GOW Ragnarok BEST Armor Sets & How To Get Them

This is our hand-picked list of the top 10 best armor sets available in God of War Ragnarok

Exploration and combat have a much bigger role than ever with the sequel, as players can unlock plentiful Armor sets throughout GOW Ragnarok, but only a few manage to stand out as the best for Kratos and for a variety of other situations. So without further delay, let’s get started with our hand-picked list of the top 10 best armor sets that players can uncover and equip for Kratos in God Of War Ragnarok.

Key Takeaways
  1. Nidavellir Armor: Restores health after killing an enemy with an R3 finisher when the stun meter is full; obtainable during the “In Service of Asgard” favor quest.
  2. Berserker Armor: Boosts attack damage after a Relic Attack but increases damage taken; unlocked by defeating Fraekeni the Zealous, Svipdagr the Cold, and Skjothendi the Unerring.
  3. Dragon-Scaled Armor: Buffs Strength and Defense after a successful parry or block; crafted by Brok and Sindri using Dragon Tooth and Dragon Claw.
  4. Mani’s Armor of Wisdom: Increases Leviathan Axe or Blades of Chaos damage when enemies are burned or frozen; purchasable from Brok and Sindri after completing the “World of Fate” main quest.
  5. Giptumadr’s Armor: Chance to reduce Relic or Runic Attack cooldown upon use, dependent on Luck stat; available from Brok and Sindri after completing “World of Fate.”
  6. Spiritual Armor: Chance to gain Relic benefits with a last-minute dodge, Luck stat dependent; purchaseable from Brok and Sindri after finishing “The Reckoning” quest.
  7. Mysterious Orbs: Chance of bonus damage and poison with bare-handed attacks, parrying, and blocking; obtained during the “Mysterious Orbs” favor.
  8. Raven Tears Armor: Chance to trigger Healing Mist upon attacks, Luck stat dependent; found in chests beneath the Raven Tree in Alfheim after slaying 18 Ravens.
  9. Guiding Light Armor: Chance for a boost in Strength, Runic Attacks, and Luck upon any hit, Luck stat dependent; obtained after completing the “Guiding Light” favor.
  10. Steinbjorn Set: Restores HP per hit after taking significant damage; crafted using Slumber Stones from killing 4 optional Trolls.

Comparison Between The Best GOW Ragnarok Armor Sets

No.Armor SetStrengthDefenseRunicVitalityCooldownLuck
10Nadivellir Armor Set22.022.00.022.00.00.0
9Berserker Armor Set77.055.044.044.044.044.0
8Dragon Scaled Armor Set139.0139.00.00.00.00.0
7Mani's Armor Of Wisdom Set75.079.032.00.072.00.0
6Giptumadr's Armor75.079.025.00.00.082.0
5Spiritual Armor Set60.054.00.00.064.00.0
4Lunda's Armor Set77.070.032.00.00.065.0
3Raven Tears Armor Set33.071.00.00.00.032.0
2Guiding Light Armor Set77.070.00.00.00.082.0
1Steinbjorn Armor Set22.0255.00.00.00.00.0

10. Nidavellir Armor

GOW Ragnarok nidavellir armor
Nidavellir’s armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthVitalityDefense
Finest Plackart101010
Arm Guards126
Waist Guard612

The Nidavellir armor set in God Of War Ragnarok is perhaps the best early armor set that players can forge during the starting hours of the game. The set is a must-have if you have just set afoot in the realm of Svartalfheim and are looking to get an armor that can allow you to gain a boost in both Vitality and Defence, which can be especially strong against strong foes you can encounter for the remainder of the journey.

Perks

The Chest piece of the set is the main star of the show as it allows you to gain health when you grab stunned enemies, so essentially you can chain this back and forth for a burst of healing in a given moment. The waist and wrist pieces allow you to increase the duration of the stun, which can prove helpful if you are looking to chain multiple stunned opponents during battle.

What worked for us when we used the armor set was to constantly shield bash enemies to oblivion, which helped build up the stun gauge under their health bar in mere seconds. After which, it is important that you immediately bring them toward the death finisher stage, which will be the usual R3 prompt with a red circle.

Finishing off enemies to gain health will be much more optimal rather than simply performing a normal stun grab which is indicated by the Yellow R3 prompt on stunned enemies.

