The new God of War Ragnarök Patch is now available. Santa Monica Studio updates the game with NG+, New Armor Sets, Level cap, Enchantments, an expanded Niflheim Arena, and much more.
Update 4.00 for God of War Ragnarök finally introduces the New Game Plus mode.
Lead Community Manager Grace Orlady’s announcement heralds many new features, including fantastic armor, new level cap, numerous armor appearances, and new progression paths.
Are you ready to return to the Nine Realms with Kratos and Atreus to face Ragnarök? Here is everything you need to know about the new patch notes.
Wield the Draupnir Spear from the start
After beating the game once, restart your journey in a NG+ save slot to relive the story with many more gameplay options.
In the NG+ Mode you will be able to use your previous save slot’s old skills, weapons, and armor, including the powerful Draupnir Spear.
Also, keep in mind that you will not have access to the Sonic and Hex arrows at the start of the game! Any areas that require access to those arrows will not unlock until you reach a certain point in the main questline.
The Ghost of Sparta is back
New armor with increased power and the return of the Spartan Aspis. Santa Monica Studio adds new equipment that blend the military traditions of the Ancient Greek world with the icy Norse Mythology, including new armor sets and a return to the origins.
- Armor of the Black Bear
- Spartan Armor
- Ares Armor
- Zeus Armor
Let’s take a quick look at all of the new armor sets and their stats.
Armor of the Black Bear
I’m sure you remember. The beauty of this bear fur-adorned armor set is revealed in the game’s opening scene.
Grace Orlady explains that many players have asked for the addition of a detail, the cloak. As a result, the Armor of the Black Bear is now available, and can be equipped from the start of the new NG+ run.
This armor will keep Kratos warm against the Fimbulwinter frost, even after the sled chase. Its stats are focused on Strength and Defense, with a perk that rewards last-second evasions with a volley of Bifröst shards.
Spartan Armor
Only Kratos could face Fimbulwinter bare-chested, right? Right!
Well, perhaps not the only one…
With no Perk or Stats, and locked at Power Level 1, the Spartan Armor will allow you to face Odin’s hordes as a true Spartan Warrior.
When you’re at the mercy of your enemies, every attack could be fatal. Wear it only if you intend to face an extremely difficult challenge or if you are sufficiently brave. This set will not allow you to make a mistake!
If you’re not brave enough, the developers suggest transmogrifying this armor onto another set to achieve the look without sacrificing protection. Isn’t it a reasonable compromise?
Spartan Armor can be purchased for Hacksilver at Huldra Brothers’ Shop.
Ares Armor
Who better than Kratos to take on the Armor of Ares, the Greek God of War?
Following the success of God of War’s New Game Plus (2018), the Ares Armor returns to God of War Ragnarök with a brand new aesthetics and new perks.
The Ares Armor rewards the luckiest players a chance to drop a Health Stone on hit. Stepping on the health stone grants you Rage boost as well as a bigger explosion.
This armor can be purchased for Hacksilver at Huldra Brothers’ Shop.
Zeus Armor
The Zeus Armor, like the Ares Armor, has been refreshed in the new God of War installment, with an aesthetic that fits perfectly with Fimbulwinter’s glacial tones.
This armor set is ideal for fearless players who like to balance risk and reward. The Zeus Armor greatly increases your Melee and Runic damage, while also increasing incoming damage.
It’s no coincidence that Santa Monica Studio has defined this armor “The ultimate risk-reward playstile.” Fight like Zeus, the father of all Greek gods, but at your own risk.
The Zeus Armor can be obtained by defeating Gná (the new Valkyrie Queen) and completing certain Remnants of Asgard on an NG+ save slot.
The Spartan Aspis
The best shield there is. Every Spartan warrior’s most devoted companion on the battlefield.
God of War Ragnarök finally receives the Spartan Aspis shield.
This shield is similar to the tried-and-true Guardian Shield, but it has a much smaller Parry window. While more difficult to time, successful Parries result in more rewarding damage.
The Spartan Aspis shield can be purchased at Huldra Brothers’ Shop for Hacksilver.
Make your Armor Sets more appealing and stylish
Kratos isn’t particularly concerned with armor appearance, but you could do it for him.
Santa Monica Studio has remixed 13 existing armors, adding previously unavailable color combinations and styles. The new Armor Appearances will allow you to enhance the appearance of armor sets, giving each combination a unique charm.
These appearances can be purchased from Huldra Brothers’ Shop and applied to any Level 9+ armor in the transmog menu.
In addition, after defeating the Berserker King Hrolf Kraki on NG+, you can obtain the new Berserker Armor appearance.
New Progression Paths
To balance the overall experience, Santa Monica has introduced new Progression Paths:
- New Skill Mod Plus
- Platinum Tier Labors
- Additional Stat Gains
Each of these new features will implement and improve progression, further balancing our in-game experience.
