I love the game Hades (GOTY 2020), and I hit the epilogue last year, at the end of November. I put it down for a little bit, since it was then my wife's turn to play in the evenings (we switch off playing single-player games with each other), and intended to pick it back up on my own to finish out the last few bits of completion I had left. Of course, I then didn't do it.

But yesterday, my friend Manish (@manishearth) posted about doing a gimmick run with his friend Jane, where you are forced to pick up as many and as high-quality boons as possible. (They got this from @Duunko who termed it Shiny Boon Run, but I like the alliteration of my term.)

I thought it would be a fun challenge to jump back onto the Hades saddle, so I did one today (and escaped! yay!). I had to ping Manish several times for clarifications on the run rules, so I thought I'd write them down more formally, in case anyone else wants to do Rareboon Runs:

Rareboon Run Rules

The general policy underlying these rules is to collect as many boons as possible, of as high a quality as possible, to show just how much Olympus loves you and how good a boi you are.

1. Whenever you're given a boon choice, you must choose the rarest boon you can: Legendary > Duo > Heroic > Epic > Rare > Common.

   • If there are multiple boons of the highest rarity, you must choose randomly. Alternately, if someone is watching with you, have them choose the one that's the most lulz.
   • If you have boon rerolls, you can only reroll when there are multiple highest rarities.
   • This includes primary-boon replacements! If they're the highest rarity (and they usually will be) you must choose them!
   • If you're choosing from Chaos's boons, you must choose a Favor boon if possible. Otherwise it follows the standard highest-rarity rules.

2. Whenever you're given a door choice, you must choose the most boon-ific door: Trials > Shop (if you have at least 300 gold) > Challenge Boon > Chaos == Shop (if you have at least 150 gold) == Boon > everything else.

   • Again, if there are multiple best choices, choose randomly or have someone choose for you. Or reroll a door, if you have door rerolls.
   • In Styx, you must complete all boon hallways, even if you find the fountain before you're done with them. You can do them in whatever order you want, tho. If there are still boons in the Styx shop after this, you must continue doing hallways until you're either done with hallways or done buying boons.
   • Note that "everything else" includes hammers :(. If you get unlucky with hammers being paired with boon doors, shops will sometimes offer hammers if you're behind, as can Styx hallways. However, you are free to choose whatever hammer ability is best for you, as this run can be hard enough as it is without saddling you with a random-ass hammer ability. Or choose randomly if you want the challenge.

3. If you're in a shop, you must buy as many boons as possible. In Styx, this applies after every hallway clear. You can spend money on whatever you want beyond that (even if it would reduce your gold to below 150 before a shop room). If you don't have enough money to buy all of them, choose randomly or have someone choose for you.

4. You must check Pools when they come up. If they offer the "your next boon is increased rarity" choice, you must buy it if possible. (You can buy the others if you want.)

5. If you get Sisyphus's room, you must give Bouldy a Nectar if possible. If you get Eurydice's room, you must choose the "next 3 boons are of increased rarity" benefit.

6. You cannot purge boons. Every boon is precious.

Use whatever weapon/form/companion/keepsakes/mirror/punishments you want. We're a self-imposed challenge, not a cop.

Try It Out!

The end result usually isn't that bad, and the enforced variety keeps you from falling into a rut. It was pretty fun, and I might do more!