Steam Community :: Guide :: How to absolutely eradicate all 10 Malicious Beserkers of the past in God Of War Ragnarok

Store Page

God of War Ragnarök

All Discussions Screenshots Artwork Broadcasts Videos News Guides Reviews

God of War Ragnarök > Guides > TheHollowGuy's Guides

Not enough ratings

How to absolutely eradicate all 10 Malicious Beserkers of the past in God Of War Ragnarok - *NO SPOILERS*

By TheHollowGuy

Much like the Valkyries of God of War (2018), Berserkers are optional encounters that feel anything but optional once you discover their challenge. Summoning them is a stupid decision, but a bold one, for in those fights you will have to summon every ounce of strength, cunning, and ferocity against adversaries who embody unrelenting rage. Each battle is a relentless dance of precision, where timing your parries, dodges, and attacks is the difference between glory and death.

Yet, the spoils for victory are tantalising: legendary armour pieces, rare resources, and enchantments that will elevate your arsenal to divine status. Whether you’re a seasoned warrior or a fledgling adventurer seeking to prove your worth, the Berserkers stand as the ultimate test—a gauntlet you must run to claim your place among the gods.

So prepare yourself, mortal, for this guide will be your key to unlocking the secrets of these fearsome foes. From summoning them at their ominous gravestones to deciphering the strategies needed to decapitate them in one foul swoop, I’ve compiled everything you need to ensure the Berserkers fall before the might of the Ghost of Sparta. Victory is not given—it is earned through blood, sweat, and a touch of divine intervention. Are you ready to rise to the challenge?

Award

Created by

TheHollowGuy
Online

Category: Achievements, Characters, Classes, Co-op, Crafting, Game Modes, Gameplay Basics, Loot, Maps or Levels, Modding or Configuration, Multiplayer, Secrets, Story or Lore, Trading, Walkthroughs, Weapons, Workshop

Languages: English

Posted

21 Nov, 2024 @ 3:13pm

1,462	Unique Visitors
31	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Preperation for the inevitable - The Calm before the Storm:

Frækni the Zealous - Champion of Unyielding Defiance

Harðrefill the Callous - The Maestro of Merciless Mutilation

Beigaðr the Feared – Heinous Collector of Heads

Hvítserkr the Bold – Necromancer of the Forsaken

Hjalti the Stolid – Unyielding Mauler of Old

Svipdagr the Cold – Frostfang’s Covetous Warden (Part 1)

The Twins of Illska - Cruelty's Prideful Heralds (Part 2)

Haklangr the Bearded – Titan of Venom and Hammerfall

Bödvar the Fierce and Starólfr the Troublesome – The Blundering Barbarian and The Fiery Temptress

Skjóthendi the Unerring – Assassin of Silent Judgement

King Hrólf Kraki - Sovereign of Blood and Betrayal: The Summoning

King Hrólf Kraki - Sovereign of Blood and Betrayal: The Execution

The Inevitable Conclusion of Glory Across the Realms of Midgard -

Comments

Preperation for the inevitable - The Calm before the Storm:

Greetings, bold warriors of the nine realms! Welcome to my ultimate guide on decimating the legendary Berserkers of God of War Ragnarok. Here, you’ll uncover meticulously crafted strategies to transform these spectral adversaries into nothing more than echoes of their former glory.

Prepare to embark on this perilous journey armed with confidence and a touch of humor, as we unravel the secrets of defeating these fearsome foes scattered across the realms. When faced with the relentless fury of these formidable warriors, keep your composure and strike with calculated ferocity. This guide focuses exclusively on the standard Berserker battles—no spoilers to the main story except of course the locations of the beserkers themselves and some photos from the battle.

Post-game Berserker challenges, including Skjothendi is challenging, and of course the one, the only. King Hrolf Kraki, the maleficent mastermind behind this form of the Fellowship of the Ring. Except with this Fellowship, there’s no Frodo Baggins, no Samwise loyalty, and absolutely no plans to destroy cursed artifacts—they are the cursed artifacts. Instead of embarking on a noble quest to save Middle-earth, its a band of bloodthirsty murderers, wielding accursed swords. These poor skeletal warriors haven't had their calcium in years—their bones are the only thing keeping them together, leaving them to desperately cover up the mess with a hefty fistful of armor and a pileful of malicious intent.

If the game itself was anything challenging, these sets of bosses will test your resolve further, but with the tools and tactics outlined here, you’ll be ready for anything. Breathe in the icy winds of Fimbulwinter, steel your nerves, and dive back into the fray with renewed determination. May the wisdom within these pages guide you to glorious victory, and may your enemies tremble before the might of the Ghost of Sparta!

The start of a spartan's journey - Beserkers terrors unfolded:

Frækni the Zealous - Champion of Unyielding Defiance

Located in Midgard, Fraekni is one of the first Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Fraekni the Zealous -

Fraekni's Berserker Gravestone sits in an open icy plane upon the Lake of Nine in Midgard. You'll find it in the center north of the frozen lake in front of an abandoned Realm Tower, just to the east of the Mystic Gateway and Dwarven Shop, and west of The Oarsmen.

Berserker Power Level: 5
Recommended Level: 4-5
Rewards: Berserker Waist Guard, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Malevolent Berserker Fraekni

Fraekni will likely be your first (or one of the first) Berserker that you engage in combat, which is good because her attacks are the easiest to get the hang of. She has no elemental or status effects to inflict, and while she does employ a few unblockable attacks, they are telegraphed in advance.

You should aim to spend the first part of this fight learning her moves, which means not rushing in blindly as if she was any regular sort of enemy or even boss. Berserkers are very unforgiving when it comes to swinging wildly, and even if you're leveled up, Fraekni can do some serious damage if you aren't ready to block or dodge. There's only three main attacks you need to worry about for the most part, and once you get the pattern down, the rest of the fight is patience:

She will constantly backdash and get space from you whenever possible, and will often follow up a backdash with one of two moves. The first and most constant is a quick and unblockable charge strike. Often heralded by her cry of "Guide me, my king!" she'll wind up for a short moment before flying straight at you with blinding speed. The good news is that since the attack is incredibly narrow, a simple sidestep will put you out of harms way, or you can go for the roll by double tapping dodge to play it safe.

Her second move that will always begin after several backdashes to gain space will see Fraekni float into the air. Often with a scream of "Repent!" she'll swing her giant axe behind her head for a windup, then come crashing down with speed in a staggering attack. Once you get the pattern for it down, you can start to parry by tapping the shield button right as she comes down on you (or if you want to play it safe, use the Stonewall Shield to absorb the strike, however dauntless usually provides more reward and damage if timed correctly).

This is a great move to counter with a shield strike, as a well-timed block will stagger her, which you can combine with a second stagger from an empowered shield strike. This in turn leaves you with plenty of time to keep the combo going with a few swipes from your weapon or any Runic Attacks not on cooldown to keep her locked in place.

Whenever you get her staggered, be sure to have your companion pepper Fraekni with arrows or use their Runic Ability as well, as she can be hard to pin down when constantly backdashing. This is also useful to keep pressure on her to constantly build her stun meter - if you let her backdash and strike without punishing it, the stun meter will eventually start falling away, and filling it will instantly remove a chunk of her health.

Her final attacks only come when she finally decides to get up close in your face, so if you don't see her backdashing, be prepared for either a quick jab from her axehead, or a slow unblockable overhead strike. Fraekni will try to trick you with these, and often follow up one type of attack with the other.

This means you shouldn't get to eager counter-attacking - especially after dodging her unblockable attack, as she'll quickly pivot into a jab. Instead, avoid her first move and get off an evading strike if you can, then wait for her follow up to parry (if its a jab).

If she tries to go for a jab first and follows with an unblockable strike, know that you can use a well-timed shield parry to strike at her with the shield attack to interrupt her follow up move that's otherwise unblockable.

Since these are the only real moves Fraekni will use against you, the rest of the fight comes down to patiently reading her attacks and getting in your counters when you can. Don't worry too much about trying to chase her down if she dashes away since she'll always come back for more. Save your Runic Attacks for whenever you can start staggering her with a parry up close, and keep the pressure up until she backs off.

