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Training Courtyard

Game: Hades Scope: Base game, including permanent progression and post-clear systems Location type: House of Hades hub area, practice space and pre-run preparation area Primary occupants: Skelly and Zagreus Main functions: Weapon selection, weapon-aspect upgrades, combat practice, keepsake and Companion selection, late-game difficulty selection

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • The six Infernal Arms are the courtyard’s central feature The weapon pedestals are where Zagreus chooses the weapon for his next escape attempt.
  • Skelly is both a training dummy and a progression character He can be attacked repeatedly without consequence, making the courtyard the safest place to compare weapon attacks, Specials, Casts and Daedalus Hammer effects.
  • Weapon Aspects are managed here Once the relevant progression conditions have been met, interacting with an equipped weapon’s pedestal opens its Aspect menu.
  • The Keepsake display is a preparation facility, not a shop Keepsakes are earned mainly by giving Nectar to characters elsewhere in the House or during runs, then selected in the courtyard before departure.
  • Late-game systems extend the courtyard without changing its basic identity The Pact of Punishment becomes available after the first defeat of Hades, while Skelly’s reward challenge and the House Contractor add further reasons to return.

About this guide

Spoiler warning: This guide discusses weapon Aspects, the Pact of Punishment, Skelly’s Companion quest, the House Contractor, the main ending and some post-game progression.

Overview

Game: Hades Scope: Base game, including permanent progression and post-clear systems Location type: House of Hades hub area, practice space and pre-run preparation area Primary occupants: Skelly and Zagreus Main functions: Weapon selection, weapon-aspect upgrades, combat practice, keepsake and Companion selection, late-game difficulty selection

Game: Hades Scope: Base game, including permanent progression and post-clear systems Location type: House of Hades hub area, practice space and pre-run preparation area Primary occupants: Skelly and Zagreus Main functions: Weapon selection, weapon-aspect upgrades, combat practice, keepsake and Companion selection, late-game difficulty selection

Introduction

The Training Courtyard is the open-air preparation area attached to Zagreus’ quarters in the House of Hades. It is the place where Zagreus chooses an Infernal Arm before an escape attempt, tests that weapon against Skelly, equips a Keepsake or Companion, and eventually accesses weapon Aspects and the Pact of Punishment.

It is easy to mistake the courtyard for the whole of the House’s outside area, but the boundaries are narrower. The Training Courtyard is one part of the House of Hades, not a synonym for the House, its Great Hall, the Gardens, the Lounge or the wider Underworld. The House is the central hub and residence of Hades’ household, while the courtyard is specifically the weapons-and-preparation space reached from Zagreus’ room.

The courtyard contains little conventional scenery and no randomly generated combat chambers. Its importance is systemic rather than geographical. Nearly every visit is a chance to make a permanent decision, test a build idea or prepare more intelligently for the next run.

At a glance

FeatureFunctionAvailability
Infernal Arm pedestalsSelect and equip the weapon for the next runAvailable as weapons are unlocked
SkellyPractice combat and progress his dialogue and reward questAppears early in the game
Weapon Aspect interfaceSpend Titan Blood to unlock and upgrade alternative weapon formsBecomes available after early weapon progression
Keepsake displaySelect a Keepsake before an escape attemptAvailable once Keepsakes have been acquired
Companion displaySelect an unlocked Legendary Keepsake, also called a CompanionRequires the relevant character quest and Ambrosia
Pact of PunishmentSet Heat and modify later escape attemptsAvailable after defeating Hades once
Exit routeLeave the House and begin an escape attemptAvailable whenever Zagreus is ready to start a run

Boundaries and hierarchy

The courtyard within the House of Hades

The House itself includes the Great Hall, the West Wing, the Administrative Chamber, the Lounge, the Gardens and other rooms that become relevant as the story advances. The courtyard should therefore be treated as a child area of the House of Hades, rather than as a name for all of the House’s exterior or all of its pre-run facilities. The House is also the place where characters such as Achilles, Nyx, Hypnos, Hades, Dusa and others reside or appear, but most of them are not residents of the courtyard itself.