How To Unlock

You can get your hands on the set as soon as you solve the Geyser Puzzle In Svartalfheim, which will steer you in the direction of the next objective to get the armor. Now you will simply want to complete the “In Service of Asgard” side quest, which will send Kratos and Atreus to destroy three different mining rigs marked on the map.

Now it’s just a matter of time before you simply kill all enemy groups located at these three locations and collect the Nidavellir Ore that drops from the mining rig themselves. Once you have destroyed all three of these structures and completed the quest, head back to Brok and Sindri, who will craft the armor for you using the ores we picked up earlier.

9. Berserker Armor

GOW Ragnarok best armor sets
Berserker armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthVitalityDefenseRunicCooldownLuck
Berserker Cuirass362214222222
Berserker Gauntlets4111111111
Berserker Waist Guard1141111111

The berserker armor rolls with a high stat spread in Strength, allowing you to fully focus your playstyle into dishing out unrelenting attacks on your foes. The description of the armor itself states that it was crafted in the spirit of the tarnished berserker souls who fought for their king in both life and death. Follow along as we list the perks of the armor and how you can go about obtaining it in short detail.

Perks

The main chest piece, as shown in the image of the armor, allows you to increase the damage of Kratos’ melee attacks when you trigger a relic ability. But keep in mind that, in turn, you will also receive extra incoming damage from enemies, making it one of the best high-risk, high-reward playstyle armor sets in GOW Ragnarok.

The wrist and waist pieces of the set will allow you to cause soul explosions upon successful attacks while your attacks have extra damage enabled from the chest piece perk. We recommend dodging incoming attacks and using the set if you are looking to gain an edge over the towering boss fights or mini-bosses of the game. As long as you can evade or parry the incoming attacks, it will ensure your DPS stays strong at all times.

How To Unlock

You will need to hunt down Three specific Berserker Gravestones, which will each contain a challenging boss fight for you to take down and defeat. But since you are trying to get the armor set specifically, you will need to defeat the following bosses to gain each piece of the Berserker armor set:

  • Berserker Waist: Defeat Fraekni the Zealous in Midgard, Lake Of The Nine
  • Berserker Chest: Defeat Svipdagr the Cold, 2 Sisters of Illska in the Barrens Area of Alfheim
  • Berserker Gauntlets: Defeat Skjothendi the Unerring in the Mist Fields area of Nilfheim

8. Dragon-Scaled Armor Set

God of war ragnarok best armor
Dragonscaled armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthVitalityDefense
Dragon-Scaled Breastplate6262
Dragon-Scaled Bracers6017
Dragon-Scaled Girdle1760

The Dragon Scaled Armor set resembles something straight out of an old-school RPG; that’s because the armor itself is crafted from the materials of the creatures as well as other supernatural foes slain by Kratos. It is said to be crafted by the remains of Dragons and drekis and drakes. Follow along as we showcase the perks of the armor set as well as how you can unlock and craft it.

Perks

The chest piece of the dragon-scaled armor has a perk that allows you to increase your Strength and Defence parameters as you execute successful dodges and parries from incoming attacks. It is an especially great set for those players who are capable of remaining untouched or unphased by the enemy’s onslaught. The Strength and Defence boosts can stack, making it an amazing set to have if you can get used to dodging and parrying.

The waist and wrist pieces allow you to increase your shield damage as well as deal additional Shield damage to enemies around you when you successfully block or parry their attacks.

How To Unlock

The armor needs to be crafted with materials which you can do once you complete the For Vanaheim side quest. The materials themselves will drop from enemies as you go around and complete side quests around the large Crater location in Vanaheim. You will need to return to Brok and Sindri but make sure you have the following materials in stock in order to craft the armor set:

  • Dragon Scaled Breastplate: 1 Dragon Claw, 2 Dragon Tooth
  • Dragon Scaled Bracers: 10 Dragon Tooth
  • Dragon Scaled Girdle: 10 Dragon Tooth

Upon crafting the set, you will also obtain the Dragon Slayer Trophy required for the Platinum Trophy. There is no RNG involved with the materials, so as long as you complete every available quest in the area and loot bodies for materials and explore thoroughly, you should be able to gather the necessary materials for the armor set.

