The Best God Of War Ragnarok Bosses Ranked
PlayStation and Sony Santa Monica delivered one of the biggest and best games of the year with "God of War Ragnarok," the highly acclaimed sequel to 2018's hit "God of War." The game sees players embark on a new adventure with Kratos and his son Atreus that sees them traverse the nine realms as the cataclysmic event known as Ragnarok is set in motion. Along the way, they try to uncover Atreus' true destiny and deal with Odin and Thor's looming shadow. From heading through the dwarven villages and mines of Svartalfheim to returning to Helheim in search of a piece of Loki's mask, "God of War Ragnarok" offers players some epic discoveries and battles.
As players search new areas and make progress in the story and side missions, they'll not only come across a wide variety of regular enemies, but also a strong set of bosses that'll give Kratos and Atreus a formidable challenge in their journey. Many of these gods and monsters are epic in scale, but there are some boss fights that truly stand higher than the rest, possibly even standing as the best in the franchise. Here are the best boss fights that "God of War Ragnarok" has to offer.
13. The Ash Tyrant
There are plenty of dragon encounters littered throughout "God of War: Ragnarok," yet not are as fearsome or fiery as when Kratos faces off against the Ash Tyrant. During the "The Burning Skies" questline, there are plenty of times players see this white dragon sitting on pillars and looking menacing. However, once players reach a battlefield known as the Sinkhole, they get up close and personal with the Ash Tyrant — and this dragon is no pushover.
The Ash Tyrant is a pretty aggressive attacker with a mix of melee moves — including slamming right on top of you at the start of the fight — and some fire attacks that can reach even the farthest edges of the stage, but the ability to summon Draugrs and Wyverns makes the fight feel endless.
As a whole, fighting the Ash Tyrant is like fighting any big burning dragon, but that basically means that it's epic and endlessly enjoyable. Not to mention, the way Kratos puts it down with some vicious slashes and wild bloodshed only makes defeating The Ash Tyrant feel more satisfying. The Ash Tyrant is definitely one of the best side-quest bosses in "God of War: Ragnarok" and offers players a fiery challenge worth seeking out.
12. Vanadis
Shorty after regaining control of Kratos after he reunites with Atreus when he comes back from Ironwood, players not only have to deal with a bunch of Hel-Reavers surrounding their snowy cabin in Midgard, but the father and son find themselves in the middle of a pretty tough early boss fight against the Valkyrie Vanadis. Just like the Valkyrie fights in the first game, fighting Vanadis is no easy task. Her speed and aggression make her quite a formidable foe.
While it might seem like a good idea to stay away from Vanadis because of her sheer power and devastating blows, she's equally as deadly with her bow attacks. Even worse is that she'll start flooding the area with pools of poison that can even affect Atreus, so players really have to be on their toes and have a shield ready to block at every point in the battle.
Vanadis' fight would be epic and memorable on its own due to how swift and fearsome she can be, but this fight becomes especially memorable when Vanadis is revealed to be a former ally, Freya, in her Valkyrie form. While she might be at your throat throughout the early parts of the game, this boss fight against Vanadis certainly makes players happy that Freya eventually fights alongside you. She's an even better ally than an enemy.
11. The Raven Keeper/The Pale One
"The Eyes of Odin" favor questline returns in "God of War: Ragnarok," in which players search the nine realms for Odin's translucent ravens. However, this iteration features some additional elements. Players will not only find that they can go to Niflheim to see a large tree filled with glowing ravens and treasure chests, but also a secret boss. Just as players rip open the last chest (after killing that last pesky raven), Kratos is screamed at by an entity known as the Raven Keeper. After following this stranger to an icy arena, players engage in a memorable battle.
Facing the Raven Keeper is similar to fighting a Revenant enemy type. The Raven Keeper even resembles one of those undead enemies, albeit with black and purple color accents to make it stand apart. For the most part, it's a pretty straightforward battle in which the Raven Keeper summons other enemies to clutter up the battlefield. However, just as players are on the cusp of defeating it, the Raven Keeper suddenly vanishes and players find themselves locked into another battle against a fearsome dragon known as the Pale One.
It's a shocking mid-match turn that delivers a surprisingly strong second boss in the middle of everything and forces players to adapt to a new kind of enemy. The Raven Keeper and the Pale One aren't exactly the toughest duo in the game, but they certainly make for a deadly and surprising combination.
10. Stinner and Sterkr
After Asgard falls at the end of "God of War Ragnarok," Kratos and Freya traverse the nine realms to seek out the final remnants of Odin's regime during post-game questline "The Last Remnants of Asgard." As players explore the Barrens in Alfheim, they'll eventually come across Stinner and Sterkr, two powerful Einherjar warriors who wield a scythe and a gigantic hammer.
