Courtyard

Key takeaways

• The Courtyard is a subarea of the House of Hades, not another Underworld region and not the whole House.
• The Infernal Arms are selected here before an escape attempt Weapon Aspects are also accessed from the weapon fixtures after the relevant systems are unlocked.
• Skelly is the Courtyard’s training partner He can be attacked repeatedly without affecting the current escape attempt.
• The Keepsake display is the main pre-run equipment station It provides access to standard Keepsakes and, later, Chthonic Companions.
• The three covered statues are late-game challenge displays Skelly adds them after his favour becomes available, and they are associated with completing runs at 8, 16 and 32 Heat.
• The Courtyard itself has no ordinary shop, boss fight, chamber reward or random combat encounter. Its value is preparation, testing and permanent collection management.

About this guide

Overview

This guide covers the Courtyard in the base game of Hades, not the entire House of Hades. It includes the outdoor training area outside Zagreus’s room, its permanent fixtures, its combat-training function and the progression systems physically represented there. It does not treat the Great Hall, Lounge, Administrative Chamber, Gardens or Zagreus’s bedroom as part of the Courtyard, although those areas connect to it or unlock related features.

This guide covers the Courtyard in the base game of Hades, not the entire House of Hades. It includes the outdoor training area outside Zagreus’s room, its permanent fixtures, its combat-training function and the progression systems physically represented there. It does not treat the Great Hall, Lounge, Administrative Chamber, Gardens or Zagreus’s bedroom as part of the Courtyard, although those areas connect to it or unlock related features.

Introduction

The Courtyard is the practical staging area for Zagreus’s escape attempts. It is reached from Zagreus’s bedroom and sits beside the House’s armaments and training facilities. Unlike the rest of the House of Hades, which is primarily a social and narrative hub, the Courtyard is arranged around preparation: choose an Infernal Arm, test it against Skelly, inspect Keepsakes and Companions, and eventually pursue the high-Heat challenges represented by Skelly’s statues.

It is a small area, but it has an unusually high concentration of permanent progression systems. The six Infernal Arms are collected here, the Keepsake display is used before runs, Skelly provides a non-lethal practice target, and late-game challenge rewards are displayed in the south-west portion of the space. The Courtyard therefore functions less like a conventional explorable district and more like a persistent “loadout room” between procedurally generated escape attempts. Academic analysis of Hades similarly identifies it as a prop-like preparation space containing the weapons and Keepsakes that shape each run.

What counts as the Courtyard?

The Courtyard is the outdoor-looking training space immediately beyond Zagreus’s room. It is visually distinct from the interior rooms of the House and is organised around the weapon racks, Skelly’s practice area and the display fixtures near the walls.

The location should not be expanded to include every area visible from the Courtyard or every facility used before a run. In particular:

The House of Hades itself is a much larger estate with a Great Hall, west and east wings, Lounge, Administrative Chamber, Gardens and other rooms. The Courtyard is therefore best understood as one specialised part of the House rather than as a synonym for it.

Position within the House

The Courtyard is functionally connected to the rest of the House, but the game’s progression loop treats it as the last preparation point before a new run. The player can use other House facilities first, including the Mirror of Night in Zagreus’s Room and the House Contractor in the Great Hall, then return to the Courtyard for final equipment selection.

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The following are the verified named or functionally distinct elements within the Courtyard’s scope.

The usual route is

1. 01
   Return to the House after an escape attempt ends.
2. 02
   Enter Zagreus’s Room.
3. 03
   Leave through the Courtyard-facing exit.
4. 04
   Choose a weapon at the Infernal Arms.
5. 05
   Use the Keepsake display if you want to change equipment.
6. 06
   Begin training with Skelly or return through the House to start an escape attempt.

Permanent fixtures

The exact visual arrangement can vary slightly as House décor is purchased, but the Courtyard’s core functions remain fixed. It is not procedurally rearranged like Underworld chambers.

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The Infernal Arms are the Courtyard’s most important fixtures. Zagreus selects one before each escape attempt, and each weapon supports a different combat style. The weapon racks are also the starting point for accessing Aspects once that system is available.

