God of War Ragnarök is finally here, and the hype has proven to be justified as fans are loving Kratos' latest adventure and the game was nominated for Game of the Year at this year's Game Awards. This didn't surprise anyone as most fans believed before the year had begun that it would ultimately come down to GoW Ragnarök or Elden Ring that would take the prize home.
GoW Ragnarök features fluid combat similar to its predecessor, God of War (2018). One of the most notable weapons is Kratos's Leviathan Axe, a keepsake from his wife, Faye. This has been one of Kratos's best weapons in the franchise and has helped him out of several tight binds. To get the most out of it, players need to know the best skills for use with the weapon.
Whirlwind Sweep - 1000 XP And Weapons Level 3 To Unlock
Whirlwind Sweep allows Kratos to switch stances by pausing after performing an attack with the Leviathan Axe. Pressing 'RI' three times immediately in a row, Kratos will perform a powerful sweeping combo that will press enemies back at a more powerful rate than usual.
This is a perfect skill for players who don't rely on memorizing many of the skills and is a simple straightforward one to remember. It doesn't require any fancy button combos and can be performed easily.
Leviathan's Fury - No Cost To Unlock
Leviathan's Fury is a powerful attack that players should always take advantage of, especially when they want to fight at a close-distance range. Always charge toward enemies in a sprint and then press 'R2.'
Kratos will jump into the air and slam his axe down, launching a large surge of ice that will deal Frost damage alongside its effects. This is a way to quickly get the advantage of enemies and to launch a barrage of combos immediately after while they're caught off guard.
Evasive Storm - 500 XP And Weapon Level 1 To Unlock
Evasive Storm is a fun skill that enables Kratos to defend himself from an attack while evading an attack. This skill doesn't activate only when Kratos missies an attack; so long as Kratos evades backward with the 'X' button and holds back on 'L' he'll be able to perform this attack.
To complete the skill, they'll need to press 'R1' while they hold back on 'L.' Kratos's axe will then spin forward, crashing into enemies, and then fly back into his hand. This is a good skill to master for players who evade attacks a lot and feel too much pressure about being able to get in and deal damage.
Glacial Rake - 750 XP And Weapon Level 1 To Unlock
Glacial Rake is as cool as it sounds and also super simple to use. Simply hold 'R2', and the Leviathan Axe, one of Kratos's best weapons in GoW Ragnarök, will do the rest. Kratos will slam his axe into the earth, dragging it through, and then scoop up massive shards of ice that will extend and slam multiple attacks into the enemy they're aimed at while also inflicting a great deal of Frost.
Players shouldn't use this skill when they're too close to enemies, as they'll likely get hit before they can perform it. They should keep a bit of distance between them and then fire when ready.
Returning Whirlwind - 1000 XP And Weapon Level 3 To Unlock
Returning Whirlwind is one of the most useful skills a player can have if they're all about throwing their axe at enemies. This is a perfect skill to use in tandem with various axe-throwing skills that can switch a player's strategy from long-distance to close-up quickly.
After the axe leaves Kratos' hand, simply press both 'L1' and 'R1' together and the axe will return into Kratos's hands and immediately execute a spinning attack. Players can extend this combo one step further by pressing 'R1' immediately after to deal an additional slash.
Frozen Lance - 1000 XP And Weapon Level 3 To Unlock
Frozen Lance is one of the strongest skills that involves throwing the axe. This skill can only be used while Kratos's Leviathan Axe is in Frost Awaken, something to use early on in the game that beginners should know in GoW Ragnarök.
As long as this is done, simply press R2 and throw the axe. This will deal an incredible amount of damage alongside inflicting high Frost and can even break through shields and other powerful guards that some enemies might possess.
Serpent's Snare - 1000 XP And Weapon Level 2 To Unlock
Serpent's Snare should be used close and requires Kratos to hold 'R2' to perform the attack. This attack will launch back the enemies that are hit as long as they're weak enough and will explode, dealing Frost damage.
The other enemies that are hit are also blown back by the attack. This skill is great for attacking masses of enemies and can also be used to launch them off cliffs. Players should definitely unlock this skill early in GoW Ragnarök.
Freezing Throw II - 750 XP And Weapon Level 1 To Unlock
Freezing Throw comes already unlocked for players the moment they begin the game. However, this skill can be upgraded to Freezing Throw II, and it should be one of the first skills that players should unlock.
This skill is great for players who enjoy throwing the axe as Kratos raises the axe, and the player holds 'R2' to charge the attack while also adding Frost to the weapon. Once this attack lands, it will create a Frost explosion upon impact dealing damage to surrounding enemies.
Frozen Ascent - 750 XP And Weapon Level 2 To Unlock
This is another skill that can only be used during Frost Awaken and is relatively simple to use. The player just presses 'R2' and they'll perform an upwards slash that'll create a chilling wave to blow enemies back into the air and add high Frost to them.
Just like Serpent Snare, Frozen Ascent is the perfect type of skill to push enemies off cliffs so that the player doesn't go through the time of having to hack apart each one individually. This skill is a bit less useful against larger enemies or the many hard bosses in GoW Ragnarök.
Returning Storm - 2000 XP And Weapon Level 4 To Unlock
Returning Storm is a must-have skill and is the superior version of Returning Whirlwind. Both skills should be obtained, though it'll take players longer to gain access to Returning Storm since their Leviathan Axe needs to be upgraded to level 4.
This skill works much the same as Returning Whirlwind, but instead, players must press 'L2' and 'R2' while bare-handed. The axe will fly into their hands quickly, and Kratos will smash the ground with a massive attack that will blow enemies backward and deal high Frost.
Source:gamerant.com