God of War Ragnarok magnificently builds upon the combat and customization of its predecessor and makes it much more exciting. One of the biggest improvements in this game is the shields, each of them with its unique ability and characteristics. There are five shields in the game and they all provide a different edge in combat. Here is a ranking of each of the shields in God of War Ragnarok.
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5. Shatter Star Shield
The Shatter Star Shield is described as a shield used for staying mobile and charging forward. It essentially lets you move faster when you equip it. Moreover, the Shield Punch ability makes Kratos punch the shield and create a shockwave that blows enemies backward. Additionally, if you use this ability when an attack hits you, the shockwave will become much stronger. It’s a nice little trick that is amazing to see but overall this shield is rarely useful in the game as there are much better options. It does provide usefulness though, especially in the mid-part of the game.
4. Guardian Shield
The Guardian Shield is the Shield given to Kratos by his wife, Faye and as such is an important memento for him. Initially, it gets broken at the start of the game, but it gets back to action shortly after. The Guardian Shield is mainly a balanced one focusing on defensive options rather than offensive. As such, this is mostly useful when parrying attacks. It has the Shield Check ability which is used to break the enemy’s guard. It is quite useful in this regard, especially when fighting against shielded enemies. If you’re going for a balanced approach to enemies in battles, this is a shield that can excel in that. Although, it is not recommended to use in boss fights.
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3. Onslaught Shield
A more offensive-focused shield is the Onslaught Shield. This shield is much more useful when you are more attack focused than ever and have a lot of enemies to fight. With the Shield Rush ability it possesses, double-tapping L1 will make Kratos rush forward and parry enemy attacks. This is a great way to parry multiple enemies and gain a slight advantage. Additionally, if an enemy is on the edge of an area, you can use this shield to launch them out into the air. While it does excel in the offensive, it is mostly useless in the defensive options.
2. Stone Wall Shield
The Stone Wall Shield visually is the biggest shield in the game and most importantly, a very strong one. What makes it stand out from the rest is that it can absorb a lot of blockable attacks to charge itself and then uses its Shield Slam ability to launch enemies. This shield is particularly useful throughout the game, especially in higher-difficulty playthroughs where blocking attacks become much more pivotal. Though it excels in the defensive options, this is not recommended if you’re going for an offensive-minded approach.
1. Dauntless Shield
As Kratos is someone who prefers a pure offensive and risky approach to his encounters, the Dauntless Shield is the perfect shield for the Spartan in him. This shield is entirely offensive-minded and as such, is genuinely enjoyable to use. Moreover, it makes parrying extremely easy and fun. The Shield Bash ability gives out high stun damage to parried enemies which makes them extra vulnerable. Plus, if you perform a perfect parry, then it will stun enemies. For an offensive-minded approach, the Dauntless Shield is surely the better option available.
