While Kratos slays gods over breakfast, Atreus flirts and robs little (?) old women, but you have to start somewhere. Unlike the previous title, God of War Ragnarök offers you a few sections to control the teenager 50% god, 50% giant and 100% rebel. This has the merit of varying the gameplay, especially since this boss is far from being as easy as one might think.
The objective of this guide, as well as all those dedicated to the bosses that will follow, is to help you beat them on maximum difficulty, "Only God of War", so that they are relevant for all levels.
Unlike the other bosses in the game, you don't have to attack Gryla directly, but her cauldron , and more specifically her purple runes, in order to destroy her.
Preparations and tips
The previous section in Ironwood gave you quite a bit of experience, and some additional options in terms of gear and abilities. We advise you to choose a runic invocation that can be used remotely, such as the Eagles, and not the Ibex, which is almost useless in combat. For the special bow shot, triple shot with R1, along with time slowing, is perfect for this fight.
- Prioritize buying skills that improve your arrows and bow. The same goes for accessories.
- The transformation into a wolf is not available on this fight, but your teammate will assist you. Remember to use his attacks with Square, as well as his runic summons when needed.
List of attacks and how to counter them
Like Thor and the other big bosses in the story mode, Gryla has several distinct phases, which are becoming more complex. Luckily for you, the game is generous, and checkpoints are created automatically at the end of each phase. This allows you to overcome Gryla without too many problems, even on maximum difficulty, with a little practice.
Trample (normal attack) : If you get too close to Gryla, she will lift her foot to crush you. The area damage is immense, and it can kill you instantly in some cases. The easiest way is to stay away. Roll back when needed, for example, when luring him into the candles.
Volley of purple balls (yellow attack) : The most common attack, it throws 3 balls horizontally with its cauldron. When the fight progresses, she will send 2 volleys in a row. Do side or rear dodges, then continue to strafe the cauldron. You can theoretically perform a shield parry on this attack, but it's a lot of risk for not much.
Toxic fumes (red attack) : Once Gryla's life is low enough, she will prepare to spill the cauldron on the floor of the whole room. To escape, you have to use the 4 anchor points, at the 4 corners of the room, to climb onto the worktop. You have to stay there, since the floor of the room will remain dangerous for a while. This will also modify the boss' attacks. Later, she will repeat the same attack, but on the workbench, she will then have to return to the ground. Afterwards, it will probably cover the kitchen floor with steam again, but when you know how to escape it, it's easy to avoid.
Guided Balls (Red Attack) : When you're on the counter and Gryla reaches into her cauldron, she'll pull out several misty-looking purple balls. They are slow, but they will also chase you for a long distance. The easiest way is to destroy them with a normal arrow, but you can also run and dodge in the direction of the other end of the workbench. The balls will disappear along the way.
Watering (red attack) : When you are on the table, Gryla will grab the cauldron and quickly swing it in your direction in order to send a large amount of its contents on your position. Dodge sideways urgently, it hurts a lot and it also happens very quickly.
Strategy
This fight doesn't play out like any other, and just attacking isn't enough. Always aim for the cauldron and especially its purple runes, and not Gryla.
- When she prepares to spill the cauldron on the ground, stand on the workbench, until she prepares to water it too, a little later.
- At first, Gryla doesn't protect the cauldron, so it's easy to damage it. She will end up being stunned, which will allow you to attack the cauldron freely. This is an opportunity to use melee attacks, they hurt more. Thereafter, it will be necessary to climb on the workbench.
- But afterwards, Gryla will turn her back on you to cover the cauldron. Do not approach , trying to get a better angle is useless. Instead, approach the special candles at the 2 corners of the room . When Gryla is close enough, press " Square " to trigger a purple explosion that will startle her. You can then attack the cauldron. Then go to the other corner of the room, to use the other candle, as they have a cooldown.
- Repeat the operation until you stun Gryla again, then trigger the final QTE.
