Brady Klinger-Meyers
15. The Huntress
First on the list is the Huntress, who serves as one of the earliest bosses in God of War Ragnarok and is the reason for the fight’s relative simplicity. However, the Huntress employs a few tactics that, if they aren’t dodged or parried in enough time, can widdle you down to nothing. This is in addition to Kratos not being able to use his shield, which can throw you off if you’ve become too reliant on it. The toughest aspect of the Huntress is how she flips between close combat and ranged attacks. One minute she’s shooting a volley of arrows, the next she’s attempting to impale you with her horns. However, a few good dodges and a well-timed axe throw at her glowing horns will make short work of her.
14. Gryla
Unlike the Huntress, the fight with Gryla is far more focused on following mechanics rather than quick-thinking. You’ll always be on the defensive against her since she can’t be hurt directly, and only the soul cauldron she wields can be damaged. Of course, Gryla’s size can also be quite intimidating, as she gives proper credence to the moniker of Giant. What’s particularly difficult about this fight is the use of ranged attacks against Gryla’s cauldron to create an opening for Atreus’ melee attacks. It’s tougher than it sounds — Gryla frequently casts magic that follows Atreus, so you need to snap to your target without losing track of potential threats. She also protects the cauldron throughout the fight, forcing you to move about the arena to get a good shot.
13. Bjorn
Despite the fight with Bjorn essentially being a tutorial for block breaks, parries, and un-blockable attacks, he’s by no means a pushover. Dad taught Boy well and it clearly shows even in his rage-filled stupor as a bear. Various aspects of this boss fight make it a great challenge early on. For starters, Bjorn is big and the arena is cramped, so spatial awareness will save your life. His size also doesn’t sacrifice speed, as he can attack surprisingly fast with both single strikes and combos. Rounding things out is the fact that he has a considerable amount of health compared to the amount of damage you can deal at this point in the game. He’ll weather most of your combos and onslaughts with ease, forcing you to pick your moments and use your evasive or defensive abilities wisely.
12. Garm
The dimension-hopping Garm is certainly up there as one of Kratos’ larger opponents and is no doubt a treat for the eyes. Even as he provides a spectacle though, he still challenges the player in some interesting ways and serves as character growth for Kratos and Atreus. Unlike most boss fights in God of War Ragnarok, where depleting an enemy’s health wins the fight, Garm will not be put down so easily. Every time Kratos and Atreus manage to deal enough damage, Garm will simply revive himself and be ready for another round. Since Garm cannot die, there are key moments that you have to be capitalized on through the use of weapon throws from the Leviathan Axe and the Draupnir Spear. This turns the fight into one of endurance and strategy, and demands more than you might expect at first glance as a result.
11. Alva
During your trek through the Temple of Light in Vanaheim, you’ll encounter plenty of light elves in varying numbers, but they do little to prepare you for the big baddie Alva herself. She’s fast, agile, aggressive, and deadly in her pursuit of removing Kratos’ head from his shoulders. Alva has a series of attacks that are strung together in quick succession before slinking away. This style of combat can easily overwhelm you and throw you off your balance, especially if you haven’t yet mastered swapping between dodges, blocks, and attacks based on the move indicators your enemies display. Fortunately, she does have one major weakness: She can be thrown off balance through the use of a shield strike. The only catch to this is that, again, you might not have mastered the exact timing and usage of this mechanic yet and will need to practice using it against her.
10. Fiske
Fiske honestly feels like a combination of Bjorn and Alva in terms of tactics and boss presentation. Though Fiske is basically a much larger Einhjar variant, he’s about as fast as Alva, and his speed only makes his attacks that much more dangerous. Making Fiske even more of a pain to deal with is the small arena and his weapon of choice — a scythe imbued with the Bifrost effect. It’s a nasty effect that freezes a portion of your health temporarily, only to be removed permanently if you’re nailed with subsequent hits. Additionally, his scythe can convert to a spear, providing him with a means of hitting you from a decent distance and making the small arena feel tinier. The only real way to win is to adapt to his changing move set and pick your moments accordingly. This is easier said than done of course, as his speed and size will be enough to shake your confidence if you haven’t figured out his full array of techniques yet.
