So, you’re trekking through Midgard, Kratos is grumpy as usual, and you realize your current gear feels like it’s made of wet cardboard. It happens. But then you hear about the Ancient armor set God of War players obsessed over back in 2018, and honestly, even with Ragnarok out now, people still go back to this specific set for a reason. It’s not just about the look—though looking like a walking pile of stony rubble has its charms—it’s about that sweet, sweet elemental resistance.
Most people just breeze past the Soul-Eater encounters. Big mistake.
If you want to survive the late-game grind or the tougher trials in Muspelheim, you need to understand why this specific gear matters. It isn’t the absolute "best" in terms of raw Strength—the Valkyrie or Ivaldi sets usually take that crown—but for a mid-to-late game pivot? It’s kind of a lifesaver.
The Grind for Ancient Rubble
You can't just find this in a chest. That would be too easy. To get the Ancient armor set God of War forces you to play a bit of a dangerous game of tag with Ancients and Soul-Eaters. These are those giant, lumbering rock beasts that only take real damage when their chest opens up to fire a laser at your face.
To craft the full set (the Pauldrons, Gauntlets, and Belt), you’re going to need Ancient Hearts and Ancient Rubble. Specifically, you need 3 Hearts and 16 pieces of Rubble for the initial craft.
Here is the thing: Ancients don’t respawn like regular Draugr. There are a finite number of them in the world. If you miss picking up the loot after a fight, check the "Lost Items" tab at Brok or Sindri’s shop. It’s saved me more times than I’d like to admit.
The stats are heavily weighted toward Defense and Strength, but the real kicker is the unique Perk: Elemental Shielding. Each piece you wear adds a stack of resistance against Frost, Burn, and Shock damage. Wear the whole set? You’re basically looking at an 85% reduction in elemental damage. You can literally stand in a fire pit and just... vibe.
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Why Most Players Skip the Best Part
Actually, let's talk about the mistake everyone makes. They see the Level 4 base stats and think, "Eh, I’ll wait for the Tyr set."
Don't do that.
The Ancient armor set God of War provides is a bridge. It’s the gear that allows you to hunt the harder bosses without getting one-shotted by a stray fireball. When you upgrade it to Level 6, the Defense jump is massive. It’s one of the few sets that makes Kratos feel like the tank he’s supposed to be.
Think about the Fire Ancients in the cliffs. Or the Frost Ancients near the Lake of Nine. Normally, their beam attack is a death sentence on Give Me God of War difficulty. With this set? It’s a tickle. It changes the math of the game. You stop playing defensively and start playing aggressively because you aren't scared of the floor being lava.
Breaking Down the Ancient Set Pieces
The set is comprised of three distinct parts, and while you can mix and match, the set bonus is really why you’re here.
Ancient Pauldrons
This is your primary source of Strength. It’s the heavy hitter of the trio. If you’re only going to craft one piece to fill a gap in your build, make it the chest piece. It has a high Defense ceiling once you start pumping Svartalfheim Steel and more Ancient Hearts into it.
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Ancient Gauntlets
These give a nice little boost to your Cooldown. In the 2018 game, Cooldown is king. Being able to spam the Hel's Touch or the Ivaldi’s Anvil runic attacks is how you control the battlefield. The Gauntlets help bridge that gap before you get into the truly high-end Niflheim gear.
Ancient Belt
This is the "utility" piece. It rounds out the Defense stats. Honestly, it’s the least exciting part of the set, but you need it for that 85% resistance cap. Without it, you’re sitting at around 50% or 60% resistance, which is fine, but on higher difficulties, "fine" gets you killed.
The Myth of the "Best" Armor
Look, gaming forums love to argue. One guy says the Traveler set is better because of the shield perk. Another swears by the Sindri Royal Dwarven set for the invulnerability frames. They aren't wrong, but they’re talking about different playstyles.
The Ancient armor set God of War isn't about being invincible through magic; it’s about being physically indestructible against the environment. If you find yourself dying to "puddle" damage—those lingering status effects on the ground—this set is your fix.
The main drawback? It doesn't have many enchantment sockets early on. You’re trading customization for raw, baked-in protection. By the time you get to the Valkyries, you might find the lack of sockets annoying. That’s when you usually transition into the Valkyrie set. But to get the Valkyrie set, you have to kill the Valkyries. And to kill the Valkyries without losing your mind? This armor is a fantastic tool to have in the shed.
High-Level Upgrading Costs
If you're planning to max this out, start hoarding your Hacksilver. It’s not cheap. To get to the final tier, you'll need:
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- Tons of Hacksilver (obviously).
- More Ancient Hearts (kill the Ancient in the Mountain and the one in Alfheim).
- Solid Svartalfheim Steel.
The difficulty spike in the mid-game, right around when you're heading back to the Mountain for the second time, is exactly when this set shines. If you've been doing the side quests for the Dwarves—which you absolutely should be—you'll have enough materials by the time you reach the summit again.
Getting the Most Out of the Ancient Build
To really make the Ancient armor set God of War work for you, pair it with the Mark of the Ancient enchantment if you can find it. You want to lean into that "tank" identity. Use the Talisman of Vitality to keep your health up, and suddenly Kratos becomes an immovable object.
Another tip: focus on Runic attacks that have fast animations. Since you’re built for defense, you don't need to worry about being interrupted as much, but you still want to be able to proc your status effects quickly. The Leviathan Axe’s "Njord’s Tempest" is a great pairing here. You spin, you take a hit, you don't care because your armor absorbs the elemental backlash, and you keep spinning.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently looking at your crafting menu and wondering if it’s worth the detour, here is exactly what you should do:
- Check your Resources: Open your inventory. Do you have at least one Ancient Heart? If not, head to Fafnir’s Storeroom. There’s an Ancient there that is relatively easy to cheese with axe throws.
- Focus on the Pauldrons First: If you’re short on Rubble, craft the chest piece. It gives the biggest immediate stat boost.
- Clear the Alfheim Ancient: There is a Stone Ancient right near the light of Alfheim. Don't skip it. It's one of the most predictable fights in the game. Just wait for the chest to glow, throw the axe, pick up the white chunks it drops, and throw those back at it for massive stagger damage.
- Don’t Sell Your Hearts: Even if you move on to the Ivaldi gear later, keep your Ancient materials. Some high-level enchantments and pommels require them for the final upgrade tiers.
- Test the Resistance: Once you have the full set, go back to a Muspelheim trial with fire hazards. Stand in the fire for a second. See how little the bar moves? That’s your reward for the grind.
The Ancient gear is a classic for a reason. It’s reliable. It’s sturdy. It looks like you’ve literally become part of the mountain. While it might not be the "flashy" choice for streamers doing Level 1 runs, for the average player trying to survive the gauntlet of the Norse realms, it’s a foundational piece of any solid inventory._