How to Obtain Zeus Armor in God of War (2018): A Comprehensive Guide

The Zeus Armor in God of War (2018) is arguably the most powerful armor set in the game, sought after by players aiming for the ultimate challenge and damage output. Unlike other armor sets that focus on defense and survivability, the Zeus Armor prioritizes raw power, significantly increasing your damage dealt at the cost of drastically reducing your defense. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough on how to acquire this legendary armor, along with essential tips and strategies to overcome the challenges involved.

Understanding the Zeus Armor

Before diving into the acquisition process, it’s crucial to understand what makes the Zeus Armor so special and why it’s worth the effort. The Zeus Armor set consists of three pieces:

• Cuirass of Zeus: Chest armor that greatly increases strength but severely decreases defense.
• Gauntlets of Zeus: Wrist armor that greatly increases strength but severely decreases defense.
• War Belt of Zeus: Waist armor that greatly increases strength but severely decreases defense.

The primary advantage of this set is the massive boost to your Strength stat. Strength directly affects the damage you deal with both melee attacks and Runic Attacks, making you a formidable force. However, the significant reduction in defense means you’ll take much more damage from enemy attacks. Playing with the Zeus Armor requires precise timing, excellent dodging skills, and a thorough understanding of enemy attack patterns. It’s a high-risk, high-reward playstyle perfect for skilled players seeking an extreme challenge.

Prerequisites: Completing the Main Story and Unlocking New Game Plus

The Zeus Armor is exclusively available in New Game Plus (NG+). Therefore, you must first complete the main story of God of War on any difficulty. Once you’ve finished the main questline and seen the credits roll, you can start a NG+ playthrough from the main menu. Starting a NG+ game allows you to carry over all your existing equipment, skills, and resources from your previous playthrough, giving you a significant advantage in the early stages. However, enemies are also scaled up in difficulty, making the challenge more engaging. Importantly, you *must* start a New Game Plus save from a save where you have already beaten the main story.

Step-by-Step Guide to Acquiring the Zeus Armor

The Zeus Armor pieces are obtained by defeating the nine Valkyries a second time in New Game Plus. Each Valkyrie drops a piece of the armor. The Valkyries are optional bosses hidden throughout the game world, and they are significantly more challenging in NG+ due to increased health, damage, and new attack patterns. Prepare for intense battles and utilize your upgraded gear and skills to emerge victorious. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each Valkyrie location and strategies to defeat them:

1. Gunnr (Thamur’s Corpse)

• Location: Thamur’s Corpse, within the Hidden Chamber of Odin.
• How to Access: Head to Thamur’s Corpse. The Hidden Chamber of Odin is located on the west side of the giant’s head. Unlock the door using the magic chisel given to you during the main story.
• Strategies: Gunnr relies heavily on fast melee attacks and wing attacks. Maintaining your distance and using quick dodges is crucial. Use parries to open her up for attacks. Runic Attacks that deal significant damage in a short amount of time are highly effective. Keep moving and don’t get cornered, as her rapid attacks can quickly overwhelm you.

2. Eir (The Mountain)

• Location: The Mountain, within the Hidden Chamber of Odin.
• How to Access: Return to the Mountain and navigate to the Hidden Chamber of Odin entrance, which is located near the heart of the mountain.
• Strategies: Eir heals herself frequently, making this fight a DPS race. Interrupt her healing with ranged attacks or by staggering her with heavy attacks. Focus on dealing as much damage as possible during the windows when she’s not healing. Use Runic Attacks that can interrupt her healing. Be aware of her unblockable attacks and dodge them accordingly.

3. Kara (The River Pass)

• Location: The River Pass, within the Hidden Chamber of Odin (near the Witch’s Cave).
• How to Access: Go back to the River Pass. The Hidden Chamber of Odin is close to the Witch’s Cave entrance.
• Strategies: Kara summons Draugr to fight alongside her, which can make the battle overwhelming. Focus on crowd control by using Runic Attacks and area-of-effect abilities to quickly eliminate the Draugr. Keep Kara staggered with heavy attacks to prevent her from summoning more enemies. Use a Runic summon to distract the adds as well.

