• Guide

Door symbol meanings - Hades

Discover what the symbols on the doors in Hades mean so you can make more informed decisions.

Sam Chandler

January 12, 2021 10:26 PM

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The various symbols on the doors in Hades give players a little more agency in an otherwise entirely random experience. By understanding what each symbol means, and picking the one that best suits your desired build, you might just be able to fight your way out of Hades.

Hades’ door symbols explained

There are a lot of symbols to digest and remember in Hades. As you’re making your way through the various rooms, picking the correct door to go through will depend entirely on whether you want what’s on the other side. For this reason, knowing what the symbols mean and what type of reward awaits you is critical. The following table includes the symbol names, what they look like, and what is on offer. 

Credit to Hades Gamepedia for the following symbol icons.

Name	Symbol	Explainer
Artifacts
Darkness		The currency used to permanently upgrade Zagreus using the Mirror of Night in his bedroom
Charon's Obol		Currency used in Charon’s shop found within the realm of Hades
Centaur Heart		Heals Zagreus and increases maximum health by 25
Pom of Power		Upgrades a boon to its next power level
Daedalus Hammer		Upgrades your weapon during the attempt
Chthonic Key		Currency used to unlock weapons or traded in the lounge
Gemstones		Currency used at the Contractors for upgrades
Boons
Aphrodite		Focuses on Weak and Charmed effects and defensive stats
Ares		Focuses on Doom effect and offensive stats
Artemis		Increases Critical Hit status and improves Cast ability
Athena		Offers Deflect effects and increases defensive stats
Chaos		Different bonuses which last a few encounters
Demeter		Chill effect, debuff, and healing
Dionysus		Hangover effect and damage reduction
Hermes		Speed effect focusing on all things related to movement and cooldowns
Poseidon		Knockback effects and better rewards
Zeus		Lightning effects
Trial of the Gods	Two god boons together	Choose between the two boons on offer and fight enemies from the one you do not pick
Other
Charon's Shop	Bag	This is Charon's shop where you can spend Charon's Obols
NPC encounter	White exclamation mark	An NPC unique to the area (Sisyphus, Eurdice, or Patroclus) whose storyline can be advanced by offering Nectar
Miniboss Room	Skull	A symbol with a skull on it denotes it will be a miniboss room with better rewards

With a firm grasp on the door symbols in Hades, you should hopefully find your runs getting a bit longer and your builds becoming more refined. Stop by the Shacknews Hades page for more helpful guides and the latest news on this fantastic roguelike experience.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler