Santa Monica Studio's Ragnarok reached PC on 19 September 2024 with the free Valhalla add-on included in the package. Kratos and Atreus travel all Nine Realms during Fimbulwinter, and the Draupnir Spear, forged at Surtr's fire in Muspelheim, joins the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos as a genuine third weapon rather than a gadget. There are 35 Nornir Chests scattered across the game and 30 of them are enough to cap health and rage, which leaves room to skip the worst puzzles.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leviathan Axe Frost Build | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Blades of Chaos Burn Build | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Draupnir Spear Explosive Build | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Shield Parry Build | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Luck Perk Build | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our God of War Ragnarok tier list.
A-Tier: Leviathan Axe Frost Build
Leviathan Axe Frost Build is a top-performing option in God of War Ragnarok.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Leviathan Axe | The throwing axe that applies Frost, slows enemies and detonates when the Frost meter fills. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Three weapon rotation | The Leviathan Axe applies Frost, the Blades of Chaos apply Burn, and the Draupnir Spear plants explosive charges you detonate on command. |
How to Play Leviathan Axe Frost Build
Leviathan Axe Frost Build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Leviathan Axe does the damage and Three weapon rotation keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Blades of Chaos Burn Build
Blades of Chaos Burn Build is a strong option in God of War Ragnarok.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Blades of Chaos | Chained blades applying Burn, with the widest sweeps and the fastest damage output. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Stun meter and grabs | Every enemy carries a health bar plus a separate stun meter beneath it. |
How to Play Blades of Chaos Burn Build
Blades of Chaos Burn Build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Pair Blades of Chaos with Stun meter and grabs and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Draupnir Spear Explosive Build
Draupnir Spear Explosive Build is a strong option in God of War Ragnarok.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Draupnir Spear | Forged at Surtr's fire in Muspelheim and thrown in stacks that detonate together. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Shield loadouts | Five shields play completely differently. |
How to Play Draupnir Spear Explosive Build
Draupnir Spear Explosive Build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Shield loadouts covers the gap Draupnir Spear leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Shield Parry Build
Shield Parry Build is a specialized option in God of War Ragnarok.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Dauntless Shield | The parry focused shield, with a wide timing window and a bash that grows stronger after a clean parry. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Armour stats and Enchantments | Chest, wrist and waist pieces distribute six stats: Strength, Runic, Defence, Vitality, Cooldown and Luck. |
How to Play Shield Parry Build
Shield Parry Build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: This one leans on Armour stats and Enchantments rather than raw numbers, and Dauntless Shield is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Luck Perk Build
Luck Perk Build is a specialized option in God of War Ragnarok.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Talon Bow | Atreus's bow, used directly during the sections where you play as him and called in as support arrows while playing as Kratos. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Spartan Rage modes | Rage comes in three forms swapped at any workbench. |
How to Play Luck Perk Build
Luck Perk Build focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Talon Bow and Spartan Rage modes pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Blades of Chaos Burn Build: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Leviathan Axe Frost Build once you understand core mechanics and have access to Leviathan Axe
- Keep a Draupnir Spear Explosive Build setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Luck Perk Build for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary weapon first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Nornir Chests are the only permanent health and rage increases, and there are 35 of them. Thirty is enough to cap both bars, so the five most annoying puzzles can be skipped without penalty.
- Swap Spartan Rage at any workbench, for free, as often as you like. Valor for its healing shockwave carries hard runs, Wrath suits boss damage windows, and Fury suits crowds, so treat it as a per fight choice.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More God of War Ragnarok Guides
- God of War Ragnarok God of War Ragnarok Overview
- God of War Ragnarok Tier List
- God of War Ragnarok Walkthrough
- God of War Ragnarok Beginner's Guide
- God of War Ragnarok Tips & Tricks
- God of War Ragnarok Weapons Guide
- God of War Ragnarok Combat Guide
- God of War Ragnarok Boss Guide
- God of War Ragnarok Maps & Locations
- God of War Ragnarok Crafting Guide
- God of War Ragnarok Classes & Characters
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