You finally did it. You climbed the mountain, flipped the temple, and saw the credits roll on Kratos and Atreus’s awkward father-son road trip. You feel powerful. Then, you find a Hidden Chamber of Odin, hear that chilling, screeching violin flare, and a winged nightmare screams "VALHALLA!" before stomping your neck into the dirt. Just like that, you realize the Valkyrie God of War encounters aren't just side quests; they are the actual game.
These fights changed how people looked at the 2018 reboot. Before Sigrun and her sisters showed up, God of War was mostly seen as a cinematic brawler. After them? It became a test of frame-perfect reflexes and gear optimization that felt more like Dark Souls than the button-mashers of the PS2 era. Honestly, if you haven't beaten the Council of Valkyries, you haven't really finished the game. It's a rite of passage that separates the casual players from the ones who actually understand the combat mechanics.
The Lore Behind the Screams
Odin is a jerk. That’s the spark notes version, but the actual story is more tragic. Freya, the former Queen of the Valkyries, was stripped of her warrior spirit by Odin after their marriage soured. To spite her and cripple the realms, Odin cursed the remaining Valkyries, binding them to physical forms. Normally, Valkyries are ethereal beings of light who ferry the dead to Valhalla. By forcing them into physical bodies, Odin drove them insane.
Kratos isn't just killing them. He’s performing a violent exorcism.
When you "defeat" a Valkyrie in God of War, you’re actually shattering the physical shell Odin trapped them in, allowing their spirit to return to the afterlife. This explains why they thank you after you’ve spent forty-five minutes swearing at your television. It’s a weirdly beautiful narrative loop where the most frustrating gameplay moments are also acts of mercy.
Why Gunnr, Kara, and Geirdriful Are Just the Warm-up
Most players start with Gunnr in Midgard. She’s the "tutorial" Valkyrie, mostly using scythe attacks that are easy to parry. You think, Oh, I've got this. Then you meet Kara. Kara doesn't just fight you; she summons a literal army of level-matched draugr to overwhelm your camera. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It’s the first time the game tells you that your Runic attacks need to be AoE focused rather than single-target.
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Then there’s Geirdriful. She loves the air. If you aren't quick with Atreus’s arrows to knock her down, she will pelt you with unblockable projectiles until your health bar is a memory. These early fights are designed to teach you specific lessons.
- Gunnr teaches you the parry timing.
- Eir teaches you how to break a block with a double-tap of L1.
- Olrun teaches you that dodging to the right is often safer than dodging to the left because of the way her wing-stab tracks.
The Difficulty Spike Nobody Was Ready For
Let's talk about Gondul and Rota. If you’ve been to Muspelheim or Niflheim, you know the pain. Gondul sits at the top of a literal volcano, and she loves fire. Every time she jumps, she leaves a pool of lava that drains your health. You have to fight her while managing the camera in a tight arena. It’s brutal.
Rota, found in Helheim, is arguably the most annoying. She is the queen of the "Valhalla" stomp. She’ll scream, jump off-screen, and land on your head three times in a row. If you miss the dodge once, you’re dead on Give Me God of War difficulty. Period. No second chances. This is where the game stops being "fun" in a traditional sense and starts being a rhythmic puzzle. You learn to listen for the vocal cues because the visual cues are often too fast to react to.
Sigrun: The Boss That Broke the Internet
If the other eight Valkyries were the mid-term exams, Sigrun is the PhD defense where the professor tries to make you cry. She has the combined move set of all her sisters. Every single move you spent the last ten hours learning? She uses them all, but faster, and with more health.
Sigrun has roughly 20-25 distinct attacks. Some look identical but have different timings. For example, her wing-swipe can be a two-hit combo or a fake-out into a red-ring unblockable stab. You can't just "get lucky" against Sigrun. You have to memorize the choreography. It’s a dance. A very bloody, frustrating dance.
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The stats for the Sigrun fight are actually insane. In the first few months after the game's release, the global "win" percentage for Sigrun was significantly lower than the completion rate for the main story. Many players simply gave up. But those who stuck it out realized that the Valkyrie God of War finale is one of the most balanced boss fights in gaming history. There is no "cheap" move Sigrun has that can't be countered. If you died, it’s because you messed up. That’s the hallmark of a masterpiece boss design.
Gearing Up: Don't Go in Naked
You cannot beat the higher-level Valkyries with the gear you used to kill a Troll in the opening hour. You need the right build. Most experts recommend the Ivaldi’s Armor of Deadly Mist from Niflheim. It provides a constant health regeneration effect which is vital because these fights are endurance matches.
Essential Runic Attacks
Don't just pick the ones that look cool.
- Hel’s Touch (Light Axe): It’s fast and interrupts almost any Valkyrie wind-up.
- Hyperion Grapple (Heavy Blades): High damage and gets you close to the enemy instantly.
- Blessing of the Frost: Great for pure DPS when you have a large opening.
The Talisman Secret
The Amulet of Kvasir is basically a cheat code. It triggers a slow-motion "Realm Shift" whenever you perform a last-second dodge. Since Valkyrie fights are 90% dodging, this gives you massive windows to land heavy hits that would otherwise be impossible.
The Mythological Inaccuracy (That Makes the Game Better)
Purists might point out that the Valkyrie in God of War don't exactly match the Prose Edda. In Norse myth, Valkyries aren't typically corrupted spirits trapped in metal armor. They are choosers of the slain, dignified and terrifying. Santa Monica Studio took a gamble by making them mechanical-looking bosses.
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But it works. The clanking of the metal wings adds a layer of auditory feedback that makes the hits feel heavier. The way their wings fold to form a shield isn't "mythologically accurate," but it is a brilliant way to communicate a defensive stance to the player without using a UI prompt.
Moving Toward Actionable Mastery
If you’re currently stuck on a Valkyrie, stop trying to win. That sounds weird, right? But stop. Go into the fight and don't attack. Just see how long you can stay alive by dodging and parrying. Once you can survive for three minutes without taking a hit, then you start weaving in attacks.
- Turn up your volume: The vocal cues (like "Valhalla!" or "Unworthy!") tell you exactly what move is coming before the animation even starts.
- Don't use Berserker Resurrection Stones: Use the Superior Resurrection Stone instead. The Berserker one gives you Rage, but the Superior one gives you a massive chunk of health. In these fights, health is always more valuable than Rage.
- Watch the wings: If the Valkyrie covers herself with her wings, immediately use a Shield Break (double-tap L1). If you wait, she’ll blast you with an area-of-effect wave.
What Comes After the Queen?
Beating Sigrun grants you the Valkyrie Armor set, which is arguably the best looking and one of the most powerful sets in the game. But more than the loot, it gives you the context for God of War Ragnarok. The relationship between Kratos, Freya, and the concept of the Valkyries is the emotional backbone of the sequel.
To truly master the Valkyrie God of War encounters, you need to treat them like a rhythm game. Every wing beat is a beat in a song. Once you hear the music, the Queen falls. Then, and only then, can you truly call yourself the God of War.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your Enchantments: Prioritize "Heart of Vanaheim" for a chance to gain a boost to Strength, Defense, and Runic on any hit.
- Farm Niflheim: If you’re struggling with health, the health regen from the Mist armor is non-negotiable.
- Practice the "Right Dodge": Train your thumb to flick right by default; many of the most dangerous unblockable lunges are designed to catch players dodging left or backward.