God of War Ragnarok Berserker Guide: How to Find and Defeat All Berserkers

About
Latest Posts

Cody has been in the video game business as part of media and content creation for more than 10 years. During that time, he has contributed and even led some of the largest sites in the world dedicated to gaming and entertainment. He has also dabbled some in PR and was a tester for Activision in the past working on the Call of Duty series. When not playing games or writing about them, he enjoys cooking, sharpening his Japanese skills, and watching the latest anime shows.

Bottom Line Up Front

God of War Ragnarok’s greatest challenge is the Berserkers. They are the equivalent of the Valkyries from the previous Sony Santa Monica game, featuring Kratos taking on these bosses that make some of the gods from the main story look like child’s play.

Each of the Berserker bosses is the most brutal optional fight in the entire game, and most should be tackled in the postgame content when you have the best gear possible. There are 10 Berserkers in the game, and they are spread throughout the various realms in God of War Ragnarok.

God of War Ragnarok Berserkers Explained

The Berserkers are your greatest challenge in God of War Ragnarok. There are 10 in total for players to tackle, including a final challenge that is against what many consider to be the most brutal fight in the entire massive sequel.

To unlock the Berserkers in the first place, you’ll need to unlock a particular side quest or favor as Ragnarok likes to call them. Otherwise, you won’t be able to tackle any of these 10 optional boss fights and receive their excellent rewards that include armor and more.

How to Unlock the Fit for a King Favor

First and foremost, what players need to do before they can even begin their journey to slay all of the Berserkers in God of War Ragnarok is to unlock its associated favor. To do this, players must start the Fit for a King favor, which you can only unlock when you’re pretty deep into the main story.

You’ll have to be in Chapter 9 known as Word of Fate, before you’ll even be able to find this quest. While you are doing this main story chapter, you’ll eventually reach the Lake of Nine in Midgard. While you are there, you can visit the King’s Grave, which is found in the northeastern corner of this area.

Here, you’ll be able to get the essential item known as the Inert Hilt of Skofnung, which is the necessary item for this quest. With this key item, you’ll be able to insert it into each of the gravestones (with one exception) that you find and unlock the Berserker battle there.

Now, just because you have this hilt essential item in your possession in your inventory at this point, doesn’t mean that you should go out and take on all of the Berserker challenges yet. Each boss has an associated power level and it is unlikely that you are even close to the power level for some of the later boss fights.

In fact, one of the bosses isn’t even available until the postgame, anyway, so it is best to wait until you beat the main story to take on this challenge. Unless, of course, you are a glutton for punishment.

How to Defeat Every Berserker in God of War Ragnarok

There are 10 Berserker boss battles in total for players to tackle in God of War Ragnarok. Each one has different stats, strategies, attacks, and more. They are also found in various locations around the realms of this game, so you’ll have to do a lot of traveling to see each one.

Here’s where you can find all of the various Ragnarok Berserker bosses, what power levels they each are, and the best strategies for taking out every single one. I’ll be sure to go in order of power levels and pretty much the order I suggest you tackle these bosses in for this particular favor.

Where to Find and Defeat:

1. Fraekni the Zealous

Location: Lake of Nine, Midgard
Power Level: 5
Rewards: Berserker Waist Guard (part of the Berserker Armor Set), Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

If there is a Berserker or two you could tackle theoretically in the middle of the main story, this is one of them. To find this boss, you’ll want to go to the northern side of the Lake of Nine and interact with the gravestone there to start this boss battle.

The best part about this boss battle is how straightforward it is. Fraekni doesn’t use a particular element, and there are no wild statuses to worry about. As with any Berserker, the goal here is to treat this like a Souls game in a way, taking your time and learning its moveset.

You want to memorize all of her attacks so you can dodge them with ease and get into the swing of things. The cycle for Fraekni’s attacks involves avoiding her first move, where she escapes back and then charges at you.

The second move she has is where she yells out “repent” and then leaps into the air for a slam attack. The goal here is to parry this attack and then start attacking away at her. Finally, her last main move is a close-up one and the only time when she charges in without backing up first. This is where you should dodge.

The goal in this fight is to quickly read her moves, counter or dodge, and then start unleashing your best attacks. Your companion will be essential here for dealing as much damage as possible. Be sure to lock on to Fraekni the entire fight. This boss battle is pretty much an introduction to similar mechanics to keep in mind for later conflicts.