4. Rota (Helheim)

• Location: Helheim, within the Hidden Chamber of Odin.
• How to Access: Travel to Helheim. The Hidden Chamber of Odin is accessible from the main path, but you must unlock it.
• Strategies: Rota is incredibly aggressive and uses unblockable jump attacks frequently. Dodging is essential in this fight. Time your dodges carefully to avoid her attacks and create openings for counterattacks. Runic Attacks that have good range and fast execution are ideal. Use Atreus’s arrows to interrupt her attacks and create additional openings.

5. Olrun (Alfheim)

• Location: Alfheim, within the Hidden Chamber of Odin.
• How to Access: Return to Alfheim and locate the Hidden Chamber of Odin.
• Strategies: Olrun is very agile and utilizes swift wing attacks. She often flies around the arena, making it difficult to hit her with melee attacks. Use ranged attacks and Runic Attacks that can target airborne enemies. Pay attention to her movements and dodge her wing attacks. Utilize parrying for any melee attacks.

6. Gondul (Muspelheim)

• Location: Muspelheim, at the top of the Muspelheim Trials.
• How to Access: Complete the Muspelheim Trials until you reach the very top. Gondul will be waiting for you.
• Strategies: Gondul uses fire-based attacks, including fireballs and area-of-effect flames. Equip armor and enchantments that provide fire resistance. Use Runic Attacks that can interrupt her spells. Be mindful of the lava on the ground and avoid standing in it for too long. Use the environment to your advantage by creating distance when needed.

7. Hildr (Niflheim)

• Location: Niflheim, within the maze-like mist realm.
• How to Access: Navigate the Niflheim maze. Hildr is located in a small arena within the mist.
• Strategies: Hildr constantly summons enemies, primarily wolves, and uses ice-based attacks. Focus on crowd control to eliminate the wolves quickly. Equip armor and enchantments that provide resistance to frost. Use Runic Attacks that can deal area damage to clear out the adds. Keep moving to avoid her ice attacks and the wolves’ lunges.

8. Sigrun (Council of Valkyries)

• Location: Council of Valkyries, accessible after defeating all other Valkyries.
• How to Access: Obtain all the helmets from the other Valkyries and place them on their thrones at the Council of Valkyries. This will summon Sigrun.
• Strategies: Sigrun combines all the attacks and abilities of the other Valkyries, making her the most challenging boss in the game. This fight requires patience, precision, and a deep understanding of each Valkyrie’s attack patterns. Learn her tells and dodge accordingly. Use Runic Attacks strategically to maximize damage output. Prioritize survival and avoid getting greedy with your attacks. Equip enchantments that provide general defense and resistance to various damage types. Mastering parrying is essential in this fight.

9. Queen Valkyrie Sigrun (New Game Plus version)

• Location: Council of Valkyries, accessible after defeating all other Valkyries in NG+.
• How to Access: Obtain all the helmets from the other Valkyries in NG+ and place them on their thrones at the Council of Valkyries. This will summon Sigrun.
• Strategies: The strategies from the original Sigrun fight still apply, but she is significantly stronger in NG+. Her attacks deal much more damage, and her health pool is larger. You must be even more careful and precise with your dodges and parries. Consider using a Resurrection Stone to give yourself a second chance if you make a mistake. Keep practicing and learning her attack patterns. Perseverance is key to victory. This is where you will get the final piece of the Zeus Armor.

Tips and Strategies for Valkyrie Battles in New Game Plus

Defeating the Valkyries in New Game Plus is a formidable challenge, but with the right preparation and strategies, you can overcome them. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind:

