What is the Most Damage Weapon in God of War: Ragnarök?
The quest for the most devastating weapon in God of War: Ragnarök is a hotly debated topic, and the truth is nuanced. There isn’t a single, definitive answer that applies to every scenario. However, considering raw damage output per hit, the Leviathan Axe, especially when upgraded and paired with specific enchantments and skills, emerges as a top contender. While other weapons like the Draupnir Spear and Blades of Chaos offer unique advantages in combat, the Leviathan Axe’s heavy attacks and charged runic attacks can inflict truly staggering damage, particularly against single targets and when exploiting enemy weaknesses. Ultimately, the “best” damage weapon often depends on your playstyle, build, and the specific enemy you’re facing.
Unpacking the Leviathan Axe’s Damage Potential
The Leviathan Axe is Kratos’s trusty companion, returning from the previous God of War title with a suite of improvements and new abilities. Its strength lies in its deliberate, powerful strikes that can stagger even the most formidable foes. Several factors contribute to its high damage potential:
- Base Damage: The Axe has a naturally high base damage stat compared to other weapons, making each hit pack a punch.
- Upgrades: Fully upgrading the Axe significantly increases its damage output and unlocks new runic attacks.
- Runic Attacks: These special abilities unleash devastating bursts of damage, often with elemental effects like frost, which can exploit enemy weaknesses.
- Enchantments: Adding enchantments to the Axe can further boost its damage, strength, and other attributes.
- Skills: Investing in skills that enhance Axe damage and critical hit chance will dramatically increase its overall effectiveness.
- Exploiting Weaknesses: Many enemies in God of War: Ragnarök are weak to ice damage. The Leviathan Axe, infused with its freezing abilities, excels at capitalizing on these vulnerabilities, resulting in massive damage spikes.
Synergizing Skills and Gear for Maximum Axe Damage
To truly maximize the Leviathan Axe’s damage, you need to carefully select your skills, armor, and enchantments. Here are some key areas to focus on:
- Strength: Prioritize armor and enchantments that boost your strength stat. This directly increases the damage dealt by all your attacks.
- Runic: Increase your runic stat to amplify the damage of your runic attacks.
- Luck: Boosting luck increases your chances of triggering beneficial effects, such as increased damage or critical hit chance.
- Skills: Invest in skills like “Frozen Momentum” and “Glacial Permafrost” to enhance the Axe’s damage and freezing capabilities.
- Armor: Consider the Steinbjörn armor set, renowned for its high defense and ability to restore health by dealing damage. This armor allows you to stay in the fight longer and continue unleashing devastating Axe attacks.
Situational Awareness and Combat Strategy
While the Leviathan Axe boasts incredible damage, it’s not always the best choice for every encounter. Its slower attack speed can be a disadvantage against fast-moving enemies or large groups. In these situations, the Blades of Chaos or Draupnir Spear might be more effective.
- Single Target Focus: The Axe excels against single, powerful enemies like bosses or elite foes.
- Staggering and Interrupting: Use the Axe’s heavy attacks to stagger enemies and interrupt their attacks.
- Exploiting Elemental Weaknesses: Pay attention to enemy weaknesses and use the Axe’s ice abilities to your advantage.
- Patience and Precision: The Axe requires careful timing and precision. Don’t rush your attacks; wait for the right moment to strike.
The Other Contenders: Draupnir Spear and Blades of Chaos
While the Leviathan Axe can deal massive damage, it is important to acknowledge the strengths of the other weapons in Kratos’s arsenal:
- Draupnir Spear: The Draupnir Spear excels at dealing sustained damage to multiple enemies. Its ability to create explosions and rapidly apply status effects makes it a versatile weapon for crowd control. While each individual spear strike might not match the Axe’s damage, the sheer volume of attacks can quickly wear down enemies.
- Blades of Chaos: The Blades of Chaos offer incredible mobility and a wide range of fiery attacks. They are excellent for dealing with large groups of enemies and applying burning effects. While their raw damage per hit may be lower than the Axe, their speed and versatility make them a formidable weapon in the right hands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the Leviathan Axe the best weapon for all situations in God of War: Ragnarök?
No. While the Leviathan Axe is a top contender for damage output, its slower attack speed can be a disadvantage against fast-moving enemies or large groups. The Blades of Chaos and Draupnir Spear offer unique advantages in those situations.
2. What is the best way to upgrade the Leviathan Axe?
Focus on acquiring the necessary resources to fully upgrade the Axe at Brok and Sindri’s shop. Prioritize upgrades that increase its damage, runic stats, and unlock new runic attacks.
3. What are the best runic attacks for the Leviathan Axe?
This is subjective and depends on your playstyle. However, some popular choices include “Wrath of the Frost Ancient” for its area-of-effect damage and “Leviathan’s Roar” for its powerful single-target attack.
4. What enchantments should I use to maximize Leviathan Axe damage?
Focus on enchantments that boost your strength, runic, and luck stats. Look for enchantments that provide additional damage bonuses or increase your critical hit chance.
5. How does the Steinbjörn armor set enhance Leviathan Axe damage?
The Steinbjörn armor set provides a significant defense boost, allowing you to stay in the fight longer and continue unleashing Axe attacks. Its unique skill also restores health by dealing damage, further increasing your survivability.
6. Is the Draupnir Spear stronger than the Leviathan Axe?
The Draupnir Spear excels at dealing sustained damage to multiple enemies, while the Leviathan Axe excels at dealing high burst damage to single targets. Neither weapon is definitively “stronger”; it depends on the situation.
7. Are the Blades of Chaos better than the Leviathan Axe?
The Blades of Chaos offer incredible mobility and a wide range of fiery attacks, making them excellent for dealing with large groups of enemies. However, the Leviathan Axe generally deals more damage per hit, making it better for single-target engagements.
8. Which weapon is the most versatile in God of War: Ragnarök?
The Draupnir Spear is arguably the most versatile weapon, as it can be used effectively in a variety of situations, from crowd control to single-target damage.
9. Does difficulty level affect weapon damage in God of War: Ragnarök?
Yes, the difficulty level affects enemy health and damage output. On higher difficulties, you’ll need to maximize your weapon damage and utilize strategic combat to survive.
10. How important are skills in maximizing weapon damage?
Skills are crucial for maximizing weapon damage. Invest in skills that enhance your weapon’s damage, critical hit chance, and elemental abilities.
11. Can I respec my skills in God of War: Ragnarök?
Yes, you can respec your skills at any time by visiting the dwarves and paying a small fee of XP. This allows you to experiment with different builds and find what works best for you.
12. What is the best way to learn enemy weaknesses?
Pay attention to enemy types and their elemental resistances. Experiment with different weapons and attacks to identify their vulnerabilities.
13. Is there a “best build” for the Leviathan Axe?
There isn’t a single “best build,” as it depends on your playstyle and preferences. However, focusing on strength, runic, and luck stats, along with relevant skills and enchantments, is a good starting point.
14. Where can I find resources to upgrade my weapons and armor?
You can find resources by exploring the game world, completing side quests, defeating enemies, and opening chests.
15. What is the role of Games Learning Society in understanding game mechanics?
The Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) studies the intersection of games and education, including how players learn and strategize within complex game systems like God of War: Ragnarök. Understanding game mechanics is essential for maximizing weapon damage and achieving success in the game.