How to level up and upgrade gear in God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok is a third-person hack ‘n’ slash action-adventure at heart, but it incorporates many RPG elements, particularly when it comes to leveling up your weapons and armor. Each piece of equipment can be upgraded in multiple ways, using various resources and currencies. It’s often better to upgrade a piece of equipment you already have than to buy (or find) and equip a completely new one.

Related: How to increase your maximum Rage in God of War Ragnarok

How to upgrade weapons in God of War Ragnarok

Each weapon in God of War Ragnarok can be upgraded up to four times, with the maximum upgrade being level 5. Upgrades improve your weapons’ stats, making them more effective in battle. To upgrade a weapon, you need to go to a shop. The first shop you’ll visit is the Huldra Brothers’ Shop in Sindri’s House, which appears an hour or two into the game after you complete the Surviving Fimbulwinter goal.

Open the shop, go to the Weapons tab, and select one of your weapons. You’ll then be shown that weapon and a list of the attachments you have for it. If you have the necessary resources to upgrade the weapon, then it will be marked “Upgradable,” and you can spend the resource on upgrading the weapon by holding the Square button. You can also upgrade your weapons by equipping them with various attachments and upgrading those attachments in the same way you upgrade the weapons themselves.

Another way to upgrade your weapons is to equip them with Runic Attacks. Each weapon can be fitted with a light Runic Attack and a heavy Runic Attack, and you can do this without visiting a shop. You can also upgrade your Runic Attacks without visiting a shop by spending XP.

How to upgrade armor in God of War Ragnarok

You can upgrade armor in God of War Ragnarok in the same way you upgrade weapons, i.e., by spending resources at a shop. However, armor items cannot be fitted with attachments or runes. On the plus side, upgrading an armor item sometimes unlocks a perk, which gives you a special bonus beyond simply an increase in stats.