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God of War Ragnarok, the highly awaited sequel to the phenomenal 2018 soft-reboot God of War (2018), is finally playable across various platforms. The game is a conclusive chapter of the Ghost of Sparta - Kratos and his son Atreus' Norse saga, which sees the father-and-son duo go up against the full might of the Aesir gods while trying to prevent the prophecied end of the world, Ragnarok.
While the narrative is a direct continuation of the last game, God of War Ragnarok offers a host of new and exciting additions to the action-heavy hack and slash gameplay. The fundamental structure of gameplay remains the same, with some quality-of-life additions made to the game that significantly alter the flow of combat.
One of the biggest new additions to the game is the brand-new shield gameplay and customization system, which allows players to use different shields according to their preferred playstyle. The game offers players a choice of five different shield types they can switch between, with all the shields equally viable in almost every combat scenario.
However, one shield type reigns over the rest as the best shield for all playstyles. Here is the best shield that players can use in God of War Ragnarok.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions. This article also contains mild spoilers for God of War Ragnarok.
The Shatter Star Shield is easily the best shield among the five that players can find in God of War Ragnarok, and here's why
All shield types that players unlock in God of War Ragnarok
In God of War Ragnarok, players start with the Guardian Shield, given to Kratos by his wife Faye in the previous game. However, after a thunderous battle with the God of Thunder, Thor, the Guardian Shield is broken, rendering it useless in combat.
After Kratos and Atreus exit from Midgard, the Huldra brothers offer the father-and-son duo a place to stay and two new shields for Kratos to use while they fix his original Guardian Shield. Initially, players can only choose between the Stone Wall and Dauntless Shields.
However, over the course of the game, players eventually stumble upon two more shield types: Onslaught and Shatter Star Shields. Also, during the main story quest, "The Path," when Kratos and Freya go out to find the Norns, Brok returns him the Guardian Shield, all repaired.
For early game segments, it's best for players who are either newcomers to the series or aren't experienced with the last game's combat to stick with the Stone Wall Shield. The Dauntless Shield, on the other hand, is a parry-focused shield, which can help players stagger enemies easily but is relatively ineffective in blocking incoming attacks.
However, as soon as players make their way to Vanaheim, they should make their way to the Abandoned Village region to grab the Shatter Star Shield from a legendary chest. The Shatter Star Shield is superior in almost every aspect to all other shield categories in God of War Ragnarok.
Effectively using the Shatter Star Shield in God of War Ragnarok
While it lacks the shield-counter skills present in Guardian and Onslaught Shields, it makes up for it with its insanely damaging shield bash ability. The Shatter Star Shield is the only shield that does not require deflecting or blocking attacks to fill up the charge meter, as it automatically charges by holding L1.
Despite lacking a shield counter, Shatter Star Shield allows players to parry incoming attacks in return for a full charge meter, which they can use to damage enemies by double tapping L1. Players can massively increase the weapon's effectiveness by pairing up the shield with the "Rond of Aggravation" accessory.
The Shatter Star Shield is the most effective shield against the Berserker Souls, who are the most formidable enemy encounters, much like the Valkyries from the last game. The shield-bash ability can easily stun-lock the bosses for players to sneak in a few extra hits before retreating.
While Stone Wall, Dauntless, Onslaught, and Guardian Shield come with their own perks, the Shatter Star Shield, due to its shield-bash ability, is easily the best shield players can use in God of War Ragnarok.
