In the notorious roguelike title Hades, you can obtain Keepsakes to help you on your runs. Keepsakes give you a benefit each time you try to escape the Underworld, and can be exchanged in between realms if you’d like to switch up your gameplay. The more you play, the higher they level up!

Gain keepsakes by gifting nectar to the various in-game characters. While every keepsake can be powerful depending on your strategy and when you choose to use it, some are particularly useful for different stages of the game! So, it's important to choose the right ones for the right fights.

The greatest thing is that most keepsakes can be obtained very early on. For the sake of exploration, I’ve chosen to hype up some of my favorite keepsakes that might otherwise be ignored over others!

With that, here are my Top 10 Hades Keepsakes, when in game you can get them, and how they can be useful to you. 

10. Bone Hour Glass (Early Game)

Rank 1: Items from the Well of Charon have durations increased by +4 Encounters

Rank 2: Items from the Well of Charon have durations increased by +6 Encounters

Rank 3: Items from the Well of Charon have durations increased by +8 Encounters

Bone HourGlass helps you out when it comes to the items you gain through Charon’s well. The amount of encounters each item and its ability will last is extended, meaning that you get long lasting benefits, especially towards rank 3.

Charon’s well offers many useful items that can increase your odds of escaping the Underworld. Imagine having +50% damage striking foes from behind for an additional 8 rooms… Bone Hourglass can make that a reality, an additional boost to clear stages both efficiently and quickly.

You can find these wells all throughout the Underworld, so this keepsake can truly be useful at any stage.

• With a Charon item like Chimaera Jerky, you would normally have your special attack increased by 40% for only 6 encounters. Bone Hourglass at rank 3 can allow that benefit to last you a whopping 14 stages instead! 
• The earlier you get this item and equip it, the faster you can level it up to rank 3 to receive the highest possible benefit. Same goes for all keepsakes, but for this one it matters a lot. To me, +4 vs. +8 is a huge difference that I'm willing to play for.
• If you save up your gold, and are able to buy a lot of Charon items with this keepsake equipped, you can make Zagreus enormously powerful for far longer… potentially long enough to get to important boss battles! A keepsake like this can give you a leg up against early foes like Megara, and even Hades himself if you find a well in the Temple of Styx!

How to get this keepsake: Gift Charon nectar when you see him at his shop.

9. Harpy Feather Duster (Early Game)

Rank 1: Broken urns have a 3% chance of dropping health items

Rank 2: Broken urns have a 5% chance of dropping health items

Rank 3: Broken urns have a 6% chance of dropping health items

Thanks to Dusa, this Harpy Feather Duster will help you on your journey through the underworld by making sure you don’t run out of energy to do it! Something like this can make all the difference when you’ve run out of death defiance or are in between healing.

There are urns to break all over the Underworld, so if you want to give this keepsake a try later on, go right ahead!

I found this keepsake to be particularly useful in the beginning due to the fact that you’re more likely to have less death defiance at that point than later on. Death defiance allows you to continue fighting by regenerating some of your health upon death. You can get 3 rounds of it, but without any, you’re stuck with whatever health points you have. Harpy Feather Duster can help you find health in moments where you may otherwise be hopeless

• In my experience, including when testing this keepsake for this article, I have only ever found one health item per room. To maximize efficiency when using this keepsake, keep that in mind! Before I knew this I would spend all of my time making sure I broke every single urn… even after I had already found a health item!
• Each health item dropped due to this keepsake regenerates 10 health. This is one of the reasons why I would choose it for earlier-game runs. When you start out with a health bar of only 50, 10 health makes a huge difference.
• If you’re looking to give this keepsake a try later in the game, I found it also useful in the Temple of Styx due to the fast paced rooms and the amount of urns you can find in them!

How to get this keepsake: Gift Dusa nectar when you see her at the House of Hades.

8. Cosmic Egg (Early/Mid Game)

Rank 1: Enter Chaos gates without losing health. Blessings from Chaos have a 20% chance to be rare or better

Rank 2: Enter Chaos gates without losing health. Blessings from Chaos have a 30% chance to be rare or better

Rank 3: Enter Chaos gates without losing health. Blessings from Chaos have a 40% chance to be rare or better

Cosmic egg is one of my favorite keepsakes to grab! While it may not be everyone’s favorite, as chaos boons have a price to pay before you can reap their benefits, it can prove to be an insanely powerful assist to any run. 

