God of War Ragnarok: Kratos' best skills God of War Ragnarok guide

This page of the guide to God of War Ragnarok contains a list of Kratos' best skills. We have prepared recommended skills for the Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos and Draupnir Spear. In addition, you will learn how to unlock and upgrade the skills you have.

Last update: Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Skills are an important part of God of War Ragnarok's combat. This page of our guide lists some of Kratos' best skills. We've prepared separate lists for the Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos and the Draupnir Spear. We also explain how can the God of War acquire and upgrade skills.

• Most important information about Kratos' skills
• Best skills - Leviathan Axe
• Best skills - Blades of Chaos
• Best skills - Draupnir Spear

Most important information about Kratos' skills

Each of Kratos' main weapons has its own separate skill tab. They're divided into several trees - early-game skills are located at the top, while the late-game ones are at the bottom.

Some skills are available immediately, that is, unlocked by obtaining the weapon. These include the weapon's basic attacks.

Other skills must be purchased with Kratos' XP. Early-game skills are cheap and can cost you around 500 XP. Late-game skills, on the other hand, are expensive, with their cost reaching up to 5,000 XP. You shouldn't spend all your XP only on skills. There are other things to unlock with them, such as Spartan Rage upgrades. We've covered this in more detail on the How to gather experience? page in the FAQ section.

Some skills only become available after upgrading the weapon enough, for example, to level 5. You can upgrade the Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos and the Draupnir Spear in shops, once you provide the dwarves with required crafting ingredients. You should acquire them by defeating elite enemies encountered throughout the game.

Skills are required for completing Skill Labours. These task you with using a specific skill in battle. Meeting the requirement awards you with Mod Tokens. These let you upgrade the skill by increasing its damage, stun power or defensive capabilities. The token must first be "purchased" with XP, though we do recommend doing so if you use the skill often, as it will make it even more handy.

Some skills can be disabled (highlight the skill and press Triangle) if you don't want to activate them on accident while inputting button combinations. If a skill doesn't interest you, don't buy it. There are plenty other uses for Kratos' XP.

Best skills - Leviathan Axe

The following list contains our recommended skills for the Leviathan Axe, including those available from the very beginning of the game which don't need to be purchased.

1. Frost Awaken - This skill lets you enhance your Leviathan strikes by holding down Triangle. Use it if you have time to prepare for an enemy attack, like if the enemy is far away. At higher skill levels, Frost Awakens activates more easily.
2. Extinguish Flames - This skill lets you damage enemies much faster. First set them on fire with the Blades of Chaos, then switch to the Leviathan Axe to deal increased damage with your axe strikes.
3. Permafrost - This skill rewards you for attacking enemies without taking damage. Choose it if you favor light attacks with the axe.
4. Freezing Throw - This skill grants you a stronger ranged axe throw we consider the better available option, as it significantly increases the damage output. It's useful against all opponents except the extremely agile ones. The skill's second level lets you charge your axe throw to cause a burst of frost on impact.
5. Leviathan's Fury - This skill grants you a heavy running axe strike. It's an excellent opener as you're charging towards an enemy.
6. Serpent's Snare - This skill is a charged heavy axe strike which can launch enemies up into the air and causes a frosty explosion. Use it when you're sure the enemy won't interrupt you while you're charging, like when they're stunned or are winding down after their own heavy attack.
7. Pride of the Frost - This skill is a very useful combo - three light attacks, then a heavy finisher. It can freeze enemies or launch them up into the air. This combo is very useful against enemies with longer health bars. When upgraded to Level 2, the combo is extended with two more heavy attacks.

Best skills - Blades of Chaos

The following list contains our recommended skills for the Blades of Chaos, including those available from the moment you acquire the Blades which don't need to be purchased.

1. Flame Whiplash - This skill enhances your Blades of Chaos strikes when rapidly pressing Triangle. Use it if you have time to prepare for an enemy attack, like if the enemy is far away. Upgrading the Blades to Level 6 lets you upgrade Flame Whiplash to charge faster.
2. Vaporise Frost - This skill lets you damage enemies much faster. First freeze them with the Leviathan Axe, then switch to the Blades of Chaos to deal increased damage with your blade strikes.
3. Immolation - This skill rewards you for attacking enemies without taking damage. It's a bit easier to use with the blades, as they strike much faster than the axe.
4. Blazing Surge - This skill grants you a powerful ranged blade attack, letting you impale an enemy with the blade and send blazing energy into them. It deals a lot of damage, but you must be careful and not let other enemies interrupt you.
5. Blazing Explosion - This skill is a straight upgrade to Blazing Surge. Kratos may now throw his second blade at the impaled enemy to deal more damage and cause a fiery explosion. Upgrading this skill to Level 2 increases firepower.
6. Rushing Chaos - This skill grants you a light blade running attack. It's an excellent opener as you're charging towards an enemy.
7. Rising Chaos - This skill lets you launch enemies up into the air, exposing them to further strikes.

Best skills - Draupnir Spear

The following list contains our recommended skills for the Draupnir Spear, including those available from the moment you acquire the Spear which don't need to be purchased.

1. Draupnir's Call - On its basic level, this skill lets you detonate all thrown spears at the same time, that is, those jammed into enemies or the environment. This results in impressive burst wind damage. Leveling the skill up adds further detonations and lowers the enemies' stun resistance.
2. Drauprnir's Wail - This skill is directly tied to the one preceding it. You can increase the force of the detonation by holding down Triangle instead of pressing it.
3. Spear Arsenal - This important skill increases the maximum cap of thrown spears by 1. Upgrading this skill further increases the cap up to 8.
4. Maelstrom - This skill rewards you for attacking enemies with the spear without taking damage. It increases your attack power, your Luck and Runic.
5. Spear Throw - This basic skill lets you use the spears as ranged weapons - you can jam them into enemies or the environment, then detonate them with Triangle.
6. Hoplite Lunge - This skill grants you a light spear running attack. It's an excellent opener, especially with the spear's longer range. Upgrading it lets you immediately jam the spear into the enemy.
7. Impaling Thrust - This skill lets you impale an enemy on your spear in melee combat by holding R1. Upgrading it to level 2 and 3 lets you impale them again with a second, then a third spear.
8. Phalanx Breaker - This skill grants you a heavy spear running attack. Said attack can break the enemy's guard.