God of War Ragnarok features many iconic weapons, and not just ones wielded by Kratos. Many of the weapons serve a significant story purpose, symbolizing a specific point in a character’s life or their development over a period of time. It is one of the many techniques employed in God of War Ragnarok that make the story so masterful and emotionally powerful. Yet, some are better than others in this regard.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for God of War Ragnarok.]
God of War Ragnarok differs from Elden Ring and most open-world games because players can’t use any weapon they find. In this way, Kratos is limited to a small set of tools to implement in battle. Players take time to get to know the weapon, master its combos, and play to its strengths. However, many other weapons in the game that Kratos never gets his hands on are equally iconic and important. Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, is a great example, though it gets only an honorable mention in this ranking because it simply doesn’t appear in-game as much as the other weapons below. What follows is discussion of six of the most notable weapons wielded in God of War Ragnarok, ranked from worst to best.
Freyr’s Sword, Ingrid, Is Ragnarök’s Most Charming Weapon
In his adventures in Asgard, Atreus finds a sword called “Ingrid” in Odin’s office, which Odin, the most scheming video game villain, lets Atreus use so long as he helps him solve the secrets of a mysterious mask. The sword moves on its own, flying through the air and acting as a companion of sorts in Atreus’ playable sections of Ragnarok. Ingrid makes cute chirping sounds that Atreus can understand with his remarkable telepathic powers. He is able to communicate with the sword, and even though the player doesn’t always know precisely what Ingrid is saying, its speech has a kind of beauty to it. Based on Atreus’ side of the conversations, Ingrid seems quite the charming weapon, which has an amusing backstory.
Ingrid used to belong to Freya’s brother, Freyr, who had the sword forged when he was young. It was bestowed with its own motives and passion, explaining why it can speak. Freyr loved the sword and used it for centuries in God of War Ragnarok’s beautiful realm Vanaheim. He vowed only to give it up when he died or met the love of his life. Then, Odin disguised himself as a beautiful woman, to whom Freyr promptly gifted the sword. Despite being separated for many years, Freyr and Ingrid reunite in God of War Ragnarok’s ending.
Atreus’ Bow Is A Heartwarming Memento From Faye
The Talon Bow Atreus wields in God of War and God of War Ragnarok is an agile weapon that has great significance to the young god. As such, Atreus keeps it throughout the two games, even though other bows are acquired and equipped during Ragnarok. It was crafted by one of the last giants in Midgard, his mother and Kratos’ wife in God of War, Faye. She made it quite large so that Atreus would grow into it and even trained him to use it so he would be prepared for later in life. Throughout Kratos and Atreus’ journey, the bow is upgraded by Freya and the Huldra brothers, Sindri and Brok, so it takes on more sentimentality as Atreus grows.
In God of War Ragnarok, Atreus’ proficiency with the Talon Bow has tremendously increased. Using the bow in Ragnarok doesn’t feel as strong as Kratos’ weapons, which makes sense due to Kratos' many years of experience, but it certainly reveals the success of Atreus’ training between games. In his playable sections of God of War Ragnarok, Atreus deftly alternates between long-range use with magical arrows to using it as a melee weapon for close-quarters combat.
Freya’s Mardoll Sword Is A Touching Symbol Of Her Past
After completing the Favor "Freya’s Missing Peace," she unlocks the ability to wield the sword Mardoll. It is an extremely powerful blade that allows for rapid-fire attacks and inflicts the Bifrost status effect on enemies, reducing their health bar with every strike. Combine Freya’s employment of Mardoll with her Valkyrie abilities, and she is a nearly unstoppable force in battle, playing a crucial role as Kratos’ companion in many sections of God of War Ragnarok, including the post-game. Her combat abilities are so incredible that Freya is actually a better companion than Atreus.
Mardoll was forged at the behest of Odin on the day of his and Freya's wedding. Together, they plunged the sword into a tree stump, and it was bound with their vow. The sword served as a symbol of their union. During the favor, Freya is set on destroying all her ties to Odin and Asgard. Yet, she is at first unable to remove Mardoll from the stump. Freya realizes that she cannot sever her bonds to Asgard because it plays a crucial role in who she has become: a mother to Baldur and the Queen of the Valkyries. At this realization, she easily pulls the sword from the stump. Freya determines to let go of the pain Odin has caused and vows to make a new legacy for Mardoll.
Kratos’ Leviathan Axe Is A Truly Mighty Weapon
The Leviathan Axe is the flagship weapon of God of War Ragnarok and Kratos’ Norse saga. It quickly became famous after its first appearance in God of War, and Kratos’ proficiency with the weapon noticeably increased in Ragnarok. It hits harder and has more powerful combos than before. It symbolizes Kratos’ growth away from his vengeful days in Greece and one of the last things he has to remember his wife by. Ragnarok also reveals some new details about its backstory.
The axe belonged to Kratos’ wife Faye, who commissioned Brok and Sindri to forge it specifically to combat the power of Mjolnir. After completing the favor Casualty of War in The Crater in Northern Vanaheim, which is Ragnarok’s biggest, entirely optional area. Kratos learns that Faye and Thor fought in an epic battle. Even though the two survived, it was one of the first times Thor hadn’t clearly won a fight, showing that the Aesir could be broken.
The Chaos Blades Are Still Amazing
The Blades of Chaos return in God of War Ragnarok and remain one of, if not the most powerful weapons in Kratos’ arsenal. They are particularly effective in crowd control situations as their broad, sweeping attacks are capable of doing considerable damage to a group of enemies nearby. In God of War, Kratos reluctantly brings them out in a dire situation to save Atreus. They carry so much of Kratos’ past in Greek mythology and serve as a painful reminder of the death and destruction he caused and the losses he suffered. Since then, Kratos has given the blades a new meaning by using them in the name of family, love, and justice.
The Draupnir Spear Is The First Weapon Truly Belonging To Kratos
The Draupnir Spear is Kratos’ newest weapon in God of War Ragnarok, and it harkens back to his Spartan past in Greece but not in a painful way. More than any of his weapons in the series, Kratos is proud of Draupnir. Spears are the first weapons Spartans train with, and having such a weapon, made from his own blood no less, reinvigorates Kratos’ pride in Sparta and sense of honor.
Draupnir has the ability to multiply itself at Kratos’ command, making it capable of overwhelming powerful foes like Heimdall, the best fight in Ragnarok. It has runic abilities that summon tornadoes that barrel toward enemies and rain down a storm of multiplying spears from the sky. Draupnir is faster than either of Kratos’ other weapons and can also be used to significant effect in tandem with them. It is genuinely one of the most memorable and fun to use weapons in God of War Ragnarok and the entire saga.
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