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Hades: The Blood Price Update Patch Notes Pt. 1

By Supergiant Games July 22nd, 2020

Hades is in Early Access, which means we're actively working on it based on our plans and your feedback. We expect to keep adding features, powers, visual enhancements, music, and more, while expanding the story and fine-tuning all aspects of the experience.

Note: 📢 indicates a change inspired by community feedback! Our latest patch notes are below:

Early Access Patch 047 - July 2, 2020

This patch includes a last set of improvements following last week's big Blood Price Update. After any further technical fixes, our focus will shift to our v1.0 Launch later this year, and fulfilling the promise so many of you have seen in Hades!! Until then, thank you all so much for playing in Early Access!


Infernal Arms, Aspects, & Abilities

Twin Fists: fixed Dash-Upper not staggering foes as intended
📢 Shield of Chaos (Zagreus Aspect): reworked; now adds base damage to Attack and Dash-Strike
Shield of Chaos (Beowulf Aspect): Hunting Blades (Ares x Artemis) no longer offered if you have this
Eternal Spear (Hades Aspect): re-scaled Spin Attack radius (it now is larger at the lowest charge)
Eternal Spear (Guan Yu Aspect): increased Skewer special width (same as before the Blood Price Update)
Adamant Rail (Lucifer Aspect): fixed Dash invulnerability persisting after canceling with an attack; range normalized with other Aspects; fixed cases where it triggered some Boon effects very frequently


Boons & Blessings

Electric Shot (Zeus): restored slight homing effect
📢 Lightning Reflexes (Zeus): now can apply Jolted Status Curse
📢 Sweet Nectar (Poseidon x Aphrodite): now also affects Pom Slices
Second Wind (Hermes): reduced scaling from rarity; fixed an issue causing duration to scale with rarity


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Flash Fire (Rail): no longer deals damage faster; now gains an attack range bonus


Keepsakes & Items

Harpy Feather Duster (Dusa): increased healing item drop chance
Gaea's Treasure (Well): reduced cost


Level Design & Environments

Minor fixes and improvements to several chambers


Art & Visual FX

Updated Keepsake icon for Bone Hourglass (Charon)
Updated look of the eavesdrop point near to Shades in the House of Hades
Minor improvements to Orpheus model textures
Minor improvements to Hypnos model textures


Music & SFX

Updated sound effects while fulfilling Legendary Aspect prophecies
Updated sound effects when activating Strong Drink (Dionysus)
Updated sound effects when activating Side Hustle (Hermes)
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added special audiovisual effect for Boon pick-up sequences, which plays before one-time story events
In multi-character conversations, now only the first character to speak shows the TalkToMe! indicator
Minor changes and improvements to various narrative events


Miscellaneous

Lord Hades now slams his desk disapprovingly when he believes it is warranted
Improved error messaging around corrupted save data (may you never see it)


Bug Fixes

📢 Fixed various additional crashes reported by players
📢 Fixed Eclipse (Chaos) blessing not displaying accurately in some cases while viewing Boon Info
Fixed travel sound of barges in Asphodel cutting off between chambers
Fixed Lord Hades writing feverishly rather than glaring at characters he is interrogating in some events
📢 Fixed Mirror, Guard-Post not being offered as expected by the House Contractor
📢 Fixed a display issue with Dark Reflections (Fated List) where Stubborn Defiance appeared twice
📢 Fixed an issue where the Mouse Lock setting could cause the cursor to get stuck
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.
~Paradise Lost (John Milton)


Early Access Patch 046 - June 30, 2020

This patch contains additional performance and stability improvements, balance changes, and more. We're anticipating one more patch this week, to tie up any other loose ends with the Blood Price Update.