Once her health has been fully depleted, Fraekni the Zealous will fall to her knees, but don’t let her pained expression fool you—this isn’t the time for hugs or heartfelt apologies. Sprint over, and instead of a polite Stun Finisher, go full God of Decapitation. One clean swing later, you’ll find her head rolling faster than you can say, "Thanks for the loot!" Take a moment to admire your work (and her lack of a neck), then scoop up the spoils like the true warrior you are.

Harðrefill the Callous - The Maestro of Merciless Mutilation

Located in Svartalfheim, Hardrefill is one of the many Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung, most commonly the second.

The Location of Hardrefill the Callous -

Hardrefill's Berserker Gravestone sits in a large muddy field on the western edge of Nidavellir in Svartalfheim, by the train car that takes you up to The Forge and near Dvalin's place. You'll first be able to interact with it at the end of Chapter 10 - Forging Destiny, as it sits between the train car and the Mystic Gateway at the Nidavellir Beach.

Berserker Power Level: 5
Recommended Level: 4-5
Rewards: Asgard's Fortitude Enchantment, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Harrowing Berserker Hardrefill -

Just like Fraekni the Zealous, Hardrefill will likely be one of the first Berserkers that you engage in combat, which is good because he also has fairly straightfoward attacks that are easier than others to learn and counter. Despite his sickly green aura, he has no elemental or status effects to inflict, and while he does employ one main unblockable attack, with a bit of practice it can easily be dodged.

You should aim to spend the first part of this fight learning his moves, which means not rushing in to get smacked across the room. Berserkers are very unforgiving when it comes to swinging wildly, and even if you're leveled up, Hardrefill can do some serious damage if you aren't ready to block or dodge. There's only a few main attacks you need to worry about for the most part, and once you get the pattern down, the rest of the fight is all about countering his moves:

Similar to Fraekni, Hardrefill tends to backdash away from time to time to prepare one of two powerful moves, so don't worry about giving chase, as he'll soon be coming right to you:

The first move is just like Fraekni's flying slam - Hardrefill will jump into the air with a spin and usually call out "Tremble, false god!" before flying down at you with a staggering sword swing. If it hits, you'll go flying, so you'll either want to practice parrying by tapping your block right as he soars down into you, or try to evade to the side (alternatively if you're still getting the hang of parrying, try using the Stonewall Shield to absorb the blow).

Parrying or dodging this move will usually let you open up with some moves of your own, and you can unleash Runic Attacks or strong swings of your own to keep him staggered for a bit before he can backdash away. Be sure to also have your companion pepper him with arrows when he's getting knocked off-balance to keep the pressure up.

Note that if you are unable to time your parry and get staggered yourself, he will likely follow up with another swipe or two while your vulnerable. Use this moment to hit him with a bunch of arrows or Runic Summon if your companion has them up - otherwise you can also break out of it by using Spartan Rage to stop his attack!

His second big move is an unblockable slam from the heavens, and one that may take a bit of practice to reliably avoid. Watch for him to crouch down and call out "Kneel before me!" before he zooms up into the air and out of sight.

You'll now see his glowing green aura right under your feet in a large radius - and it will move along with you! Keep strafing or backpedalling (stay away from the walls to give yourself room to manoeuvre), and wait. The moment the aura stops moving with you, that's his signal for crashing down in an unblockable explosion. Dodge and roll as soon as you start stepping away from the aura and you can avoid the attack entirely.

With practice, you'll be able to reliably get out of range - which will leave him vulnerable as he draws his sword out of the ground. By backpedalling into a roll, you can quickly run back in to do some damage in this space, plus make sure he's getting plenty of arrows to the face. Can't leave a beserker on an empty stomach!

Sonic Arrows are a great bet for this fight to keep filling his stun meter - as enough consistent pressure in your attacks can fill his stun meter to take off a chunk of his health (since you can't actually stun him until he's out of health). Just be sure to keep up your attacks when he stops backdashing or teleporting so the meter doesn't fall away too much.

Hardrefill's final attacks only come when he finally decides to get up close in your face - usually following his flying staggering sword swing attack. He will usually always start with a staggering slow swing that you'll need to wait until after his arm goes behind his head to parry. Hardrefill will try to trick and often follow up with another basic back-handed swing, so even if you parry the first strike, don't shield strike him until after you block the follow-up swing!

Since these are the only real moves Hardrefill will use against you, the rest of the fight comes down to patiently reading the attacks and getting in your counters when you can. Don't worry too much about trying to give chase if he retreats, since he'll always come flying back for before too long. Save your Runic Attacks for whenever you can start staggering him with a parry up close, and keep the pressure up until he backs off.

Once his health has been fully depleted, Hardrefill the Callous will fall to his knees, it's time to repay the favour for all his slow and deliberate dismemberment's. Except, this time, you'll show him how efficiency looks. One swift move, and off goes his head—ironic for a man who took pride in drawing things out. Perhaps now he’ll reflect on the virtues of quicker exits...though I doubt he’ll have the head space for that anymore! As for his name? Let’s just say Hardrefill lived up to it—because after this gruelling fight, you’ll definitely need a HARD REFILL before moving on to the next one!

Beigaðr the Feared – Heinous Collector of Heads

Located in Svartalfheim, Hardrefill is one of the slightly stronger Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Beigaðr the Feared -

Hidden away from nearby prying eyes, Beigadr's Berserker Gravestone sits in a sandy shoreline at Alberich's Island in Svartalfheim near the boat dock, this location is unlocked early on in the game as an optional path along the Bay of Bounty, but the gravestone can't be interacted with until getting the Hilt of of Skofnung!

Power Level: 6
Recommended Level: 5-6
Rewards: Asgard's Might Enchantment, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Abhorrent Berserker Beigadr -

Unlike Fraekni the Zealous and Hardrefill the Callous, Beigadr is a level above the starting Berserkers, and he'll make sure you won't forget it as the difficulty ramps up. While he may not come into battle with a weapon, he's infused with electricty, meaning taking any lasting damage from him can result in getting shocked, which can mean a quick death if you aren't careful.

If the other earlier Berserkers had you sweating, consider this an even more daunting challenge. Beigadr is much more aggressive than the other early Berserkers, and is very unforgiving when it comes to charging in without a plan or not timing your blocks and parries accurately. If you're still learning the ropes, you may want to come back when is health bar is yellow instead of orange, otherwise you can expect him to do some serious damage in just a few hits if you aren't rocking armor with serious defense and vitality.

Where Fraekni and Hardrefill had only a few tricks up their sleeves, Beigadr is a real trickster with a swath of lightning based attacks - and will teleport around the arena as he pleases when he no longer feels like going toe to toe. It's highly recommended to lock onto him using Middle Mouse Click to always know where he's gone to, or you'll waste time re-orienting yourself.

Beigadr has a lot of lightning based moves at range, and most of them are very deadly. Two of them travel as shocks that hit the ground, while the other two are lightning orb projectiles, and each will usually happen when he teleports away from you. Don't attempt to charge him for any of these moves, as you'll want to focus on being defensive as much as possible.

His standard strike, "Slod Eldinga!" summons a trail of sparks along the ground that head in your direction rather quick. The good news is these still count as a regular attack, meaning you can block them without worry - and their fast nature may make it easier to stand your ground rather than risk a mis-timed dodge.

He'll also turn up the dial with a similar but more deadly strike, "Veggur Eldinga!", and it can be hard to see the red ring that forms before he summons a line of lightning bolts that will head your way. A tip to keep in mind is if the lightning travels along the ground, it's safe to block, but if it's coming from the sky, you need to strafe to the side and dodge quickly!

As for the straight shooting shock projectiles, there are two types to look out for. His most often used, "Daudahogg!" will involve him spinning to one side and then the other in a fakeout as he launches two projectiles at you in succession. These can be blocked as normal, but they can also be parried straight back at him (or deflected using the Radiant Warden Handles and charging Flame Whiplash if you don't want to worry about timing).

However, he also has two unblockable attacks when he floats up into the air that can be a real pain to deal with. "Pyrpring Eldinga!" is a quick unblockable ranged strike that summons a cluster of projectiles that will rise into the air for a moment before flying right at you. They can be incredibly tough to dodge as you judge the distance - we recommend taking a quick sidestep once they start coming at you, and then wait a moment to tap again roll right before they land to ensure they don't follow your dodge. Don't try to roll straight forward or they'll find you.