What is outside the scope

The following are neighbouring or associated House locations, but are not part of the Training Courtyard:

This distinction matters because many permanent upgrades are purchased in the House but are used in the courtyard or during runs. For example, the House Contractor belongs to the House’s main interior, even when one of his purchases changes the courtyard or its preparation systems.

The courtyard is a compact, enclosed outdoor space connected directly to Zagreus’ bedroom. Its visual design contrasts with the dark, crowded halls of the House. The area is open to the Underworld sky, bordered by House architecture and arranged around several fixed interaction points.

The exact camera view can make the space appear larger than its functional boundaries, particularly near the exit and the edge adjoining Zagreus’ room. For practical purposes, treat any object that can be used before a run as part of the courtyard’s preparation area, but do not extend the location to the neighbouring bedroom or the House’s other outdoor spaces.

The courtyard within the House of Hades: The hierarchy is

  1. 01
    The Underworld
  2. 02
    The House of Hades
  3. 03
    Zagreus’ room and adjoining Training Courtyard
  4. 04
    The weapon area, Skelly’s practice position, display cases and departure preparation points

What is outside the scope

Named directory: Training Courtyard

Some of these are functional descriptions rather than individually named map labels. The game presents them as distinct interaction points, but it does not give every fixture a separate proper name.

The weapon pedestals are the courtyard’s most important permanent fixtures. Zagreus approaches a weapon, interacts with it and chooses whether to equip it for the next escape attempt. Each weapon has its own attack pattern, Special and tactical identity.

The weapons are permanent unlocks. Their run-specific Boons, Hammer upgrades, Coins, health and other temporary improvements are reset when an escape attempt ends, but the weapons themselves remain available for later attempts.

Supergiant’s patch notes describe the courtyard as the place where each weapon can be permanently upgraded once the appropriate progression point has been reached.

Named directory: Training Courtyard

The base game contains six Infernal Arms

WeaponGeneral roleFirst unlock resource
Stygian BladeClose-range swordChthonic Keys
Eternal SpearMixed melee and ranged optionsChthonic Keys
Shield of ChaosDefensive and flexible ranged weaponChthonic Keys
Heart-Seeking BowCharged ranged weaponChthonic Keys
Twin FistsFast close-range weaponChthonic Keys
Adamant RailGun with ammunition and explosive optionsChthonic Keys

Weapon Aspects

Each Infernal Arm has four Aspects in the completed base game:

Aspects change the weapon’s behaviour rather than simply adding a small numerical bonus. They may alter Attack speed, Special properties, ammunition, charge time, damage rules, mobility or other core features.

The Aspects are not six additional weapons. They are alternative forms of the six existing Infernal Arms. A weapon must be equipped before its Aspect configuration can be changed.

Hidden Aspects

Hidden Aspects require more than simply spending Titan Blood. Their availability is tied to dialogue, progression and a specific “awakening” phrase associated with a character. The precise conversation order can vary because dialogue in Hades is distributed across runs, but the broad requirement is stable: progress through the relevant character’s conversations, meet the required weapon-investment and story conditions, then return to the courtyard and interact with the weapon.

The courtyard is therefore the final point of access for these upgrades, but it is not the only place where their requirements are fulfilled. Achilles, Nyx, Chaos, Artemis, Asterius and Zeus are connected to the relevant awakening conversations, while story progression and Titan Blood investment also matter. The hidden Aspect system is separate from ordinary weapon selection and should not be expected to unlock simply because all six weapons have been collected.

Skelly is the courtyard’s resident training dummy. He is a Bloodless employed by the House as a practice target. His presence turns the courtyard into a safe testing area where Zagreus can attack without spending a life, entering a chamber or risking a run.

Skelly can be defeated repeatedly during practice. This does not end the escape attempt, consume a resource or remove the selected weapon. His apparent destruction is part of the training setup rather than a permanent combat encounter.

Weapon Aspects: steps

  1. 01
    Aspect of Zagreus
  2. 02
    Two standard alternative Aspects
  3. 03
    One hidden Aspect

To use the Aspect interface

  1. 01
    Enter the Training Courtyard.
  2. 02
    Approach the weapon you want to modify.
  3. 03
    Interact with its pedestal.
  4. 04
    Open the Aspect menu.
  5. 05
    Spend Titan Blood to unlock or upgrade an Aspect.
  6. 06
    Choose the desired Aspect before starting the next escape attempt.

