Living up to the legacy of Supergiant Games, Hades has become one of the biggest independent games of the past few years. Hades attracted the attention of players long before its official release with its satisfying roguelike gameplay and deep variety of options, but now there has been plenty of time to figure out its meta. The player’s build for Zagreus is absolutely crucial, and the choice of Infernal Arms available to the Prince of the Underworld are at the core of this dynamic.
The arsenal of weapons used by Hades' belligerent hero Zagreus, known as Infernal Arms, presents a diverse variety of combat styles and designs that keep Hades fresh. Despite the array of options, however, the player must only choose a single Infernal Arm to bring on a given run. Some Infernal Arms have risen to be seen as better than others over the years of Hades’ popularity, but all six of Zagreus’ weapons are ultimately viable choices in the hands of the right player.
S Tier
Exagryph, the Adamant Rail - An underrated weapon for many players who discover its initial form, Hades' Weapon Aspects available for the Adamant Rail can make it into an insane powerhouse of an Infernal Arm. This stylish, anachronistic gun manages to live up to its status as the final weapon to be unlocked in Hades, with three great Aspects that complement different playstyles.
Even Hades' Aspect of Lucifer plays so differently that it could nearly be its own weapon despite its mediocre power. Despite this, a set of unique Daedalus Hammers that can enhance Lucifer with insane upgrades ensure the rail's dominance.
A Tier
Coronacht, the Heart-Seeking Bow - With a set of equally powerful Aspects that all make the bow a devastating weapon, Coronacht is easily one of the most reliable Infernal Arms available in Hades. Between the excellent tracking of the Aspect of Chiron and even an effective stock Zagreus Aspect, the bow is a great choice that can compete with the rail as a ranged weapon.
Aegis, the Shield of Chaos - While some of its aspects leave strength to be desired, the shield’s Zeus Aspect is so powerful that many players would even consider it the best weapon in the game. Due to the fact that the other Aspects of Hades' Aegis Shield don’t quite stack up to the same level, however, it can’t dominate the list.
B Tier
Varatha, the Eternal Spear - A great option for its long-reaching attacks and powerful spin move, the spear is a solid option with most of its Aspects. It would be quite a lackluster weapon overall if it weren’t for its amazing Aspect of Achilles, which is easily one of the best Infernal Arm variations when paired with Hades' Best Boons for the spear.
The Twin Fists of Malphon - With their short range that requires an inherent risk from the player, the Twin Fists can find their status as one of the last weapons unlocked a bit hard to justify. Having powerful Aspects such as that of Demeter makes the Twin Fists viable for those who want to get closer in their combat encounters, but the threat of losing an entire run in a roguelike can make it harder to choose this Infernal Arm over the rest.
C Tier
Stygius, the Blade of the Underworld (The Stygian Blade) - As the default weapon available to Zagreus when beginning Hades, the signature sword and its mediocre stock Aspect can end up being forgotten among its peers. While it has a couple of decent Aspects in the form of Poseidon and Nemesis, Hades’ Aspect of Arthur can be controversial due to its slow speed balancing its high damage relative to other options in the game.
Hades is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.