The Leviathan Axe, Kratos’ iconic weapon in God of War (2018), is a marvel of Norse craftsmanship and brutal efficiency. As you journey through Midgard and beyond, upgrading this formidable weapon is paramount to facing increasingly challenging foes. While the base Leviathan Axe is powerful, reaching its pinnacle – Level 6 – unlocks its true potential, transforming it into an instrument of divine destruction. This guide delves deep into the intricate process of achieving this ultimate weapon upgrade, providing a detailed roadmap for every aspiring Spartan.
The Path To The Apex: Understanding Leviathan Axe Upgrades
Before embarking on the quest for Level 6, it’s crucial to understand the upgrade system in God of War. Each level of upgrade requires specific resources and unlocks new abilities or enhancements for the Leviathan Axe. These upgrades aren’t just about raw damage; they also influence the axe’s elemental damage, runic attack slots, and even its passive buffs. The journey to Level 6 is a testament to your progression through the game’s narrative and your mastery of its combat mechanics.
Resource Gathering: The Cornerstone Of Your Arsenal
The core of any upgrade in God of War lies in the acquisition of specific crafting materials. For the Leviathan Axe, these materials are earned through various in-game activities, from defeating formidable enemies to completing side quests and exploring hidden areas.
Common and Uncommon Materials: The Foundation
Early upgrades to the Leviathan Axe will primarily rely on more readily available materials such as:
- Hacksilver: The primary currency of Midgard, earned by defeating enemies, opening chests, and completing favors. It’s the universal building block for most upgrades.
- Wood and Stone: Found abundantly throughout the game world, these are often components of basic upgrades, allowing you to enhance the axe’s base attributes.
- Tempered Frost: A common crafting material acquired by defeating frost-based enemies, particularly Draugr and certain magical constructs.
As you progress and venture into more dangerous territories, you’ll encounter materials that require a bit more effort to obtain.
Rare and Epic Materials: The Gatekeepers of Power
The latter stages of Leviathan Axe upgrades, particularly those leading to Level 6, demand rarer and more potent materials. These are the true gatekeepers of ultimate power and are typically associated with more challenging encounters and significant exploration.
- Indurite Shards: This crucial material is primarily obtained from defeating specific types of fire-based enemies, most notably the Travelers. These formidable warriors are encountered during specific story moments and in higher-level areas. Defeating them requires careful observation of their attack patterns and strategic use of Kratos’ abilities.
- Mithril: Another vital component, Mithril is often found in Dwarven chests, particularly those unlocked through the Sindri’s Workshop favors. Some Mithril can also be found in specific treasure maps and hidden areas.
- Ngachpeli: This rare material is a significant hurdle for reaching Level 6. Ngachpeli is exclusively found within the optional areas of Muspelheim and Niflheim. These realms offer unique challenges and rewards, and acquiring Ngachpeli will involve overcoming their respective trials.
The Dwarven Smithies: Your Sanctuary Of Enhancement
The Dwarves, Brok and Sindri, are your indispensable allies in the pursuit of an upgraded Leviathan Axe. Their smithies are the only places where you can physically upgrade your weapon. Each smithy, located in various settlements and hidden corners of Midgard, offers the same upgrade services. Interacting with the blacksmith menu at any smithy will present you with the available upgrades for your current weapons and armor.
The Upgrade Tree: A Visual Representation Of Progress
The Leviathan Axe upgrade tree is a visual representation of the resources required for each subsequent level. While the specific order and cost of materials can vary slightly between game updates, the general progression remains consistent. Each level typically adds a new perk or enhances existing stats.
Level 1-3: Laying the Foundation
The initial upgrades focus on increasing the axe’s base damage, frost damage, and unlocking basic perks. These levels are relatively straightforward and can be achieved early in the game by collecting common materials.
Level 4-5: Stepping Up the Challenge
These mid-game upgrades begin to demand rarer materials like Tempered Frost and sometimes early instances of Mithril or Indurite Shards. The perks unlocked at these levels often introduce new combat mechanics or significantly boost the axe’s effectiveness against specific enemy types.