Infernal Arms, Aspects, & Abilities

Eternal Spear: slightly increased attack range; increased damage of first thrust in the attack sequence; increased Throw special speed
Eternal Spear (Zagreus Aspect): fixed an issue where this was not affecting charge-up time
Eternal Spear (Achilles Aspect): increased number of damage bonus instances; Throw special now is press-and-hold for variable range; Charged Skewer and Chain Skewer no longer offered if you have this
Eternal Spear (Hades Aspect): now also increases Spin Attack radius
Heart-Seeking Bow (Rama Aspect): slightly reduced charge time (it is faster); increased Power Shot damage; reduced fire speed and autolock angle of Volley special


Boons & Blessings

📢 Bronze Skin (Athena): improved scaling from Poms
📢 Strong Drink (Dionysus): no longer offered if you have not unlocked the Tartarus Fountain Chamber
Drift Dash (Hermes): now also makes you Sturdy; now called Hyper Sprint
Eclipse (Chaos): now also gives bonus Gemstones
Brilliance (Chaos): cut from game (due to the previous change)
Ruin (Chaos): cut from game


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Double Nova (Blade): no longer reduces area-of-effect
📢 Repulse Shot (Bow): increased knockback
Piercing Volley (Bow): significantly increased damage to Armor
Minotaur Rush (Shield): increased damage; Power Charge timing easier to execute
Flurry Jab (Spear): adjusted auto-attack, improving interaction with Swift Strike (Hermes); fixed a bug where it could be offered if you had Flaring Spin (Daedalus - Spear)
Flying Cutter (Fists): reduced charge-up time (it is faster)
Heavy Knuckle (Fists): increased damage
Quake Cutter (Fists): increased damage


Foes & Encounters

📢 Final Boss: you no longer auto-lock to the summoned urns


Well of Charon & Other Items

Price of Midas: increased minimum money value for life sacrificed


Fated List of Minor Prophecies

Chthonic Knowledge: increased required number of Codex unlocks to fulfill this
God of Swiftness: now also requires finding Bad News (Hermes)


Menus & UI

If you have insufficient Chthonic Keys for a Mirror of Night unlock, the cost now appears in red
Unified formatting on the 'Reset' button in the Controls and Settings screens


Art & Visual FX

Minor fixes and improvements to several chambers


Music & SFX

Added sound effect variations for purchasing different Well of Charon items
Adjusted activation sounds for several 1-stock Olympian Call effects (some were much quieter than others)
Adjusted sound effects for Eternal Spear (Achilles Aspect) Throw special
Adjusted sound effects for Flying Cutter (Daedalus - Fists)
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Zagreus voice lines identifying foes should play more reliably when you first encounter them
📢 A conversation with Achilles about Aspects is no longer needed for him to reveal the Aspect of Guan Yu
Numerous other minor changes and fixes to various events


Miscellaneous

Added more localized strings for Blood Price Update content (thank you, Community Translators!)
📢 The Keepsake Screen now has unique messages for each Chthonic Companion, after forging a bond
📢 Increased appearance rate of Fishing Points in Chaos; updated Head Chef rewards to compensate
Adjusted appearance rate of Fishing Points in Tartarus (they were too likely to appear in the first chamber)
Voice hint plays slightly sooner when repeatedly attempting to use Cast while out of Bloodstones
Improved presentation when Strong Drink (Dionysus) activates
Adjusted presentation timing when Side Hustle (Hermes) activates, just after entering chambers
Minor fixes and improvements to the presentation when you enter the Bone Hydra's chamber
📢 Tuned interact distances on Lyre and Gaming Table decorative items
📢 Reduced requirement for final Codex entry for the dreaded Red Onion
Updated text feedback for near-miss effects on Ruthless Reflex (Mirror) and Lightning Reflexes (Zeus)
Reduced frequency of how often you can admire Skelly's unlockable prizes (if you have them all)
Minor text changes, formatting, and fixes


Bug Fixes

📢 Fixed various additional crashes and performance issues reported by players
📢 Fixed issue where mouse cursor could flicker unexpectedly for some players
Fixed Bone Hydra main head variants appearing sooner than intended early on
Fixed rare issues where Chthonic Companion summons could deal bonus damage from certain effects
Fixed issues with Shield of Chaos (Beowulf Aspect) when Cast abilities are purged
Fixed visual issues toggling between Fireplace decorative items in the House of Hades
Fixed Codex update prompt occurring in the midst of fighting the Bone Hydra
Fixed attack sound sometimes persisting while fighting Theseus under Extreme Measures (Pact)
Fixed voice hint about your Dash not playing when intended the first time you meet Eurydice
Fixed Dionysus Wall-Scroll decorative item appearing in flashback sequences
Fixed incorrect icon using Stubborn Defiance (Mirror) in the Courtyard
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