Usually upon entering a Chaos gate, you lose health. This can be detrimental to a run. A lot of players will choose to avoid Chaos gates for this reason, as regular boons are more of a safe bet to grab.

Cosmic egg lets you keep that health all for yourself and completely gets rid of your chances of finding common boons. Common boons can be irritating to run into, especially when you find a boon you like, but feel to settle for a different one due to its higher rarity. Enjoy rare, epic, and heroic boons only!

• Chaos is an interesting character in the game, as he chooses to challenge Zagreus further in order to give him rewards. To gain his favor, you have to work a little harder and fight against his curses. These curses can last for several stages… but once you make it past the curse, the benefit of the boon is yours to keep! Study carefully when choosing Chaos boons, and choose one with a curse that you feel you can survive.
• Consider your strong suits and your strategy. Do you want to choose a boon that increases your gold gain, and then focus on grabbing power ups for your existing abilities along the way? Or, would you rather beef up your character to make it through rooms effortlessly? Consider what you have done beforehand and what you plan to do after before choosing.
• Personally, I like to equip Cosmic Egg in the earlier stages of the game. This is so I know I can make it through to get that benefit after beating Chaos’s curse. It’s easier to survive his curses in the beginning when you’re facing lower-tier enemies… so get those buffs up and keep pushing forward!

How to get this keepsake: Gift Chaos nectar when you see him after traveling through a Chaos gate.

7. Lucky Tooth (Early Game)

Rank 1: Automatically restore up to 50 health once your life total is depleted

Rank 2: Automatically restore up to 75 health once your life total is depleted

Rank 3: Automatically restore up to 100 health once your life total is depleted

You know those runs where you’re headed to the Temple of Styx, you’ve fought the good fight, and you’re on your last death defiance, knowing that Hades’s huge weapons are gonna come crashing down on you?

Well- get ready for Lucky Tooth, your keepsake one-stop-shop for an extra chance at life!

Skelly, your good ol’ pal from training, can help you out by giving you another revival! What makes this keepsake so special is the fact that it IS a keepsake! You can choose to equip it in-between realms, aka, choose to have an extra death defiance whenever you need it!

Take that, Temple of Styx.

• While it is a great idea to get this keepsake and level it up to rank 3 early-game, Lucky Tooth can prove useful at any point in the run. It really depends on your judgment, and your gameplay. You decide which runs you think you’re strong enough for, and which stages you might want that extra crutch.
• After you equip it, you should see a little icon of Skelly’s face above the health bar! Use this indicator to know if you still have your extra death defiance or not. Also- keep in mind that you have to run through your regular death defiances in order for the Lucky Tooth to activate itself… so don’t be afraid towards the end!
• Many might argue for different keepsakes in favor of this one, but this one is straightforward and easy to understand while guaranteeing you get the benefits. Something like Evergreen Acorn can keep you safe from the first few hits of a boss… but when you die? You’re out. In my own early gameplay I had a hard time with dodging, so something like Lucky Tooth was a better choice for me.

How to get this keepsake: Gift Skelly nectar before you head out on a run.

6. Old Spiked Collar (Early Game)

Rank 1: Gain 25 health

Rank 2: Gain 38 health

Rank 3: Gain 50 health

Old Spiked Collar adds a certain amount of health points to your health bar each run that you can replenish and work with as if they were yours! There are runs where I encounter mostly boons, and have trouble finding health items… if I don’t already start with Old Spiked Collar, that’s when I’ll equip it for good measure.

I like the added benefit that the health you get isn’t just during one stage, or at one point, it's for the entirety of after you choose to equip it as long as you don’t switch it out. It’s for sure gotten me out of several rough patches (i’m looking at that one boat fight in Asphodel, you know the one).

• If you’re earlier on in your gameplay, this is the keepsake I would get first. It made a massive difference in all of my runs, especially on my journey to get enough nectar to collect the other keepsakes. 
• If you’re trying to choose when and where to apply this keepsake, I would look at how many mirror upgrades you have and how efficiently you can make it through different Underworld biomes. Elysium can be particularly troubling due to all of the fast moving and/or shielded enemies. Sometimes, I like to equip this keepsake there.
• A tip others might not give is to stick with this keepsake for the entirety of a run. Sure, you don’t have to do this every time, and you should for sure be diversifying your gameplay… but having that extra 50 health in every biome made a massive difference in my experience. So, if you do that in the beginning, not only are you more likely to get this keepsake tanked up quick, but you’ll keep that little boost of health with you on your way.

