The Leviathan Axe is Kratos' primary weapon in God of War (2018) and once again plays an important role in God of War Ragnarok. Just like in the previous game, players can use the axe both to defeat enemies and to interact with the environment around them, making it an incredibly useful tool to have in one's arsenal. With the right components, it can also be upgraded at workshops, which grants access to powerful new skills.
When players first get started in God of War Ragnarok, the Leviathan Axe will be at level 1, meaning that there won't be too many skills available for it right away. Luckily though, players will get a Frozen Flame for defeating the Huntress boss midway through Chapter 1, allowing them to upgrade the axe to level 2 the next time they visit a workshop. Doing so will provide them with a few more options when it comes to deciding which Leviathan Axe skills to unlock first.
The Best Leviathan Axe Skills to Unlock First
One of the things that makes the Leviathan Axe such a deadly weapon is its ability to be used as a projectile. Not only can it damage an enemy when thrown directly at them, but it will also hit anyone or anything that's standing between it and Kratos upon being recalled. With this in mind, purchasing skills from the Ranged branch is highly recommended. Vengeful Sickle 1 is probably the best option for the early stages of God of War Ragnarok, as, by holding R1 as opposed to tapping it, it will allow players to hit enemies multiple times upon impact rather than just once.
When it comes to melee combat, the best early-game skill for the Leviathan Axe is arguably Glacial Rake. Though it is a little on the expensive side at 750 XP, it's an incredibly powerful skill that can be effective both up close and from a few steps away. To use it, players simply need to hold R1, which will cause Kratos to drag the axe through the ground to fire a line of ice shards directly forward. These shards will hit enemies multiple times while also dishing out high Frost damage in the process.
As for the Technique branch, players could do a lot worse than Extinguish Flames. Like the corresponding skill for the Blades of Chaos, it only costs 250 XP to unlock and can be incredibly effective against burning enemies. What's more, as a passive skill, it's one that players don't need to think all that much about during combat, ensuring that it's every bit as useful to a beginner as it is to a pro player.
God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.