Kratos is the name that is permanently memorized as the great Greek God of War, who is able to wield many kinds of weaponry. Not only his weapons, but Kratos is also naturally good at fighting using his own fists, as seen in the God of War Ragnarok barehanded combat.
In this guide, we’ll provide a guide to mastering the barehanded combat in God of War Ragnarok. If you’re interested in playing the game, just like God of War Ragnarok, Lootbar is the place to get the keys.
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About Kratos Barehanded Combat
Being a God of War, Kratos is a natural when it comes to weapon arsenals. Although he’s mostly familiar with his Blades of Chaos, the unique weapon he received later on, the Leviathan Axe, also swings freely in his hands.
However, his power is not limited to his weapons. Kratos is a fierce God of War who’s able to overthrow even the most powerful Gods. We saw this in a lot of his previous games. In some of those launches, we can even see how Kratos is able to use his hands to brutally defeat Gods.
So, there is no question that Kratos is already powerful enough with his bare hands, and we can even see this back in the God of War (2018) through his moves and abilities. But how about them in the God of War Ragnarok?
Kratos Skills in God of War Ragnarok
If you want to enjoy God of War Ragnarok barehanded combat, unfortunately, there will be some limitations you need to compromise. Checking the Kratos’ Skill by accessing the Menu, you may notice several combat abilities tied to his weapons and companions.
For example, there are skills for his Blades of Chaos, Leviathan Axe, Draupnir Spear (new weapon), and other skills for the companions (only active when they’re with him). So, there is no detailed skill tab for unarmed combat, although it’s still there.
This is clearly different from the original God of War, where we can actually check and activate several barehanded combat moves. They even have tutorials to do these moves.
So, How Can We Unlock Unarmed Combat?
While the God of War Ragnarok barehanded combat moves option isn’t actually there, some of these moves are actually present in the game. To “activate” them, you’ll need to disarm any weapons or throw the Leviathan Axe away.
Doing so will momentarily give Kratos his unique unarmed moveset, which is what we’re going after. In this state, Kratos will hit so quickly using combinations of his fists, legs, and shield.
Although the damage isn’t as high as the many weapons he has, this move set is really effective in increasing the enemies’ stun meter. Once this meter is filled, the enemy will be stunned for a moment, providing an opening for Kratos to do his grab moves
Now these are the moves that can deal a lot of damage. So, a strategy with unarmed combat and finishing moves is actually doable, as long as you’re patient enough.
Is God of War Ragnarok Barehanded Combat Effective?
We would consider the barehanded combat in God of War Ragnarok to be just a side option rather than the main ability you will use throughout the game. Like we previously said, unarmed combat in this game doesn’t deal that much damage.
In fact, the first weapon that Kratos wields in this game can easily outperform it in terms of damage output. Unarmed strikes can’t deal elemental damage, which will be necessary for fighting certain enemies.
But with all of these downsides, there’s still a unique charm about unarmed combat. It will do well in terms of increasing stun meter, which means it’s effective to bypass enemy defense.
Enemies that use shields would normally block damage coming from Kratos’ weapons. But with his fists, Kratos can still deal stun build-ups through several hits. This mechanic also works for enemies with durable armors and higher health pools.
If you encounter such an enemy, dealing stun is your best bet to stun it as quickly as possible. However, do note that you won’t rely on the hits alone. Your damage dealer here is the grab attacks, so never miss them.
How Barehanded Combat Can Save Your Healing Items
Another benefit that’s surely beneficial in the long run. When performing the grab attacks, Kratos will be invulnerable for a few seconds. This is really useful when you’re playing in higher difficulties, as enemies from anywhere can drain your health pretty quickly.
Doing the grab attacks can definitely save some healing items and give you at least a few seconds to think about your next moves. The grab attack animations can be disrupted, meaning that you basically have nothing to worry about when unleashing the most powerful moves.
To do the grab moves, you’ll need to press the R3 button. And as simple as that, Kratos will deliver powerful damage that can turn the tide of battle.
Conclusion
With all that said, God of War Ragnarok barehanded combat is really something you need to pay attention to. While it doesn’t provide good DPS, the ability to quickly increase the stun meter and do the grab attacks while being invulnerable is just second to none.
If you’re interested in trying this game, we highly recommend getting the God of War Ragnarok Steam Key while it’s still available. Of course, get your games in a safe place, like Lootbar, and enjoy the wonderful journey of Kratos in God of War Ragnarok.
