Summary

  • Assassin's Creed Valhalla offers players diverse ways to approach missions, including overpowered builds for intense combat.
  • Using specific gear sets like Hreidmar's Divinity or Taranis Lightning can enhance abilities and gameplay mechanics in Valhalla.
  • Different optimized builds like Mythical Legend or All-Rounded Assassin provide unique playstyles for diverse combat situations.

When young Eivor Varinsdottir of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla accompanies other Vikings in establishing a new clan in England, they are dragged into the world-spanning conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. Despite taking a similar RPG route as its Assassin’s Creed predecessor, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla makes ado with the prequel Odyssey’s more fantastical route and goes back to its semi-realist roots, becoming more in line with a fantasy stealth game set in the 800s CE.

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While the Assassin’s Creed entry offers players a myriad of ways to approach missions, gamers who want a wilder twist to their gameplay may be interested in trying overpowered builds. When used correctly, players can say goodbye to traditional assassinations and enter fights with sheer ferocity, fire, poisonous strikes, and even long-ranged mastery.

Updated on September 24, 2024, by Rhenn Taguiam: With Assassin’s Creed Shadows eventually taking players to the much-awaited location of Japan, fans of the franchise might want to explore some older Assassin’s Creed entries for a grasp on its other mechanics. Whereas Shadows will have the duo of Naoe and Yasuke tackling various threats with different fighting styles, the likes of Valhalla will have the Viking Eivor fight both humans and supernatural warriors with a wide variety of playstyles. Players who want to explore the extent of what Eivor can offer in Valhalla might want to try some unique builds, such as a healing-based setup, unarmed combat specialties, and combining an armor set with a rare sword.

17 Hreidmar’s Divinity

Get Constant Healing With A Bonus Crit Advantage

Hreidmar’s Divinity

Gear

Skills

  • Hreidmar’s Blessed Cloak
  • Hreidmar’s Blessed Cuirass
  • Hreidmar’s Blessed Helmet
  • Hriedmar’s Blessed Gauntlets
  • Hreidmar’s Blessed Greaves
  • Viper Bow
  • Gae Bolg(Einherjar Rune)
  • Brush With Death
  • Explosive Corpse
  • Assassin’s Cantrip
  • Missile Reversal

Gods are known to be nigh-immortal, with nothing capable of dealing damage to them. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay, players can feel just that with Hreidmar’s Divinity. At its core, the Hreidmar’s Blessed set’s full bonuses make it such an attractive armor to acquire - especially for players who want to get in the thick of combat. However, the set works best when paired with weapons that boost critical damage - as this not only secures crits but also guarantees heals.

Thanks to the Hreidmar’s set, players technically get more out of their heals. Not only do they now get heals whenever they crit, but they also get more healing from rations, and even damage nearby enemies when healing using these items. This set makes the Viper Bow a reasonable addition to their Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay, as critical chance stacks whenever Eivor uses this weapon to hit foes. A decent melee pairing for this weapon would be the Gae Bolg, which will deal a stunning lightning shock to enemies on the third hit. When used with the Einherjar Rune, a critical hit will now also summon an Einherjar that stuns foes.

16 Taranis Lightning

Become Nigh-Invincible While Unarmed

Taranis Lightning

Gear

Skills

  • Taranis Hood (Great Evasion Runes)
  • Taranis Pants (Great Evasion Runes)
  • Druidic Helmet (Great Shell Runes)
  • Druidic Bracers
  • Jarl of the Raven Clan Armor (Forged Raven Rune, Great Runes of Life)
  • Bora
  • Grit
  • Single-Hand Defense
  • Brush With Death
  • Idunn’s Heart

The best assassins are trained to be able to kill with virtually anything - perhaps all the more so the likes of Eivor, whose life exploring Vikings always meant they were exposed to all sorts of threats. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay, Eivor’s true resolve can be proven with the Taranis Lightning set - technically turning them into a nigh-invincible juggernaut who doesn’t even need to use weapons to fight foes.

These perks are courtesy of the Taranis set, which grants Eivor bonus damage when fighting unarmed and some additional defense. Each punch while wielding the Taranis set will infuse lightning into Eivor’s hands, making each strike more satisfying. At base, Great Evasion Runes should give Eivor enough juice to dodge attacks, while the Great Runes of Life and Shell can boost their Health to tank most damage. The damage reduction from Bora can also help in this regard. Even if Eivor does take hits, the Jarl will just increase their Armor more. Thanks to the Druidic Armor, Health is also restored whenever Eivor hits a foe three times.