How to get this keepsake: Gift Cerberus nectar when you see him in the House of Hades.

5. Myrmidon Bracer (Early Game)

Rank 1: Take 20% less damage from the front, but 10% more from the back

Rank 2:Take 25% less damage from the front, but 10% more from the back

Rank 3: Take 30% less damage from the front, but 10% more from the back

While it may seem troubling that this keepsake comes with a debuff, have no fear!...literally. That’s the only way you can make this keepsake reach its full potential- you have to be unafraid to face your enemies head-on. That way, you’ll be safe from the back (...get ready to practice dodging!)

Either way, 10% extra damage taken isn’t that much in the long run in comparison to the massive damage output you get as a result of equipping this. While you can obtain this keepsake early in the game, it can prove particularly useful for mid-late game biomes where you’re being swarmed with enemies. Every hit matters more!

Don’t let the 10% damage spook you or deter you from giving this keepsake a try. If anything, play around with the different weapons Zagreus can use and decide which one makes this keepsake work the best! For me, it was the shield. 

• Against the Hydra in Asphodel, Myrmidon Bracer can be a power horse. The hydra multiplies its heads in stages, forcing you to take down each head to make it to the next one and eventually remain victorious. Myrmidon Bracer can help you take down each head at a quicker rate, giving you a higher chance to retain more health in between stages. 
• Think about the way you dash when you’re using this keepsake. How often do you leave your back exposed to your enemies? What can you do to keep them from gaining the benefit they would get? 
• You can only equip keepsakes once per run (if you decide to switch them), so carefully choose when and where to apply these benefits!

- Equipping keepsakes like Lucky Tooth and Old Spiked Collar early on to help you survive the earlier stages can allow you to utilize Myrmidon Bracer in important fights like Theseus and Hades.

How to get this keepsake: Gift Achilles nectar when you see him in the House of Hades.

4. Spiked Earring (Early-Mid Game)

Rank 1: Deal 20% more damage when at 35 health or less

Rank 2: Deal 30% more damage when at 35 health or less

Rank 3: Deal 40% more damage when at 35 health or less

Spiked Earring comes from Megara, one of Zagreus’s many (oo~) possible love interests. This keepsake is a bit more difficult to obtain, as it's necessary to beat Megara in combat and advance to Asphodel in order to get it. You see, Megara won’t start visiting you in the House of Hades until you prove you’re strong enough to defeat her… so get fighting!

In the community, I've seen a lot of hate for this keepsake. They argue that others are just simply better. And to that I say… every keepsake has its own strengths to different players. Having that extra boost of damage from the Skull Earring has helped me make it past Hades several times. 

There are fights where you can get knocked down to low health and still last a VERY long time in battle before knocking out. Skull Earring is the perfect ally for those sessions. That- and the premise of imagining Zagreus wearing Meg’s earring is too much for me to handle. 

• If you want to make good use of this keepsake, like others, equip it at the right time! For some players that may mean equipping it in the beginning and holding onto it for the entirety of the run so that they get the damage benefit before each death defiance revival. For others, that could mean waiting for the biome that gives them the most trouble.
• Defeating Megara is necessary to get this keepsake. You might be reading this and thinking ‘I did that ages ago’... but you, too, probably remember that moment where Megara was your HARDEST fight. If this is you? My best advice is to spend most of your time dodging. Learn her attack patterns, and that will give you the edge you need.
• If you’re a risky player, choose a build and/or strategy that will help Skull Earring trigger many times. 

How to get this keepsake: Defeat Megara in Tartarus, then, gift her nectar when you see her in the House of Hades

3. Black Shawl (Early/Mid Game)

Rank 1: Deal 10% more damage striking undamaged foes & striking foes from behind

Rank 2: Deal 15% more damage striking undamaged foes & striking foes from behind

Rank 3: Deal 20% more damage striking undamaged foes & striking foes from behind

Something cool about Black Shawl is that, if you’re still going about upgrading your mirror, this keepsake will restore health when you earn darkness! So, there’s an additional benefit, alongside the additional two benefits you get from this keepsake alone… talk about a powerhouse for developing players!

It’s important to keep in mind how long you’ve been playing when it comes to judging keepsakes. Some may seem minor in the later game, but in the earlier game can propel you forward massively. 

The initial spurt of damage the Black Shawl gives you allows you to pack a huge punch right away, and if you can plan your attacks right to prioritize hitting enemies from the back, you can get that additional damage for as long as you need it!