The six weapons

The weapons are permanent unlocks rather than run-only objects. A newly unlocked weapon remains available in the Courtyard on later attempts. Weapon selection does not consume a resource, and changing weapon before a run does not alter the House or the Courtyard.

The six weapons are also central to bounty progression. Boss rewards are tracked separately for each weapon, so players are encouraged to complete escape attempts with different arms rather than repeatedly using only one. Official PlayStation guidance also recommends clearing bosses with different weapons because first-time victories can award special bounty resources.

The six weapons

Weapon unlock order and requirements

The first weapon is available at the beginning of the game. Additional weapons require Chthonic Keys, which are found during escape attempts or obtained through other progression and trading systems.

Because the exact early-game unlock order depends on how the player spends keys, it is better to treat the Courtyard’s weapon racks as a permanent collection rather than as a fixed sequence of rooms. Once a weapon has been unlocked, it can be selected from its fixture before any later run.

Weapon Aspects

After the Aspect system becomes available, interact with the weapon’s fixture again after picking it up. This opens the weapon’s Aspect menu. Aspects alter the behaviour or statistics of an Infernal Arm and are upgraded with Titan Blood.

Each weapon has four Aspects in the base game:

The hidden Aspects are not all immediately visible. Their availability depends on dialogue, story progression and prior investment in weapon Aspects. The Courtyard therefore becomes more important as the player moves from simply unlocking weapons to customising their long-term weapon collection.

Weapon Aspects are permanent upgrades, but their effects apply to runs only when the relevant Aspect is selected.

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A useful routine is

1. 01
   Pick up the weapon you intend to use.
2. 02
   Interact with its empty rack or fixture again.
3. 03
   Check whether an Aspect can be unlocked or upgraded.
4. 04
   Confirm the weapon’s special requirements before spending Titan Blood.
5. 05
   Test the finished setup against Skelly.

Skelly

Skelly is the Courtyard’s ordinary resident and practice target. He is a reanimated skeleton who allows Zagreus to test attacks without the usual consequences of an Underworld chamber. He can be struck repeatedly, making him useful for checking:

Skelly is particularly valuable when learning the Heart-Seeking Bow and Adamant Rail, where positioning and range matter more than they initially appear. Players also use him to compare weapon Aspects before committing to a run. A guide to Hades’ trophies notes that the Courtyard’s training area can be used to test Keepsake-related distance effects and weapon behaviour.

Skelly’s rewards and story

Skelly is not merely a target dummy. Giving him Nectar advances his affinity, and his later favour is connected with a weapon-based challenge. The requirements include progressing his relationship and unlocking several weapon Aspects other than the Aspect of Zagreus. His favour then asks Zagreus to defeat him using the fully upgraded Zagreus Aspect of Stygius.

Once Skelly’s favour is complete, the Courtyard gains the three covered statue displays. These are not decorative additions alone. They represent the game’s escalating Heat challenges and are filled as the player completes runs at the associated Heat thresholds.

Practical training routine

Training with Skelly does not generate chamber rewards, advance an escape attempt or consume the weapon’s resources. It is a safe test space rather than a repeatable farming activity.

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For a new weapon

1. 01
   Select the weapon from its rack.
2. 02
   Perform basic Attack, Special and Cast tests against Skelly.
3. 03
   Check how far Zagreus can safely stand from him.
4. 04
   Try dash-strikes from different angles.
5. 05
   If using a charged weapon, practise releasing at different charge levels.
6. 06
   If using the Shield of Chaos, test blocking before attacking.
7. 07
   If using the Adamant Rail, practise reload timing.
8. 08
   Return to the weapon fixture and inspect available Aspects.

Keepsake display

The Keepsake display is the main equipment fixture in the Courtyard. It allows Zagreus to select a Keepsake before beginning an escape attempt. Keepsakes are permanent collection items obtained mainly by giving Nectar to characters.