7. Máni’s Armour Of Wisdom

GOW Ragnarok Manis armor of wisdom
Manis Armor of Wisdom (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthCooldownDefenseRunic
Mani’s Pauldron of Wisdom32323614
Mani’s Bracers of Wisdom43329
Mani’s Belt of Wisdom20439

The Mani’s armor of Wisdom closely resembles the Niflheim Mist Armor set from God Of War 2018 as it supports a crystallized look throughout each piece with a green coating on it to give it a finishing touch. According to the in-game description of the armor, it is said to shine like the light of the moon. The armor is easily one of our favorites and earns a place in our list of the Best armor sets in GOW Ragnarok for its one specific perk.

Perks

The prized possession of this armor set is the chest piece called the Mani’s pauldron of Wisdom. It allows you to increase the damage of the Extinguish Flames and Vaporize Frost reactions.

These reactions are caused by chaining together either the Blades of Chaos’ special flame-applying attack or using the Leviathan Axe‘s charged ice strike. By fully applying one status element on an enemy, you can proceed to switch to another weapon and vice versa to conduct an elemental reaction between one of the two mentioned reactions above.

If you’re someone who enjoys switching between the two weapons and using them in conjunction with each other, then you will absolutely love destroying enemies with the armor set. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that you use the bracers and waist armor alongside it, which will grant you an increased duration of the status effects, which is excellent if you’re looking to utilize the armor and the elemental reaction attacks fully.

How To Unlock

If you are following along with the main quests of the game, the armor will be available to craft at Brok and Sindri once you reach or progress past the Word Of Fate Main Quest, which takes place in Midgard. It is the Ninth overall main quest of the game, which takes place during the mid-game scenarios.

6. Giptumadr’s Armor

God of war ragnarok best armor sets
Giptumandr’s armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthLuckDefenseRunic
Giptumadr’s Breastplate32363611
Giptumadr’s Gauntlets43237
Giptumadr’s Waist Guard43237

If you’re someone who likes to gamble on luck and go against the odds, then by all means, try out Giptumadr’s armor set, which is said to make you instantly likable and lucky. The armor has a decent stat spread in almost all of the parameters aside from Vitality and Cooldown. The perks are quite unique in how they function, so let’s briefly discuss what they do for you in combat.

Perks

The chest piece has the main trait called Fortune’s Refresh, which basically allows you to gamble with RNG and reset your Runic attack cooldown by 70%. You can, of course, upgrade the chest piece and increase the luck stat to boost the capabilities of the perk.

Furthermore, the waist and wrist pieces will allow you to spawn rage or health stones if you successfully dish out Relic or Runic attacks on enemies. It is completely dependent on your Luck stat so you can upgrade the armor pieces to increase the conditions of the perk.

How To Unlock

The Giptumadr’s armor set will become available to craft as you reach and progress the ninth main quest of the game called The Word Of Fate In Midgard. Simply return back to Brok and Sindri after or during the quest to be able to access this armor set and craft it.

5. Spiritual Armor Set

GOW Ragnarok spiritual set
Spiritual armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthCooldownDefense
Spiritual Straps282822
Spiritual Wraps3218
Spiritual Belt1832

The spiritual armor set provides a decent stat spread across strength, defense, and cooldown, which can all be increased by upgrading each of its armor pieces. The in-game description states that it provides the wearer with maximum breathability, enhancing their cooldown stats. The armor earns a place in our top 5 best armor pieces in GOW Ragnarok due to the perks alone, which we have mentioned below.

Perks

The chest piece of the spiritual armor set has a perk called Arcane Strength which allows you to increase the Melee and ranged attacks of Kratos by 15% if you successfully hit enemies with Runic or Relic attacks. The buff can be stacked up to a total of 3 times

The wrist and waist pieces of the set have a low luck chance to restore the cooldown of the runic attacks on the currently equipped weapon of Kratos during battle. So if you are someone who loves the feel of unleashing mayhem upon your enemies, then this set might work wonders for you.

Furthermore, any chance to reduce the cooldown of the runic attacks means you can endlessly get the Arcane Strength stacks for Kratos to make him a killing machine during the hectic battles.

How To Unlock

Unlocking the armor set is pretty self-explanatory as you will be able to craft it at Brok’s shop during “The Reckoning” main quest, which is the sixth main questline of God Of War Ragnarok.

