HADES I · ZAGREUS / POST-LAUNCH PC
Heat, Pact and rewards
Check 15 Pact conditions after the first escape, weapon-specific bounties, Erebus and statues. Choose conditions by the actions they complicate as well as total Heat.
Scope: Hades I, post-v1.0 PC release. Official update announcements checked through February 2022. Current executable version numbers on each platform are unconfirmed / Source check: 2026-10-02
Check the next bounty level for each weapon
- On the departure screen, check the equipped weapon and its next bounty Heat level. Sword and bow progress separately.
- Collect unclaimed boss rewards at that Heat or higher. A boss whose reward is already collected does not repeatedly award it.
- Complete an escape with that weapon to advance to the next level. Resources already acquired are retained even if you die partway through.
- A successful Heat 5 run at bounty level 2 advances only level 2. The next is 3; rewards for 3, 4 and 5 are not all awarded together.
- Normal runs use Heat 0 until the first escape, then allow the Pact. Hell Mode has conditions from the start and a different departure baseline. Check Heat 0 bounties separately from Heat-enabled bounty progress.
Values and gameplay effects of the 15 normal conditions
“Added” Heat is the increase from buying that rank. Extreme Measures 3 totals 6 Heat, not just 3.
| Condition | Maximum rank | Change | Heat | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard Labor | 5 | Enemy damage +20% per rank. | 1 per rank, up to 5 | Each hit from a troublesome boss becomes heavier. |
| Lasting Consequences | 4 | Healing -25% per rank. | 1 per rank, up to 4 | Ordinary healing stops working at rank 4. |
| Convenience Fee | 2 | Shop and Well prices +40% per rank. | 1 per rank, up to 2 | Reserve more Obols for healing and boon purchases. |
| Jury Summons | 3 | Encounter enemy count +20% per rank. | 1 per rank, up to 3 | More reinforcements can compound Tight Deadline. |
| Extreme Measures | 4 | Changes boss encounters in order from Tartarus. | Added 1 / 2 / 3 / 4; cumulative 1 / 3 / 6 / 10 | Elysium changes at rank 3. Rank 4 also requires a House order. |
| Calisthenics Program | 2 | Enemy Life +15% per rank. | 1 per rank, up to 2 | Combining with increased enemy numbers extends clearing time. |
| Benefits Package | 2 | Armored enemies gain 1 / 2 perks. | Added 2 / 3; cumulative 2 / 5 | Read speed, shields and other perks when choosing targets. |
| Middle Management | 1 | Changes miniboss enemies or mechanics. | 2 | Do not reuse the ordinary miniboss plan unchanged. |
| Underworld Customs | 1 | Purge 1 boon between regions. | 2 | Decide what to retain and sell so you do not lose your main attack. |
| Forced Overtime | 2 | Enemy movement and attack speed +20% per rank. | 3 per rank, up to 6 | Changes the timing of dodges themselves. |
| Heightened Security | 1 | Trap and lava damage +400%. | 1 | Equivalent to 5 times damage. Asphodel's platforms become costly. |
| Routine Inspection | 4 | Disables 3 Mirror pairs per rank, starting at the bottom. | 2 per rank, up to 8 | All talents are disabled at rank 4. Higher-row offer controls disappear first. |
| Damage Control | 2 | Enemies gain 1 / 2 shields that negate hits. | 1 per rank, up to 2 | A shield can consume a heavy hit. Strip it with light attacks first. |
| Approval Process | 2 | Removes 1 / 2 offered choices. | Added 2 / 3; cumulative 2 / 5 | Raises the risk of being unable to select a required boon. |
| Tight Deadline | 3 | Sets region time to 9 / 7 / 5 minutes. | Added 1 / 2 / 3; cumulative 1 / 3 / 6 | Unused time carries to the next region. Check the timer in shops and conversations too. |
Adding Heat for the first time
- Check spare Life, revives, time and Obols from a typical successful run. Change only 1 rank in an area where you have room.
- If dodging remains inconsistent, defer enemy-speed changes while learning boss timing.
- For a time limit, start by watching the 9-minute rank's timer. Avoid increasing enemy Life and count together so you can identify the source of time shortages.
- If the next bounty is Heat 1, you need not jump to 8. Switching weapons to collect unclaimed lower bounties is another option.
Extreme Measures changes opponents by rank
| Rank | Additional target | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Fury sisters | Watch the other sisters' support alongside the normal opponent. |
| 2 | Hydra | Platforms and lava differ. Find a retreat path from head attacks. |
| 3 | Theseus and Asterius | Equipment and behavior change. Dodging only the normal spear will not suffice. |
| 4 | Final battle | Available after the House order. Do not assume the normal fight's phase count or safe openings. |
- Champion of Elysium requires clearing Elysium at Extreme Measures 3. Do not add an unsupported requirement to finish the final boss at that setting.
Erebus gates check your current Heat
- Inside the gate, avoid damage until every enemy is defeated. Prioritize a hitless clear more strongly than in ordinary rooms.
- Do not count the onion for a failed attempt as the usual enhanced reward. Target the achievement on a hitless completion.
| Region | Heat required | Shared preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Tartarus | At least 5 | Buy the House Contractor's Erebus Gateways order. |
| Asphodel | At least 10 | Check the current run's Heat against the requirement. |
| Elysium | At least 15 | A past escape at that Heat is not sufficient by itself. |
- Meeting requirements does not guarantee a gate every time. Check its displayed entrance condition.
Skelly statues: 8, 16 and 32
- Check Skelly's House conversations and the covered statues.
- After a qualifying escape, return, speak to him and inspect the corresponding statue.
| Heat | Milestone | Steam achievement |
|---|---|---|
| At least 8 | Complete the first statue challenge. | Useless Trinket。 |
| At least 16 | Complete the second statue challenge. | Skelly’s Last Lamentations。 |
| At least 32 | Complete the third statue challenge. | No additional Steam achievement for this statue. |
- Statue Heat and the weapon's next bounty level are separate. Completing 32 Heat does not fill every unclaimed bounty level at once.
Hell Mode is a separate starting choice
Choose Hell Mode when starting a new save. This differs from adding the same conditions later to a normal save.
- Check its initial fixed conditions and exclusive Personal Liability. The latter removes ordinary protection against consecutive hits.
- If you want God Mode, do not base your plan on a Hell Mode save.
- Record the normal conditions for the 15-condition prophecy. Do not turn the exclusive condition into an extra required Steam achievement.