2. Hardrefill the Callous

Location: Nidavellir Beach, Svartalfheim
Power Level: 5
Rewards: Asgard’s Fortitude Enchantment, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

The other “easy” Berserker (I use that word lightly) fight is against Hardrefill the Callous. To find this one, head to Nidavellir Beach in Svartalfheim near the tunnels; you’ll need to be pretty much in Chapter 11 to do this fight. You could wait until you are much higher than power level five and dominate this fight, or you can immediately do it now.

Like the first Berserker, Hardrefill is here to get you prepared for the much more brutal fights ahead. Like Fraekni, don’t worry, as there are no elements or statuses here for you to worry about. Lock onto the target and memorize the attack pattern it has to win this fight with ease.

Oddly enough, he is similar to Fraekni in that he will leap backward for some of his attacks. The first move to watch out for involves an air attack where he slams down upon you. You can choose to dodge this attack or even parry it if you are bold enough to time it right.

There is a similar leap attack that he uses where he jumps up and disappears. When this happens, an MMO-style green circle appears under you where he is going to land with this powerful attack. What you’ll want to do is dodge it and keep dodging it as the circle attack will follow you until he lands.

His final main move is the last one he uses against one, generally after the other two happen first. He will jump at you and start a two-hit combo that you’ll want to parry. If you can parry both strikes, this opens him up for you to unleash your best hits for a time. Keep up the pattern like usual, and you’ll win this fight in no time.

3. Beigadr the Feared

Beigadr the Feared

Location: Alberich’s Island, Svartalfheim
Power Level: 6
Rewards: Asgard’s Might Enchantment, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

To get to this Berserker boss fight, head to the beach on the southern side of Alberich Island. This is much tougher than the last two fights, and you want to be, preferably, a level or two higher than Beigadr, if possible. His main mode of attack is electricity-based, which is a problem in itself.

Electricity is impossible to stop unless you prevent or avoid his attacks, and it can stun you, which is something you should always avoid. Lock on and get ready for a fight that is nonstop. Beigadr has a ton of attacks that he’ll use in the arena, and he doesn’t honestly give you much room to breathe.

The goal here is to play on the defensive side, not the offensive side. There are moments when he will zip around the field, and you might think you should charge in to fight. That isn’t the case, as you’ll need to go on the defense since he usually throws ranged electrical attacks, either via the ground or orbs, at this time.

While you can block some of his ranged attacks, the idea is to dodge every single one mostly, and you won’t have to worry about this being a problem. There are only two melee attacks he has, one being a two-attack combo and then also a slam attack.

You can block the former, but you’ll want to dodge the latter continuously. Sadly, there isn’t much strategy to help with this fight. It is a nonstop dodge fest, so the goal here is to dodge, dodge, dodge, and then occasionally attack when you have the chance. Your companion will come in clutch here because of this.

4. Hvitserkr the Bold

Location: Pilgrim’s Landing, Vanaheim
Power Level: 6
Rewards: Bonded Leather, Pommels of the Nine Realms, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

You’ll find this Berserker on the grassy beach area of Pilgrim’s Landing near the river. For the first time in this chain of bosses, you now have to deal with the poison status ailment and, in addition, additional enemies that Hvitserkr will summon in the middle of the fight.

Poison in this game reduces your stats and power level, making you more easily defeated. The goal here is to avoid poison as much as possible. The Rond of Purification is one of the best equipment for helping to take care of this status ailment as soon as possible.

Here, the goal is to use your Draupnir Spear. This weapon is able to take status elements and deal them back at foes. In this case, it is possible to poison Hvitserkr and his pals, which is recommended since it will make this fight much easier to deal with.

Your companion should be used to try and distract the couple of adds that the Berserker will occasionally summon. This will leave you to deal with the main boss, but you should always watch for surprise attacks against Kratos.

The Nightmare enemies can be thrown at the boss when they are summoned, which is a great way to kill them and deal some damage to the Berserker instantly. The only positive about this fight is that if you have defeated the last Berserker, you are pretty much ready for this fight.

Hvitserkr pretty much does the same thing as the last one, zipping around the field constantly and throwing out a lot of ranged attacks. You’ll want to dodge all of these to avoid the poison status and parry or dodge the few melee hits that he tries to use against you.

Unlike the last fight, though, it is possible to be more aggressive in this fight. The timing is challenging, but it is possible to charge in between his moves and deal some damage. Alternatively, you can take a more passive approach and buy time until it is a clear window of opportunity to attack. But if you can avoid being poisoned, this fight should be much more straightforward.

5. Hjalti the Stolid

Location: Forbidden Sands, Alfheim
Power Level: 7
Rewards: Bonded Leather, Grip of the Nine Realms, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

To get this Berserker to fight in the southwestern side of the Forbidden Sands, you’ll first need to stop the Hafgufa sandstorm. This is a middle-of-the-pack fight in this group. There are no statuses, so all you need to do is win this outright brawl to the death.