Sharp as a serpent's venomed fang
Straight to its mark the arrow sprang,
And from the giant's body shred
With trenchant steel the monstrous head.
~The Ramayana (Valmiki; R.T.H. Griffith translation)


Early Access Patch 045 - June 26, 2020

Thanks so much for the enthusiastic response to this week's Blood Price Update! Following several technical hot-fixes, this patch contains additional fixes and balance changes. Expect another patch this coming week, then we begin the final stretch of development before our v1.0 Launch later this year!


Engine & Tech

We hotfixed several crashes and performance issues, and will continue to do so if additional issues arise
Note: If you experience any issues with graphics or performance, please check our Technical Support FAQ at discord.gg/Supergiant for possible solutions


Infernal Arms, Aspects, & Abilities

📢 Adamant Rail: reduced scatter while firing
📢 Shield of Chaos (Beowulf Aspect): Throw special now bounces once; slightly increased attack speed; reduced damage penalty


Boons & Blessings

📢 Strong Drink (Dionysus): no longer offered if you have not unlocked the Tartarus Fountain Chamber
Quick Reload (Hermes): increased power level; significantly improved scaling from rarity
Quick Recovery (Hermes): slightly increased power level


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Snap Nova (Blade): now also increases the base damage of the Nova special
Perfect Shot (Bow): now also makes Power Shots easier to execute (the timing is more lenient)
Dashing Flight (Shield): no longer offered if you have Charged Flight (and vice versa)
Explosive Upper (Fists): increased damage
Concentrated Fire (Rail): increased damage
Hazard Bomb (Rail): removed the inability to aim your Bombard special (just be sure to get out of the way)


Foes & Encounters

The Exalted: fixed an issue causing the Brightsword, Strongbow, and Greatshield to deal somewhat more damage than intended; their damage is restored to what it was before the Blood Price Update
📢 Doomstone: slightly reduced Armor


Level Design & Environments

Improved collision at the Great Hall and Lounge intersection in the House of Hades
Other minor fixes and improvements to various chambers


Art & Visual FX

Added icon for Fireplace, Infernal decorative item offered by the House Contractor
Updated visual effects for footprints in the Final Boss encounter
Updated look of 'Renovate' interact point in the Prince's Bedchambers
Updated visual effects for healing in Fountain Chambers


Music & SFX

Updated attack sounds for the Wringer
Updated sound effect when foes are destroyed
📢 Adjusted sound effect for when you use up your last Death Defiance
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Updated several older voice lines
Minor changes and fixes to various events


Miscellaneous

The Bone Hydra's neck pieces are closer together when you enter its chamber
Fixed text size being larger than intended talking to Shades in the House of Hades
Minor text changes, formatting, and fixes


Bug Fixes

📢 Fixed various crashes and performance issues reported by players
📢 Fixed requirements for fulfilling War-God's Bloodlust (Fated List) (this was in a hotfix since last patch)
Fixed incorrect icon for Greater Consecration (Daedalus - Blade)
Fixed a small visual issue with the Wringer phase-in animation
Fixed a looping sound sometimes persisting with Theseus under Extreme Measures (Pact)
Fixed a camera issue when encountering the Final Boss
Fixed Zagreus becoming stuck in the firing animation with the Spear Throw special
Fixed Zagreus sometimes turning backwards entering Alecto's chamber (there is no escape)
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

He went then in blazes, bended and striding,
Hasting him forward. His life and body
The targe well protected, for time-period shorter
Than wish demanded for the well-renowned leader
~Beowulf (Anonymous; J. Lesslie Hall translation)

Patch Notes Archive

For the full patch notes from the initial launch of this Major Update, check out The Blood Price Update Patch Notes (June, 2020).