GOW Ragnarok: BEST Kratos Skills [Early Game]

While the combat is certainly polished and more challenging than ever, you can get away by learning some of the best skills for the Leviathan Axe and Blades Of Chaos in God Of War Ragnarok, which are two of Kratos’ main weapons that you will be using in the game.

GOW Ragnarok Best Skills Summary And Comparison

The new skills tree also includes the “Skill Labor” mechanic, where you can work on specific skills and consistently use them during battle to unlock their mod customization, which I will mention in detail in its section of the guide. So without further delay, let’s discuss the five Best skills in God Of War Ragnarok for both the Leviathan Axe and the Blades Of Chaos.

Here’s a brief look at the comparison between the Best Kratos Skills:

The Best Leviathan Axe Skills

The Leviathan Axe returns in God of War Ragnarok and can be imbued with ice attacks to apply frost status to enemies. Charging it with the Triangle button activates Frost Awaken mode for frost attacks and new moves. Here are some essential early-game skills and mechanics for the Leviathan Axe:

• Freezing Throw: Hold R1 and aim to throw the Axe, which can explode on impact or deal continuous frost damage.
• Glacial Whirlwind: Press and hold R2 to charge and perform a powerful spinning attack.
• Frost Flurry: Repeatedly press R1 after a light combo finisher to perform a devastating frost attack.

These skills enhance the Axe’s versatility and combat effectiveness in the early game.

1. Glacial Rake

The Glacial Rake skill in God of War Ragnarok is a must-have for the Leviathan Axe. Holding R1 during an attack allows Kratos to perform a ground sweep, dealing AoE icicle damage and applying a high Frost buildup to enemies. This skill is crucial for elemental combat and should be your top pick when starting the game.

2. Extinguish Flames

While on the subject of elements, it is a no-brainer to pick up Extinguish Flames as your next skill, or even the first skill, for that matter, alongside Glacial Rake. As shown in the image above, the ability of the skill grants you the power to deal bonus damage against enemies who are inflicted by the burn status element, which can be applied from the Blades of Chaos or any other source, such as flame pots scattered around the arenas.

I will explain more about how you can apply the Burn effect from the blades in its section but simply keep in mind that weapon switching and applying elements is the key to winning against challenging mini-bosses and large foes, so picking up Extinguish Flames should become your first priority just like Glacial Rake.

3. Frozen Ascent

The Frost awakening skill I mentioned previously adds a whole new layer to the Leviathan Axe, as it allows you to deal with a plethora of new attacks which can trivialize foes in a heartbeat. The move can be activated while your Axe is in Frost Awakening skill as Kratos is able to launch weak foes upwards into the air for a combo, plus he can apply high frost damage onto them with ease.

The skill is pretty efficient if you’re looking to deal a strong blow to a mini-boss and additionally dish out Frost buildup. Furthermore, if multiple enemies are grouped together, you are able to launch them into the air at the same time, providing a strong crowd-clearing artillery for the Leviathan Axe.

4. Serpent’s Snare

Unlock the Serpent’s Snare skill for the Leviathan Axe in GOW Ragnarok to send enemies flying in any direction, potentially killing them instantly. Weaker enemies explode on impact, dealing frost damage to nearby foes. During the wind-up animation, you can steer the camera to launch enemies off the map for quick kills. Particularly effective against Grim enemies in Svartalfheim.

5. Vengeful Sickle I

The Leviathan Axe in GOW Ragnarok offers satisfying moves, from chopping enemies in half to launching them into the air with an uppercut. The Vengeful Sickle lets you throw the Axe by holding R1 and continuously deal frost damage to enemies. You can also choose Freezing Throw with R2 for an explosive impact. The choice between them is up to you.

The Best Blades Of Chaos Skills

The Blades of Chaos, iconic weapons from Kratos’ past, return in GOW Ragnarok. They offer powerful sweeping attacks and the ability to apply flaming attacks for extra damage. The Blades can also be used for added maneuverability, pulling enemies closer or propelling Kratos. They serve as a grappling hook for quick arena traversal. Here are some top abilities for the Blades of Chaos in the game.