The last long range attack, "Eldingar Vengi!" has a short pause as he begins to summon several lightning strikes all around the arena that follow your movements - but will also appear ahead of your trajectory. This means you'll have to be quick at either dodging in a zig-zag or diamond pattern to avoid going one direction for too long, or simply sprint in a circle and watch for the red marks on the ground.

While most of these attacks are best endured while on the defensive, you can take a more proactive approach if you have quick aim and reflexes. A well-timed Precision Throw when he rises into the air can stun him and send him back to earth - though the window is much smaller for the projectile cluster, and you'll likely need to throw and dodge if he starts tossing out lightning bolts. You can also stick him with another weapon that won't be mentioned for spoiler reasons, and detonate him when he is in the air. If you manage to knock him out of the air, you'll be rewarded with several free hits until he can move again!

As for his up close and personal strikes, he'll alternate between a 2-hit combo, a staggering point-blank shock, and an unblockable death from above dive similar to Hardrefill's slam. Just like Hardrefill, you'll need to watch for the green shadow beneath you, and sidestep into a dodge roll the moment it stops moving (which will happen much more quicker), or prepare take a huge amount of damage.

Likewise, his staggering point blank shock attack has a surprising amount of range to the blast, but only in front of him, meaning if you aren't stunned you can quickly sprint or dodge roll around to his sides and hit him there. If you want to play it risky, you'll need to time it perfectly, which may take some practice to understand the delay.

Mainly bide your time until he gets close to parry his close range attacks, stun him with a shield strike, and follow up with any Runic Attacks or Summons not on cooldown. Be sure to cycle between all of your weapons to make use of your staggering attacks to keep him off-balance as long as possible until he teleports away (and be careful not to set of a longer running Runic ability when he teleports or you'll be stuck in the animation as you get blasted by lightning.

Once his health has been fully depleted, Beigaðr the Feared will fall to his knees—as his dream of adding Kratos’ head to his morbid collection comes to an abrupt and poetic end. In true ironic fashion, it’s Beigaðr who now loses his own head instead. Sadly for him, Kratos isn’t much of a decorator—no trophy shelf for this one. So looks like Beigaðr’s next big display will be on the floor, in several pieces.

Hvítserkr the Bold – Necromancer of the Forsaken

Located in Vanaheim, Hvitserkr is one of the mid-level Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Hvítserkr the Bold -

Hvitserkr's Berserker Gravestone sits in a grassy shore at Pilgrim's Landing, just west of the main River Delta in Vanaheim near the boat dock, near a path to the central island. Slightly small of an arena that can be tracked down either via map or by following the southern river from Freyr's camp!

Power Level: 6
Recommended Level: 5-6
Rewards: Pommels of the Nine Realms, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Loathsome Berserker Hvitserkr -

Unlike Fraekni the Zealous and Hardrefill the Callous, Hvitserkr is a level above the starting Berserkers similar to Beigadr the Feared, and he'll make sure you won't forget it as the difficulty ramps up. He may not wield a terrifying weapon, but instead will harness something even more lethal along with poison attacks: Friends, I know us gamers are absolutely terrified of even meeting let alone making them so bear with me!

Hvitserkr and his summoned allied will all inflict the poison status effect on you, which will lower your power level once the meter fills up, and render you even more vulnerable to their attacks.
I highly recommend getting the Rond of Purification from Midgard's Well of Urd Legendary Chest, as you'll be able to quickly dispel your poison status with a quick shield strike on whoever is nearest to you. The Token of Elemental Evasion Enchantment found from Midgard's Kol Raiders is also a great status effect removal tool. And while you should try to mainly focus on your main target, having a few quick area of effect Runic Attacks like Njord's Tempest or Nemean Crush can be helpful to scatter his minions.

Consider this fight one of the more harrowing, as you'll need to constantly have eyes on not only your main threat Hvitserkr, but the two Seidr and Nightmares he'll periodically summon to keep hassling you. Any one of them can strike you while you're distracted to debilitate you with poison effects, so try to constantly be moving and swiveling your camera to get eyes on all targets. Your companion should often distract and engage the Seidr, but that may not always be enough. If you've gotten the hang of parrying, the Dauntless Shield can be invaulable here for either parrying away Seidr and Nightmare attacks, or storing the charge to unleash on Hvitserkr himself.

Hvitserkr will usually begin the fight by summoning his two Seidr and Nightmares, and will resummon them periodically after you've killed them (but will never summon more than two of each). While they can be a huge pain to deal with, you can sometimes use them to your advantage.

If you move quick after they are summoned, or have good reaction times, quickly swap to your blades and grab the Nightmares with the Hyperion Pull, and Kratos will then toss them at whatever is in front of you to not only kill the Nightmare but damage anything it explodes on. Even better, during the act of tossing a Nightmare, Kratos is completely invulnerable to all damage sources. The only trick is trying to nab a Nightmare without missing and getting attacked in the process - but with enough practice you can quickly grab them out of the air, pivot, and toss them at the boss without worrying about other attacks.

Like Beigadr, Hvitserker is a real trickster who will alternate between floating around the edges of the arena and blast you with poison projectiles, before teleporting up close to melee strike or do a short range blast. Since you'll also have to contend with multiple enemies that keep re-appearing, giving chase can be hard, so you'll need to be ready to adapt constantly.

With moves like Beigadr, Hvitserkr has a lot of poison based moves at range, and most of them are very deadly. one of them travels as green shocks that hit the ground - though it can be easily blocked without trouble.

Another is a group of unblockable poison orb projectiles that move fast and track you, and each will usually happen when he teleports away from you. Don't attempt to charge him for any of these moves, they can be incredibly tough to dodge as you judge the distance - I recommend taking a quick sidestep once they start coming at you, and then wait a moment to tap again roll right before they land to ensure they don't follow your dodge. Don't try to roll straight forward or they'll find you (If you can toss a Nightmare before the land, you'll be unaffected).

Another type of poison projectiles will involve him spinning to one side and then the other in a fakeout as he launches two projectiles at you in succession. These can be blocked as normal, but they can also be parried straight back at him (or deflected using the Radiant Warden Handles and charging Flame Whiplash if you don't want to worry about timing). They can even target nearby enemies to stagger them out of the way and open up a path to charge the berserker.

The last long range attack has a short pause as he begins to summon several unblockable poison explosions all around the arena that follow your movements. These strikes are denoted by plagued corpses sprouting up out of the ground, but thankfully they need to fully appear first before exploding. Stick to the edges of the arena if you can, unless you want to try going on the offensive.

As for his up close and personal strikes, he'll alternate between a 2-hit combo, a staggering point-blank poison explosion, and an unblockable death from above dive similar to Hardrefill and Beigadr's slam. The two hit punch can be blocked as normal, or you can parry both strikes to charge up your shield before unleashing a shield strike after the second hit to stagger him.

When he takes to the sky, just like Beigadr, you'll need to watch for the green shadow beneath you, and sidestep into a dodge roll the moment it stops moving, or prepare take a huge amount of damage.

With so many different and annoying attacks (and summoned minions), it can be hard to find a good window of opportunity, but it's more important to pick your battles wisely. Focus on dodging and deflecting projectiles and attacks, and let your companion try and get the Seidr's attention before going in for some big attacks. Keep an ear out for shouts that an attack is coming from your blind spots to know when to dodge roll or pivot and block.

Once Hvítserkr the Bold falls to his knees, it’s time to put an end to his twisted legacy of summoning nightmares and bending the natural order. Except this time, it’s his head that gets sent to an early retirement—no dark magic required.With his life force extinguished, you’re free to claim your well-earned spoils—just watch your step as you leave. Who knows if he left behind one last nightmare to spit poison in your face as his final act of defiance?

Hjalti the Stolid – Unyielding Mauler of Old

One of two located in Alfheim, Hjalti is one of the slightly stronger Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Hjalti the Stolid -

Hvitserkr's Berserker Gravestone sits along the sandy dunes and rocky borders in the southwest of Alfheim's Forbidden Sands, however, you will need to free the Hafgufa causing the sandstorm for the gravestone to become unobscured and access the gravestone.

Power Level: 7
Recommended Level: 6-7
Rewards: Grip of the Nine Realms, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Macabre Berserker Hjalti -

Hjalti is one of several level 7 Berserkers you can face, and will be a much tougher experience than the lower Berserkers - especially if you're underleveled. Even without too many tricks to the fight, one wrong move can send you to an early grave if you aren't familiar with how these fights work by now. Still, of all the level 7 Berserkers, Hjalti is a good one to start with due to the somewhat simple nature of the fight.