A Keepsake may provide a defensive bonus, influence which god Zagreus meets, improve a particular resource or offer another run-long effect. Keepsakes can be levelled by completing encounters while equipped. The official PlayStation guide confirms that Keepsakes can be upgraded twice through encounter completion and highlights several early examples, including Cerberus’s Old Spiked Collar, Skelly’s Lucky Tooth and Dusa’s Harpy Feather Duster.

The Courtyard is the place to prepare this equipment, but the characters who grant the Keepsakes live elsewhere in the House or in the Underworld. The display therefore represents a collection system, not a local shop.

Standard Keepsakes associated with House characters

The following characters are connected with the House and can provide Keepsakes through affinity progression:

Some of these characters are unavailable at the very beginning, and some appear only after specific escape attempts or story events. Megaera and Thanatos, for example, have presence conditions linked to escape attempts and their return to the House.

The Courtyard does not itself determine when a character’s Keepsake becomes available. Players must advance the relevant relationship in the House or during runs.

Standard Keepsakes associated with House characters

• Achilles
• Cerberus
• Dusa
• Hades
• Hypnos
• Megaera
• Nyx
• Orpheus
• Skelly
• Thanatos

Chthonic Companions

A second display becomes relevant when Zagreus acquires Chthonic Companions. These are powerful, limited-use summons granted after completing character-specific favour requirements and giving Ambrosia.

The six characters associated with Chthonic Companions are:

The Companions are equipped from the Courtyard’s display in much the same way as Keepsakes. A trophy guide confirms that the display is used to equip Companions and identifies these six characters as their sources.

The player can normally use one standard Keepsake and one Chthonic Companion setup as permitted by the game’s equipment rules. The important point for Courtyard navigation is that both are managed from the same general preparation area.

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After completing Skelly’s favour, three covered statues appear in the south-west part of the Courtyard. They are associated with successful escape attempts at:

The statues are not available as ordinary early-game decorations. They are a visual record of demanding Pact of Punishment milestones. Skelly’s character information specifically identifies these three Heat thresholds and their placement in the Courtyard.

Chthonic Companions

• Achilles
• Dusa
• Megaera
• Sisyphus
• Skelly
• Thanatos

Companions are distinct from ordinary Keepsakes

How to use the statues as a progression checklist

The statues are not separate modes or new combat arenas. They are Courtyard displays for high-difficulty progression.

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How to use the statues as a progression checklist: steps

1. 01
   Unlock the Pact of Punishment after the game makes it available.
2. 02
   Choose a weapon and set a Heat value.
3. 03
   Complete the escape attempt while meeting the applicable bounty rules.
4. 04
   Continue Skelly’s relationship and favour requirements.
5. 05
   Return to the Courtyard after the relevant milestone.
6. 06
   Inspect the statue display to track the trophies.

Entering the Courtyard

The normal access route is through Zagreus’s Room. The room is itself a separate House subarea containing the Mirror of Night, the bed, the Codex and other personal objects. The exit from the room leads to the Courtyard’s weapon and training facilities. Zagreus’s Room is described as a distinct bedchamber rather than part of the Courtyard.

Starting an escape attempt

The final step does not happen through a chamber portal in the Courtyard. The Courtyard is preparation space, not the first Tartarus chamber. The escape begins only after Zagreus leaves the House through the appropriate exit.

A reliable pre-run route is

1. 01
   Mirror of Night: adjust permanent talents.
2. 02
   House Contractor: buy useful House or Underworld renovations.
3. 03
   Courtyard: choose the Infernal Arm.
4. 04
   Weapon fixture: select or upgrade an Aspect.
5. 05
   Keepsake display: equip a Keepsake.
6. 06
   Companion display: equip a Companion if desired.
7. 07
   Skelly: test the weapon.
8. 08
   Leave through the House route to begin the next attempt.

Returning after defeat or victory

When Zagreus dies or completes an escape attempt, he returns to the House rather than remaining in the Underworld. Currency such as Obols is not carried back in the same way as permanent resources, while long-term resources and story progression remain relevant to later visits. The House is consequently the persistent overworld between runs, and the Courtyard is its equipment checkpoint.

