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.
Your choice of weapons defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Weapons Rankings
| Weapon | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leviathan Axe | S | Group control, ranged pressure, and slowing large enemies before committing to melee. | The throwing axe that applies Frost, slows enemies and detonates when the Frost meter fills. |
| Blades of Chaos | A | Damage races, packed groups, and any fight where staying inside the enemy's reach is safe. | Chained blades applying Burn, with the widest sweeps and the fastest damage output. |
| Draupnir Spear | A | Armoured Einherjar in Asgard, shielded enemies, and Berserker fights where reach matters. | Forged at Surtr's fire in Muspelheim and thrown in stacks that detonate together. |
| Dauntless Shield | B | Players who prefer to parry than dodge, and the Berserker Gravestone fights where openings are narrow. | The parry focused shield, with a wide timing window and a bash that grows stronger after a clean parry. |
| Talon Bow | B | The Atreus playable chapters and interrupting casters during Kratos fights. | Atreus's bow, used directly during the sections where you play as him and called in as support arrows while playing as Kratos. |
S-Tier: Leviathan Axe
The throwing axe that applies Frost, slows enemies and detonates when the Frost meter fills. It has the best crowd control of the three weapons and is the safest option against anything that hits hard at close range.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Group control, ranged pressure, and slowing large enemies before committing to melee. |
| Key Mechanic | Three weapon rotation |
| Recommended Role | Leviathan Axe Frost Build |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Leviathan Axe: Pairs naturally with Leviathan Axe Frost Build thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Blades of Chaos
Chained blades applying Burn, with the widest sweeps and the fastest damage output. The Immolation state that follows a full Burn meter adds fire damage to everything that lands afterward, including Runic attacks.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Damage races, packed groups, and any fight where staying inside the enemy's reach is safe. |
| Key Mechanic | Stun meter and grabs |
| Recommended Role | Blades of Chaos Burn Build |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Blades of Chaos: Pairs naturally with Blades of Chaos Burn Build thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Draupnir Spear
Forged at Surtr's fire in Muspelheim and thrown in stacks that detonate together. It has the longest reach in Kratos's kit and its charges strip armour faster than either of the older weapons.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Armoured Einherjar in Asgard, shielded enemies, and Berserker fights where reach matters. |
| Key Mechanic | Shield loadouts |
| Recommended Role | Draupnir Spear Explosive Build |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Draupnir Spear: Pairs naturally with Draupnir Spear Explosive Build thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Dauntless Shield
The parry focused shield, with a wide timing window and a bash that grows stronger after a clean parry. It is the shield that changes how you play rather than the one that adds a number.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Players who prefer to parry than dodge, and the Berserker Gravestone fights where openings are narrow. |
| Key Mechanic | Armour stats and Enchantments |
| Recommended Role | Shield Parry Build |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Dauntless Shield: Pairs naturally with Shield Parry Build thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: 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. Sonic and Sigil arrows both stagger enemies and set up Kratos's heavier attacks.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | The Atreus playable chapters and interrupting casters during Kratos fights. |
| Key Mechanic | Spartan Rage modes |
| Recommended Role | Luck Perk Build |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Talon Bow: Pairs naturally with Luck Perk Build thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Weapons Progression Path
The order you should acquire weapons as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Svartalfheim
- Blades of Chaos → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Draupnir Spear → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Leviathan Axe → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Weapons Tips
- Always upgrade your primary weapon before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your weapons to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More God of War Ragnarok Guides
- God of War Ragnarok God of War Ragnarok Overview
- God of War Ragnarok Best Builds
- 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 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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