Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

The best armor sets in God of War Ragnarok

Jesse Lennox
By

In the past, Kratos was perfectly fine fighting his way through monsters and gods alike bare-chested. Perhaps in his older age, or due to the new, chilly climate he finds himself in in God of War Ragnarok, he has taken to wearing a variety of armor to better protect himself. Aside from looking cool, these armors also add different buffs to Kratos’ stats, allowing you to tweak your build to better suit your playstyle. That being said, there are a ton of armors in the game to find and upgrade.

Armor in God of War Ragnarok comes in three pieces: your chest, wrist, and waist armor. While you can mix and match them to your heart’s content, they typically give the best buffs when worn as a complete set. These are some of the strongest armor sets you can equip in God of War Ragnarok and why. Also note that, once fully upgraded, you do have the option to transmog your armor if you don’t like the look of it but still want the benefits.

Recommended Videos

Further reading

Steinbjorn armor

Kratos wearing Steinbjorn armor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Out of all the armor in God of War Ragnarok, the Steinbjorn armor set has basically been unanimously decided as either the best or at least one of the best there is. The reason for this is simply due to how useful it is for how most people will end up playing the game. Here’s what each of the pieces does:

  • Steinbjorn Plackart: boosts your Defense stat and has the ability to restore HP with every successful attack while at low health.
  • Steinbjorn Gauntlets: bests both Strength and Defense. This piece has a moderate Luck chance to stagger and inflict Stun on enemies when you take damage.
  • Steinbjorn Waist Guard: Adding in more Defense, the waist piece also has a moderate Luck chance to deal stagger and Stun damage to enemies when you’re hit.

Not only is this armor one of the best for adding pure defense to Kratos, but it makes it so that even when you do take damage, you typically get some kind of benefit from it you can use to turn the tables. If you ever do end up in a tight situation, being aggressive and taking advantage of that HP resorting function is a massive benefit too.

You won’t be able to get this armor for a while. It is tied to the Mystical Heirloom Relic in Midgard, which you then need to use to defeat four mini-bosses that drop the required crafting materials.

Guiding Light armor

Kratos wearing guiding light armor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re feeling lucky, the Guiding Light armor set has a bit more risk associated with it but is still a great choice. Here’s how each piece looks:

  • Breastplate of Guiding Light: gives stats to Strength, Defense, and Luck; grants a moderate Luck chance on any hit to increase your Strength, Runic, and Luck for one of your weapons.
  • Gauntlets of Guiding Light: boosts Strength and Luck, as well as gives melee strikes a Luck chance to deal a critical hit that also creates a small AoE explosion.
  • Waist Guard of Guiding Light: Giving you more Defense and Luck, this has the exact same effect as the gauntlets.

If you’re a melee-focused, aggressive attacker, then this is a perfect set to try out. The base stat increases are nice, but when those Luck procs begin to stack up, you will feel unstoppable.

Thankfully, it is very clear how to get this set. Simply play through the game until you get the Guiding Light Favour in Midgard, which can be started by interacting with the broken parts of Tyr’s temple.

Surtr’s Scorched armor

Kratos wearing scorched armor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

One of the more unique-looking armors in the game, Surtr’s Scorched armor lets you muscle your way through combat. You’re going to get a ton of Strength and Defense with this set, plus some unique effects to make you even more powerful with a little skill. Here’s how the armor looks:

  • Surtr’s Scorched Cuirass: increases Strength, Defense, and Vitality; makes any attack you land on an enemy while they’re in the process of attacking you deal bonus damage.
  • Surtr’s Scorched Arm: grants a hefty Strength and Vitality boost, plus reduces any damage and stagger you would take if hit while performing an attack.
  • Surtr’s Scorched Girdle: You will get a bit more Strength, Defense, and Vitality here and the same effect as the arms.

With great stats, this armor can let you tank your way through a lot of encounters. If you’re able to capitalize on the bonus damage, you can crush most basic encounters in a flash.

To get this set, simply complete the required Crucible Challenge in Musphelheim.

Dragon Scaled armor

Kratos wearing Dragon armor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is a better show of strength than wearing the hide of a dragon? Just like the legendary beasts this armor is named for, it is not only strong but extremely tough as well. However, it is slightly more geared toward players who utilize their shield. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Dragon Scaled Breastplate: boosts Strength and Defense. All your blocks and parries will give you a Strength and Defense buff that stacks until you take a hit.
  • Dragon Scaled Bracers: gives you more Strength and Defense. Not only does it make your shield do more damage, but it also makes it so that blocks and parries also deal damage to nearby enemies.
  • Dragon Scaled Girdle: This one functions identically to the bracers.

Naturally, this set is great if you’re a parry master or more of a defensive player since it turns your ability to block damage into offensive power. The stat buffs are just icing on the cake.

To get this armor, you need to first gain access to the Favour called Quaking Hollow. While following this side quest, you will reach an open area you can explore and locate different dragons you need to defeat. Take their loot, and you can craft this set at the shop.