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To avoid confusing nearby House content with Courtyard content, the following belong elsewhere:

The House of Hades page identifies these rooms and their functions separately, including the Great Hall, Lounge, Administrative Chamber and Gardens.

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Returning after defeat or victory

First few escape attempts

Do not spend too long trying to “clear” the Courtyard. There are no hidden combat rooms, random rewards or completion percentage to find.

For a new player

1. 01
   Speak with any available House characters.
2. 02
   Check the Mirror of Night in Zagreus’s Room.
3. 03
   Enter the Courtyard.
4. 04
   Pick the weapon with the glowing or available status, if you want to understand the game’s weapon encouragement.
5. 05
   Attack Skelly for a few seconds.
6. 06
   Equip an available Keepsake.
7. 07
   Begin the escape attempt.

When unlocking a new weapon

1. 01
   Pick up the weapon.
2. 02
   Test all attacks against Skelly.
3. 03
   Compare its range and movement with your previous weapon.
4. 04
   Check the weapon fixture again for Aspects.
5. 05
   Note which boss bounties remain available for that arm.
6. 06
   Equip a Keepsake that supports the weapon’s intended playstyle.
7. 07
   Start an escape attempt only after confirming the weapon is actually selected.

For build testing

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The Courtyard is deliberately calmer than the Underworld routes. It is maintained and orderly, contrasting with the hostile regions Zagreus crosses during an escape attempt. Its placement beside the Prince’s room makes it feel like a private training ground, but its fixtures also foreshadow the wider structure of the House: weaponry, records of achievement, formal displays and carefully managed access.

The House itself is both a residence and the centre of Underworld administration. The Courtyard reflects the residence’s more personal side, particularly through Skelly’s informal presence and the display of Zagreus’s equipment. It is also one of the clearest examples of Hades turning a menu-like function into an in-world place. Instead of selecting equipment from an abstract interface alone, the player walks around a physical area, chooses a weapon, visits a training partner and inspects collected items.

The game’s design therefore gives the Courtyard a dual role:

This preparation function is also recognised in academic discussion of Hades, which describes the Courtyard as a space containing the weapons and Keepsakes that help determine the shape of each escape attempt.

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For build testing

Is the Courtyard the same as the House of Hades?

No. The Courtyard is a subarea of the House. The House also includes the Great Hall, Zagreus’s Room, the Lounge, the Administrative Chamber, the Gardens and other connected spaces.

Can I gain rewards from fighting Skelly?

No ordinary chamber reward is generated. Skelly is a training target and story character, not a repeatable combat encounter for farming resources.

Can I change weapons after starting a run?

No. Choose the weapon in the Courtyard before leaving for the escape attempt. You can test weapons against Skelly beforehand, but changing weapons during the run is not part of the normal game loop.

Where do I equip Keepsakes?

Use the Keepsake display in the Courtyard before starting an escape attempt. Keepsakes are obtained from characters through Nectar and relationship progression.

Where do I equip Companions?

Use the relevant display in the Courtyard after obtaining a Chthonic Companion. Companions come from character favour progression rather than from the Courtyard itself.

What are the covered statues?

They are late-game Heat achievement displays associated with Skelly’s favour. Their thresholds are 8, 16 and 32 Heat.

Is there a shop in the Courtyard?

No. The House Contractor is in the Great Hall, and the Wretched Broker is in the Lounge. The Courtyard is an equipment and training area rather than a purchasing location.

Can I find random encounters or hidden chambers here?

No. The Courtyard is fixed and non-procedural. Its content changes through permanent progression, equipment unlocks, displays and House decoration, not through randomly generated rooms.

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Sources

• There Is No Escape: Theatricality in Hades — njunius.github.io
• Skelly - Hades Wiki — hades.fandom.com
• House of Hades - Hades Wiki — hades.fandom.com
• Tips to survive your first Hades encounters | PlayStation (US) — playstation.com
• Rare Collectible Trophy in Hades | PlayStationTrophies.org — playstationtrophies.org
• Zagreus's Room - Hades Wiki — hades.fandom.com
• Hades (video game) — en.wikipedia.org