Skelly’s personal progression

Skelly is more than scenery. Giving him Nectar advances his relationship and awards his Keepsake, Lucky Tooth. Later progression can unlock his Companion, Rib, after the relevant affinity and quest conditions have been met.

His late-game challenge is connected to weapon use and escalating Heat. The rewards are displayed in the courtyard and are separate from ordinary run rewards. The challenge is not available immediately, so a new player should not assume that the covered or inactive display elements are missing content.

The name “Skelly’s courtyard reward statues” is a useful descriptive grouping for the statues associated with his challenge. They are not ordinary collectible statues scattered around the House.

The display case in the courtyard is the normal pre-run access point for Keepsakes. Keepsakes are character gifts, normally obtained by giving Nectar to a character for the first time. They provide a passive benefit during an escape attempt.

A Keepsake must be chosen before leaving the House. Once Zagreus has departed, it cannot normally be exchanged until a later region, and access to between-region switching requires a House Contractor upgrade. Changing a Keepsake during a run also prevents the previous one from being re-equipped during that same attempt.

This makes the courtyard an important planning point:

Named directory: Skelly-related entries

Named directory: Keepsakes available through the courtyard

The following are the base-game Keepsakes represented in the courtyard display:

The display also includes Companion forms, although these are not ordinary Keepsakes:

The exact visual arrangement and when each slot appears depend on the player’s progression. A blank or locked slot is not evidence that a Keepsake is absent from the game.

After Zagreus defeats Hades for the first time, the Pact of Punishment becomes available for later escape attempts. It is used to increase Heat by imposing conditions that make runs more difficult. The pact is associated with the courtyard’s departure preparation rather than with an ordinary House shop.

Heat is not a currency that Zagreus spends in the usual sense. It is a difficulty setting that changes the conditions of a run and enables further bounty progression. Examples of pact conditions include stronger enemies, altered boss behaviour, time pressure and restrictions on healing or choices. The exact effects depend on the selected conditions.

The Pact is separate from the weapon Aspect menu:

The first clear is therefore an important progression boundary. Before it, the courtyard is mainly a weapon-selection and practice area. Afterwards, it becomes the launch point for repeatable difficulty progression and weapon-specific bounty attempts.

Entering the courtyard

The courtyard is reached from Zagreus’ room inside the House of Hades. The player can visit it after returning from an escape attempt or before starting one.

This route separates permanent House administration from run preparation. It also avoids starting a run with the wrong Aspect or an unsuitable Keepsake.

A practical pre-run route is

  1. 01
    Return to the House of Hades.
  2. 02
    Speak to available characters in the House. This is useful because many progression events are dialogue-driven.
  3. 03
    Visit the House Contractor in the Great Hall if you have Gems, Diamonds or other resources to spend.
  4. 04
    Enter Zagreus’ room and step into the courtyard.
  5. 05
    Read the Pact of Punishment, if it is available and you intend to run with Heat.
  6. 06
    Check the Keepsake or Companion display.
  7. 07
    Test the chosen weapon on Skelly.
  8. 08
    Interact with the weapon pedestal again if you need to change its Aspect.
  9. 09
    Leave through the departure route and begin the escape attempt.

Efficient exploration route

For routine visits, the shortest useful order is:

Dialogue availability changes after runs, so returning to the courtyard alone is not enough to force an Aspect or Skelly event. If a desired conversation does not occur, continue completing escape attempts and speaking to the relevant character.

Efficient exploration route: steps

  1. 01
    Check the weapon and Aspect.
  2. 02
    Check the Keepsake.
  3. 03
    Practise one or two attacks on Skelly.
  4. 04
    Leave.

For a progression-focused visit

  1. 01
    Speak to every available House character.
  2. 02
    Check the Contractor.
  3. 03
    Visit the courtyard.
  4. 04
    Review new Aspects or Keepsake slots.
  5. 05
    Use Skelly to test the weapon.
  6. 06
    Start a run only after all dialogue and preparation options have been exhausted.