We will be able to use XP to upgrade our existing Skill Mod tokens to further enhance the effects of your favorite Mods, or carry over any progress from your Kill Labors or Ratatasks to continue unlocking a new Platinum Tier of rewards.
With Additional Stat Gains, the Nornir Chests will now provide Yggdrasil Dew, allowing players to push Stats far beyond their previous limits.
Burdens, Berserker Soul Drops, and Gilded Coins
Do you want to step up the difficulty? Here are the Burdens for you.
These are a new Set of Enchantments that allow you to equip negative Perks for a tailor-made challenge.
For example, when Kratos rolls, the Burden of Evasion automatically grants him the Frost status effect. You’ll soon realize that rolling isn’t your best option…
The developers have also included the so-called Difficulty HUD Visualization, which displays the current difficulty setting on the HUD and how many Burdens you have equipped.
Furthermore, if you defeat the Berserkers’ tormented souls again in NG+, you’ll be rewarded with Stat Boost Enchantments to equip. Note that they are not as powerful as Perk Enchantments, but they are useful boosts to incorporate into your build.
Last but not least Gilded Coins. They’re available in the shop and are classified as Engraving and Badge Enchantments. Gilded Coins take a variety of intriguing and versatile Perks from Armor (Engravings) and Shield Rönds (Badges). These can be carried as Enchantments in the Amulet.
The most powerful enchantments from the Gilded Coins will require certain Stat thresholds to be met to encourage and reward you for getting clever with your builds.
Niflheim Arena Expansion: New Options, New Enemies, and New Companions
The introduction of the NG+ expands the possibilities offered by the Arena in Niflheim, which now includes an interesting variety of new training options.
You can now play as Kratos or Atreus and choose from the following companion characters to fight alongside you: Freya, Brok, Sindri, Angrboda, Ingrid, Thor, and Thrúd.
You could join Kratos and Thor’s war team, relying on brute force. Taking a softer approach to combining Thrúd’s might and Atreus’ martial intelligence.
You could also take a more strategic approach, fighting at a distance and combining Freya and Atreus’ bow skills. You could use Freya’s Valkyrie abilities, Atreus’ Metamorphoses, or combine their attacks to launch an arrow barrage.
Level Cap Increase
In NG+, both Kratos and your enemies will become more powerful with an increased level cap. You’ll be able to upgrade all of your Level 9 equipment to new ‘Plus’ versions that will allow you to progress further.
The developers have also improved some of the shop’s details in order to make the item purchase-sale system more efficient and, above all, incremental.
Converting your equipment will also reward you with a Gilded Coin, which you can use to purchase one of the new Enchantments from the shop. But more on that in the following paragraph.
Even more difficult?
Was it difficult to defeat the Valkyrie Queen Gná and the Berserker King Hrolf? You can take them on again in NG+ if you want, but be cautious. The toughest optional fights have a few switch-ups in your new run to keep things interesting and unpredictable.
Santa Monica Studio has also made some interesting changes to increase the difficulty level:
- The Hateful and Ormstunga are more powerful than ever.
- Elite Enemies – Give Me No Mercy difficulty level.
- All bosses and mini-bosses will have Runic Armor.
These two optional mini-bosses were already formidable foes. When you play New Game Plus, don’t forget to pay them a visit. The developers have worked hard to make these two enemies even more lethal by improving their patterns.
The Hateful and Ormstunga super-powered versions are now available in all NG+ difficulties.
Regarding the Elite Enemies, they will now be available in both the Give Me No Mercy (available now with New Game Plus) and the Give Me God of War difficulties.
But who are they and why are they referred to as Elite Enemies? These specific enemies will gain a Power Level boost, transforming and becoming far more dangerous and aggressive. Keeping your eyes open is always a good idea!
Those who choose the Give Me No Mercy or Give Me God of War difficulties should be aware that all bosses and mini-bosses will be shielded by powerful Runic Armor. So, gather your strength and get ready to dismember them piece by piece.
New Graphics and Camera Mode
God of War: Ragnarök improves even more with an intriguing cinematic twist.
Once you’ve completed the game once, you’ll have access to a new Black and White Render Mode for any subsequent NG+ or standard New Game saves.
It will also be possible to bypass cinematics from now on, though I’m sure many of you won’t. However, this could be a good reason for speedrunners or those who want to play at a different pace than the first run.
I’d also like to remind you that PlayStation Plus: Premium subscribers have access to a three-hour full-game trial of Santa Monica Studio’s new video game. If you haven’t purchased the game yet, take advantage of this opportunity.
So, don’t you think it’s time to return to the Nine Realms, kill some Draugr, and start NG+?
Thank you for reading and for your time; talk to you soon.
Useful Links:
God of War Ragnarök (News about the game)
Santa Monica Studio – Official Twitter Account
Santa Monica Studio – YouTube Channel
