Hades II Walkthrough — Start to Endgame

Hades II is Supergiant Games' follow-up to their GOTY-winning roguelike, casting you as Melinoe, Zagreus's sister, on a quest to defeat Chronos the Titan of Time. The game introduces a magick system with Omega attacks, a crafting loop via gathering and incantations, and entirely new gods offering boons. Currently in Early Access, it already features dozens of hours of content across multiple surface and underworld regions. The combat is faster and more spell-focused than the original, with the Arcana card system replacing the Mirror of Night.

This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.

Quick Progression Summary

Phase 1: Getting Started — Erebus

The first underworld region featuring shadow-themed enemies and relatively straightforward rooms. Hecate serves as the first boss, testing your ability to dodge her triple-phase spell patterns. Contains gathering nodes for Nightshade.

Level/Difficulty: Rooms 1-15 Key Rewards: Nightshade, Bones, early boon selection

What to Do in Erebus

1. Learn magick casting. Melinoe has a magick meter (blue bar) that powers Omega versions of her attacks and specials. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
2. Pick Sister Blades as your starting build. It's the most forgiving option.
3. Unlock the gathering tools incantation first — Silver Pick and Crescent Pick let you harvest resources during runs that fuel all other upgrades
4. Acquire your first equipment upgrade — Sister Blades or whatever's available.
5. Clear all main content before moving on.

Phase 1 Checklist

• Understand magick casting fundamentals
• Sister Blades selected and functional
• Erebus main content cleared
• Ready for Oceanus

Phase 2: Early Game — Oceanus

An underwater-themed region with water currents that push you around during combat. The Scylla and the Sirens boss fight requires managing three enemies simultaneously. Tougher enemy variants with ranged attacks appear here.

Level/Difficulty: Rooms 16-30 Key Rewards: Silver, Coral, mid-tier boon upgrades

What to Do in Oceanus

1. Work on arcana cards. The Arcana system at the Altar of Ashes lets you equip passive buffs using a limited number of grasp points. This system becomes critical from here on.
2. Farm for Sister Blades if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
3. Selene's Moon boons are uniquely powerful: her Hex ability charges over time and unleashes a devastating screen-wide attack
4. Complete all objectives before pushing to Fields of Mourning.
5. Consider whether Witch's Staff might suit your playstyle better than Sister Blades.

Phase 2 Checklist

• arcana cards integrated into gameplay
• Sister Blades acquired
• Oceanus fully cleared
• Ready for Fields of Mourning

Phase 3: Mid Game — Fields of Mourning

A melancholic grassland region with ghost-type enemies that phase in and out. The boss Infernal Cerberus hits hard with triple-headed attacks. Gathering Moly plants here is essential for several key incantations.

Level/Difficulty: Rooms 31-45 Key Rewards: Moly, Fate Fabric, advanced Arcana unlocks

What to Do in Fields of Mourning

1. Master grasp system. Grasp points determine how many Arcana cards you can equip simultaneously. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
2. Start working toward Witch's Staff. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
3. Sprint through magick circles (Omega special zones) to recover magick faster with the right Arcana cards equipped
4. This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
5. Start investing in gathering and incantations for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.

Phase 3 Checklist

• grasp system mastered
• Witch's Staff acquired or in progress
• Fields of Mourning fully cleared
• Ready for Tartarus

Phase 4: Late Game — Tartarus

The deepest underworld region with the toughest standard enemies. Chronos awaits as the final boss with time-manipulation mechanics that freeze zones and rewind your position. Preparation with strong boon combos is essential.

Level/Difficulty: Rooms 46-60 Key Rewards: Cinder, rare crafting materials, story progression

What to Do in Tartarus

1. Finalize your build. You should be running Witch's Staff or Sister Blades with optimized gear.
2. Witch's Staff should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
3. Hecate's boss fight has three phases — she clones herself in phase 2, focus the real one (slightly brighter glow)
4. boon combos optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
5. Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Surface Crossroads.

Phase 4 Checklist

• Build fully optimized
• Witch's Staff upgraded to max
• Tartarus fully cleared
• Ready for Surface Crossroads

Phase 5: Endgame — Surface Crossroads

Melinoe's home base between runs where you interact with NPCs, tend the garden, brew incantations, and equip Arcana. The hot springs restore health between training sessions. Unlocking all workstations here is a long-term progression goal.

Level/Difficulty: Hub area Key Rewards: NPC bonds, incantation crafting, permanent upgrades

What to Do in Surface Crossroads

1. Surface Crossroads tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
2. The Sorceress Arcana card (+magick on hit) is nearly mandatory for Staff and Blade builds
3. The endgame loop: run Surface Crossroads, optimize gear, push harder content.
4. Experiment with Argent Skull for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
5. This is where boon combos mastery separates good players from great ones.

Phase 5 Checklist

• Endgame content on farm
• Best-in-slot gear acquired
• Surface Crossroads fully cleared
• Ready for challenge content

Common Progression Mistakes

• Ignoring magick management and spamming Omega attacks until you run dry mid-boss fight
• Not unlocking gathering incantations early, delaying all other permanent progression
• Skipping the Altar of Ashes — Arcana cards are massive power boosts that many new players overlook
• Taking every boon offered instead of building synergy around one or two gods
• Neglecting sprint as a defensive tool — it has generous i-frames and is more reliable than dash in many situations

Key Tips for Smooth Progression

1. Unlock the gathering tools incantation first — Silver Pick and Crescent Pick let you harvest resources during runs that fuel all other upgrades
2. Selene's Moon boons are uniquely powerful: her Hex ability charges over time and unleashes a devastating screen-wide attack
3. Sprint through magick circles (Omega special zones) to recover magick faster with the right Arcana cards equipped
4. Hecate's boss fight has three phases — she clones herself in phase 2, focus the real one (slightly brighter glow)
5. The Sorceress Arcana card (+magick on hit) is nearly mandatory for Staff and Blade builds

For detailed build optimization, see Hades II builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.