Kratos' Weapons: Which are the best? Which are the favorites? What are the most powerful weapons in God of War? Let's explore them.
RELATED: The God of War Franchise: 4 More Games Coming After Ragnarök?
8. Barbarian Hammer – God of War II
The moment you get your hands on that oversized spiked mallet in God of War II, after snatching it from the hands of the dead barbarian king, you know it's hammer time. You could be forgiven for thinking that this unassuming (and spiked) weapon of death is only for crushing your enemies, and while that is the case, it also has the ability to summon cursed souls from the Underworld.
The hammer may be as slow as a turtle in molasses, but it packs quite a punch and lets you knock over a group of enemies with a single swing. It is therefore very useful in crowd control situations. It is so powerful that it quickly became the weapon of choice for many God of War II players.
RELATED: Has Gerard Butler Been Cast to Play Kratos in a God of War Movie?
7. Cestus of Nemean – God of War III
Acquired after defeating one of the strongest demigods in the Greek pantheon, Hercules, the Cestus of Nemea is a weapon of brute force. It is said that Hercules received the gauntlets after killing the Nemean Lion as part of his 12 labors.
This large pair of metal gauntlets, which you can compare to metal boxing gloves, resemble the head of a snarling lion. When equipped, the Nemean Cestus increases the strength of the wearer, allowing Kratos to easily defeat (or break) the largest of enemies. While these snarling gauntlets are deadly up close, they also allow Kratos to attack at medium range because the lion heads are attached to chains that allow them to be thrown towards Kratos' enemies.
As you would expect from lion-shaped gauntlets, each blow from the Cestus of Nemea is followed by a lion's roar/growl.
RELATED: Baldur Deserves a God of War Spinoff Game
6. The Gauntlet of Zeus – God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Another gauntlet on the list, this time worn by the big boss of Olympus, Zeus, the Zeus Gauntlet is exactly what the name suggests. This is a large magical lightning-powered gauntlet that Kratos can use to crush his enemies (or fry them). The gauntlet, although mainly used to get close to your enemies, can be powered up for a lightning attack.
When switching from the Blades of Chaos (we'll come back to this) to the Gauntlet of Zeus in mid-air, the combo time slows down and allows the player to easily charge up their attacks. While the gauntlet is powerful enough to shatter stone, iron, and even immortals, there's nothing more satisfying than punching a giant minotaur in the face with it.
RELATED: Jason Momoa Was Born to Play Kratos in a Live-Action God of War Movie.
5. The Claws of Hades – God of War III
After defeating Hades (that good old brother of Zeus who prefers to wear dark clothes and have dead people as companions), Kratos finally gets his hands on the Claws of Hades (and no, they're not literally his claws). Made up of a set of spiked chains with two hooks on the end that glowed a menacing purple, Hades was capable of ripping the souls of his enemies from their physical bodies. The more unfortunate souls the claws absorbed, the more their speed and attack power increased, hence the importance of hitting enemies as much as possible.
As you might guess, the claws allow Kratos to summon dead souls to help him, similar to the Barbarian's Hammer. Kratos was also able to use the claws to dodge attacks by digging them into the ground and pulling himself towards them. With each attack, the voices of the souls that had been absorbed by the claws could be heard.
The adage “one size fits all” seems to be true for most of the Greek gods' weapons, as the gauntlets of Zeus and the claws of Hades shrank to a more manageable size once Kratos got his hands on them.
RELATED: Fans Want Triple H to Play Kratos in a Live-Action God Of War Movie.
4. Blade of Olympus – God of War: Ghost of Sparta, God of War II and God of War III
This mythical blade forged by the God of Light himself, with the help of the heavens and the Earth, at the end of the war between the gods and the Titans, is one of the most powerful weapons available to Kratos in the God of War games.
The weapon possesses the power to kill the gods themselves and was used by a very (very) angry Kratos to kill, among others, Zeus and Gaia. And ultimately, himself (at least that's what we thought until God of War was announced).
The great golden weapon pulsed with power, and being a weapon forged by the most powerful god of Olympus, it could release a powerful blast of divine power. Ultimately, the Blade of Olympus was the only weapon with which Kratos could finally defeat Zeus and thus the Pantheon of Greek gods that he so despised.
RELATED: Thor: Love and Thunder Might Secretly Be a God of War Movie
3. Blade of Artemis – God of War, God of War: Betrayal and God of War: Ascension
Another weapon with a purple glow, the blade of Artemis was used by the goddess who gave it her name to kill one of the powerful Titans. Unlike other weapons on the list, Kratos did not have to kill anyone to acquire it, but was given the weapon by Artemis to defeat Aries.
The blade can penetrate armor and easily injure its wielder. This naturally comes in handy when facing a heavily armed god like Aries. Unlike most of Kratos' other weapons, Artemis's blade changed shape and color (indicating its level) when the player upgraded it. It is similar to the Blades of Athena, another weapon that was “gifted” to him by a goddess.
It seems the Greek ladies couldn't stop giving the God of War weapons.
RELATED: God of War Child's Zeus: The Fake Xbox God of War Game
2. Blades of Chaos – God of War, God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ascension
The first chained weapons to be wielded by Kratos, the Blades of Chaos have a special place in my heart. I mean these blades are connected by chains to the wearer, giving them the power to pull off some really stylish combos. Why wouldn't they be great?
These blades were forged in the depths of Hades by the God of War, Aries. He created these blades for someone who would prove worthy to serve him. Imbued with fire, the blades ignited with each attack, and thanks to the long chains they were linked to, they could be used to attack over long distances.
In fact, it's the weapon that made me fall in love with the game's combat, like many fans of the series. Although the blades look great, they have a tragic history. Although they killed many beasts and mythical creatures, Kratos also unknowingly used them to kill his own wife, Lysandra, and daughter, Calliope, while enraged by Aries. This, of course, royally pissed off Kratos who ended up killing Aries and becoming the God of War himself. After Aries removed Kratos' blades and after the god's fall, the weapons were never seen again.
The Blades of Athena would later replace the Blades of Chaos after their demise.
RELATED: Everything We Want to See in Amazon Prime's God of War TV Series
1. The Leviathan Ax – God of War (2018)
Forged by the Huldra brothers, Sindri and Brok, the Leviathan ax was given to Laufey, who passed it on to her husband before his death. This two-handed war ax is Kratos' primary weapon in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök (2022). Made as a weapon to oppose the power of Mjölnir, it was infused with the echoing screams of twenty frost trolls.
It also grants Kratos a number of other powers, including the use of ice and the ability to recall the weapon from long distances. The weapon's magic and power are also enhanced by the Huldra Brothers during Kratos' journey in God of War (2018).
While fans of the original games were somewhat hesitant about Santa Monica Studio and Cory Barlog's decision to replace the Blades of Chaos with the Leviathan Axe, many have grown to love it. In fact, it's hard to imagine new games without it. The Leviathan Ax became as associated with God of War games as the Blades of Chaos were.
For this reason, it is our number one choice for the most powerful of all weapons in God of War.