Level 6: The Zenith of Power
Reaching Level 6 on the Leviathan Axe is a significant undertaking, requiring a substantial investment of rare materials, most notably Indurite Shards and Ngachpeli. The final upgrades at this level unlock powerful passive bonuses, dramatically increase its damage output, and can even alter the axe’s throwing and recall mechanics.
Key Materials And How To Obtain Them For Level 6
To achieve Level 6 on the Leviathan Axe, your primary focus will be on acquiring Indurite Shards and Ngachpeli.
Indurite Shards: The Traveler’s Bane
Indurite Shards are exclusively dropped by Travelers, heavily armored, sword-wielding mini-bosses that appear at specific points in the story and can be encountered in higher-level areas as optional encounters.
- Story Progression: Travelers are integral to the narrative and will be encountered during key story missions. These are guaranteed opportunities to earn Indurite Shards.
- Optional Encounters: Beyond the story, Travelers can be found in optional areas, often guarding valuable loot or important pathways. Keep an eye out for these imposing figures.
- Combat Strategy: Travelers are notoriously tough. They have high defense, powerful melee attacks, and a devastating shield bash. Effective strategies involve:
- Using Kratos’ runic attacks to break their shield or stagger them.
- Exploiting openings after their attack combos.
- Utilizing Atreus’ support to interrupt their attacks or draw their aggro.
- Dodging and parrying are essential for survival.
Ngachpeli: The Trials Of Muspelheim And Niflheim
Ngachpeli is a rare crafting material found only within the challenging realms of Muspelheim and Niflheim. These realms are optional areas that offer unique gameplay loops and significant rewards for those who can conquer them.
- Muspelheim: The Realm of Fire, Muspelheim, is a series of combat challenges designed to test your prowess. To earn Ngachpeli here, you’ll need to:
- Unlock the realm: You’ll need to find Muspelheim Seed fragments scattered across Midgard to gain access.
- Complete the trials: Each chamber in Muspelheim presents a specific combat objective. Completing these trials, especially the higher-difficulty ones, will yield Ngachpeli. The ultimate reward for clearing all trials is Surtr’s Core, but Ngachpeli is also a valuable reward from the higher-level trials themselves.
- Niflheim: The Realm of Mist, Niflheim, is a procedurally generated labyrinth filled with dangerous enemies and a constant fog that drains health. Acquiring Ngachpeli here involves:
- Unlocking the realm: Similar to Muspelheim, you’ll need Niflheim Seed fragments.
- Navigating the maze: The primary source of Ngachpeli in Niflheim is the treasure chest found at the end of each successful run through the mist. These chests require a significant amount of Mist Echoes to open, which are earned by defeating enemies and finding smaller chests within the maze. The higher the difficulty of the maze run, the greater the chance of receiving Ngachpeli.
- Farming Mist Echoes: Efficiently clearing the maze and collecting Mist Echoes is key to unlocking the chests that contain Ngachpeli. Focus on clearing out enemy groups and opening any chests you encounter.
The Final Upgrades: What Level 6 Unlocks
Achieving Level 6 on the Leviathan Axe is a significant milestone that imbues Kratos’ weapon with unparalleled power. The final upgrades typically unlock potent passive bonuses that complement Kratos’ combat style and enhance the axe’s effectiveness in all situations.
These upgrades often include:
- Increased Frost Damage: A substantial boost to the axe’s inherent frost elemental damage, making it even more devastating against enemies susceptible to this element.
- Enhanced Runic Attack Potency: Further amplifies the power and effectiveness of Kratos’ equipped Runic Attacks.
- Improved Throwing and Recall: Potential enhancements to the speed, range, or damage of the axe’s signature throwing and recall mechanics.
- New Passive Perks: The most impactful changes often come in the form of new passive perks that can influence critical hit chance, stagger resistance, or even provide buffs based on Kratos’ health.
Tips For Efficiently Reaching Level 6
The journey to Level 6 requires dedication and strategic planning. Here are some tips to streamline the process:
- Prioritize Travelers: As you progress through the story, actively seek out and defeat all Travelers you encounter. This will be your most consistent source of Indurite Shards.
