying, but persevere and you’ll succeed. There are two phases to this fight, so be sure to be on your toes!
1. Asterius
The strongest boss in terms of Hades game characters you’ll come across, Asterius the minotaur deals massive damage with a huge AoE attack with his spin. At maximum heat, his armoured form is a scary damage dealer you would want to brace yourself against. He is paired with Theseus in the final fight of Elysium, but he can also appear as a mid-boss encounter in parts of Elysium.
His attack patterns in both encounters remain the same, but they are difficult to dodge, with two phases to the battle for you to get through/
There you go, the worst and best Hades game characters ranked! You may or may not agree with this ranking, but this is how I would go about it. And who knows, it might change in the future as I continue to have several playthroughs of the game. Do let me know in the comments below which characters you love the most.
And if Hades doesn’t deliver you enough pain, be sure to check out our list of the best Soulslike games that are sure to destroy your soul.