15 The Stalwart Fallen Hero

Take Advantage Of The Blazing Sword’s Bonuses

The Stalwart Fallen Hero

Gear

Skills

  • Fallen Hero Cape
  • Fallen Hero Breastplate
  • Fallen Hero Greaves
  • Falen Hero Bracer
  • Fallen Hero Helmet
  • Khotan Bow
  • The Blazing Sword
  • Mjolnir
  • Adrenaline Fiend
  • Adrenaline Upgrade
  • Parry Damage
  • Perfect Attack
  • Stomp
  • Warrior Takedown

Not much is known about the Fallen Hero set, except that Emperor Nero took great lengths to protect its pieces. When Eivor acquired this in their journey, the armor proved to be quite an asset in combat - capable of not only boosting Eivor’s prowess but constantly dealing damage to fallen foes. However, the Stalwart Fallen Hero reveals a more interesting synergy between the Fallen Hero and an unexpected companion gear: the Blazing Sword. Originally an Isu defensive artifact, Eivor’s acquisition of the Blazing Sword granted a long-ranged powerhouse in their arsenal.

At the hands of the player, the Stalwart Fallen Hero is less about which skills players use but rather how they synergize these two pieces of gear. With the Fallen Hero set, players already set a boost in Armor and Damage when fighting foes. Being hit will drop a pulse that unleashes an AOE-with-knockback after a short delay. Meanwhile, the Blazing Sword can unleash a long-ranged projectile - allowing Eivor to technically fight from afar whenever they wanted. The synergy happens when Eivor uses the Sword while wearing the set. Now, whenever they get hit, Eivor has the option to leave the pulse or “take” it. Taking the pulse will grant them combat bonuses, boosting their attack further - transforming this into a free buff-on-hit effect.

14 Crit-Healing Fire Axe

All-In-One Fire Damage, Crits, And Heals

Crit-Healing Fire Axe

Gear

Skills

  • Sepulcher Axe
  • Kopis
  • Viper Bow
  • Raven Clan Armor (Set)
  • Brush With Death
  • Explosive Corpse
  • Assassin’s Cantrip
  • Missile Reversal

Synergies play a major role in creating optimized builds in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, especially with the game’s action-oriented gameplay. Fire takes center stage in this particular synergy in the Crit-Healing Fire Axe build, where crit-based effects come into play: the Sepulcher Axe ignites its blade to burn enemies, and the Kopis then heals the player. This pair is best combined with crit chance-boosting effects: the Viper Bow that stacks crit chance per hit, and the Raven Clan Armor that gives crit chance buffs based on how low the player’s HP gets.

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In turn, it’s important for the Crit-Healing Fire Axe build to be able to capitalize on combat situations that occur close to them. These include slow-mo after dodging at the right moment (Brush With Death), booby-trapping a dead enemy to explode and start a conflict (Explosive Corpse), smoke-bombing to distract opponents after a parry (Assassin’s Cantrip), and even returning a projectile (Missile Reversal).

13 Godlike Marksman

Score Surefire Kills From Afar And Even Up Close

Godlike Marksman 

Gear

Skills

  • Hunnish Bow
  • Fyrd Spear
  • Kopis
  • Thegn’s Cloak
  • Huntsman Armor +2
  • Thor Armor +2
  • Blinding Rush
  • Brush With Death
  • Last Chance Healing
  • Explosive Corpse
  • Miasma

While stealth kills in Assassin’s Creed remain enjoyable in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Godlike Marksman build shows that securing long-range hits can be just as satisfying. From afar, this is possible with damage boosts at range with the Huntsman Vambraces, and weak spot boosts with the Hunnish Bow. Up close, the Fyrd Spear helps players become more mobile when dodging, while Thor’s Battle Plate gives more openings to stun foes. Thegn’s Cloak can boost a player’s odds of scoring critical hits, which the Kopis can take advantage of heals on crits.

As the Godlike Marksman, it’s best for players to use this build if they can adapt to various situations - especially if opponents get up close. These include slow-mo after successful parries (Blinding Rush), rigging a corpse to blow (Explosive Corpse) or release poison (Miasma) after kills, rushing undetected until contact (Blinding Rush), and slowing down time at low HP for more openings (Last Chance Healing).

12 Mythical Legend

Get Aggressive Up Close And Adapt From Afar

Mythical Legend 

Gear

Skills

  • Gae Bolg
  • Durendal
  • Dokkalfar Bow
  • Paladin Chainmail x2
  • Einherjar Armor x2
  • Dive of the Valkyries
  • Plague of Rats
  • Focus of the Nornir

Players who want to pursue the more difficult endgame content of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla should consider a late-game build like the Mythical Legend to adapt to most high-level content. This build takes advantage of maintaining a high health ceiling to capitalize on bonuses, particularly additional critical chance at 85% HP with the Durendal, and at 90% HP with the Dokkalfar Bow. The lightning shocks from Gae Bolg are supplemented with much-needed Health and Stun damage, which then enjoys more damage (in exchange for increased Stamina consumption) via the Paladin Armor set, as well as more damage per Kill via the Einherjar Armor.

This build should theoretically give players enough firepower at range to take down foes while also bolstering their melee prowess. Skills like the Dive of the Valkyries (Melee) and the Plague of Rats (Ranged) should help players take down multiple foes from any distance, while Focus of the Nornir (Ranged) allows players to get more precise with their aim and deal more damage on kills.