Thankfully, Hjalti won't bring any status effects to the fight, so the only real thing you need to worry about this fight is pure damage, and surviving any hits you take. With that in mind, you can choose the gear that best suits your strengths.

As previously mentioned, the fight against Hjalti mainly comes down to quick reaction times and not getting hit, as her twin maces will deal a ton of damage to you - especially if you're a bit underleveled, so don't be afraid to continue your main adventure to unlock new areas and upgrade your gear some more. She's a very aggressive fighter and even when she backs off out of melee range, you'll need to be ready to give chase or dodge at a moment's notice.

Her signature move will always come right when the fight begins (and many times after) as she'll leap backwards before charging her maces with both raised in the air. You'll have only seconds to close the distance and interrupt the charge with a shield bash - otherwise you'll be dealt a devastating unblockable, unavoidable attack that reaches the entirety of the region! Because of this, whenever you see her start to break off the attack and backpedal, advance cautiously, as she may be preparing to start charging with a "You are nothing!"

However, you may also find when she retreats that she'll fly into the air for two attacks that will come at you fast:

One will be a staggering blow as she dives down to swing while yelling "Waste of time!" Similar to Fraekni and Hardrefill, The move is quick, and you won't have too much time to figure out which move it is. With that in mind, the second you see the yellow circle, stand your ground to parry, or get ready to dodge to the side if you want to play it safe. While it's a great move to parry and shield bash when you've got the timing down, you can also get a few hits in while dodging around to the back - moreso when you can trigger a Realm Shift from gear.

Don't be too eager to parry each time she's at range, as she can also fire off quick unblockable projectiles while decrying "Not worth my time!" They are just like the quick tracking projectiles fired off by other Berserker's that you will have to dodge at the last moment or they'll still hit you afterwards. Just be careful, as when she gets low on health, she'll often shoot down two volleys at a time, requiring some quick reflexes to avoid on cue.

Finally, her last attack at range will quickly bring her back into melee - but with an unblockable strike while screaming "Unworthy Trash!" This will require some keen reflexes, so you may always want to be moving diagonally when she's at range in case you need to move towards her (charging up), parry the swoop, or dodge the unblockable overhead strike. Triggering Realm Shift from certain gear can still help you score a good counter attack, but the real meat of your attacks will come after her next melee strikes.

When pressing her attack, Hjalti will mix up a string of hits that will usually alternate between regular strikes and staggering attacks. It may take some practice to get the timing down when she slows down her next staggering hit, but once you get the pattern down, you'll be able to parry a string of three hits almost every time.

After blocking or dodging her melee strikes, and especially after interrupting her charged up attack, you'll find it a key time to follow up with at least one Runic Attack to press the damage, while having your companion let loose a constant stream of arrows (Both types are fine, but Sonic can help increase her stun meter as she rarely retreats long enough for the meter to fade if you are ready to keep the damage up).

After learning the move, the rest of the battle will come down to memorizing and adapting to her thankfully limited number of attacks. Once you start to get a feel for when she's about to jump back and start charging, you can reliably charge and hit her hard after interrupting like clockwork, and let her come to you and parry or dodge as needed. Don't get too aggressive for when the Runic Armor activates, as you'll need to be ready to go back to parrying or dodging quicker than you might expect.

Once Hjalti the Stolid falls to her knees, it’s time to put an end to her endless hammering—though this time, she’s the one getting pulverized. With a swift decapitation, you ensure she won’t be tenderizing anything ever again. Collect your spoils, and take a moment to marvel at the irony: Hjalti finally becomes the mashed potato she so enjoyed making of others.

Svipdagr the Cold – Frostfang’s Covetous Warden (Part 1)

Svipdagr the Cold and the Sisters of Illska are three of the twelve Berserkers you can fight as optional bosses in God of War Ragnarok. One of two fights located in Alfheim, This triple boss fight is one of the mid-level berserker fights you can attempt after gaining the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Svipdagr the Cold and the Sisters of Illska -

Svipdagr's Berserker Gravestone sits along the sandy dunes and rocky borders in the southeast of Alfheim's Barrens bordered by giant pillars, however, you will need to free the Hafgufa causing the sandstorm for the gravestone to become unobscured and access the gravestone.

Power Level: 7
Recommended Level: 7
Rewards: Berserker Cuirass, Frozen Flame, Asgard's Security Enchantment, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Rebarbative Berserker Svipdagr and The Beserker Illska Twins

Believe it when I tell you this particular challenge is unlike any you have fought before, as you will face not one but THREE Berserkers at the same time, and each are deadly in their own right. Despite only being at a power level of 7, expect these bosses to test you and all of your skills you've gained thus far. Even with your companion drawing fire, you'll need to be constantly on the move and ready to disengage from combat to block or dodge at a moment's notice. This may take you many attempts to understand the nature of the fight, but I've got tips to help, and to allow you to understand the gravity of this doomed situation lmao!

While Svipdagr won't bring any elemental attacks to the fight - The Illska Sisters, Hromundr the Cruel and Vottr the Prideful - absolutely will, as one uses ice attacks while the other uses fire. Hromundr's ice attacks in particular are extremely deadly if you become slowed down with frost, enabling Svipdagr to make quick work of you. It's highly recommended to equip the Rond of Purification to quickly dispel status effects. Similarly, I would recommend grabbing the Emblem of Elusion to help dodge their elemental projectiles, or the Token of Elemental Evasion from the Midgard Kol Raiders to help manage status effects.

Due to the nature of this fight, your companion will usually alternate keeping the attention of one or sometimes both of the Sisters of Illska, while Svipdagr will stay on you at all times - with constant long-range assists from whichever sister your companion is not focusing on. Even though the sisters share a health bar, it's not advisable to spend your time trying to take them out first due to Svipdagr's aggressive behavior

Once the battle begins, expect Svipdagr to immediately charge you with her signature move - a leaping unblockable strike with her two axes. She'll sometimes enact this move with a yell "I Tire of you!", but not always, so you should often expect it if Svipdagr either disengages with a backwards jump or you had to run away to dodge one of the sister's projectiles (of which will be constant).

The somewhat good news is that Svipdagr will often back off while one of the sisters attempts to blindside you with their ranged attacks... but not always. Often times their attacks tend to have a bit of an overlap, so be sure to try and constantly strafe and pivot to keep both enemies in your line of sight as much as you can. Even when you catch a break and are able to score a combo of hits driving Svipdagr against a wall, you'll want to break off your attack before too long or risk getting hit from behind.

When she's not leaping at you, Svipdagr only has a few different melee combos you'll need to get the hang of. First and foremost is a regular hit followed by a slightly delayed staggering strike, a third hit and an unblockable attack. By parrying the first three hits you can either strike to interrupt the unblockable hit, or dodge first and then strike - before following up with a Runic Attack or combo of your own. If your guard is broken during the combo, she'll follow up instead with another strong staggering hit - but a Spartan Rage Valor can break out of your stun and soak the blow to get healed instead.

Another combo starts with a staggering hit, and then two quick regular strikes with an unblockable finisher. Much like the first, careful parries can lead up to interrupting her last swing, but if you aren't quick enough to hit first, you may want to dodge instead of trading damage at the end.

Finally, when she yells "I say enough!", be ready for a slow staggering backhanded spin, which in turn will prompt four more quick spin attacks in succession, followed by an unblockable overhand strike. The timing on this can be tricky to parry reliably, so don't worry if you have to dodge the first hit and block the rest of the chain regularly before dodging the final strike without using a shield strike.

On her own, Svipdagr's limited attacks aren't too terrible to deal with, giving you lots of opportunities after each combo attack to follow up with some of your own - but it's the Sisters of Illska that will try and throw you off at every given opportunity. Because of this, you'll need to strike when able, but hold off on pressing your attacks too much as you'll need time to disengage and deal with ranged attacks. Both sisters share most of the same pool of attacks, but each is fused with their own elements. Since it can be hard to keep an eye on both them and Svipdagr, listening for callouts can also help you know what's coming.

