God of War Ragnarok boss guide: How to defeat Valkyrie Gna

God of War Ragnarok, the highly anticipated sequel to 2018's God of War, has finally been released. Improving on every single aspect of its predecessor, the game revisits the retired God of War and Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, as he and his son Atreus make one last stand against the Aesir gods, led by the All-Father himself.

One of the most memorable end-game content from the last game was hunting down the nine Valkyries scattered across the realms. Notably, the Valkyries fight as an end-game activity is all but absent from the sequel, due to the father-and-son duo freeing most of them in the last game. However, a handful still remain, either serving under Odin or locked behind certain realms.

The Valkyrie Gna is amongst the few that Kratos will come across in God of War Ragnarok. And much like her sisters, she is a formidable opponent and is easily the hardest boss in the entire game. Here is how players can find Gna and defeat her in God of War Ragnarok.

Note: This article contains major spoilers for God of War Ragnarok and God of War (2018).

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Where to find Gna in God of War Ragnarok

Gna is located in Muspelheim, and players can only face her after completing all the trials of Muspheheim. She is as powerful as the former queen of the Valkyries Sigrun, whilst possessing strength rivaling that of Freya. She is also part of a narrative quest that arrives after the main campaign.

While Kratos and Freya initially don't wish to harm Gna, the misguided Valkyrie lunges towards the pair, upon seeing the Vanir goddess. She views Freya as the reason behind all of the misery her sisters have endured at the hands of Odin, the Allfather. She also blames her for everyone leaving the council of Valkyries at the mercy of the All-Father.

After defeating Gna, Freya stops Kratos from executing her and tries to reconcile with the Valkyrie. Gna, however, insists on getting finished off at the hands of Freya, who reluctantly beheads her.

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How to defeat Valkyrie Gna in God of War Ragnarok

Similar to the Valkyrie fights in God of War (2018), Gna charges straight for Kratos and Freya. She usually starts with a spinning combo, followed by a quick lunging attack or wing slash.

The initial barrage of combos is easily avoidable using the Stone Wall shield or the Guardian shield. Furthermore, if players are good with dodging, they can elude her wing attacks and sneak in a few hits of their own.

It is best to mostly focus on the defensive and only attack when there is a viable opening. Much like any other boss fight, the best way to inflict massive damage on Gna is by blending the runic attacks with light and heavy combos.

The best weapon to use against Valkyrie Gna is the Leviathan Axe, due to its raw damage potential. However, players can also use the newly introduced Draupnir Spear. While the weapon does less damage than the Axe, it has slower downtime between combos. Along with the fully upgraded Axe, Spear, and Blades, players should also have the best gear, including the Steinbjorn armor set.

While Gna is just as aggressive as Sigrun, the Valkyrie queen from God of War (2018), she doesn't have as many attack variations.

Her general attack pattern involves the usual spinning slash paired with the aerial stomp indicated by the Valkyrie disappearing from the screen and raining down on Kratos after shouting "For Asgard." She executes a Bifrost-infused attack combo that is pretty tricky to both dodge and counter.

What makes the Valkyrie difficult in God of War Ragnarok is the massive health pool, which takes a long while to whittle down. Therefore, players should rely on runic attacks as the primary damage dealer and only use regular attacks as gap-closers or combo extenders. The best runic attacks against Gna are as follows:

Leviathan Axe

• Njord's Tempest
• Wrath of the Frost Ancient
• Ivaldi's Anvil
• Mists of Helheim
• Fog of Fimbulwinter

Blades of Chaos

• Rampage of the Furies
• Tartarus Rage
• Nemean Crush
• Atlas Eruption

Draupnir Spear

• Mountain Splitter
• Thrust of a Thousand Soldiers
• Honour the Fallen
• Artillery of the Ancients

In terms of armor, the fully upgraded Steinbjorn set is the best bet against the might of Gna. All in all, the end-game Valkyrie fight in God of War Ragnarok is a pretty fun fight.

While Gna might not be as powerful or varied as Sigrun, she is still a formidable foe that will require patience, skill, and a bit of luck to overcome.