9. Freya
The trouble with Freya’s Vanadis form fight is how she rarely lets up on her attacks. When she isn’t hitting you with a barrage of slashes from her sword, she’s creating distance with arrows imbued with magic. To make matters worse, the poison pools she creates can affect Atreus, cutting off your access to his summons, arrows, and overall support. Likewise, Freya is quite agile and incredibly aggressive in this fight, giving credence to her history as the former Queen of the Valkyries and a mother out for revenge following Baldur’s death. To match her fury, you must use everything at your disposal—summons, runic attacks, status effects, and Spartan Rage. Even then, you’re likely to feel like you only barely managed to scrape by once the fight is done and she chooses to spare you and use you toward her own ends.
8. Golrab of the Ashes / Golrab of the Frost
God of War (2018) featured a variety of trolls for Dad and Boy to take down, but their presence in God of War Ragnarok is scarce at best. Only three appear during your travels, but four are tucked away as super secret bosses. Out of the four, you’ll have the most trouble with Golrab and Golrab. No, that’s not a typo; it’s a 2-for-1 deal, and they each have the same first name. Golrab of the Ashes and Golrab of the Frost only take significant damage from their opposite elements. You’ll need to swap between the weapons you’re using quickly and on the fly, always being careful not to waste precious time and energy attacking the wrong enemy with the wrong weapon. Secondly, they’re trolls, so expect pain and misery. They can hit hard, and can weather hard hits themselves with little to no issue. Lastly, you’ll have to fight them both at the same time, and they aren’t easy to separate. They can and will gang up on you if you aren’t careful, so you’ll need to keep moving and never let one out of your sight. If you’re up for a challenge, check out our guide on all troll locations to find Golrab and Golrab.
7. Thor
Similar to the fight with Garm, Thor is one part spectacle and one part challenge in God of War Ragnarok, but with a heavier dose of challenge. Thor hits like a dozen trucks, taunts you the entire time, and is surprisingly fast for someone who looks like a contestant at the World’s Strongest Man competition. The best part — or worst, depending on your outlook — is that you’ll get to fight Thor twice; once through what is more of a tutorial fight, and again in an actual showdown. The first round is mostly spectacle, but has its own challenges to overcome. He’ll attack you more aggressively than most anything you’ve faced up to that point, and will force you to utilize the many mechanics that have been introduced to you thus far. The second round at the end of the game is where most of the challenge is. Thor’s lighting abilities are expanded upon with numerous AOE attacks and several combos with Mjolnir that have short parry windows. You may have more at your disposal at this point, but you’ll have to duck and weave in abundance to get hits in.
6. Heimdall and Gulltopr
Heimdall is a test of endurance, patience, and skill. Not only that, but it requires masterful use of Kratos’ latest weapon, the Draupnir Spear. The fight has three phases, each of which get progressively tougher. To make matters worse, Heimdall has the power of foresight, giving him the ability to predict outcomes and make it near impossible to hit. As such, you won’t be able to damage him until you solve a puzzle of sorts utilizing the Draupnir Spear’s timed explosion projectile attacks. Even when you do start to damage him, Heimdall is no slouch. Like Fiske, Heimdall is fast, and has access to Bifrost; the latter of which being one of his main abilities that he uses in abundance. However, it’s during the final phase that Heimdall is at his most dangerous, given that his tactics are more erratic and can throw you off if you got used to his other moves.
