As you explore the underworld in Hades II, you’ll sometimes come upon branching paths where a decision must be made. The door symbols in Hades 2 can help you determine which way to go, but only if you know what they mean.
How to Choose a Path in Hades 2
When you reach a branching path, both portals will have a symbol on them. These door symbols in Hades 2 tell you what you’ll find ahead. Based on your goal for the run, you should choose the path with the corresponding symbol.
Symbols show what you’ll find along the path, including key items like boons, materials for leveling up, and reagents. Others indicate bosses you’ll need to fight. Our guide to what all these Hades 2 door symbols mean will help you pick the right choice for every run.
Keep in mind that any boons and bonuses you acquire will be active only during that run, so if you die, you lose the perks. Materials and reagents, you’ll get to keep.
All Door Symbols and Their Meanings in Hades 2
Here are all the door symbols we’ve encountered in Hades 2 and what they tell you about the path that lies ahead.
Note: Hades 2 is newly released on Early Access. We’re still working our way through, so some screenshots of door symbols in later gameplay are still to come!
| Symbol | Symbol Type | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
 | Deity Boon – Aphrodite | Receive a boon from Aphrodite |
 | Deity Boon – Apollo | Receive a boon from Apollo |
| Face symbol with multicolored eyes | Deity Boon – Chaos | Receive a boon from Chaos |
 | Deity Boon – Demeter | Receive a boon from Demeter |
 | Deity Boon – Hephaestus | Receive a boon from Hephaestus |
| Blue Shield Symbol | Deity Boon – Hera | Receive a boon from Hera |
| Golden Wing Symbol | Deity Boon – Hermes | Receive a boon from Hermes |
 | Deity Boon – Hestia | Receive a boon from Hestia |
 | Deity Boon – Poseidon | Receive a boon from Poseidon |
 | Deity Boon – Selene | Receive a Gift of the Moon boon from Selene |
|
| ||
 | Deity Boon – Zeus | Receive a boon from Zeus |
 | Improvement – Pom of Power | Increase the level of one active boon |
 | Improvement – Daedalus Hammer | Increase the power of one weapon attack |
 | Stats Boost – HP | Gain +25 to your max HP |
 | Stats Boost – Magick | Gain +30 to your max Magick |
 | Acquire Materials – Ashes | Acquire Ashes (Material used to buy skills while meditating) |
 | Acquire Materials – Bones | Acquire Bones (Currency used with the Shopkeeper at camp) |
 | Acquire Materials – Gold Crowns | Acquire Gold Crowns (Currency used at Charon’s shop and Wells of Charon) |
 | Acquire Materials – Nectar | Acquire 1 Nectar (Gift to allies to receive useful Keepsakes) |
 | Acquire Materials – Psyche | Acquire Psyche (Material used to increase Grasp) |
 | Supply Stop – Charon’s Shop | Visit Charon’s shop to purchase helpful boosts |
 | Supply Stop – Varies By Area | Visit with and receive gifts from an ally, depending on area In Erebus, receive Silken Fineries from Arachne In Oceanus, receive Second-Hand Gifts from Narcissus In the Mourning Fields, receive Plaintive Echoes from Echo In Tartarus, receive a boon from Hades In the City of Ephyra, receive Nightly Curses from Medea In the Rift of Thessaly, receive Changes & Fortunes from Circe |
 | Foe Ahead – Mini-Boss | Face a mini boss in the next stage (Will appear beneath another symbol, which also applies) |
| Letter Scroll Symbol | Fated List | Chance to complete a task from the Fated List lies ahead |
All Guardian Battle Door Symbols and Rewards in Hades 2
While most of these symbols appear on doors at random, there are a few you’ll only spot once for each level of the underworld you explore. These symbols denote the entry point to a battle with a powerful Guardian and show the reward you’ll get when (and if) you win.
| Symbol | Symbol Type | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
 | Erebus Guardian Battle | Defeat the Erebus Guardian & receive Cinder (Material used to unlock certain skills & for incantations) |
| Image of a pearl with the Guardian icon | Oceanus Guardian Battle | Defeat the Oceasnus Guardian and receive Pearl (Material used to cast incantations) |
| Image of water with the Guardian icon | Mourning Fields Guardian Battle | Defeat the Mourning Fields Guardian and receive Tears (Material used to cast incantations) |
| Image of wool with the Guardian icon | City of Ephyra Guardian Battle | Defeat City of Ephyra Guardian and receive Wool (Material used to cast incantations) |
| Image of a Golden apple with the Guardian icon | Rift of Thessaly Guardian Battle | Defeat the Guardian of the Rift of Thessaly and receive a Golden Apple (Material used to cast incantations) |
 | Next Level Arrow | Shown after defeating a Guardian, when you can progress to the lower level |
Hades 2 Early Access is available now on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