11 All-Rounded Assassin

Access Combat Tools To Fit Any Situation

All-Rounded Assassin in Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Gear

Skills

  • Raven Clan Armor Set
  • Death-Speaker Needler
  • Hundtoth
  • Raider Axe
  • Yngling Seax
  • Advanced Assassination
  • Assassin’s Cantrip
  • Auto-Loot
  • Backstab
  • Chain Assassination

Before players venture into overpowered and thematic Assassin’s Creed builds, they may want to consider trying out a more optimized kit. The All-Rounded Assassin gives Eivor the best tools to adjust to any situation, allowing players to explore Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s mechanics without their choices weighing them down. A lifeline players have in this situation would be the Raven Clan Armor, which not only gives players much-needed Armor at lower Health but also boosts to crit chance.

Meanwhile, players can stay relatively prepared for most combat situations due to their selection of skills. Securing higher damage numbers (Backstab) and multi-kills (Chain Assassin) remain must-have abilities, with quick smoke escapes (Assassin’s Cantrip) and auto-refills (Auto-Loot) giving players room for hassle-free escapes.

10 Clean-Cut Kill

Capitalize On Traditional Stealth Kills To Dominate Combat

Clean-Cut Kill

Gear

Skills

  • Mentor’s Armor Set
  • Hidden Blade
  • Smoke Bomb
  • Varin’s Axe
  • Advanced Assassination
  • Assassin’s Cantrip
  • Backstab
  • Breakfall
  • Chain Assassination
  • Explosive Corpse

Nothing beats a clean kill in Assassin’s Creed gameplay. After all, getting that perfectly-timed assassination every time is a mark of a tried and true assassin. This is the kind of gameplay Clean-Cut Kill offers, focusing on offering Eivor enough speed and utility to kill opponents in a myriad of ways. Key to this build is the Mentor’s Armor which gives players a boost in both crit chance and movement speed, emphasizing mobility.

The rest of the Clean-Cut Kill’s kit relies on how players maximize their slate of skills for multiple situations. Traditional Backstab and Advanced Assassination with smoke bombs from Assassin’s Cantrip can make Hidden Blade kills happen much more smoothly. Alternate assassination combos can come from rigging corpses to explode (Explosive Corpse) and killing multiple targets at a time (Chain Assassination).

9 Viking Sniper

Secure Kills At Any Range

Viking Sniper

Gear

Skills

  • Huntsman Armor Set
  • Fyrd Axe
  • Hundtoth Dagger
  • Hunnish Bow
  • Arrow Reinforcement
  • Bow to Melee Link
  • Charged Shot
  • Hunter Bow Combo
  • Stealth Recon

As much as it’s satisfying doing Hidden Blade kills in Assassin’s Creed gameplay, seeing enemies flop on the ground after perfect headshots is just as satisfying. Thankfully, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla players can enjoy the same ranged supremacy with Viking Sniper, taking full advantage of the Huntsman Armor set that gives Eivor a much-needed boost when shooting at a distance. In worst-case scenarios, Eivor can also benefit from the boost in damage, courtesy of the transition from bow to axe (Bow to Melee Link).

At its core, the Viking Sniper emphasizes speed and accuracy at long ranges. On top of removing the risk of broken arrows (Arrow Reinforcement), players can enjoy faster arrow draws (Hunter Bow Combo), two charged shots at once (Charged Shot), and advanced information on enemy locations (Stealth Recon). This kit should allow Eivor to take care of enemy threats from afar before they even have a chance to retaliate.

8 Elite Clear

Outlast Groups Of Enemies With Stable Defense

Elite Clear

Gear

Skills

  • Brigandine Armor
  • Death-Skald
  • Fafnir’s Fang
  • Suttungr’s Claw
  • Adrenaline Fiend
  • Adrenaline Upgrade
  • Parry Damage
  • Perfect Attack
  • Stomp
  • Warrior Takedown

Knowing how to kill elite enemies as fast as possible is a step players can take to get closer to their dreams of being the perfect killer in Assassin’s Creed gameplay. Since elite and boss enemies often have minions with them, players may find themselves in a tricky situation when surrounded by multiple foes. Thankfully, Elite Clear and its access to Brigandine Armor can boost the player's chance of survival. With a full set of Brigandine Armor, players not only have an increase in melee damage but also additional defenses when facing two or more foes.

The rest of the kit becomes focused on securing consistent damage numbers as much as possible to eliminate higher-level enemies quickly. Both Adrenaline Fiend and Adrenaline Upgrade ensure melee combat can easily be dominated by more powerful attacks. Meanwhile, Perfect Attack and Perfect Damage can lengthen combo strings for more consistent DPS. Lastly, Stomp and Warrior Takedown serve as decent finishers to move on to the next opponent much faster.