Some other main attacks from the sisters while in phase one include:

"Slod" Attack: Pivot and block to defend against a low elemental tremor—blocking is easier than dodging.
"Pyrping" Attack: One sister floats and launches tracking projectiles. Dodge roll after launch, or use the Emblem of Elusion for easier timing.
"Veggur!" Orb Attack: Disengage and destroy the summoned frost/ice orb with Draupnir Spear before it gains speed.
Svipdagr's Backoff: She may retreat briefly but will re-engage soon. Use Hilt of Hofud Relic for a realm shift if needed.
"Hromundr": Large ice shard AoE; backpedal out of the expanding zones.
"Vottr": Unblockable fire projectiles rain down. Dodge constantly but avoid dodging forward

Once you know the moves that will be coming at you, the rest of this part of the fight is all about being incredibly defensive and picking your moments to counter. Never get over eager, and make sure to try and use quick Runic Attacks that don't lock you into an animation you can't escape from if threats are coming your way.

Get into a rhythm of dodging, blocking, and countering, and Svipdagr the Cold will soon meet her end—not by sharpening her axe on your bones, as Mimir would have you believe, but by losing her head in poetic justice. After all, what better way to disarm a trophy thief than to make her skull the final casualty of her misguided collection? However the battle isn't over yet!

The Twins of Illska - Cruelty's Prideful Heralds (Part 2)

This is a continuation from the previous section, on how to slay Svipdagr the Cold and the Twins of Illska!

How to Defeat the Berserker Svipdagr and the Contemptible Beserker Illska Twins

The good news is the fight will get a lot easier now - but don't expect the Sisters to go down without a fight. Now instead of alternating ranged attacks, they'll alternate getting up close and personal, and teleporting back for their ranged strikes, but will also constantly change up who is attacking you, so be ready to pivot at a moment's notice.

Given that each of them imbue either frost or flame, you can make use of swapping your weapons often to deal the opposite damage with your axe of blades, since Hromundr wields the power of frost, Vottr empowered with fire. You can also use the disclosed weapon's siphoning ability (or Huldra Charge attack) to steal an element from one sister and use it on the other quite effectively.

Not content to keep using their ranged attacks, a sister that targets you will now swap between getting close with new attacks, and fleeing back at range to use their more familiar ones. Since you already know most of their moves by this point, there's only three new ones to watch out for.

The first will be used a lot, and it's the unblockable sky dive you've come to know so well these past berserker fights. It's fairly quick, and you may only have seconds to react to either Vottr's call of "Your judgment's here!" or Hromundr's "Bleed for me!". If you want to play it safe, roll backwards after seeing the green aura under you stop - but note that skilled players can do a quick sidestep to stay just outside of the blast impact and immediatley counter attack.

If rolling away, you might not have enough time before the sister teleports away to return to ranged attacks, so don't worry too much about counter attacking this move, and instead rely on countering their other melee moves.

One of them will be the standard two-hit punching combo with wide swings that's easy to predict and is used regularly. Two quick parries opens you up for a great time to counter with a shield strike and some Runic Attacks, just be sure to stay ready if you hear the other sister call out that she intends to swap places.

The second is the signature point-blank "Blastr" attack where they charge up their element with hands raised in front of you before a giant explosion hits you with a staggering attack. Like the other Berserkers you've faced, it can easily be parried with a bit of patience, or dodged around behind them to counter with some quick strikes.

Both sisters can still invoke their large unblockable area "vengi" attacks, but without Svipdagr, you should have more time to line up a shot with a ranged strike using your Leviathan Axe to drop them from the sky, and charge in to do some real damage when they fall.

Since both sisters share the same health pool, it really doesn't matter who you attack, so sit back and let either one of them come for you. If you notice your companion fighting one nearby, you can also try and line up some multi-hit attacks with certain Runic Attacks that cover a wide arc to essentially deal double damage by catching them both in the same strike, but you don't need to get to reckless, since you won't want to restart the entire fight all over again.

Once they run out of health, both sisters will simultaneously fall to the ground stunned, giving you all the time you need to walk between the two and part their head from their shoulders. With both sisters now gone, the fight will officially conclude, and you'll get a treasure trove of loot for defeating so many enemies at once: including the Berserker Cuirass to add to your armor set, a Frozen Flame to upgrade your axe, and an echantment for your Yggdrasil Amulet!

Once the Sisters of Illska are defeated, their fury subsides, and the battlefield is left silent—save for the crackle of lingering flames and the chill of dissipating frost. It’s almost poetic: Vöttr, the fiery Prideful, reduced to ash; Hrómundr, the icy Cruel, left to melt into the earth. As you walk away, axe in hand, I can’t help but think they’d be arguing in the afterlife about whose demise was more dramatic. Luckily we're not going to Hellheim anytime soon to overhear that painful conversation! XD

Haklangr the Bearded – Titan of Venom and Hammerfall

One of two located in Vanaheim, Hjalti is one of the strongest Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Haklangr the Bearded -

Haklangr's Berserker Gravestone can be a cumbersome spot to approach, as it's hidden within the large Crater region in northern Vanaheim, accessible only after Chapter 13 - Creatures of Prophecy, by undertaking the side quest Scent of Survival to reveal three new big regions to explore.

But that's not all, as you can spot the gravestone from a distance when exploring The Sinkhole off in the southeast, but an impassible gorge separates you from it (and the dragon that momentarily appears nearby). In order to reach it, you'll instead need to travel along the southwest of The Plains at night to cross its gorge into a tunnel leading to The Jungle. Here you can undertake a quick side quest Favor, Return to the River, to disable the dam and return water to these lands.

It is only after that, that you can return to The Sinkhole and take a boat across to the other side of the now filled gorge and attempt to take on the Berserker Gravestone here.

Power Level: 8
Recommended Level: 7-8
Rewards: Chaos Flame, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Flagitious Berserker Haklangr -

Haklangr is one of the final tier of level 8 Berserkers you can face, and will be a much tougher experience than the lower Berserkers - especially if you're under-leveled. Even without too many tricks to the fight, one wrong move can send you to an early grave if you aren't familiar with how these fights work by now, or have favoured strength over defence or vitality. Still, of all the level 8 Berserkers, Haklangr is a good one to start with due to the somewhat simple nature of the fight.

Haklangr's moves aren't too extremely varied to the point where you'll constantly have to adapt, however, the key to this fight is about your own variety. Haklangr's signature move is to summon different types of shields that make him impervious to all damage until you can crack the shield. He'll usually start out with a basic white shield that will require more stun damage to take down faster, and will later swap to frost or flame shields. Because of this, you'll want to make sure your weapons have been upgraded as high as possible to deal consistent damage regardless of which weapon you have to swap to. Trying to hit his elemental shields with your own elemental weapon of the same type will have its effects bounce off on you, so keep an eye on his health bar.

As for attacks, Haklangr will mostly stick to close up melee attacks, but will periodically jump back to disengage momentarily before getting up close with two distinct moves.

The first you may recognize from Berserkers like Hardrefill the Callous and Hjalti the Stolid. He'll rise straight up into the air while readying his crazy huge hammer behind his head, before launching at you with a staggering attack. It's very slow to move, but with a bit of timing you can reliably parry the landing, making it a great move to counter and follow up with a Runic Attack.

His other leaping move is low to the ground, as he holds his hammer upside down to slam down in an unblockable move with a small radius of impact. The jump is a lot quicker than his staggering move, so be ready to dodge roll back when he moves toward you, then sprint back for a quick hit or two of your own.

Once he's up close, you'll need to be ready to react to a few different attack types, so don't be afraid to use the Hilt of Hofud or weapon attachments of the Nine Realms to enact Realm Shift to better pepare for his next moves.

Instead of using regular strikes, Haklangr will often start out with unblockable overhead smash attacks. He can chain these together a few times, so you may want to focus on dodging to the side and waiting for a follow up for trying to counter as soon as you can - unless you trigger a Realm Shift.

Hey may also follow these unblockable hits up with a staggering lunge of his hammer (or trigger it at random). This jab is very quick and hard to react to, and can do it several times if he knocks you off guard, so you may want to be ready with Spartan Rage Valour to soak an incoming blow to heal if you can't block the follow up.

Be extra careful if he raises his weapon up as green mist starts to cover the ground. This unblockable attack covers a huge range and deals a ton of damage. Luckily you actually have two options here. You can quickly get out of range with two or three dodge rolls away (just make sure you have enough room to cover and don't get trapped against a wall). Once at the edge of the green aura, you can wait for the attack and then sprint in to counter.