Fallen Stars set

Kratos wearing Fallen Stars armor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Last on the list is the Fallen Stars set. This set is more for Runic users or players who just want a broad set they can put on and not really worry about. It covers a lot of stats but doesn’t have any particularly strong effects. Here’s a look:

  • Plackart of Fallen Stars: buffs your Strength, Defense, Runic, and Vitality. If you’re hit while performing a Runic attack or using your Relic, you will take far less damage.
  • Bracers of Fallen Stars: you’ll get more Strength, Runic, and Vitality stars; makes it so any damage you take while using a Runic attack or Relic will reduce the cooldown.
  • Waist Guard of Fallen Stars: Buffing your Defense, Runic, and Vitality, it has the same effect as the bracers.

While the effect is nice, ideally, you will be using your Runic and Relics when you’re not in danger of being hit. It’s cool to have that in your back pocket if you get surprised, but it shouldn’t be relied on. The stats are really what makes it worth it.

You can get this set by tossing Crystalline Fragments and Shards into the Wishing Well you find in Vanaheim.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…
The best weapons in Armored Core 6
A boss fight in Armored Core 6.

Time to load up for your next mission, merc. Your mech is your real character in Armored Core 6, and the different components you attach to it can completely change how it functions. There are different legs, cores, and all types of ways to change up your mech, but the most immediate and important has to be your weapon loadout. These can range from melee weapons and shotguns to massive missile launchers and Gatling guns. Since your mech can hold weapons in both hands and on each shoulder, there's a lot of room to experiment and give yourself options. Still, weapons aren't cheap and credits aren't always easy to come by as a gun for hire, so here are the best weapons in Armored Core 6 to invest in first.
Best Armored Core 6 weapons

Vvvc-774LS Laser Slicer
Let's begin with a melee weapon, which is far more useful in a game with rifles and lasers than you might expect. This is great for cleaving through mobs of smaller enemies thanks to its wide attack range and the fact that each swing counts as two hits. With an attack power of 1,615, that's a lot of damage coming out very fast -- and that's not even considering the ability to charge it up while advancing. It is on the heavier side for its class, and takes a while to "reload," but is a perfect way to get some breathing room if you get swarmed.
VP-60LCS Laser Cannon
If you need an early shoulder-mounted laser weapon, the VP-60LCS is a great one you can pick up in Chapter 1. They do decent damage, but the real usefulness comes in their staggering ability. Their rate of fire is essentially as fast as you can pull the trigger, and without a need to reload, you can rely on them whenever you need to so long as you don't overheat.
DF-GA-08-HU-BEN Gatling Gun
Sometimes we just want to hold down the trigger and make our problems go away. That's what Gatling guns are for, and this one ranks among the best. Each round will obviously do little damage, but with 1,300 rounds to chew through, not much can hold out against its sustained fire. Having one or two of these in your hands to follow up after stunning enemies with a laser weapon results in the perfect combo.
Songbirds Grenade Cannon
You won't have access to heavy explosives like the Songbirds until around midway into the game, but it is a must-buy as soon as you can. As you would expect, these explosives deal a ton of impact damage that has a decent area of effect if you're firing near a group. As a cherry on top, the grenades also inflict a high amount of stagger, so they're quite useful against bosses as well.
BML-G1/P07VTC-12 Vertical Missile Launcher
We couldn't close out a list of best weapons without a missile launcher, could we? For your money, this model is king. This shoulder-mounted weapon of mass destruction houses 12 missiles in its case that are ready to track your targets down, even behind cover and around obstacles. Just lock on to up to a dozen targets and let the missiles do the work from there.

Read more
The best PS5 games for 2023
A knight with a gun in a burning square.

The PlayStation 5 is looking to dominate the console landscape with its incredible library of games. Like the rest of the industry, Sony saw several major game delays in 2022 (and more this year), but has since dropped several new hit games like God of War Ragnarok, the Resident Evil 4 remake, and Forspoken, among others. There are plenty of games out on PS5 for every kind of gamer.

And there are plenty more great titles on the way — don't forget to check out our list of the best upcoming PS5 games that will come out later this year.

Read more
The best RPGs for PS5
Outriders Intro to the Trickster

The PlayStation platform has always been home to some of the best RPGs on the market. Whether they're JRPGs, action RPGs, tactical RPGs, or any other variation, there's never been a shortage of games that allow you to live out a new experience in nearly any type of setting you could imagine. RPGs were initially a more niche genre, catering to the old-school Dungeons and Dragons players, but have steadily grown in popularity as they have become more accessible and widespread. These games offer narratives and gameplay styles you can't find anywhere else.

The PlayStation 5 came out of the gate strong with a number of high-quality RPGs. Since then, the library has only grown as newer titles find their home on this powerful console. No matter what type of RPG you prefer -- turn-based or real-time combat; fantasy, sci-fi, or modern settings; linear stories or ones that incorporate your choices -- the PS5 has an RPG that will fit your tastes. To help find your perfect fit, take a look at this roundup of the best RPGs for PS5.

Read more