A guide to the Gates

A complete guide on gates, their symbols and their meaning.

Introduction

In Hades, character progression relies heavily on which gate player picks since clearing each room have their own perks. Because of this its always helpful to know what kind of perk next room will provide before entering it. Luckily, the game utilise symbols on gate to depict this. Each symbol represents a specific kind of perk that the player will be receiving next door.

This guide covers all the gate symbols that the player can encounter in the game.

Click on the image to expand if they seem too small.

Darkness

Doors marked with a purple crystal-like symbol represents darkness. It is an artifact used to power up Zagreus's abilities at the Mirror of Night.

For more about darkness, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Chthonic Key

Chthonic Keys are one of several Artifact currencies that allow Zagreus to unlock additional upgrade choices at the Mirror of Night, as well as additional Infernal Arms.

More at wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Charon's Obol

Charon's Obol is one of several Artifact currencies that can be used in Charon's shop or at a Well of Charon to purchase various items. Obol's amount resets to zero once you die.

For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Charon's Shop

A bag with golden mask signify Charon's shop next door. Charon functions as the game's shopkeeper, selling Zagreus various power-ups, healing items, and boons in return for the obols he collects throughout his escape attempt.

Charon's Shop have chance of appearing twice in each area, one being in half-way inside the region and other right before the boss encounter.

This naturally means next door doesn't have any mobs.

For item pricing and more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Centaur's Heart

Centaur Hearts are artifacts found within the underworld which increase Zagreus's current and maximum health by 25 Health when obtained.

For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Blessings

Doors marked with an exclamatory symbol represents NPC encounter next door. During these meetings, they will offer Zagreus a choice between multiple boosts. There are three possible NPC that players can encounter depending on the region. These three NPC can be encountered in their region exactly once.

Besides NPC these doors also appear after each boss fights to provide various aids like Health, Well of Charon and selling your boons for Charon's Obol.

This also means there will be no mobs next door.

Sisyphus' Blessings

Sisyphus can be encountered exactly once during each escape attempt in Tartarus (first) region. He will offer Zagreus a choice between Health, Darkness or Obols.

To know more about him, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Eurydice's Blessings

Eurydice can be found in the Asphodel (second) region. If interacted with, she will offer Zagreus a selection of Underworld delicacies designed to boost his Boons.

• Ambrosia Delight - Loved by the gods. up to 2 random Boons of yours are upgraded to the next Rarity.
  
• Pom Porridge - An Underworld delicacy; up to 4 random Boons of yours gain +1 Lv.
  
• Refreshing Nectar - A rare and fragrant beverage; the next 3 Boons you find have upgraded Rarity.

To know more about her, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Patroclus's Blessings

Patroclus can be found in Elysium (second) region. If interacted with, he can offer three assortments -

• Kiss of Styx Premium - Replenish all uses of Death Defiance.
  
• HydraLite Gold - You restore 30% Health when you enter a chamber.
  
• Cyclops Jerky Select - Your Attack deals 60% more damage.

To know more about him, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

God's Boons

There are the most common type of symbols engraved on the door. There are total nine gods that provide boons to Zagreus. Out of ten, nine have their own symbols which can be identified via looking at door prior to going in, while Chaos God is quite random and can only be seen player enters the room.

There is already a guide which state each god's boon effects.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1935014849

There is a wiki page[hades.gamepedia.com] that sums down boons very nicely too.

As for knowing which god lies ahead, here are the symbols

High Grade God's Boons

Players can encounter some doors having glittering god's symbol with a small skull alongside. This means that the next door has armoured mobs (sort of mini-bosses). Also clearing the room will provide the player with higher level boons which can vary between rare to legendary.

High level of a particular boon provides increased effect by altering the stats on it. These numbers can be found on wiki of different gods.

• Aphrodite[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Athena[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Ares[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Artemis[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Chaos[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Dionysus[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Hermes[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Posedion[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Zeus[hades.gamepedia.com]

Trial of the Gods

Encountering a gate with symbols of two gods and a skull implies next door is trial room. Its highly possible that next door is having mini-bosses or mobs of similar difficulty, after defeating which player will be granted two boons (depends on god's symbol on the door). God with rejected boon will get displeased and will spawn waves of armoured mobs with bonus effects which varies for different gods.

However, after completing the trial rejected god will forgive Zagreus and grant their boon as well. Further, ahead of the run, there is no advantage or disadvantage over which god to pick first.

God	Attack
Aphrodite	Periodically summons a ring of circles around enemies which deal damage.
Athena	Periodically grants shields to enemies which last for 2 to 3 seconds and deals pulsating damage.
Ares	Periodically spawns two slow moving circles from where enemy stands, which inflict damage rapidly.
Artemis	Periodically spawns fast moving circles which explode randomly, dealing damage.
Demeter	Periodically spawns a gradually enlarging circle from where enemy stands, that deals damage.
Dionysus	Periodically and randomly spawns large circles that explode, dealing damage.
Poseidon	Enemies coast around the room on waves, inflciting knockback
Zeus	Periodically spawns circles randomly which call lightning strikes, dealing damage.

