God of War's reboot was a game awaited by many, with PlayStation gamers hotly anticipating a return to form for one of the most iconic video game characters of all time. 2018's God of War definitely didn't disappoint in this regard, featuring one of the biggest evolutions any franchise had ever seen. Suddenly, Kratos was back with a bang and his character had been revamped to make it fit within the modern context of gaming and what fans wanted from their single-player adventures.
Related: God Of War: Things Fans Didn’t Realize Happened Between 3 & The PS4 Game
Of course, it would be impossible to talk about God of War without mentioning its stellar combat system. Each and every aspect of God of War's new combat system feels fresh and satisfying, with the Leviathan serving as a great upgrade to Kratos' arsenal. Here are some of the best Runic Attacks that can be pulled off with this weapon.
10 Strike Of The Utgard
At a glance, Strike of the Utgard might seem like one of the more basic and forgettable Runic Attacks. While players can definitely opt for better moves, the true potential of Strike of the Utgard comes when the move is fully upgraded.
Suddenly, Strike of the Utgard doesn't just give the player some breathing room when getting mobbed by enemies. It also ends up being a massive damage dealer that can be useful against either single or multiple opponents, making it one of the more versatile moves in the game.
9 Fury Of The Ice Troll
One of the best moves in the game for pure AoE damage, the Fury of the Ice Troll is a must-have for players who struggle while fighting mobs. A single use of this move will allow the player to quickly get some much-needed breathing room during these claustrophobic encounters.
Pairing this move with a great Heavy Runic attack will allow players to become a force to be reckoned with in battle. Just keep in mind that there are better Runic Attacks that players can use to target solitary enemies.
8 Hel's Touch
Given that Hel's Touch is one of the first powers that Kratos gets in the game and doesn't even deal any damage, players might feel that this move is only a placeholder until they unlock better Runic Attacks. However, over time, players will soon realize that the best way to deal damage to enemies is by stunning them before absolutely wailing at them.
Related: The Best Armor Sets In God Of War PS4 (& The 5 Worst)
In that regard, Hel's Touch ends up being a valuable Runic Attack that can last them all the way to the very end of God of War. It's effective against most enemies and recharges quickly, meaning that players always have the option of falling back on this Runic Attack if the going gets too tough.
7 The River Of Knives
One of the most powerful techniques in the entire game, The River of Knives fulfils the valuable function of keeping some distance between Kratos and his enemy while still dealing substantial damage. It's easily one of the most reliable attacks in the entire game due to its high damage output as well.
Players just need to ensure that their enemy is stationary before unleashing this ice attack. As effective as the River of Knives might be, it's completely useless if the player uses this move without any tact.
6 Ivaldi’s Anvil
It was only a given that this list would feature multiple slam attacks, and Ivaldi's Anvil is no exception. A Runic Attack that players get early on in their adventures, Ivaldi's Anvil ends up being one of the best Runic Attacks due to its quick wind-up and devastating damage.
If that wasn't good enough as is, this move can be upgraded to unleash a follow-up blast as well. All in all, Ivaldi's Anvil is a reliable and powerful move that players can use throughout the game due to its simple yet powerful utility in the game.
5 Frost Giant’s Frenzy
Slam attacks are the bread and butter of Kratos' repertoire in God of War. In that regard, the Frost Giant's Frenzy ends up being extremely useful as a brutal AoE move.
The best part of this move is that players can multiply the number of slams Kratos does with a few upgrades. This turns Frost Giant's Frenzy into one of the best moves in the game, with its damage-dealing capabilities perfect for both populated mobs and solo foes.
4 Breath Of Thamur
A move so powerful that it requires way too much grinding to unlock — the Breath of Thamur easily takes the cake as one of the most powerful Runic Attacks in the game. It's just a shame that the efforts required to unlock this move can be so overbearing that most people won't even have the opportunity to unlock this move.
However, players who do go through the grind required to unlock Breath of Thamur will find themselves enjoying one of the best AoE moves in the entire game. One just needs to be mindful of the cooldown time for this attack, which can be somewhat excessive.
3 Glaive Storm
An absolutely incredible heavy Runic Attack that decimates mobs with the greatest of ease, the Glaive Storm is arguably one of the coolest attacks in the game. Mobs of enemies can be whittled down with ease after this Runic Attack is unleashed upon them.
Related: Every Game In The God Of War Series Ranked On Campaign Length (& How Many Hours They Take)
Watching the Leviathan fly around the battlefield and destroy any foes in Kratos' path is quite a blast to witness. Ultimately, a fully-upgraded Glaive Storm can destroy most mobs in the game... although players should still think of different Runic Attacks when fighting other powerful solo foes, such as Valkyries.
2 Blessings Of The Frost
At a glance, Blessings of the Frost might not seem all that special. Given the flashy nature of most other Runic Attacks in the game, the idea of applying a passive buff sounds extremely unimpressive in the game.
However, what makes Blessings of the Frost such a useful attack stems from its massive utility. It's the perfect passive buff to tackle a whole host of enemies in the game and can stun-lock most foes to oblivion. Coupling this move with another Runic Attack allows for wanton destruction of the highest order.
1 Wrath Of The Frost Ancient
With the correct buffs and upgrades, Wrath of the Frost Ancient can become an extremely powerful move in Kratos' arsenal. Watching this beam cut through enemies like butter is easily one of the most satisfying moments in God of War.
Of course, players do need to be somewhat careful while using this Runic Attack. A lack of proper positioning and aim can turn Kratos into a sitting duck during this move, which can pretty much guarantee his demise against some of the more powerful foes in the game.