• For earlier players still collecting darkness, in my opinion, this keepsake is a must grab. That additional little boost of health can help you along the way if you’re struggling to find health items. Right before a big fight? That can be a huge factor in whether you win or not.
• Make sure your first strike counts! Use a powerful damage as your first hit on enemies to make sure you get the most out of the % bonus you get from this keepsake.
• Try to make sure enemies are facing away from you when you attack.
• Since your damage is increased with this keepsake, make sure to take some time to hype up your defenses! Increase your health bar, grab some defensive abilities (cough cough Athena cough cough), and head in there confidently.

How to get this keepsake: Gift Nyx nectar in the House of Hades.

2. Pierced Butterfly (Late Game)

Rank 1: Gain 1% damage for each encounter you clear without taking damage

Rank 2: Gain 1.5% damage for each encounter you clear without taking damage

Rank 3: Gain 2% damage for each encounter you clear without taking damage

Pierced Butterfly can be so immensely strong, but it requires a lot of skill in order to make it effective. At first, I thought this keepsake was useless and completely ignored it. I even got agitated with it at times.

It’s easy to get damaged in this game. So easy… but if you play your cards right, equip this keepsake, and know your enemy? This keepsake can easily pull you out of hell. 

Start by making sure to equip it in the right biome and at the right time. Then, prioritize staying alive and dealing as much damage as you can while taking the least. Stacking up this damage buff can turn you into a powerhouse.

Getting this keepsake is tricky. In order to find it and give Thanatos nectar, you have to beat him in his challenge first. He’ll appear at the beginning of normal encounters and ask to see who can kill more enemies, you, or him. During this, he won’t take damage. Fight bravely, beat him, and prosper!

• In order to beat Thanatos to get this keepsake, prioritize enemies that can get you the most kills. I got this keepsake in Elysium against the exalted enemies that produce souls. Those enemies get you two kills for the price of one if you’re fast enough and can deal enough damage at once. Figure out which stage you think you’ll have the best chance at killing the most enemies the fastest.
• When you have Pierced Butterfly equipped, it's important to remember that unequipping it will cause you to lose all the % damage increase you got while you had it on you.
• Prioritize ranged weapons in order to avoid getting hit.

How to get this keepsake: Gift Thanatos nectar in the House of Hades.

1. Pom Blossom (Late Game)

Rank 1: After every 6 encounters, a random boon gains +1 lvl

Rank 2: After every 5 encounters, a random boon gains +1 lvl

Rank 3: After every 4 encounters, a random boon gains +1 lvl

This is one of those late game keepsakes that I wish I could close my eyes and wish really hard into an early game keepsake. The ability alone speaks for itself, especially after rank 3. If you equip this boon early on in your run, every ability you get has the opportunity to grow crazy powerful over a relatively short amount of time (especially in the Temple of Styx).

In order to obtain the Pom Blossom, you have to be some kind of crazy player… because you need to have escaped from Hell 10 times before. This allows the story to progress far enough for Persephone to appear in the House of Hades. It is only then that you can give her nectar to receive this powerful keepsake.

If you’re looking to use Pom Blossom, you’re most likely a player that is heavily utilizing Pact of Punishment. This means that you’re editing your runs to your liking to be more difficult in order to reap better rewards and further progress the story (there's just a little bit more to do after successfully bringing Persephone back). So, therefore, I'll offer tips and insight in that vein!

• A good strategy when using this power up is to choose which God(s) you want to focus your build around, and choose one of their keepsakes to start. Then, switch to Pom Blossom at some point in order to buff up the abilities you’ve gathered. Then, before the Temple of Styx, you can choose an ability that will help you survive the Hades fight.
• Since the level up from Pom Blossom is random, make sure you are choosing a roster of abilities that you are confident in working with, none that you would mind receiving the level up from this keepsake. 
• At this point, there’s a strong chance you are focusing more on 100%-ing the game. If this is the case, utilize Pom Blossom to bring the boons you’re playing with to a cutting edge. There are most likely some Gods whose abilities you don’t play very well with in comparison to others. Pom Blossom can level up those abilities and make them more accessible to players who may not reach for them often.

How to get this keepsake: Escape from the Underworld 10 times, then gift Persephone nectar in the House of Hades

…and that is my full list of the [Top 10] Hades Best Keepsakes! What are your favorite keepsakes? How do you utilize them in game? Why aren’t you doing that right now? Get playing!

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