Hades: House Contractor Guide

Hades challenges its players by pitting them against impossible odds. Then, it gives the players tools to get over these difficult hurdles in the form of various upgrades. Different weapons, new skills, powerful boons, and familiarity with the mechanics all contribute to the player's eventual success.

The combat aspect of the game is great, but, the House of Hades offers more to Zagreus than just a resting place between fights to the death. The House Contractor, who sits next to Hades in the main hall, gives several upgrades that players can avail. Some of these are incredible, while others are a little underwhelming.

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All Upgrades By The House Contractor

There are six categories for the upgrades available at the House Contractor's shop. They are as follows:

Work Orders: These provide improvements on the way out of the underworld, making runs slightly easier or more convenient.
Great Hall: Decorations and utility upgrades for the Great Hall where Hades holds court.
West Hall: Decorations and utility upgrades for the West Hall where trophies are lined up, and Achilles is typically found.
Lounge: Decorations and utility upgrades for the Lounge, where the Wretched Broker and Head Chef are located.
Bedchambers: Decorations and utility upgrades for the Bedchambers of Zagreus.
Court Music: Music for the Music Stand upgrade.

Best Work Orders In Hades

Of these six categories, the only important ones that players should focus on at the start is the Work Orders category. These contain ways to increase resource farming, make runs easier, and unlock new aspects of the game. These are the most important work orders that players should attempt to unlock as soon as possible:

Name	Description	Unlock Requirements	Cost
Chthonic Keys, Fated	Once bought, players will get a charge of Fated Authority/Persuasion every time they pick up a Chthonic Key in a run. This gives the player a much higher chance of rolling for the boons that they want, reducing the unpredictability of their run and assuring victory.	Contractor's Desk, Deluxe	3 Diamonds
Keepsake Collection, Regional	This upgrade lets the player change their keepsakes after beating the boss of each stage. This is a vital upgrade that lets players swap keepsakes depending on the stage they're on. Once swapped out, a keepsake cannot be re-equipped within the same run.	Defeat the Meg in Tartarus, and unlock the Fountain Chamber in Tartarus	10 Gems
Fountain Chamber	There are three Fountain Chamber upgrades. One for Tartarus, one for Asphodel, and one for Elysium. This upgrade spawns a safe room within each of these biomes, letting players rest there and replenish their health from a fountain. The health restoration of the fountain can be upgraded by buying the Underworld Fountain upgrades.	Tartarus upgrade has no requirements. The other two Fountain Chambers require the player to unlock the Keepsake Collection, Regional alongside Fountain Chamber, Tartarus, and players must reach the realm at least once before buying a Fountain Chamber for it.	0, 20, 40 Gems
Fated List of Minor Prophecies	The Fated List of Minor Prophecies is essentially just a way to reward players for their hard work. It contains different fates, and when a fate is completed, the player can collect a fairly decent reward.	Fountain Chamber, Tartarus	20 Gems
Rod of Fishing	This unlocks the ability to fish within the underworld, and the overworld for that matter. Fish can be exchanged with the Head Chef for goodies and resources. The fish-catching process isn't incredible, but it provides a welcome break from the constant fighting.	Unlock the Fated List of Minor Prophecies, Clear Elysium, Open the Lounge, and buy the Fountain Chamber, Tartarus work order.	1 Diamond
Nectar, Vintage	This upgrade gives the player a level in one of their boons every time they pick up nectar during their run. This is incredibly useful in the long run, letting players get stronger even when farming for nectar.	Contractor's Desk, Deluxe	3 Diamonds
Darker Thirst	Weapons that have the Dark Thirst enchantment also reward the players with 20% more gems.	Contractor's Desk, Deluxe	2 Diamonds

All Utility Upgrades In Hades

Utility upgrades don't help the players go out of the underworld, but they help in other ways. These can provide quality of life improvements for the players, tracking their achievements and giving them insight into their gameplay.

Name	Description	Unlock Requirements	Cost
Court Music Stand	Plays music in the House of Hades	Unlock Pool, Scrying and meet Orpheus	1 Diamond
Aquarium, Cubical	Shows how many fish have been caught in total	Buy 24 upgrades from the Contractor and catch 5 fish	330 Gems
Bat Cage, All-Seeing	It shows the player a "bat's eye view" of the House of Hades	Get the deep cleaning and detailing service from the Contractor. Try to escape at least 5 times, and have 24 Contractor Upgrades in total	3 Diamonds
Shortcut, Great Hall	Creates a shortcut to the west lounge in the House of Hades	Reach the final boss, Have 44 Contractor Upgrades in total, and at least 5 attempted runs	3 Diamonds
Pool, Scrying	Adds a stat tracking pool to Zagreus' bedroom	None*	10 Gems