Players will find some good challenge with these two, as having them both on the battlefield at once can be quite a lot to handle. These hulking monsters pack a sizable punch and they can cause some serious damage with a couple big swings. Surprisingly, they have some decent speed to them and can cause some Bifrost damage, meaning players need to be extra careful when facing these two.
Standard Einherjar warriors can be some of the most difficult enemies of the game, but Stinner and Sterkr are certainly a step up, especially with their dominating size and stature. The challenge of these two makes finishing them off with their own weapons very satisfying, and Kratos is far from merciful, despite the lessons he learned throughout the game.
9. Garm
After Atreus frees Garm, a gigantic and vicious wolf in Helheim, you just know that you're going to have to fight him sometime down the road. In the following chapter, "Reunion," players are forced to take on this giant and brutal foe. After chasing him throughout Helheim, Kratos and Atreus are finally able to battle against Garm, but they may have some regrets when they find out he's a strong combatant. His vicious bite can cause quite a bit of damage and although he may have that big chain around his neck, he can still leap across the arena in a flash.
However, that chain also ends up being Garm's biggest downfall, as Kratos is generally able to take him down with it. However, there are so many moving parts to this fight that Kratos isn't able to use that advantage much. Garm's strength often throws Kratos around like a ragdoll and even when Kratos thinks that he's put Garm down for good, he then finds himself running from Garm across Helheim in a destructive chase sequence. Garm is also unique in that he's one of the only bosses who doesn't completely die. Instead, Atreus transfers Fenrir's soul into Garm, turning him into a valuable ally.
8. Gryla
Atreus' time in Ironwood comes with a lot of big story moments, from wallowing in his constant concerns about fate to his first encounter with Angrboda. It all builds towards an incredibly fun boss fight against Angrboda's grandmother, Gryla. The entire boss fight feels imaginatively ripped from "Jack and the Beanstalk" with a dash of "Shadow of the Colossus," especially given how tiny Atreus is when compared to Gryla and nearly everything else in the room.
Using her magic cauldron, Gryla dishes out plenty of dangerous magic spells that can quickly overwhelm players and force Atreus to go into a dodging frenzy to survive. Not to mention, if you get too close to her, she'll simply try to stomp on you, making the size difference very noticeable and deadly. For players' first boss battle playing as Atreus, Gryla provides a very classic boss formula. However, it's so well-designed that it never gets old and smartly utilizes Atreus' more ranged combat style. With its unique visual landscape and a fun fighting formula, Gryla's boss battle is simply a ton of fun and instantly unique when compared to other foes in "God of War Ragnarok."
7. Hrist and Mist
What's more dangerous and fearsome than a Valkyrie? Well, how about two? That's exactly what you get in a sudden fight against Odin's top Valkyries, Hrist and Mist. First of all, the cosmic setting for Hrist and Mist's boss fight is undeniably incredible, perfectly mixing with the dire stakes of where things are in the story. After all, this is one of the last stops before Kratos and Atreus take on Odin.
Hrist and Mist might not be the toughest Valkyries ever fought in the "God of War" series, but they're certainly a tough challenge. The speed of their attacks and their flying abilities make for a deadly combination, and each time it seems like you're about to defeat them, they suddenly grow in power and become even more dominating. There's some good variety to their move-sets that differentiates them from one another and keeps players on their toes.
The tag team fight also means there are moments where both Kratos and Atreus come together in satisfying ways to take this deadly duo down. It's a perfect appetizer for the intense and combative finale of "Ragnarok," and the moment in which Atreus transforms to kill one of the Valkyries is simply unforgettable.
6. King Hrolf Kraki
The "Fit for a King" questline will see players fighting plenty of tough Berserker enemies that rise from their graves, but none are as daunting and genuinely scary as King Hrolf Kraki, the final boss of this questline. King Hrolf is an absolute tank with tons of health and an ability to seemingly withstand just about anything you throw at him. While his move-set isn't too different from the Berserkers who came before him, he's much more powerful and can dish out some heavy damage that'll put players on their heels.
There's no doubt that he's one of the game's hardest bosses. Some players might feel like they've shifted into "Elden Ring" with the level of challenge that King Hrolf brings. Also, his design is easily one of the most memorable in the game, with the spectral aspects mixing well with the awesome-looking armor he wears.
Not to mention, the rewards from beating him are greatly satisfying and valuable: Players will receive the Hilt of Skofnung relic, which is game-changing in battle, as well as the "Grave Mistake" trophy. "Fit for a King" is one of the tougher questlines in "God of War Ragnarok," and King Hrolf is a big reason why.