1. Chaotic Rampage 1

The Chaotic Rampage skill lets Kratos unleash a rapid series of slash attacks with the Blades of Chaos, inflicting a strong burn status effect on the target. I suggest you to use it for single-target damage, but be cautious in chaotic battles as it can leave you vulnerable. Ideal for boss battles or against big foes.

2. Vaporize Frost

As you can already guess by the name of the skill, it will allow the Blades Of Chaos to work in conjunction with the Leviathan Axe, as you can deal bonus damage against frosted enemies. So it is advised that you pick the following skill up as soon as possible so that you can constantly use the Leviathan Axe for Frost damage and use the Blades of Chaos on the main lines for extra DPS on a boss battle or challenging enemy.

3. Rising Chaos

The original God of War Games had a stellar combat system that had you perform godly combos using the Blades of Chaos as Kratos tore through his enemies both on the ground and in the air. While GOW 2018 and Ragnarok can’t provide that exact same feeling, there is no better way to relive the nostalgia again than by using Rising Chaos right off the bat, as you can use it to launch enemies into the air by pressing the R2 button.

Launch enemies off the ground using the skill and continue to mash away at them at your leisure while they’re dangling helplessly like ragdolls. If you’re someone who loves weapon switching, then I suggest you to consider using the Leviathan Axe immediately after activating the skill for some style points too.

4. Scorched Sweep 1

To activate Flame Whiplash with the Blades of Chaos, hold down the Triangle button. This move makes the Blades spin in a perpendicular motion, and after a few seconds, they become engulfed in flames, allowing you to unleash fiery attacks on your enemies. With the Scorched Sweep skill, you can inflict moderate burn status on foes, or when the blades are fully charged with flames, pressing R1 scorches the ground ahead, engulfing any enemies caught in the flames. It’s an effective crowd-clearing ability.

5. Hyperion Grapple 1

Using the Hyperion Grapple, Kratos is able to aim and swing the blades at his enemies and use them to launch himself toward them like a cannonball, dealing high stun damage.

Furthermore, if you use the skill while aiming at an airborne enemy, Kratos will instead slam the enemy into the ground. But I must state that the ability of the skill may only work on weaker or nimble enemies, so mini-bosses or other challenging foes are out of the equation.

How Skill System Works In God Of War Ragnarok

In God of War Ragnarok, you can unlock and enhance skills by using them in combat. Skills have three tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. At the Gold stage, you can customize them with Mod Tokens for additional benefits. Mods vary by skill, and you can freely switch between them for 1000 XP.

For example, you can apply the Element Mod token to Glacial Rake for extra Frost buildup. Check your skill progress in the Skills tree, and the game will notify you when you reach a new threshold, encouraging you to use and enhance your favorite skills. This adds depth to the game’s Action RPG elements.

Other Honorable Mentions

There are some other viable options to consider when choosing a Kratos Skills in GOW Ragnarok. However, I did not include them in my top list due to individual factors:

• Permafrost (Blades of Chaos): It only applies the Frost status effect to a single enemy, which can be less effective against groups.
• Blazing Explosion (Blades of Chaos): A decent option, but its range is limited compared to the other skills I selected above.
• Frozen Breach (Leviathan Axe): Despite dealing significant AoE damage, its animation is relatively slow, leaving you vulnerable if not used strategically.

My Recommendations For Kratos’ Skills

Kratos’ Skills are divided among the three weapons that he uses. I would recommend investing in the Glacial Permafrost, Furious Immolation, and Violent Maelstorm for the axe, blades, and spear. These really boosted my aggressive playstyle and allowed me to use permafrost and immolation meters more offensively.

And honestly, aside from these three skills, it really comes down to the weapon that you enjoy using. Since you can only purchase a limited number of skills at first, it is recommended that you do so for the weapons that are fun to use for your playstyle.

Next:

• The BEST Settings In God Of War Ragnarok
• Secret Ending In GOW Ragnarok
• Combat Tips
• How To Unlock The Nidavellir Armor Set