Finding the best pommel in God of War Ragnarök can make a massive difference in how effectively you handle combat, especially at higher difficulty levels. With Kratos wielding the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos, each weapon has its own set of pommels that add powerful bonuses, passive effects, and even new gameplay strategies. Selecting the right pommel for your playstyle can give you the edge in intense fights, whether you’re dealing with groups of enemies, elite bosses, or realm tears. Understanding what makes a pommel the ‘best’ involves looking at its stats, utility, synergy with armor sets, and how it fits your preferred combat approach.
Understanding Pommels in God of War Ragnarök
Pommels are weapon attachments that enhance Kratos’ melee weapons, giving passive stat boosts and sometimes triggering special effects during combat. While some pommels increase strength or runic power, others improve cooldown times, defense, or luck. In God of War Ragnarök, you can upgrade pommels at the blacksmith using resources like Hacksilver, Forged Iron, and other rare crafting materials, which further amplifies their impact in battle.
Types of Pommels
- Leviathan Axe Pommels Attach to Kratos’ ice-infused axe and typically boost strength, runic, and cooldown stats.
- Blades of Chaos Pommels Attach to Kratos’ fiery chained blades, enhancing speed, elemental damage, and combo efficiency.
Since many players alternate between the two weapons depending on the encounter, it’s ideal to have a strong pommel equipped on each to optimize both styles of combat.
Best Leviathan Axe Pommels
Pommel of the Undying Spark
One of the most popular and reliable axe pommels is the Pommel of the Undying Spark. This attachment boosts Kratos’ Runic and Cooldown stats, making it a favorite among players who rely on frequent Runic Attacks.
Key Benefits:
- High Runic stat bonus for stronger special attacks
- Reduces cooldown timers, allowing more frequent ability usage
- Great synergy with Runic-focused armor sets
This pommel is especially powerful when combined with armor like the Runic-focused Lunda’s Lost Cuirass, making it a key choice for players who prefer to control the battlefield with freezing, slowing, and area-of-effect abilities.
Warrior’s Echo Pommel
If you prefer a more aggressive playstyle with heavy axe throws and close-range combat, the Warrior’s Echo Pommel provides an excellent boost. It focuses on raw strength and damage output.
Strengths:
- Increased Strength stat
- Bonus to heavy attack damage
- Helps stagger tough enemies faster
This is a solid pick for players who rely on basic attacks, axe throws, and heavy combos rather than cooldowns or elemental damage. It allows Kratos to hit harder and faster, especially effective against mini-bosses and trolls.
Pommels of the Nine Realms
A high-end option, the Pommels of the Nine Realms unlock a Realm Shift effect on Runic activation. Realm Shift slows time, giving Kratos a window to deal massive damage while enemies are nearly frozen in motion.
Why It’s Powerful:
- Triggers Realm Shift for tactical advantage
- Combines utility and burst damage potential
- Pairs well with high-cooldown builds for frequent activation
This pommel is best used in challenging encounters like boss fights, where a well-timed Realm Shift can turn the tide of battle. It requires a more strategic approach but rewards precision and timing.
Best Blades of Chaos Pommels
Pommels of Brutal Might
Among the best pommels for the Blades of Chaos, the Pommels of Brutal Might offer a powerful combination of Strength and Stun. It is particularly helpful for players who focus on stunning enemies for execution moves.
Advantages:
- Boosts Strength for direct damage
- Increases stun generation on attacks
- Works well in crowd-control situations
Ideal for players who prefer aggressive crowd-clearing with light and heavy blade combos, this pommel supports a fast-paced playstyle. Combined with gear that enhances stun effects, it becomes extremely effective for controlling the battlefield.
Cursed Empress Handles
These are highly favored for elemental builds. The Cursed Empress Handles give Kratos a chance to increase Strength and Runic stats temporarily when landing a hit, which enhances damage potential during high-pressure fights.
Why Players Like It:
- Random but frequent stat boosts during combat
- Synergizes with aggressive and runic-heavy playstyles
- Great for both offense and cooldown-based builds
While the bonus effects aren’t guaranteed every time, the frequent activation makes it a reliable source of burst damage in chaotic fights, especially when facing swarms of enemies or timed challenges.
Deadly Obsidian Handles
This pommel is available fairly early in the game and remains viable through much of your journey. It enhances Strength and Luck, and its passive bonus grants additional damage to combo finishers.
Features:
- Early accessibility with strong damage scaling
- Improves final-hit damage in combos
- Boosts overall combat efficiency
Deadly Obsidian Handles are great for players mastering Blade combos. The additional finisher damage can be crucial for eliminating enemies quickly, particularly in combination with relics or enchantments that boost combo performance.
Choosing the Right Pommel for Your Build
The best pommel in God of War Ragnarök often depends on your preferred playstyle and current armor set. Rather than relying on just raw stats, you should think about how your pommel choice complements the rest of your build. For example, if your armor focuses on Runic cooldowns and elemental effects, it’s best to pick a pommel that enhances those areas.
Factors to Consider:
- Do you use Runic Attacks frequently?
- Do you prefer high damage or high stun?
- Do you play defensively or offensively?
- Does your armor set support cooldown, strength, or luck?
Experimenting with different combinations of pommels, relics, and enchantments is the best way to fine-tune your build. Always upgrade your pommels when possible, as max-level attachments often unlock new passive perks or boost stat bonuses significantly.
Where to Find the Best Pommels
Many of the best pommels are rewards from side quests, optional bosses, and Nornir Chests. Others can be crafted at the forge once you’ve unlocked them. Keep an eye out for favors (side missions), especially those involving dragons, berserkers, or hidden realms, as they often reward high-end gear.
Some late-game pommels only become available in Muspelheim or Niflheim after completing specific trials or challenges. For example, the Pommels of the Nine Realms are tied to certain challenges that require time investment but are well worth the effort.
Determining the best pommel in God of War Ragnarök depends heavily on how you approach combat. Whether you favor Runic attacks, high-damage finishers, or crowd control, there’s a pommel tailored to amplify that style. The Pommel of the Undying Spark and Pommels of the Nine Realms shine for Leviathan Axe users, while Cursed Empress Handles and Pommels of Brutal Might dominate for the Blades of Chaos. By upgrading your pommels, matching them with complementary armor, and adjusting to different encounters, you can maximize Kratos’ effectiveness and make each battle feel satisfying and under your control.