• Max Out Your Gear: Before attempting the Valkyrie fights, ensure that all your equipment, including your weapons, armor, and enchantments, are fully upgraded. This will maximize your damage output and survivability.
• Choose the Right Armor: While the Zeus Armor is your ultimate goal, it’s not ideal for the Valkyrie fights. Focus on using armor sets that provide a balance of strength, defense, and vitality. The Ivaldi’s Cursed Mist Armor (fully upgraded) is a good choice for survivability.
• Equip Powerful Enchantments: Choose enchantments that provide beneficial stats and effects, such as increased strength, defense, vitality, or resistance to elemental damage. Also equip enchantments that proc on hit.
• Master the Combat System: The Valkyrie fights require a deep understanding of God of War’s combat system. Master parrying, dodging, and utilizing Runic Attacks effectively. Learn to recognize enemy attack patterns and time your dodges and parries precisely.
• Utilize Runic Attacks Strategically: Runic Attacks are powerful abilities that can deal significant damage and provide temporary buffs. Choose Runic Attacks that complement your playstyle and are effective against the Valkyries’ weaknesses. For example, some Valkyries are vulnerable to fire damage, while others are susceptible to stun effects.
• Take Advantage of Atreus’s Abilities: Atreus can provide valuable support during the Valkyrie fights. Use his arrows to interrupt enemy attacks, stun enemies, and deal additional damage. Upgrade Atreus’s skills to enhance his effectiveness.
• Use Rage Mode Wisely: Spartan Rage can be a lifesaver in tough situations. Use it to deal burst damage, heal yourself, or interrupt enemy attacks. Save your Rage for when you really need it.
• Learn Enemy Attack Patterns: Each Valkyrie has unique attack patterns and behaviors. Take the time to learn their tells and anticipate their attacks. This will allow you to dodge and parry more effectively.
• Be Patient and Persistent: The Valkyrie fights can be frustrating, especially in New Game Plus. Don’t get discouraged if you fail multiple times. Keep practicing, learning from your mistakes, and adjusting your strategies. Eventually, you will emerge victorious.
• Use Resurrection Stones: Resurrection Stones provide a second chance if you die during a fight. Carry a strong Resurrection Stone.

The Zeus Armor: Strengths and Weaknesses

Once you’ve acquired all three pieces of the Zeus Armor, it’s time to put it to the test. While the armor provides a significant boost to damage output, it also comes with a major drawback: reduced defense. Here’s a breakdown of the armor’s strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

• Massive Damage Increase: The Zeus Armor significantly increases your Strength stat, resulting in a substantial increase in damage dealt with both melee attacks and Runic Attacks. This allows you to defeat enemies much faster and tackle higher difficulty challenges.
• Enhanced Runic Attack Damage: The increased Strength also enhances the damage of your Runic Attacks, making them even more devastating. This is particularly useful for dealing with tough bosses and elite enemies.
• Faster Enemy Defeat: The increased damage output allows you to defeat enemies more quickly, reducing the amount of time you’re exposed to danger. This can be a significant advantage in crowded encounters.
• Ideal for Skilled Players: The Zeus Armor is best suited for skilled players who can consistently dodge and parry enemy attacks. If you have excellent reflexes and timing, you can minimize the impact of the reduced defense and take full advantage of the increased damage.

Weaknesses:

• Reduced Defense: The most significant drawback of the Zeus Armor is the substantial reduction in defense. You’ll take much more damage from enemy attacks, making you more vulnerable to death.
• Requires Precise Timing: Playing with the Zeus Armor requires precise timing and excellent dodging skills. You need to be able to anticipate enemy attacks and avoid them consistently.
• Not Suitable for Beginners: The Zeus Armor is not recommended for beginners or players who struggle with the game’s combat system. The reduced defense can make the game extremely challenging.
• High Risk, High Reward: The Zeus Armor is a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. You’ll deal significantly more damage, but you’ll also be much more vulnerable. It’s a glass cannon build that requires skill and precision.

Alternative Armor Sets

While the Zeus Armor is the ultimate damage-dealing set, it’s not always the best choice for every situation. There are other armor sets that provide a better balance of strength, defense, and vitality. Here are some alternative armor sets to consider:

• Ivaldi’s Deadly Mist Armor: This armor set provides a good balance of stats and is particularly useful in Niflheim due to its resistance to the mist.
• Ivaldi’s Cursed Mist Armor: This set provides high defense and vitality, making it a good choice for survivability. It also has a chance to curse enemies on hit, weakening them and making them more vulnerable.
• Sindri’s Royal Dwarven Armor: This set focuses on enhancing your Runic Attacks, increasing their damage and reducing their cooldown.
• Brok’s Royal Dwarven Armor: Similar to Sindri’s armor, this set also enhances your Runic Attacks, but it focuses on different aspects, such as increasing their stun potential.
• Traveler’s Armor Set: If you prefer a more balanced style of play, the Traveller’s Armor set is a decent alternative, offering a good mix of strength, defense, and other stats.

Conclusion

Obtaining the Zeus Armor in God of War (2018) is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. It requires completing the main story, starting a New Game Plus playthrough, and defeating the Valkyries a second time. The armor provides a massive boost to damage output but comes with a significant reduction in defense. It’s a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that’s best suited for skilled players who can consistently dodge and parry enemy attacks. By following the steps and strategies outlined in this guide, you can acquire the Zeus Armor and become an unstoppable force in the world of God of War.