This is a fight where it pays to be proactive and aggressive. There is no more room to be passive here, as the goal is to put the chase on Hjalti constantly. She will move quite fast and charge at you often, dealing with some intense melee hits.

The main attack here is her ultimate attack, where she jumps back and then charges for an intense leap attack. You’ll need to charge at her while she is glowing and charging up this attack to then block it with a shield bash. Otherwise, you are in for an arena-wide hit.

Outside of this hit, you should be able to dodge or block the other melee attacks she has. Most of them involve her leaping around the arena to then charge at you. If you can get into the pattern with these, the idea is to dodge or block, then start chasing her down to tear her apart. Spartan Rage will be helpful here, especially when she charges up her ultimate.

6. Svipdagr the Cold

Location: The Barrens, Alfheim
Power Level: 7
Rewards: Asgard’s Security Enchantment, Berserker Cuirass, Bonded Leather, Frozen Flame, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

This is one of the most unique fights in this lineup. You have to deal with Svipdagr the Cold and the two Sisters of Illska at the same time. These aren’t just adds, either, as this is pretty much like fighting three different Berserker bosses at the same time. This is where you should over level for this fight if possible.

This is a fight where you should expect to lose the first few times you do it as you learn the patterns and how to go about winning this. You want to watch out for the elemental fire and ice attacks from the two sisters by having the Rond of Purification.

First and foremost, don’t get distracted by the three enemies. The sisters share a health bar but let your companion focus on them and avoid the other when they attack you. Instead, focus your hits first on Svipdagr and defeat them first.

To do this, use the Draupnir Spear and dodge the melee attacks that the boss has. When you evade or are about to be attacked by one of the sisters, leap in and take on Svipdagr. Thankfully, her attack pattern is relatively simple, but this is because of the added enemies. Dodge until you can take her out.

Once you defeat that boss, it is time to take on the sisters. They share a health bar, so hit whoever you can. They use elemental ranged attacks, so they are honestly much more unpredictable and challenging to deal with. You’ll need to dodge and occasionally block a lot here while using the short windows of opportunity to hit the vulnerable sister until you defeat them.

7. Bodvar the Fierce and Starolfr the Troublesome

Location: Jarnsmida Pitmines, Svartalfheim
Power Level: 8
Rewards: Gale Flame, Hind of the Nine Realms, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

Bodvar is far from being alone in this fight, coming along with Starolfr the Troublesome. I recommend waiting until the postgame to take on this fight and the others below. The Rond of Deflection is going to be your best friend here for dealing with these two straightforward but quick-moving enemies.

You can attack either one first, but I recommend Bodvar due to his more extensive health and power. The problem is you’ll likely have to switch targets often. They constantly unleash melee attacks and will often swap out for one another to try a surprise attack against you.

Your best bet is to stay moving the entire time and flexible, willing to switch bosses when necessary. Thankfully, there is some warning when a switch attack is going to happen. Counters are key here, so be ready to block or parry attacks and then unleash your own attacks.

This is another case where Spartan Rage is necessary as this is going to be a long and drawn-out fight. It isn’t like the last one, where you can safely focus on one before taking out the other. A critical help in this fight is to try and use skills that attack both at the same time but be careful not to get aggro for both. Once you have one boss down, this fight becomes a whole lot easier for taking out the other.

8. Haklangr the Bearded

Location: The Sinkhole, Vanaheim
Power Level: 8
Rewards: Bonded Leather, Chaos Flame, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

Don’t tackle this until the postgame, if possible, like the others. The Rond of Expedition is recommended for this fight. First off, Haklangr will begin with some shields that protect him from damage until you take them out. These even include elemental shields later in the fight.

Haklangr has some of the weaker and less impressive fights compared to other Berserkers, mainly focusing on melee hits that you can easily dodge or block. The goal is to stay mobile and constantly be ready to parry and counter with some intense damage back at the enemy.

His lengthy combos are the only other things to watch out for in this straightforward fight. He’ll use multiple attacks in a row, which will require you to keep your defenses up. Other than that, though, this is one of the easier high-level Berserker bosses.

9. Skjothendi the Unerring

Location: The Mist Fields, Niflheim
Power Level: 8
Rewards: Berserker Gauntlets, Bonded Leather, Shattered Runes, Tempered Remnants

You’ll need to defeat the main story to take on this boss. This is one of the most challenging bosses due to her Bifrost status. You’ll need the Rond of Purification and any other items that can help with this frustrating status effect.