5. Hrist and Mist
Valkyries are among the strongest enemies in God of War, and while they aren’t as prevalent in God of War Ragnarok, they’re presence is made all the more terrifying when they do show up. If you had issues defeating Freya’s Vanadis form, Hrist and Mist are worse considering they’re highly trained and have no qualms over taking you on at the same time. Hrist and Mist are always on the offensive, using hit-and-run tactics, coming together for combos, large AOE attacks, and attacks with their wings that are reminiscent of past Valkyries’ techniques. Furthermore, the fight has multiple stages and occasionally forces you to shift your focus toward helping Atreus. This makes dealing with Hrist and Mist a juggling act, and one that will likely see you pummeled by the balls you’re trying to keep aloft. Topping off the challenge is the fact that the duo will heal after their collective health is brought low enough. This will make their fight feel all the more grueling, and while the eventual payoff is worth it, you’ll still be exhausted physically and mentally by its conclusion.
4. Hrolf Kraki, the Berserker King
Valkyries, like the trolls, rarely make an appearance in Ragnarok as opponents, but in their stead are the equally imposing Berserkers. Each one brings something different to the table, and test your reflexes with a slew of different moves you’ll need to react to. The worst of them all is Hrolf Kraki, King of the Berserkers and the last of these malicious entities you’ll need to take down. What makes King Hrolf Kraki such a terrible force is his repertoire of abilities and moves, which are ripped straight from the other Berserkers. Like with the Valkyrie Queen Sigrun fight in God of War (2018), you’ll need to take everything you learned in past fights and utilize it to perfection, dodging each and every move he throws your way while also letting loose with well-timed attacks. Additionally, his swings have such a massive arc that a poorly aimed dodge means catching an axe in the back of the head, and possibly death. You’ll need to keep your distance from this fight until you’ve gathered the best equipment, and even then it won’t be a cake walk.
3. Nidhogg
What’s God of War without a large, intimidating creature to slay, right? Nidhogg isn’t the largest beast Kratos has put down, but due to the size of the arena, the fight feels far more cramped. More importantly, its sole purpose is to protect the branches of Yggdrasil, and its abilities and attacks definitely reflect that. It can warp in attacks right above your head or open a wormhole via its stomach, forcing you to react quickly or suffer massive damage. It also isn’t some master tactician utilizing carefully honed attacks. It’s a wild beast, and the erratic nature of its attacks reflect this. It has no qualms over thrashing its body across the arena, attacking with Bifrost, and using its ability to create portals offensively. You’d be forgiven if you find this fight frustrating and a wee bit unfair, but it can be overcome with patience.
2. Odin
Odin is many things: King of the Norse, father to Baldur and Thor, master manipulator, and, as his boss fight shows, a master of combat. He hides his true power for most of the game, but when he drops his weak and quirky guise, it’s no surprise that he turns out to be one of the hardest bosses you’ll encounter in God of War Ragnarok. Odin has spent years pursuing knowledge, and this comes through in his attacks. He’s capable of unleashing destructive spells like magic missiles of every element, beams of death, numerous AOE attacks, elemental shields, and Bifrost aplenty. Odin’s also quite spry for an old man; when he’s not casting a barrage of spells, he’s beating on you with his spear or dodging away from you in a split second. This turns his boss fight into one of constant movement and precisely chosen moments of retaliation. Failing to do so will see you quickly obliterated, or running around aimlessly with little to no damage dealt to your opponent. By the end of his final phase, you’ll likely be ready to keel over from exhaustion and relief.
1. Gna, Queen of the Valkyries
As one of the last remaining threads of Odin’s influence, Gna is by far the most formidable foe in the game. Despite having big shoes to fill as the replacement for Sigrun, there’s a reason she was made the new Queen of the Valkyries: She’s just as powerful and overwhelming in combat, and will utterly rock you if you aren’t prepared. First off, Gna’s incredible speed and ferocity put behind her attacks is a deadly combination. You’ll barely have any time to react to one blow before another is primed to take your head off. Furthermore, the timing between her combos is so short that missing just a single block, parry, or dodge is a sure-fire way of going down for the count. And let’s not forget her massive health bar, Which makes this fight just as much about endurance as it is a test of skill. With the death of Gna though, you can rest easy knowing the greatest threat in the remaining eight realms is gone, and perhaps peace can truly be achieved. How well did you fare against these bosses? How would you rank them? Let us know in the comments below, where you can also check out our latest content for God of War Ragnarok.
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