Alternatively, if you see the move coming early enough, try immediately launching into a high damage Runic Attack, or a charged shield strike if you have one stored up. Big attacks can actually knock him out of his charge, and shut him down - but if you don't act on it quick, he may power through to the end, so be warned!

Finally, he may begin a long combo spinning attack starting with a staggering spin, followed by a string of regular spin attacks, and ending with a sixth unblockable finisher. If you can parry the opener, you can try to start storing a shield charge to interrupt the last hit, otherwise don't worry about simply blocking the string of attacks in the middle and dodging the final strike.

Be warned, as Haklangr seems to favor gaining temporary Runic Armor buffs at regular intervals - usually around every second bar of his health lost, but not always. Look for the white symbol to the left of hhis name, and for her to start glowing white periodically. This means that Runic Attacks will no longer stagger him, and if you're relying on them to stop Haklangr, you'll instead get a face full of a giant hammer.

Always keep an eye out before you use Runic Attacks that his armor has not activated, as you'll need to keep using other attacks and skill to keep him off-balance until the armor fades. If you're having trouble, try using quicker Runic Attacks that don't lock you into the animation as long so you can retreat when necessary.

Once you've gotten his attack patterns down, focus on doing steady consistent damage when Haklangr leaves himeslf open, and try to keep one Runic Attack for each weapon open for when he pops a different shield, to help you quickly burn it down. Note that the shield won't stop him from getting interrupted, but you can't really damage him until it breaks.

And finally after enough damage is done, Haklangr the Bearded will fall to his knees. And now it's time to give him a trim — but this time, it's not his beard you're after. Sure, he had a mighty sledgehammer and an even mightier beard, but neither could save him from Kratos' razor-sharp precision. Don’t worry, Haklangr, at least your beard will live on... in the afterlife... as a cautionary tale.

Bödvar the Fierce and Starólfr the Troublesome – The Blundering Barbarian and The Fiery Temptress

One of three gravestones in Svartalfheim, Bodvar and Starolfr are two of the strongest Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Bödvar the Fierce and Starólfr the Troublesome -

This Berserker Gravestone can be found quite simply, but should only be attempted when your have gained sufficient power. You'll need to return all the way through Svartalfheim's Applecore and back to the Jarnsmida Pitmines - which you cannot access via the Forge since the mine cart broke.

Power Level: 8
Recommended Level: 7-8
Rewards: Hind of the Nine Realms, Gale Flame, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Fiendish Berserker Bodvar and the Malignant Beserker Starolfr -

Bodvar and Starolfr are one of the final tier of level 8 Berserkers you can face, and will be a much tougher experience than the lower Berserkers - especially if you're underleveled. As you might expect after fighting Svipdagr the Cold and the Sisters of Illska, taking on multiple Berserkers is no easy feat. Thankfully, things won't be quite as hectic with only two fighters, but you'll need to fight very carefully and prepare yourself for the unexpected when one Berserker takes over for the other.

This fight will unfold much like it did when facing the two Sisters of Illska after killing Svipdagr - in that one Berserker will focus on you while the other will mostly be lured in by your companion, but you should expect their attacks to overlap at times, so playing defensive is key as you keep yourself ready for when they begin to sub in and out.

Unlike the Sisters of Illska, each of them has their own distinct moveset, and plenty of moves to catch you off guard if you're not paying attention, especially when they swap targets. Being able to keep an ear out for them calling out each other's name, or lines like "Seek glory, my love!" At that point you should fully expect to be ambushed, so avoid pressing an attack and be ready to block or evade instead.

Beyond that, you should generally expect them to swap their targets every 8-10 seconds or so, depending on their moves and how often you stagger or stun them. Sometimes, you may be able to continually stagger one target with Runic Attacks so that they don't end up swapping targets, at which point they'll reset and begin their cycle of attacking you all over again.

Bodvar the Fierce seems to have much more health and armor than his counterpart, and will rush at you with dual fist weapons that pack a punch. While many of his moves are up close and personal, you should not get comfortable with waiting for him to come to you.

This is because at any point - even when swapping in for Starolfr - he can raise his weapons just like Hjalti the Stolid and prepare for a huge unblockable blue ring attack that covers the whole arena with a move that can easily kill you in a single hit if you aren't favoring Vitality. The second you see him stand in place or yell "Run from my might!", immediately sprint at him and get in a shield strike. Luckily you'll still have wiggle room if he begins to clash his weapons together, giving you a final second to interrupt his animation.

However, you don't always want to blindly charge at him when he's at range, as you need to see what he'll be doing first. He has two charge moves to employ against you. One is a stylish charged up punch that has him fly forward at an alarming speed, and you'll only have a moment to spot the yellow ring to parry right as he flies at you.

However, if you hear him yell "Come here!" Be ready to dodge roll to the side as he charges up to grab you with a quick lunge, or you'll take a ton of damage from his unblockable strike.

When up close, he'll often trigger that familiar point blank explosion attack that will stagger you if you don't wait a bit before blocking. Once you have the timing down, it's a great move to counter with a shield strike and Runic Attack, or dodge around behind him.

As for Mrs Starolfr. she will regulalry try to interrupt you by taking to the sky and shouting "Your end is near!" Before unleashing a salvo of blades in an arc in front of her. It looks deadlier than it is, as it can be easily blocked without fear of taking damage.

She may also try a lunging unblockable strike, which is why you'll need to be ready for when she takes over the assault. If you hear "Helheim awaits!" Be ready to dodge backwards and away for the leaping slam, and then sprint back in to get in a few hits of your own.

Like Svipdagr, she will employ a string of attacks with her two blades, starting with a regular strike and following up with a delayed staggering blow before following up with more strikes.

If not that combo, she can also start with a staggering strike followed by a string of regular hits, so it will be up to you whether you want to try going for a parry or keep dodging to find your opening to fight back.

Given the nature of the fight, you can expect to slowly whittle down each of their health pools (with Staroflr's lower health pool falling a bit faster). Keep an eye out when you can for the spacing between the fighters, as even though you'll be targeting one at a time, you may have several opportunities to rope both of them in during your attacks.

If you get pushed off to the side against one of the Bersekers, try focusing on single-target Runic Attacks using weapons like the Leviathan Axe and Draupnir Spear for quick or strong hits. But if you end up spotting the other Berserker nearby, try to implement your Blades of Chaos to sweep both of them up, or use moves like the Nemean Crush, Leviathan's Roar, or Artillery of the Ancients to hit both of them at once and diminish both health pools at once!

Just be wary that you don't get both of their attentions at once, as which point you should back off and focus entirely on defending yourself before waiting for an opportunity to strike again.

Once Staroflr is executed, you can safely turn your attention fully on Bodvar. He's still a powerhouse in his own right, and will usually start chaining his point-blank explosion attacks together, or jumping back to send a tremor along the ground you can block.

Once Bödvar the Fierce and Starólfr the Troublesome fall to their knees, you know it's game over. Bödvar, with all the brains of a rock (if that), didn’t quite get the memo that dodging is a thing. And Starólfr? Fierce, sure, but she was more "loud" than "smart." A quick decapitation later, and neither of them could remember why they were even fighting. Probably because their heads weren’t around to give them any more advice!

Skjóthendi the Unerring – Assassin of Silent Judgement

. Located in Niflheim, this Beserker is one of the hardest stronger Berserkers you can choose to face after getting the Hilt of of Skofnung.

The Location of Skjothendi the Unerring -

Skjothendi's Berserker Gravestone sits along the barren Mist Fields that cover the east area of Niflheim. You'll stumble across it during the story while playing as Atreus, but cannot return there until after completing the Main Story. Returning to Sindri's House in the Realm Between Realms, Ratatoskr will give you several Yggdrasil Seeds to open up new Mystic Gateways, including one leading to the previously locked area in Niflheim where this Berserker awaits.

Power Level: 8
Recommended Level: 7-8
Rewards: Berserker Gauntlets, Tempered Remnants, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Nefarious Berserker Skjothendi -

Skjothendi is one of several level 8 Berserkers you can face, and will be a much tougher experience than the lower Berserkers - especially if you're underleveled. Unlike your previous challenges, Skjothendi will make use of that most hated and annoying status effect: Bifrost. Because of this, avoiding taking damage will be your top priority.