Bifrost is constantly there, so this is a race against time in a way. As such, the key here is to be aggressive. Always be attacking after you dodge or block one of her attacks. Spartan Rage is one of your few saving graces when it comes to staying alive. You’ll want to avoid all attacks, which are mainly similar to past fights, and then unleash your own moves back against her.

Runic skills are your best bet at times here, too, but watch out for her armor. Just keep unleashing hit after hit as fast as possible, and you can win this fight, but it may take you several tries.

10. King Hrolf Kraki

Location: King’s Grave, Midgard
Power Level: 9
Rewards: Bonded Leather, Hacksilver, Helheim’s Virtue Enchantment, Hilt of Skofnung Relic

This enemy is only available after defeating all other Berserkers. This is arguably the second-most powerful boss in the game, so have your best gear, armor, and everything fully upgraded. Fortunately, this boss fight isn’t that tough if you memorized past Berserkers.

He uses all of the same moves and elements as his Berserkers, so you’ll know exactly what to do. The Draupnir Spear is necessary here because of this. His speed is his greatest asset, as he will constantly switch between existing Berserker attacks.

In general, dodge the ranged attacks and parry the melee ones. Go on the offensive often and attack him over and over when you have the chance. Spartan Rage is your last resort here, especially for the final phase when he uses the Bifrost. That is the true race against time, as you’ll need to be swift in your hits to win before he takes you out first.

God of War Ragnarok Berserker Armor Explained

The main reward you get from the Berserker boss battles is the God of War Ragnarok Berserker armor. This set of armor is considered by many to be the best in the entire game. Personally, it isn’t my favorite, but there are a lot of players who would like to use it.

You only need to defeat three specific members of the Berserkers group to get the three pieces for the set. Here are the stats that it increases for Kratos when equipped:

Strength
Defense
Vitality
Runic
Cooldown
Luck

As you can see, it is one of the only armor sets in the entire game to boost every single primary stat in God of War Ragnarok. That alone is worth considering since it ensures that players with all types of playstyles can benefit from equipping this armor.

The best part is that all three pieces — the Berserker Waist Guard, Gauntlets, and Cuirass — have their own perks included with them. This is different from some of the armor sets that only have perks for one or two pieces of the armor, usually like the chest piece.

The idea of the Berserker armor is to have a risk-and-reward system involved with it. The chest piece, for instance, puts Kratos in a berserk mode where he takes more damage in exchange for dealing more melee damage in an extraordinary sense.

On the other hand, the waist guard piece makes it so that pretty much anything you do (blocking, parrying, getting hit) defensively in the game will ensure you have a chance to have a soul explosion happen. This will deal some severe damage and finish the cooldown for your relic.

Lastly, the gauntlets do a similar job of having a low chance of earning a soul explosion for each time you hit an enemy. In turn, this makes for one of the most aggressive armor sets around. The problem is that there is almost no challenge worth tackling after this, except for the GNA boss battle. That is the ultimate challenge, and this armor is terrific for that fight, at least.

FAQs

Question: Is the Berserker armor good in God of War Ragnarok?

Answer: Yes, the Berserker armor is some of the best armor in the game. Its risk-and-reward system of making you take damage but deal a ton of damage and gain some impressive stat boosts may make it worth picking up and wearing for some players.

Question: Who is the easiest Berserker in God of War Ragnarok?

Answer: The easiest Berserker in God of War Ragnarok is either Hardrefill the Callous or Fraekni the Zealous. Not only do they have the lowest power level requirement, but they have much simpler strategies compared to the other bosses in the group, so they are a nice introduction to these bosses.

Question: What is the hardest boss fight in God of War Ragnarok?

Answer: While the Berserkers are some of the ultimate challenges in God of War Ragnarok, even the final one, King Hrolf Kraki, isn’t the most demanding boss in the entire game. He is the second-hardest boss in the game, with the honor of the strongest fight going to GNA, aka the Valkyrie Queen.

Find the Best Armor in God of War Ragnarok

The Berserkers in God of War Ragnarok are the ultimate challenge for players. They are tougher than basically any boss you’ll face in the main story of the game, and they understandably come with some of the best rewards you could find.

If you are able to take down the various Berserkers, you’ll earn various pieces of the Berserker Armor Set. This is one of the best armor sets in the entire game, noted by many as the armor set that you should use if you want to excel in this game.

The only problem with the Berserker Armor Set is that there is almost no point to it. Once you have it, there is virtually nothing to use it against since you’ve already taken out the most significant challenge. That said, if you want to find armor that will help you in these Berserker fights, be sure to check out the best armor in God of War Ragnarok.

Looking for more interesting readings? Check out: