The Blades of Chaos are one of the most iconic pieces of weaponry in video games. These hacking and slashing blades and chains return in God of War: Ragnarok, a staple of Kratos' past violence. The Blades of Chaos are even better in God of War: Ragnarok, and have been refined to their peak, thanks to the game featuring plenty of light and heavy runic attacks.
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Runic attacks are special moves that have a cooldown, which is granted to Kratos' weapons. Considering there are so many runic attacks in God of War: Ragnarok, it’s only right that players use the best Blades of Chaos runic attacks in the game to maximize their efficiency as they take on enemies like Thor.
This list will rank the Light Attacks first and then the Heavy Attacks.
Updated on September 20, 2024, by Jake Fillery: The Blades of Chaos will forever be Kratos's burden to bear, and the scars both physical and emotional only fuel his rage as he uses them to protect himself and Atreus. God of War Ragnarok is going to need the Blades of Chaos as the harshness of Fimbulwinter falls, and the Blades of Chaos can become even greater than before thanks to the best Runic Attacks in God of War Ragnarok. Players can find every Blades of Chaos Runic Attack in God of War Ragnarok below, along with their stats, effects, and how to get them.
10 Helios Flare (Light Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in The Abandoned Village, Vanaheim
- Effect: A long-range fire bolt that inflicts a moderate amount of Burn damage.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2,000 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
7,250 Kratos XP |
This attack has Kratos scraping his blades together to create a long-range fireball. This bolt of fire inflicts a decent amount of Burn damage, and can even chain multiple enemies.
Upgrading this light runic attack allows players to hold R1 while aiming the move to charge it up for a stronger explosion, and a second one too. Damage increases to 3 points, Burn to 4 points, and Stun to 1 with the max upgrade.
9 Flames Of Anguish (Light Attack)
Location: Defeat the Dreki in The Quest For Tyr, a Path Quest
- Effect: A quick uppercut that creates a fiery geyser, launching nearby enemies.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1,750 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
6,750 Kratos XP |
Kratos swings his chains and sends forth an uppercut to create a fiery geyser on the ground. This geyser launches nearby enemies, allowing for a quick and vulnerable attack to stun them and keep combos swift in the air.
At the max level, Flames of Anguish deals 3 Damage points and 5 Burn points. The increase in Burn status is decent, but the fact that this attack is mainly focused on one specific spot and enemy makes it lackluster.
8 Hades Retribution (Light Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in The Temple of Light, Alfheim
- Effect: A forceful stab that embeds a fiery bomb, which detonates after a brief delay.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
2,000 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
7,250 Kratos XP |
With this light runic attack, Kratos will stab at his enemy’s ribs, and embed them with a fiery bomb that will detonate after a shortened delay. Upgrading this ability will allow Kratos to embed more bombs, which will chain a reaction of fiery explosions into an enemy.
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Chaining bombs is beneficial to the player, in case there's a cluster of enemies. They will be launched upwards, allowing for freedom of combos to be unleashed in a flurry of war. The max level of this runic attack has 4 points in Damage and Burn.
7 Cyclone Of Chaos (Light Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in the Raider Stronghold, Midgard
- Effect: A circling sweep attack that clears out all nearby enemies.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2,500 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
8,000 Kratos XP |
The Blades of Chaos are known for their long chains, and how Kratos greatly uses them. This attack has Kratos using both chains to swing his blades in an unrelenting rage full fury, that has his circle sweeping at those around him, clearing out all nearby enemies.
By upgrading this ability, Cyclone of Chaos will greatly increase the number of hits, as well as the duration and damage of the fierce attacks. It's also brilliant for Stun, with 5 points, 3 in Damage, and 1 in Burn.
6 Rampage Of The Furies (Light Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in Vanire Shrine, Vanaheim
- Effect: A robust flurry attack that ends in a powerful cross-slash.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
3,250 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
9,000 Kratos XP |
Although Kratos' relationship with the Furies was a sour note for the God Killer, this ability is certainly the best for straight Damage output. Kratos will unleash a robust flurry attack which will end after a strong combo in a cross-slash, sending that victim to the attack backward. It's one of the many attacks that prove as fun as the Leviathan Axe.