4. Lunda’s Armor Set

GOW Ragnarok Lundas armor
Lunda‘s armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthLuckDefenseRunic
Lunda’s Lost Cuirass36292914
Lunda’s Lost Bracers41189
Lunda’s Lost Belt-18419

Lunda is one of the new characters you meet in GOW Ragnarok, who is a Dwarf blacksmith just like Brok and Sindri. The armor set you see in the image above is one of her long-lost prized possessions, and she just so happens to send Kratos on a goose chase to hunt it down, piece by piece. The armor design itself is sleek and metallic, with a red coating to give it a fearsome warrior’s touch.

Not to mention you can get it pretty early on, too, like the Nidavellir set, and of course, the armor set itself, when equipped, provides a fantastic increase to your Strength and Luck stats. You can even start investing your resources into it if you so wish to upgrade it and use it towards the late-game events too.

Perks

The main perk of the chest piece, Vanir Poison, has a High Luck chance to poison enemies and lower their power levels as you deal bare-handed attacks and parry or block incoming attacks from your foes. The arm piece and waist pieces are a must-have along the set as they can boost your melee damage to poisoned enemies.

Not only will the set boost your DPS by a large amount, but it will also help weaken any kind of enemy if you so wish via its poison attacks. The armor set is straightforward and a no-brainer pick for anyone who is looking to collect the best armor sets in GOW Ragnarok.

How To Unlock

You can collect the armor fragment pieces during the Mysterious Orb sidequest, which is found during the sixth main quest of the story called “The Reckoning”. Lunda will also hand over a favor for you amidst the side quest to collect the armor pieces which can be found around the River Delta.

3. Raven Tears Armor

GOW Ragnarok Raven tears armor
Raven tears armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthLuckDefense
Raven Tears Cuirass141432
Raven Tears Bracers19910
Raven Tears Girdle929

If you are a player who prefers a defensive playstyle and is looking for a step up from the Nidavellir armor set, then look no further than the Raven Tears set, which provides excellent healing capabilities. The armor is also notably strong due to its high stat spread in Defence. According to the in-game description of the set shown in the image above, the armor set is said to be stronger than the hardened ice of the realm of Niflheim.

Perks

The simple yet powerful trait of this armor set grants Kratos a healing mist with a low luck chance. It can be compensated by increasing your luck stat and upgrading the set. Most importantly, the waist and wrist pieces will increase the effectiveness of the healing mist, making it an armor set that most players will end up using for survivability purposes on the higher difficulty levels of GOW Ragnarok.

How To Unlock

GOW Raganrok raven tree
The three chests containing the set (image credit: eXputer)

The armor is linked to the Odin’s Ravens collectibles scattered throughout the game, and you will need a specific amount to unlock the chests containing the armor set pieces. The chests themselves are found in Niflheim under the Raven Tree. Thankfully, you do not need to collect every single one in the game to unlock the chests, so you will need precisely 18 Ravens in order to unlock each of the chests.

2. Guiding Light Armor

GOW Ragnarok guiding Light armor
Guiding Light armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthLuckDefense
Guiding Light Breastplate363629
Guiding Light Gauntlets2341
Guiding Light Waist Guard2341

The Guiding Light Armor is perhaps one of the best offensive-based sets for Kratos in GOW Ragnarok, as the traits are fundamentally unique for all types of battles, whether it’s against normal enemies or boss fights. It offers a fantastic stat increase to both Strength and Luck, which you will need in large commodities for this set to work as efficiently as possible.

The armor itself is said to honor Tyr as each of the pieces of the set is scattered across the Lake of Nine. Follow along as we discuss its perks below.

Perks

The main trait of the chest piece called the Weapon Blessing provides a moderate Luck chance on any hit from Kratos’ attacks to increase the Strength, Runic, and Luck of one of his weapons. The perk may sound iffy on paper, but when used in battle, especially with a weapon such as the Blades of Chaos, you will be able to constantly activate the perk and increase these parameters, which can greatly boost your overall damage.

Furthermore, the bracers and waist piece of the armor set is able to grant a total of 8% chance with your Luck stat to trigger melee damage explosions on hits to enemies. Using the set with the Blades as we suggested and upgrading it too will allow you fully utilize its true potential and raw power, making it one of the best damage-focused armor sets in God Of War Ragnarok.

