The Shade of Hades (named Hades Shade before Retold) is a myth unit* in Age of Mythology available to worshipers of the Greek major god Hades. Whenever one of Hades' human soldiers dies, there is a 20% chance that it will rise again as a Shade of Hades at the earliest built Temple (still standing). A player may have a maximum of 25 Shades of Hades.
Like heroes, Shades of Hades gain hit points and attack through the Ages and are immune to the special attacks of myth units. However, they are not heroes, do not gain a bonus against myth units, and cannot pick up Relics.
Shades of Hades are not specialists and have neither the strengths nor the weaknesses of other units. They do not have any attack bonuses. On the other hand, their immunity to myth units' special attacks and the fact that no unit has a bonus against them (prior to Retold) counts in their favor.
Shades of Hades are weak, but, like Militia, they only cost one population slot and are strong in numbers. Of course, to amass such numbers, the player will have to have lost a lot of units: on average a player will gain 20 Shades of Hades for every 100 human soldiers they lose. This may happen naturally in a defensive situation, but it is generally unwise to deliberately seek out such a strategy.
The unit is named Shade of Hades, is a myth unit and is no longer affected by Armory upgrades.
Shades of Hades have 120 hit points, 12 hack attack, 80% crush armor, a movement speed of 4.5, no limit, and appear immediately.
Shades of Hades also now have new sounds, including spoken voicelines when selected and tasked to move or attack.
Shades of Hades gain +20% hit points and attack each in the Classical, Heroic, and Mythic Ages. They further gain +100% hit points, +100% attack, and +20% speed in the Wonder Age.
Shades of Hades confer survival.
In-game dialogue[]
The Shade of Hades speaks Greek. Before Retold, the Shade used to make "ghostly" sounds instead of having dialogues lines.
The Greeks buried their dead with coins over their eyes or under their tongues so that they could pay Charon, the ferryman, to carry them over the river Styx into the Underworld. The dead of Greek mythology became shades, empty ghost-like shadows of their former selves. Hades' land of the dead was not necessarily a horrible place to be, but it was without honor or glory. If anything, shades were pitied more than they were feared.
There were many parts of the Underworld, such as the Elysian Fields, Erebus, and Tartarus. The Elysian Fields were a quiet and peaceful place of plenty where the pious and good spent their afterlife. Erebus was the solemn realm where Shades wandered silently until they forgot all that they were and had been. Tartarus was reserved for the worst of the dead - impious humans who lived reprehensible lives, and of course, the imprisoned elder gods, the Titans.
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—In-game help section
โ
The dead of Greek mythology became shades, empty ghost-like shadows of their former selves. Hades' land of the dead was not necessarily a horrible place to be, but it was without honor or glory. If anything, shades were pitied more than they were feared.
โ
—In-game help section
Trivia[]
Other than ships, Shades of Hades are the only standard units to not be affected by any Relics other than Pelt of Argus.
Originally, Shades of Hades and SPC Shades had the same icon. In Retold, they have separate icons, where the SPC Shade reaches its hand as if to catch the viewer.
Gallery[]
Close-up of the SPC Shade and Shade of Hades (right) in Retold
A Hades Shade in the original game
Hades Shade up-close
Prior to Retold, a player will still be defeated if their only unit remaining is a Hades Shade.
Hades: +15% hit points.