Damage on this ability is a total of 5 points if players have it fully upgraded. Burn is also at 3 points. By upgrading, this ability will increase the Damage and Burn on every hit that connects in the flurry of violence.
5 Tartarus Rage (Heavy Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in Raider Hideout, Midgard
- Effect: Two destructive Blade slams that stagger and launch enemies.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3,250 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
9,000 Kratos XP |
Tartarus Rage sends two destructive blade slams into the ground. These slams stagger and launch enemies into the air, making them vulnerable to another attack from Kratos and Atreus. Upgrading the ability allows Kratos to create more powerful slams, and a final finishing slam if the player holds R2.
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It's a fairly average heavy runic attack, with Damage, Stun and Burn all featuring 3 points with a total cost of 9,000 XP. The cooldown is fairly decent too, but the attack lacks survivability and excitement.
4 Nemean Crush (Heavy Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in The Burrows, Alfheim
- Effect: A massive fiery shockwave attack that sends enemies flying back.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2,500 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
8,000 Kratos XP |
Kratos can create a fiery shockwave as he swings his blades together, crushing whoever is between them while sending those in the vicinity flying backward. This ability has a great set of Burn and Damage, with 4 points for each and 1 in Stun.
Nemean Crush can have a great radius of explosions, and upgrading the ability will release mortars to cause further explosive damage. It's a good heavy runic attack but focuses on what's in front.
3 Atlas Eruption (Heavy Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in The Forge, Svartalfheim
- Effect: Repeatedly slam both Blades into the ground to spark explosions all around. Mash R2 for more slams.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
4,250 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
10,500 Kratos XP |
If players find themselves surrounded, then activating Atlas Eruption is a great way to keep calm. This ability is rageful and has Kratos repeatedly slam his Blades of Chaos into the ground to create fiery explosions around him. Mashing R2 creates more slams.
At its max level, mashing R2 will increase the number of eruptions, with 5 points in Burn and 4 in Damage. It's a great heavy runic attack to keep enemies off of Kratos and his allies, as those surrounding him will be blasted back.
2 Meteoric Slam (Heavy Attack)
Location: Destroy 38 Odin's Ravens and Open the Chest at the Raven Tree in Niflheim
- Effect: A powerful slam attack that rains down fire in a wide arc, inflicting scattered Burn status.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
5,500 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
12,500 Kratos XP |
After freeing a certain amount of Odin’s spectral green ravens in the open world, players will be rewarded with the Meteoric Slam heavy runic attack for the Blades of Chaos in God of War: Ragnarok. This is an intensely powerful attack, with a focus on Damage and Burn through upgrades.
The runic attack itself works like the Nemean Crush, but the opposite. It creates a devastating and powerful slam attack, which rains down fire in a wide arc rather than a forward one. Anyone caught in this earth-shattering attack will have Burns status.
1 Tame The Beast (Heavy Attack)
Location: Legendary Chest in The Shipyard of the Fallen, Helheim
- Effect: A series of Blade whips scorches nearby enemies. Press R2 again for more swipes.
|
Level |
Damage |
Burn |
Stun |
Upgrade Cost |
|
Level 1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
None |
|
Level 2 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3,250 Kratos XP |
|
Level 3 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
9,000 Kratos XP |
Tame the Beast is at its best at a distance. This heavy runic attack allows players to keep themselves at a decent range as they repeatedly whip and scorch enemies nearby, with a series of swipes from the Blades of Chaos. Players can even produce more violent swipes if they press R2 during the ability, proving to the nine realms who is the most powerful.
With a brief cooldown of 133 seconds and 5 points in Damage, Tame the Beast is certainly a beastly ability to use. It also has 2 points in Burn and Stun, making it rather efficient as an all-around perk.
God of War Ragnarok
- Released
- November 9, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Santa Monica Studio
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