Because of the amount of Bifrost you'll have to deal with during this fight, nothing will matter more than your ability to get rid of it. I suggest upgrading the Rond of Purification to help eliminate Bifrost build-up with a shield strike - but you shouldn't stop there. Be sure to equip the Remedy of the Bifrost Enchantment to let your attacks also cure build-up. Since evasion is also key, it may be in your interest to either go all in on Realm Shifting with the Emblem of the Nine Realms Enchantment, Hilt of Hofud Relic, and any Nine Realm weapon attachments you can invoke along with the Alfheim Enchantment set bonus. Otherwise, you may want to explore the Vanaheim Crater to upgrade the Dragon Armour Set to deal more damage after parrying, as this will be a very quick and aggressive fight.

The best defense can be a good offense with this fight, mainly because the clock will always be against you with constant bifrost build-up, and leaving Skjothendi alone will be bad for your health. It will be a difficult dance to maintain, as you will have to press your attack as much as possible, but try to avoid letting her land any hits or risk your health bar exploding.

Right from the start, Skjothendi will imbue the very air with Bifrost, seen by her sparkling with power. This gives her a damaging aura of sorts, as you'll soon spot your health bar gradually turn blue as more and more Bifrost takes over your health bar. By itself this won't actually cause damage - but all it will take is one shot landing to make your entire health bar disappear.

You'll want to keep her staggered and off-balance as much as possible, which requires getting up in her face and pressing the attack, actively parrying and retaliating with shield strikes, or chaining together Realm Shift through dodging, activating your relic, and invoking Permafrost or Maelstrom with attatchments of the Nine Realms.

Beyond this, you only have few means of cleansing your health bar of Bifrost when it begins to build-up to critical levels. One great tool to keep in your back pocket is your Rage. Invoking Spartan Rage will instantly cleanse your health of any Bifrost - even if you activate it for a second and then deactivate it. If using Spartan Rage Valour, you can also use it as a fail-safe if you've been staggered or otherwise can't block the next incoming attack to not only cleanse your health, but heal yourself too.

Most of the moves Skjothendi will employ should be familiar now, but greater care is needed to avoid taking damage from them.

At range, she will often send forth a tremor of Bifrost your way, but blocking it with your shield is a safe bet to avoid taking risks.

Skjothendi will also dart back and forth while sending out two arcing shots - and again you can simply block to avoid risks, or try parrying to send them right back at her.

She may also rise into the air and send out a set of tracking projectiles that move fast. If you find yourself struggling to get away from the unblockable attack, consider using the Emblem of Elusion Enchantment.

Her most deadly and alarming attack comes when she rises into the air for a "Bifrost Vengi". She'll charge up her Bifrost for several moments before exploding the arena in a powerful unblockable blast - and you'll want to immediately swat her down with any ranged attack you can muster.

When she wants to get into range, beware her challenge of "Is this all you've got?", as she'll jump into the sky and crash down with an unblockable bifrost smash attack. Thankfully, the radius of her slam is fairly small, allowing you to step back, and then charge forth to attack back.

When at close range, she'll usually alternate between the standard two-hit swing that can be parried and countered, and her "Blastr" point-blank attack that triggers a staggering Bifrost explosion.

The point-blank explosion can be deadly and hard to time with it's delayed explosion, but can also offer you a lot of time to retaliate, especially when chaining Runic Attacks or Realm Shift into the mix.

Be warned, as Skjothendi seems to favor gaining temporary Runic Armor buffs at regular intervals - usually around every second bar of her health lost, but not always. Look for the white symbol to the left of her name, and for her to start glowing white periodically. This means that Runic Attacks will no longer stagger her, and if you're relying on them to stop Skjothendi in her tracks, you'll instead get obliterated if Bifrost has overtaken your health bar.

Once she gets low on health, she'll invoke the Bifrost aura more frequently, and will try and throw you off by teleporting away only to lunge forward with a staggering punch attack that needs to be expertly timed or dodged to avoid.

The longer the fight drags on, the more deadly it will get, especially if you run low on Spartan Rage to cleanse your health bar, so use it wisely.

Once Skjóthendi the Unerring falls to her knees, you can swiftly separates her head from her shoulders—a decisive conclusion to her storied career of psychological warfare. The assassin who thrived on isolating her targets now finds herself crammed into Skofnung with her former allies, a poetic twist she likely wouldn’t appreciate. Perhaps in death, she’ll learn that tormenting others isn't as effective when you’re sharing close quarters with the very souls you helped condemn. If nothing else, it’s bound to be awkward.

King Hrólf Kraki - Sovereign of Blood and Betrayal: The Summoning

King Hrolf Kraki is the leader of the twelve Berserkers you can fight in God of War Ragnarok. Though you'll find his grave in Midgard as part of the main story, he can only be challenged once you have defeated all of his Berserker minions across the Nine Realms.

The Location of King Hrolf Kraki -

King Hrolf Kraki's Berserker Gravestone is located in the aptly named King's Grave in Midgard, and is where you first find the Inert Hilt of Skofnung during Chapter 9 - The Word of Fate in the far northeast of the realm.

In order to face him, you must first defeat all twelve Berserkers as part of the Side Quest Favour, Fit for a King. This includes unlocking the following gravestones:

Midgard, Lake of Nine (Fraekni)
Svartalfheim, Nidavellir Beach (Hardrefill)
Svartalfheim, Alberich's Island (Beigadr)
Svartalfheim, Jarnsmida Pitmines (Bodvar and Starolfr)
Alfheim, The Forbidden Sands (Hjalti)
Alfheim, The Barrens (Svipdagr, Hromundr, Vottr)
Vanaheim, Pilgrim's Landing (Hvitserkr)
Vanaheim, The Sinkhole (Haklangr)
Niflheim, The Mist Fields (Skjothendi)

Once each of these Berserker Gravestones has been cleared (some count for multiple Berserkers), you will be tasked to return back to Midgard and approach the King's Grave with your fully charged Hilt of Skofnung, and summon King Hrolf, the most Malicious Beserker to have ever roamed the realms.

Power Level: 9
Recommended Level: 8-9
Rewards: Powered Hilt of Skofnung Relic, Helheim's Virtue Enchantment, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes

How to Defeat the Malefic Monarch Hrolf Kraki -

As the leader of the Berserkers you've faced, King Hrolf is indeed a fearsome foe. At power level 9, it's highly recommend you upgrade everything you possibly can to at least be level 8 (if not level 9). This includes finding every Frozen Flame, Chaos Flame, and Gale Flame to upgrade each of your weapons to their max level, and having one set of armour at or near level 9, and as many weapon attachments upgraded as well. You'll also want to be sure everything else is fully upgraded with available XP - including a good mix of fast and powerful Runic Attacks (most should focus on single-target or at least fast-acting), a fully upgraded Relic, Rage, and Companion Weapon. You should also ensure any skills you use against bosses have been enhanced with added bonuses from completing Skill Labours (mostly charging or evading skills and the Spear detonation). So without further ado, it's time to end this, once and for all!

Some good news about your fight with King Hrolf Kraki is that you've seen pretty much every move he's going to make before - as his moveset is directly pulled from that of his subordinates. The bad news is that he'll constantly be changing tactics, summoning the weapons or elements of each Berserker on a whim, which means you'll need to be ready for literally anything.

Not content to use just one elemental magic from the other Berserkers, he'll change up which element he's infused with at random, meaning you'll need to be ready to deal with poison, frost, flame, shock, AND Bifrost during any of his moves. The upside to this is that your spear can routinely be used to siphon elements from him to be used against the King.

Expect him to move faster AND hit harder than any Berserker you've faced before, and his multitude of abilities means you will rarely catch a breather as he can be deadly up close or at range. You'll need to carefully plan out your counter attacks to when you're sure he's finished his move and can be hit back - but before he teleports away.

At range, he can use any element for many of these moves, starting with the standard "Daudahogg" two quick tracking projectiles that arc at you while he floats one direction and then the next. These can and should be parried if possible as the second one can hit him when he stops moving.

His ground tremor spell will track you fairly well, so sit tight and block the attack regularly while you wait for his next move.

The "Pyrping" spell sends out a group of tracking projectiles that moves fast and will require you to dodge only after they've launched, as evading too early will still get you hit.

King Hrolf can also summon ice or fire orbs to track you - but thankfully without additional enemies to blindside you, they will pop quickly with a ranged attack.