Source: Wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Nectar

Nectar, an artifact currency, can be found within the Underworld. Giving these to NPC as a gift can improve your affinity with them. Besides this NPC receiving their first Nectar from Zagreus will return the favor by giving him a Keepsake (besides Hades).


For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Pom of Power

Pom of Power (short for Pomegranate of Power) is an artifact that increases the level of one of your boons on acquisition.

For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Daedalus Hammer

The hammer symbol represent's an attack upgrade boon from Daedalus. A Daedalus Hammer is an artifact that improves your weapon by upgrading its attacks.

For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Boss Encounters

There are multiple rewards possible for defeating boss in Hades. This includes - Darkness, Chthonic Key, Gemstones, Nectar, Diamond, Ambrosia and Titan Blood. Based on the reward, you will see the corresponding symbol on the gate with glittering effect and a skull.

Moreover, room prior to the boss usually doesn't have mobs to fight. Instead it gives facilities like Charon's Shop, NPC Blessings, free boon etc to prep up for the boss.

Example - As shown in image, boss next door is either of Fate sister (Meg, Tisiphone or Alecto). Glittering darkness with skull as depicted in image above shows boss will drop Darkness once defeated. The current room have Charon's shop to prep up. Although these factors - rewards, prep room rewards - keeps changing every run.

To know more check following links -

• Artifacts[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Ambrosia[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Diamond[hades.gamepedia.com]
  
• Titan Blood[hades.gamepedia.com]

Stairway Door

You will encounter these after any boss fight. Icon with a stair simply mean you will be climbing up to the next biome.

Gemstone

Gemstones are one of several Artifact currencies that can be found within the Underworld. They can be used to commission upgrades at the House Contractor.

Note: As visible in above screenshot, the gemstone symbol is glittering along with a skull symbol. Note that gemstone will not always look like this. This is just a special encounter with increased mob difficulty and increased reward.

For more, check the wiki[hades.gamepedia.com].

Chaos Mechanic

Chaos Mechanic was introduced in Chaos Update on Jan 2019. In this, Chaos (embodiment of the primordial void) offers boons to Zagreus which, unlike the instant boosts offered by the Olympian gods, trade a debuff for a certain number of encounters in exchange for greater power further down the line.

Chaos can be spotted via going through the Chaos Gates. They appear as gateways in the floor emblazoned with an image of Chaos's eye, which open and begin emitting smoke when the room is cleared. In order to enter health must be sacrificed unless Chaos's keepsake, the Cosmic Egg, is equipped.

Escrito originalmente por Wiki:

Chaos Gates will only begin spawning after 11 completed runs. They cannot appear in shops, in boss rooms, or in the chamber immediately after a boss. Two Chaos Gates will not spawn within 8 chambers of each other. Gates grow less common in each successive area, and are unable to spawn naturally after the sixth chamber of Elysium. However, a Light of Ixion can override the above conditions and cause a Gate to spawn regardless.

More about Chaos[hades.gamepedia.com] and Chaos Gate[hades.gamepedia.com]

Miscellaneous

Reward Boost

As discussed in last section, on some doors you will see glittering symbols accompanied with a small skull symbol. This means that next door have higher difficulty level mobs like armoured mobs, mini-bosses or bosses themselves. However, this also means that rewards from these rooms will be doubled.

Hidden Preview of Rewards (Chaos Mechanic)

Some boons of Chaos have curses where player is unable to see rewards of some door. Instead they see preview of mask like icon (as shown above). This persist for few rooms until the curse runs out and convert to boon.

Footnote

Edit Log

• Added Eurydice and Patroclus in NPC Blessings list.
  
• Added Trial of the Gods.
  
• Added Demeter symbol in God boons
  
• Added hidden gate reward preview because of some Chaos based boons mechanic.
  
• Added Charon's Shop encounter details.
  
• Added more info on boss encounter.
  
• Added stairs gate icon after boss fights
  
• Updated Patroclus's jerky damage to 60% as pointed out in comment.

Since game is still under active development its possible some aspect of this guide may change. I will try my best to keep this up-to-date. Also if you feel there is some error please comment the same stating with some reliable source.

If you find this guide helpful don't forget to rate and share since this will help others as well.

[angelstears]

I must note: Patroclus is in the third region, not second, and the fury sisters have nothing to do with the Fates sisters.

[AnnumVeritas]

It's worth noting that, when taking Stubborn Defiance, Patroclus offers a different buff, Touch of Styx Dark in place of Kiss of Styx. This item instead gives Stubborn Defiance +50% restoration for the next 15 encounters.

[Vixie]

Erebus?

[Duck]

Updated new damage from jerky

[ri]

cyclops jerky from patroclus is 60% more damage btw

[epic meow]

unless mentioned already, i seem to recall keys and darkness having a faint glow to indicate when you will get two keys instead of one. though perhpas i'm imagining it.

[Duck]

Added stairs after boss encounters :D

[Leonard]

There is an icon for those rooms after boss encounters now. It's a up-array with stairs on it.

[stever717]

Awesome, this is helping me understand the game better. Wish I could find information on how to set up a game pad controller.

[Miner Annoyance]

I felt it could go in the nectar section, since you talk about what it does for relationship progression/keepsake

Up to you though.