Hades can be pretty challenging, though perhaps never more so than when Thanatos shows up. Greek mythology’s personification of death, Than can show his face (and chiseled muscles) at the most inopportune of moments. He challenges players to a contest to see who can score the most kills in a set space of time, though, naturally, he’s pretty good at killing. So, here’s how to beat Thanatos in Hades and get the Death Dealer Achievement or Trophy at the same time.
Hades Death Dealer Achievement and Trophy guide
To beat Thanatos in Hades, players must kill more enemies than Than when he appears at random. Focus on developing a high DPS build before the encounter (AoE helps too), then prioritize eliminating marked enemies to steal kills throughout the contest. After beating Thanatos by 15 kills or more, the Death Dealer Achievement or Trophy will unlock.
In some situations, it can be beneficial to target unmarked enemies instead. If Thanatos is marking a single armored enemy, for example, it could be preferable to target a group of weaker enemies and score more kills in the same timespan. Thanatos has an AoE attack that can instantly kill clumped-up groups, so try to take advantage before he can. Should Thanatos target a group, try to use knockback effects to push enemies out of the danger zone. Poseidon Boons are one way to gain knockback, though the Aegis Shield also pushes enemies as standard.
Encountering Thanatos early in a run can make life easier; although Zagreus is weaker at that point, he’s often at his strongest in proportion to enemies. It is possible, however, to rack up a lot of kills in Elysium by targetting the Exalted Brightsword, Greatshield, Longspear, and Strongbow enemy types. Once defeated, each of these enemies turns into a defenseless floating eyeball that counts as a second kill. By prioritizing them, it’s essentially possible to double up on kills.
For more on Hades, here’s how to save during a run and fill the god meter.
Elsewhere in gaming, Duke Nukem could be set for a comeback!
