How to beat Valkyries in God of War

God of War has incredible boss fights with fun (and frustrating) mechanics to deal with. No one can argue that the toughest fights are with the Valkyries.

These creatures were highly respected Norse warriors who combed the battlefields for fallen warriors to pass onto Valhalla. Now, they're twisted and corrupted things, and will attack Kratos when approached. To beat the Valkyries in God of War takes skill, patience, and preparation.

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God of War: Top 5 tips for beating all nine Valkyries

5) Show up prepared and ready for a difficult fight

The last mistake players will want to make is to be unprepared for the fight. Valkyries won’t hold back or show mercy. Even the weakest of them can drop the God of War in a heartbeat. And there are nine altogether, with the Valkyrie Queen being the toughest of them all.

Before players take on a Valkyrie, they need to keep these things in mind:

• Bring the best resurrection stone, such as the “Superior” version.
• Equip your best armor and enchantments (for Kratos and Atreus).
• Use your most powerful runic attacks, including Atreus.
• Buy useful skills and upgrades.

Players should start by challenging Kara first. She’s arguably the weakest of the Valkyries. The purpose of fighting her first is to gauge whether or not players' gear will hold up for later fights. If not, consider coming back later with a more powerful Leviathan Axe or Blades of Chaos.

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4) Keep an eye and ear on visual and audio cues

God of War has a helpful system when fighting enemies. Certain attacks can’t be blocked or cause staggering effects. Just before these attacks, a flashing red or yellow ring will appear.

The best strategy here is simple: dodge. Valkyries have several moves that are unblockable. One of the worst moves, however, doesn’t have a ring, but an audio cue. When a Valkyrie screams “Valhalla!” then it’s time to start dodging.

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3) Atreus isn’t deadweight, players should use him to their advantage

Atreus is an incredible help when it comes to fighting—that goes for small skirmishes, but tough bosses as well. He brings utility, good damage, and his own runic attacks to the fray.

More importantly, Valkyries will often go airborne, readying themselves for a devastating attack. If it hits (and it almost always does), Kratos takes heavy damage (or death). As a result, players should have Atreus fire a few well-timed attacks to knock a Valkyrie out of her position, delaying her attacks and allowing the God of War to get a good hit in.

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2) Stay locked on target and guard up

God of War players should never nurse a habit of only dodging as Kratos’ shield can block most attacks. The attacks that he can block include the blades at the end of a Valkyrie’s wings.

First, stay locked onto the target (with the lock-on function). Valkyries very rarely stand still. They’re almost always moving about the stage. When they go in for attacks, players should pull their shield up. This will block most incoming attacks, and if timed well, the parry attack will allow Kratos to hit back quickly.

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1) Patience is a virtue

Not only are the teh God of War fights with every Valkyrie a test of skill, they are also a test of endurance. What players don’t want to do is rush in and try to end the fight as quickly as possible. It’s better to go in with a strategy and, most importantly, a heavy dose of patience.

A tried and true method is to stay on the defensive. Players should only attack when a Valkyrie leaves herself open. Opportunities appear after a string of attacks, which the God of War can then follow up with attacks of his own or a strong runic blast. With the PC port, players have a slightly easier combat experience.