5. Odin
As expected, the mighty All-Father Odin is the final boss of "God of War Ragnarok." While his fight isn't as difficult as his title would suggest, it's an absolute blast to go against one of the most powerful gods in the franchise (and mythology in general). With his use of magical Bifrost abilities, Odin never lets players feel comfortable, forcing them to constantly stay on the move or suffer massive damage. The boss fight is a visual delight due to all the color bursting on-screen, and you certainly feel Odin's power radiating and growing throughout.
With everything that Odin has put Kratos, Atreus, and their friends through, it's hard not to feel great about putting an end to his reign and cutting him down once and for all. Odin shows he was more than worthy of being the grand finale for "God of War Ragnarok." This is one boss fight that's not only a joy to play through, but it's also narratively satisfying.
4. Nidhogg
Just as players are set to break the curse that Odin has placed on Freya, they find that the vicious Nidhogg is in their way, thrusting Kratos into one of the most astounding boss fights in "God of War: Ragnarok." Nidhogg is a giant reptilian entity with some cosmic abilities, which you first see it when it rips open a tear in reality to absolutely frighten the devil out of you. Its sharp teeth and claws mean that its melee attacks absolutely shred your health, and the beast only becomes more dangerous once Kratos rips it out of the tear (which is an undeniably epic moment).
Once it's freed from the tear, Nidhogg shows off some of its speed and deadly ranged abilities via some of the Bifrost lasers that players will have to dodge. Nidhogg is the perfect kind of mid-game boss fight that excellently catches you off-guard. The creature has an unexpectedly terrifying design and it's a total powerhouse. Plus, that visual of Kratos fighting Nidhogg while it's still halfway through the tear is instantly unique — and the final, brutal kill that Kratos and Freya pull off is jaw-dropping.
3. Heimdall
After facing Heimdall as Atreus in Asgard, his sheer speed and ability to dodge might make you wonder if there's even a way that he can even be fought, let alone defeated. It's a humiliating loss for Atreus.
But with the help of his new weapon, the Draupnir Spear, Kratos ends up being more than a match for Heimdall in a brawl that evokes the vibes of a classic "God of War" boss encounter. At first, things seem like they're just going to go the same way that they did for Atreus, but once Kratos lands that first blow, the entire momentum of the fight shifts into something truly special.
From there, players basically head into an all-out brawl full of intense speed, constant dodging, and heavy blows that really makes it feel like two powerful forces are colliding. Even when Heimdall gets his arm cut off, he only becomes more deadly and dangerous, letting off a flurry of Bifrost attacks. Even the fight against his trusted Gulltoppr mount is a blast. It culminates in a brutal moment with Kratos kind of becoming the old Kratos by killing Heimdall. Because of this fact, this battle also plays a huge role in Kratos' personal arc and the overall narrative.
2. Gna
"God of War: Ragnarok" saves possibly its most frustrating boss fight for the post-game as Kratos and Freya go on the hunt for Gna, the new Valkyrie Queen. But just because it can be frustrating, that doesn't mean it's not also awesome.
The Valkyrie are easily the toughest enemy faction in the "God of War" franchise, but Gna is on a totally different level. Her speed and quick timing means players have little to no room for error. The sheer variety to her attacks makes it tough to figure out what she's really got up her sleeve.
Gna has a mix of strong elemental attacks as well as high-flying physical moves that make her a deadly threat in any part of the arena. Seriously, if you're able to beat Gna, consider yourself a "God of War" master and feel free to add another feather to your cap. Plus, defeating her introduces some touching emotional story beats for Freya, tying her story up nicely (for now). Gna's boss fight is undoubtedly a tough obstacle to overcome, but that's what makes it all the more memorable.
1. Thor
Was there any doubt that Kratos fighting against Thor, the God of Thunder, would be the best boss fight in "God of War Ragnarok?" Ever since Thor's appearance was teased at the end of 2018's "God of War," his bout against Kratos has been one of the sequels most highly-anticipated aspects. Luckily for fans, these fights do not disappoint. The battle within the opening of the game perfectly sets up their rivalry and feels like a bloody grudge match from the jump.
When these two collide again during Ragnarok, things only become more epic. Thor's power only grows and intensifies with each new phase of the fight and players are forced to become more careful and strategic with their moves as the arena becomes consumed by lightening.
The anger and sheer force of these combatants clashing just booms with every blow, making for one of the most satisfying and richly challenging fights of the entire franchise. Kratos vs. Thor is a true clash of the gods, not to mention is one of the most thrilling parts of the game's finale.