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Kratos is already a powerful warrior in God of War Ragnarok, but he needs a little something to enhance that power. In the previous game, 2018's God of War, players used XP to unlock new skills, as well as improve the ones they had already gained. However, in God of War Ragnarok, the skill system has been improved in a few key ways that make it far more enjoyable to use overall.
In the game, Kratos will undergo “Skill Labours,” which will increase the strength of the abilities he can use across all three of his weapon skill trees. Each weapon has its own skill tree, and those aren’t the only things he can use that XP on. This article covers what gamers need to know about God of War Ragnarok’s skill system.
Note: Videos in this article may feature minor spoilers concerning Kratos' sidekick characters.
God of War Ragnarok features a vastly improved skill system
In God of War 2018, players used XP to unlock and improve skills. However, many players felt it was incredibly cumbersome and grindy. In order to make your attacks as powerful as possible, you needed a significant amount of XP.
While this has mostly been retained in God of War Ragnarok, it’s been improved upon, and will now reward you for simply using the skills that you purchase with your XP. The part that remains the same is you use XP to unlock skills in your skill trees, and as you increase your weapon levels, more abilities will be available to acquire.
You only need Weapon Level 6 to get all of the weapon skills in the game, though that is not the final form of your weapons in the game. Each weapon has three trees: Technique, Ranged, and Melee.
Once you’ve unlocked a skill, you need to use it on as many enemies as you possibly can. You have “Skill Labours” to complete for each weapon, and there are three tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
The higher the tier, the more times you have to connect with a skill to level it up. Upon reaching Gold, you can enhance a skill, giving it one of three buffs. It costs a very small amount of XP (1000) to do this, and you can change it at any time. Once you’ve paid to enhance a skill in God of War Ragnarok, you don’t have to pay it again.
You’ll always have a trio of choices. Here are a few examples of skills for the Leviathan Axe, and what choices you have once you reach the Gold Tier of a weapon skill.
- Frozen Breach: Stun, Element, Momentum
- Serpent’s Snare: Damage, Element, Protection
- Leviathan’s Fury: Damage, Stun, Protection
- Vengeful Sickle I: Damage, Stun, Element
Thankfully, it’s remarkably easy to level these skills - just get into a fight and use these attacks on enemies! Using them over and over will inevitably unlock them, and you can go to the Skills menu at any time to see how far you are from the next tier.
It’s worth noting that skills that enhance a skill (Freezing Throw II) do not make you undergo additional Labours. Simply unlocking the first form of a skill will be all you need to begin grinding a skill’s power.
All of Kratos’ weapons have these Skill Labours to undergo. However, your sidekick characters do not have to do that. While they have skill trees to spend XP on, simply unlocking a skill is all you have to do. Any spare XP Kratos has lying around can be used to enhance his Rage attacks, of which he has several options.
Skills are incredibly powerful and useful for Kratos in God of War Ragnarok, and investing time in completing your Skill Labours is going to be a must-complete activity.
For further information on God of War Ragnarok, please check out our early impressions of the game.
