Hvitserkr the reckless is undoubtedly one of the last berserkers you will kill in God of War Ragnarok, it is a particularly difficult and intense fight, and quite random as a bonus. It must be said that a boss that summons lots of additional dangerous enemies can be easier when he forgets to do so, and really painful if he uses it in a loop.
The objective of this guide, as well as all those dedicated to bosses, is to help you beat them on maximum difficulty, "Only God of War", so that they are relevant for all levels.
The 12 Berserkers and their king
Normally, at this point, you should know how this quest works. Once the 12th berserker is dead, you can return to where you found the sword hilt, at the Tomb of the King, in Midgard, to face what could be considered one of the game's two ultimate bosses.
Be aware, however, that you cannot kill the 12 berserkers before completing the main story, since the last one is in an inaccessible area before the "post game" content, after the death of the final boss. Check out our 12th Berserker guide for more info on his location.
Hvitserkr the Reckless is in the southwestern section of Vanaheim, you have to take the boat near Freyr's camp to reach it. His tombstone is naturally marked on the map, so if you've been through the area, finding him isn't difficult. Defeat him, however...
What equipment to use?
Hvitserkr the Reckless and his summons are level 6, if you play on high difficulty, you need at least the same level of equipment. If the enemy's life bar is red, with a skull and crossbones, victory is almost impossible. Given the structure of the fight, we advise you to save this berserker for the end, and to do it at level 7 or 8+ , especially if you play in a high difficulty mode.
We advise you to use Heavy Runic Attacks with large areas of effect on all your weapons for this fight. This will help you quickly clear enemies summoned by the boss, without having to divert your attention or turn the camera. The Blades of Chaos are particularly interesting in this fight, with their zone attacks, which once again allow you to kill enemies passively.
Certain armors have the opportunity to shine in this fight, we especially think of the Radiant Bracelets and the Radiant Belt , since their slowdown bubble in the event of a dodge in extremis, will save your life by controlling the enemies and the boss, then you will have the opportunity to counter-attack more easily.
The Spartan Rage - Fury is particularly effective in this fight, since it allows you to attack the boss and his adds at the same time, while protecting you from attacks that you do not see coming.
Don't forget your Berserker Resurrection Stone, it can give you the boost you're missing at the end of the fight.
We recommend the usual Enchantments in your Yggdrasil Amulet:
- Dodge Emblem : Extending roll range and speed will save your life many times over.
- Celestial Panacea : Poison attack damage will be reduced, and it will take more attacks to be afflicted by its effect.
- Adding the enchantment that restores life by killing enemies with runic attacks might be a good idea for once.
Strategy
This boss is a rush DPS, your goal is to be as aggressive as possible , in order to limit its opportunities to summon monsters as much as possible. You can seriously reduce his health while blocking him by chaining together Quick Runic Attacks and other attacks. By meleeing quickly when he leaps back, you have a chance to interrupt his summons, or you can launch an Area Runic Attack to kill the summons, before they have a chance to attack you .
Summons aside, Hvitserkr the Reckless himself is a fairly standard berserker wizard, he has exactly the same attacks as the dreaded Beigadr (see below), but flavored with poison, rather than lightning. It is objectively a less dangerous element, but it remains formidable, since its monsters will prevent you from dodging or blocking at a critical moment, if you manage the situation badly. Taking a hit when you have to dodge the 4 poison balls is deadly. For the record, you can return poison balls with a parry, and all 4 poison balls must be dodged at the very last moment.
Summon Poison Monsters : This spell summons 2 flying eyes and 3-4 poisoned humanoids. All of these mobs are extremely aggressive, and they'll charge at you from afar. Eyes explode after charging, which can kill you instantly on maximum difficulty. If your area attacks haven't killed them, taking a moment to finish them off should be your priority. Humanoids are a little more controllable, since you can parry their attacks. They have quite a low life, so with the help of Atreus or Freya cleaning up, you can also attempt to clean the room methodically every time. But don't forget that you have to keep the boss in sight at all times, since he will continue to chain spells and attacks. The slightest distraction can be fatal.
Zombie Explosion : This is the equivalent of the other spellcasters' blizzard and thunderstorm, but poison version. When the boss casts this ability, red circles will loop over your location, then a moment later a poison explosion will occur. The only thing to do is to combine the sprint and the rolls to get out in time. The extended roulades are then appreciable. The zones will follow you, so plan your movements to join the boss in melee, so that you can attack immediately when the spell ends (about 4 to 5 zones).
Tips
The big flaw in the fights of God of War Ragnarok is that the game is absolutely not designed for fights against several enemies at the same time, especially if some are at a distance. The camera is way too close for that. The only solution is to keep an eye on the circle at your feet, and roll in a hurry if a big red arrow appears. He will sometimes chain the rolls, in order to escape a group of enemies and the attacks of the boss. Using an invocation of Atreus or Freya can get you out of a critical situation (Square maintained). Their arrows are also handy for eliminating foot soldiers. Producing sonic blasts will help clear the area.