This YouTube video showcasing Kratos defeat Gunnr in 6 hits might make you think the player had lore accurate Kratos in his control.

There is a God of War (2018) clip on YouTube that might surprise you. In the video, a player eliminates Gunnr, a Valkyrie and one of the notoriously challenging bosses in the 2018 game, in just six hits from Kratos. For context, Valkyries are known for their punishing difficulty and complex movesets, making this feat astonishing.

Builds like this are cool to see. | Image Credit: Santa Monica Studio

But because the player didn’t show any of the equipment they used or their stats, it’s up to us to speculate exactly how they did it. As it goes with showcases like this, there was probably a lot of setup required. Let’s try to see if we can catch everything.

Kratos won the fight rather easily in this video, let’s check out how

What kind of build made this possible? | Image Credit: Santa Monica Studio

The first part of this build that seems clear is the Armor of Zeus, a high-risk, high-reward armor set available only in New Game Plus mode. Known for its Glass Ballista skill, the set boosts Kratos’ attack power at the cost of making him more vulnerable to damage. Each piece of the armor also gives Strength, Runic, and Defense stats. Some comments on the video jokingly say that it’s just how strong Kratos is and not a build.

The Talisman of the Realms is also a part of this six shot build because we see the player use the Realm Shift ability at the start of the fight. his talisman can slow down time using its Realm Shift ability, allowing Kratos to land precise, devastating blows without interruption. It perfectly synergizes with the Armor of Zeus and the next ability.

The Blessings of Frost also makes an appearance at the start alongside Realm Shift. This Heavy Runic Attack empowers the Leviathan Axe, adding frost damage and increasing the damage of Kratos’ strikes. Found in a Legendary Chest at Thamur’s Corpse, Blessings of Frost is considered one of the most powerful runic attacks in the game.

How do Valkyries in God of War share moves/behaviors, yet offer unique challenges? The combination of altering attack roles/properties/composition forces the player to RELEARN the familiar. Let’s compare the behaviors between Gunnr, Kara and Geirdriful. #gamedesign #combatdesign pic.twitter.com/rWhaD817Zs

— Jason de Heras 🎮 (@jasondeheras) March 28, 2021

Found scattered across the game’s world, these dews provide permanent stat boosts, such as Strength and Runic. By repeatedly collecting these dews across multiple New Game Plus cycles, the player could have significantly raised Kratos’ stats beyond typical limits.

God of War is just cool like that

Valkyries are notoriously hard. | Image Credit: Santa Monica Studio

The Valkyrie Gunnr is typically a mid-tier boss and considered a skill check for players. While not as difficult as Sigrun, the Queen of the Valkyries, Gunnr’s agility and multi-phase attacks can overwhelm unprepared players. To see her defeated in just six hits shows how a well-optimized build can trivialize even the game’s harder challenges.

While the player’s build is impressive, it’s important to note that the game’s difficulty setting likely influenced the outcome. The fight was probably on the easiest mode, where enemies have significantly reduced health and resistance. This choice, combined with maxed-out stats and gear, is how a six-hit victory against Gunnr becomes plausible, albeit still crazy to see. Let’s hope to see more of it in future games.

This incredible display highlights the depth of customization and strategy available in God of War. From armor and talismans to runic attacks and collectibles, players have an array of tools to experiment with. The video showcases how far these mechanics can be pushed, inspiring others in the community to revisit the game and attempt similar feats.

Have you tried out any OP or one shot builds in your God of War playthrough? Let us know in the comments!