How To Unlock

The set can be unlocked by completing the Guiding Light Favor found in the Lake Of Nine, which has you unraveling 4 different hidden messages and rune codes left by Tyr. Near each of the marked locations of the favor, you will be able to access treasures that will contain the armor pieces. One of the four chests near each message location will just contain the Jotunheim Essence, which is worth grabbing too.

1. Steinbjorn Armor Set

the Steinbjorn armor set
The Steinbjorn armor (image credit: eXputer)
PieceStrengthVitalityDefense
Steinbjorn Plackart123
Steinbjorn Gauntlets2255
Steinbjorn Waist Guard77

We found that using the Steinbjorn armor for the late-game battles and post-game content was the way to go, as it is our personal best armor to use in GOW Ragnarok. The armor is said to be crafted from Slumber stones that can provide excellent protection, sharp blades, and blunt objects.

The whole armor set is considerably special from every other one available in the game due to its raw defense stats, which can prove to be helpful on higher difficulties and especially if you’re looking to jump into NG+ when it arrives in an update in the future, the armor will be capable of withstanding against all odds.

Perks

The main chest piece perk, Bloodthirsty Retaliation, will allow you to regain a major portion of your health by retaliating back at enemies using Kratos’ attacks. This trait, combined with the stupidly high Defence stats, will make Kratos untouchable to death as you tear away at boss fights and enemies with ease.

Furthermore, the waist and gauntlets of the set will have a moderate Luck chance to allow you to deal Stun damage to nearby foes you take damage, making it an absolute must-pick up if you’re someone who prefers dishing out an onslaught of unstoppable attacks.

How To Unlock

Sometime during the major story events in Svartalfheim, Kratos will, together with an ally (whom we’ll not discuss due to spoiler conveniences) forge a piece of special equipment known as the Draupnir Spear, which can be used to break open Yellow-colored marks in the environment.

Now head to the Southern edge of the Lake Of Nine where you can find the Mystical Heirloom, which will allow you to awaken four trolls around the realms. One in Midgard, another one in Alfheim, and the last two both found in Vanaheim. These trolls, when defeated, will drop slumber stones which will you will need in order to craft the Steinbjorn armor set.

The Wrap-Up

GOW Ragnarok was one of the most highly anticipated games of all time, and it is safe to say that the game has captured the feelings of fans and critics wholeheartedly, making it an easy contender for GOTY. Kratos and Atreus won the hearts of the entire fanbase with their emotional yet rollercoaster-Esque moments, and the storytelling beats that continue with Ragnarok into its unforgettable conclusion will remain memorable for generations.

With God Of War Ragnarok, PlayStation fans are finally reunited once again with Kratos and Atreus as both Father and Son must venture across the Nine Realms and Midgard to prevent an inevitable calamity, Ragnarok, the end of times and the judgment day of the Norse Pantheon Gods.

Just like in the previous game, both Father and Son can equip various different types of armor sets, but Kratos is able to mix and match between his shoulders, chest, and waist armor. Each of the armor pieces has distinctive traits to set them apart from each other. They can be unlocked through different methods, whether it’s via sidequests or discovering them as hidden secrets throughout the world.

If you want to traverse the Norse realms and remain vigilant at all times, then these sets will fulfill that goal to the full extent while making Kratos feel all the more powerful. Crafting these armor sets can be a hassle, but it is pretty much worth it due to their distinctive perks and stat boost capabilities.

If you enjoyed reading this guide to the best armors in GOW Ragnarok, then do let us know what you think about them in the comments below, and we hope you’re having fun being reunited with the Father-son duo as you take on the Norse Gods in full force with God Of War Ragnarok.

  • Disclaimer Note: These armor choices and their rankings on our list are based on our personal experience with the game. If you know or have any of your favorite sets to share, then let us know in the comments section down below.

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Irfan Ansari


Irfan Ansari is a Senior Editor and Guides Writer on eXputer. He has seven years of Video Game Journalism experience and a tremendous love for gaming. Over his editorial career, he has gained experience at multiple sites. Along with his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering Irfan has also earned a degree in Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan. Experience: 7+ Years || Education: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering || Worked for TheGamer and VeryAli Gaming || Published 1000+ Guides

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