Functional facilities

NameDetails
Weapon pedestalsSelect an Infernal Arm and access its Aspect menu.
SkellyCombat practice and dialogue progression.
Keepsake displayEquip a pre-run Keepsake.
Companion displayEquip an unlocked Companion.
Pact of PunishmentSelect Heat conditions after the first Hades victory.
Departure routeBegin an escape attempt.

Non-services

The player cannot buy an ordinary run item directly from the courtyard. Its services are selection, testing and preparation.

The courtyard has few conventional pickups. Its important rewards are attached to progression systems rather than lying on the ground.

Not found as normal courtyard pickups

There is no verified evidence that the Training Courtyard contains a regular chamber reward such as Darkness, Chthonic Keys, Obols, Nectar, a Daedalus Hammer or a random boon. Those are run rewards or House progression resources obtained through other systems.

Fishing points, Contractor purchases and House characters should not be attributed to the courtyard merely because they can affect a run launched from it.

The courtyard has no ordinary combat hazards. Zagreus cannot accidentally begin a hostile encounter by attacking Skelly, and practising with a weapon does not consume health or Death Defiance.

The most common mistake is to interpret a locked display as a missing room or a permanently missable item. In Hades, many House and courtyard systems are released through repeated runs, conversations and resources.

The courtyard’s role reflects Zagreus’ position in the House. It is a controlled, orderly space where he prepares to challenge the Underworld’s authority, but it is also a training yard maintained by the House itself. Skelly’s employment as a practice dummy makes the area both practical and comic: the House provides a formal place for Zagreus to rehearse the violence involved in escaping it.

The weapons also give the courtyard a strong mythic identity. The Infernal Arms are not disposable run equipment. They are permanent relics with histories, alternate forms and relationships to figures throughout the Underworld and Olympus. The Aspect system turns weapon selection into a conversation between Zagreus, the House and the wider mythological world.

Is the Training Courtyard the same as the House of Hades?

No. The courtyard is a subarea of the House of Hades. The House includes the Great Hall, staff areas, the Lounge, Gardens and other rooms. The courtyard is the weapon and pre-run preparation area.

Can I change my weapon after leaving?

No. Choose the weapon in the courtyard before the escape attempt begins. Weapon changes during a run are not part of the normal base-game system.

Can I change Aspects without changing weapons?

Yes. Interact with the relevant weapon’s pedestal and select the desired Aspect. Aspects belong to individual Infernal Arms.

Does practising on Skelly use up a run?

No. Skelly is a safe training target. You can test attacks repeatedly before leaving.

Why are some Aspect slots locked?

Aspect access depends on progression, Titan Blood and dialogue. Hidden Aspects also require their associated awakening conversations and other conditions. Continue progressing the story and speaking to relevant characters.

Can I swap Keepsakes in the courtyard?

Yes. The courtyard is the normal place to choose the Keepsake for the next run. Swapping during a run is a separate feature that requires the relevant House Contractor upgrade and is restricted by region.

When does the Pact of Punishment appear?

It becomes available after Zagreus defeats Hades for the first time. It is used to add Heat and make later escape attempts more difficult.

Is Skelly only a training dummy?

No. He is also a character with affinity rewards, dialogue, a Keepsake, a later Companion and a Heat-related reward challenge.

Can the courtyard be missed permanently?

No major courtyard facility is normally permanently missable in the base game. Some rewards depend on story progression, affinity, Titan Blood, completed runs or dialogue, so they may appear later rather than immediately.

This guide treats Training Courtyard as the Hades base-game courtyard attached to Zagreus’ room, not the similarly named Training Grounds in Hades II. The sequel’s Training Grounds are a different location with Melinoë, the Altar of Ashes, the Silver Pool and other systems.

The game does not expose a complete official room-by-room coordinate map or a universally consistent list of decorative object names for the courtyard. Consequently, the directory above distinguishes functional named systems from descriptive fixtures and does not invent separate names for scenery that the game does not clearly identify.

The courtyard’s principal systems and named progression entries are well supported by the cited House, Keepsake, Skelly, weapon-Aspect and official patch-note sources. Decorative background objects, exact visual boundaries near Zagreus’ room and the precise order in which dialogue becomes available are not fully documented in the available evidence and should not be treated as canonical map labels.

Sources