As for the more deadly moves, King Hrolf can invoke any of the elemental "Vengi" unblockable moves. This includes the fireball shower all around you - which you'll want to carefully strafe and backpedal using as much of the arena as possible to move around away from the incoming flames.

The frost Vengi comes down in three large radius effects, but their static positioning gives you more time to fill him with spears or charge a permafrost axe to throw and knock him out of it.

The shock Vengi will come out in a straight line, but quickly target your last known position, so keep moving and dodging but don't get trapped against a wall unless you want a good dosage of the electric chair treatement!

Finally, the Bifrost Vengi needs to be interrupted as soon as you see purple sparks, which can be done by any of your weapons ranged moves - so long as you make it quick before the explosion hits.

And if keeping an eye on the King wasn't bad enough, you'll need to be ready to reach him at any moment, as he can summon Hjalti's twin maces and prepare to slam them together yelling "Bow to me!" It will deal blinding damage across the entire arena unless you can shield strike his blue ring prompt! You've still got a second if you see him start to complete the animation, so run hard! Luckily, interrupting this attack will give you plenty of time to dish out some damage before he can recover.

When King Hrolf Kraki wants to start getting in close to use a variety of summoned weapons, he has many ways of doing so that you'll need to be ready to dodge and counter. The first is the standard leap into the sky while yelling "Kneel before me!", and slam down where the green aura appears under you. Given that the radius is small, you can begin to time it right and sidestep away when the shadows stops moving with you to avoid his slam, then unleash a Runic Attack while he's busy pulling his sword out of the ground. Be wary though, if he slams down and doesn't fully keel with a sword down, he might chain together two leaps in a row, or quickly teleport away.

King Hrólf Kraki - Sovereign of Blood and Betrayal: The Execution

King Hrolf Kraki may also opt for a couple of quick leaping slams or charges used by other Berserkers. The most standard is usually using Hjalti's maces for a long jump that you'll need to dodge to the side.

If he slowly rises into the air wielding a his own sword, you can expect a staggering leap attack towards you, which can be parried if accurate to reverse into time spent unleashing some of your own damage.

At close range, expect the King to rapidly conjure many of the weapons you've come up against when dealing with the Barbarians. However, he can also forego weapons entirely, and instead try to imbue his fists with random elemental energy for a two-hit combo. These are great to parry, especially with the perk from the Dragon Armor to build up damage you can unleash after blocking both strikes.

When also unarmed, he may try for the familiar point-blank "Blastr" explosion of elemental energy. Thankfully by now you should have a good idea of delay to reliably parry it or dodge around behind - just be careful when countering as he sometimes will do the blast twice if not interrupted enough.

When he does summon weapons, be on the lookout for Fraekni's halberd, which he can quickly fly across the arena with to skewer you unless you perform a quick sidestep to avoid. At low health, he may even do this twice in a row!

He can also follow up several close range attacks with a quick lunge from the halberd, but it can be blocked as normal if you find it hard to time right for a parry.

If he summons Haklangr's giant hammer, be on guard, as you'll likely need to either roll to the side several times to avoid his overhand unblockable attacks, or dodge backwards if he holds the hammer upside down to slam into the ground with a yell of "Fall in line!", and send a shockwave where the green aura has gathered (It can usually be avoided in 1-2 rolls away). As with the slam from on high, he'll have to take time to pull the hammer up, giving you a great opportunity to unleash some damage, and keep it going with Realm Shift if possible.

He can also use Haklangr's signature spinning combo attack (to the tune of "Bend your knee!") with the staggering opener followed by several more swings and a unblockable finisher, so be ready to dodge out of the way if you're not sure on the timing.

As for other weapons, Hrolf may invoke Svipdagr's twin axes to perform one of two familiar combo attacks - one that begins with a regular swipe and a staggered slow follow up (and another if you fail to parry it), or a staggered blow followed by several regular swings ending in an unblockable attack. If you've got the timing down perfectly you can shield strike his last hit before it lands, otherwise it may be better to dodge to the side first.

He may also grab his own sword for a slow staggering swing followed by a much faster one - but a well-timed parry and knock him off balance after the second swing.

Finally, if he's unarmed, he may launch into Skjothendi's flying staggering punch when at range that can be hard to spot coming, so don't be afraid to dodge if the timing feels off.

Expect him to also invoke Haklangr's shielding ability at around half health, requiring you to burn off his frost shield or vice-versa, or simply break apart his stun shield by using strong attacks when possible, so you can get back to shaving off his actual health bar.

You'll also need to be wary when he gets at low health, as more often than not he'll bring in Skjothendi's most annoying ability to the table, sapping the entire arena with Bifrost energy and slowly infecting your entire health bar. This is where your ability to cleanse with enchantments, shield ronds, or Spartan Rage can really come in handy, otherwise almost any attack he unleashes will kill you once your health is claimed by Bi-frost, and he has a lot of moves to surprise you with.

Adapting to his many attacks will be the key to this fight, as will be biding your time for the right moments to hit him and hit him hard. Be sure to chain together your best moves when you can - like enabling the Realm Shift relic to unleash multiple hits to charge up your weapon's R ability to trigger another Realm Shift if you have that weapon attachment ready, giving you even more time to unleash damage he can't run away from.

Expect his Runic Armor to appear briefly after every 2-3 bars you knock off his health - although it isn't exact. When you see the icon or his body flash white, try not to use Runic Attacks too haphazardly, or you may end up setting yourself up to be struck down as he powers through to hit you anyway.

Remember that there are few Health Stones scattered around the arena even before you begin, and dealing damage to him will drop more, so use them whenever you get a break in the fight or he teleports away for a moment.

Much of this fight can come down to recognizing patterns - or even getting lucky with him not using the attacks you hate the most, like the blue ring attack or the Bifrost explosion. Any time you manage to get him off balance, press your attack and swap between weapons to use Runic Attacks as needed - until he jumps away, then pivot to prepare to counter his next move.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When at last his health bar is fully depleted, bring Kratos in for the big finisher, and relieve King Hrolf Kraki of his crown -- and head. Hrólf’s reign of treachery and ghostly oppression is over, and his betrayal of King Aldis has finally been avenged. His once-loyal subjects can rest easy… or not, since they’re all still stuck haunting the Hilt of Skofnung.

Ah, yes speaking of which—the Hilt of Skofnung, now fully powered and in your hands. With it, you can summon spectral blades that are likely far more effective than Hrólf and his gang were in life. As for Hrólf? He gets to spend eternity crammed inside the very weapon that serves as a reminder of his downfall, surrounded by his former subjects, probably listening to them gripe about how he got them into this mess. Poetic justice at its finest.

Oh, and don’t forget the mountain of Hacksilver and resources as your well-earned reward. After all, dismantling a cursed king’s legacy isn’t cheap work. Congratulations, O Slayer of Tyrants! You’ve freed the realm and provided Hrólf with a fitting afterlife: eternal annoyance lmao!

The Inevitable Conclusion of Glory Across the Realms of Midgard -

Thank you for joining me on this thunderous journey through the relentless battles of God of War Ragnarök. Crafting this guide has been an exhilarating endeavor, and I hope it has helped illuminate your path to triumph over the Berserker King and his spectral comrades. Each foe brought unique challenges that demanded cunning, strength, and maybe a little cursing at the screen—but hey, that's what makes victory so satisfying.

If this guide was as useful as a well-timed Spartan Rage, I’d be honoured if you gave it a thumbs-up or a rating. Your support inspires the creation of more in-depth guides to help champions like you conquer the toughest trials. And if you're feeling particularly godly, an award would be like a gift straight from Asgard itself—truly appreciated.

Now, with King Hrólf Kraki's reign ended and his haunting spirit doomed to endure eternity in the company of his former subjects within the Hilt of Skofnung, your name shall be whispered with reverence throughout the Nine Realms. As for any Berserkers you may encounter in the mortal world? Take a page from Kratos’s book: sever the problem at its source, and don’t forget to wish them a merry decapitation!

1 Comments

< >

TheHollowGuy [author] 21 Nov, 2024 @ 3:15pm

Thank you for reading the guide dear viewer, and hope you found the tips useful! Remember for any Berserkers you may encounter in the mortal world? Go on full God of Decapitation, works like a charm trust me lmao!

< >