- Master Muspelheim and Niflheim: Dedicate time to conquering the challenges within these optional realms. Focus on completing the higher-difficulty trials in Muspelheim and efficiently navigating Niflheim to maximize your Ngachpeli acquisition.
- Complete Dwarven Favors: Many of Brok and Sindri’s favors involve acquiring specific crafting materials. Completing these can provide valuable Mithril and other necessary components.
- Explore Thoroughly: Leave no stone unturned. Hidden areas and optional pathways often contain chests with rare materials.
- Upgrade Strategically: While aiming for Level 6, don’t neglect earlier upgrades. A balanced progression ensures you’re well-equipped for the challenges ahead.
Embarking on the quest to obtain the Level 6 Leviathan Axe is more than just a material grind; it’s a journey that tests your combat skills, exploration prowess, and strategic resource management. By understanding the materials required, the locations where they are found, and the combat strategies necessary to acquire them, you will steadily march towards unlocking the ultimate power of Kratos’ iconic weapon, becoming a true force to be reckoned with in the unforgiving world of God of War.
What Is The Level 6 Leviathan Axe In God Of War (2018)?
The Level 6 Leviathan Axe represents the final and most powerful upgrade for Kratos’ iconic weapon in God of War (2018). Achieving this level significantly enhances the axe’s base damage, frost damage, and rune attack slots, making it considerably more effective against even the toughest of enemies and bosses encountered throughout the game. This upgrade is crucial for players seeking to overcome the game’s most challenging encounters and fully master combat.
Obtaining the Level 6 upgrade requires a substantial investment of resources, specifically the completion of certain end-game content and the acquisition of rare crafting materials. It’s not a simple purchase but rather a reward for dedicated exploration, defeating formidable foes, and completing specific story objectives that unlock the necessary components for the final enhancement.
What Are The Primary Materials Needed To Upgrade The Leviathan Axe To Level 6?
The most critical and often elusive material for achieving the Level 6 Leviathan Axe is the “Niðavellir’s Essence.” This rare crafting component is primarily obtained by defeating certain optional, high-level boss encounters and completing specific Favor side quests that become available in the later stages of the game. Additionally, players will need a significant amount of “Mithril” and “Asgardian Steel,” which can be found in various locations, particularly in the Dwarven realms and during specific story progression points.
These materials are not simply found lying around; they are often guarded by powerful enemies or require keen observation and exploration to discover. Players should be prepared to revisit areas, engage in challenging optional combat, and meticulously search chests and loot drops to gather the necessary quantities for each component required for the final upgrade.
Where Can I Find Niðavellir’s Essence For The Level 6 Leviathan Axe?
Niðavellir’s Essence is predominantly earned by defeating the Valkyries, a series of optional, extremely challenging boss fights scattered across the realms. Each Valkyrie defeated typically rewards a piece of powerful gear, and a specific number of these essences are needed to forge the highest tier of upgrades. Beyond the Valkyries, some of the most difficult and hidden side quests, particularly those that involve intricate puzzles or challenging combat sequences in the later game, can also offer Niðavellir’s Essence as a reward.
It is imperative to understand that not all Valkyries or side quests will provide this specific item. Players must consult comprehensive guides or thoroughly explore the game’s optional content to identify which specific challenges yield Niðavellir’s Essence. The effort is significant, but the reward of the fully upgraded Leviathan Axe makes it a worthwhile endeavor for those seeking the ultimate combat advantage.
Are There Specific Quests Or Challenges I Must Complete To Unlock The Level 6 Upgrade?
Yes, unlocking the ability to upgrade the Leviathan Axe to Level 6 is intrinsically tied to completing specific, often late-game, quests and defeating formidable optional bosses. The most notable of these are the Valkyrie boss battles; each Valkyrie defeated unlocks progress towards the final axe upgrade. Furthermore, certain “Favors” (side quests) that become available as you progress through the main story, particularly those involving exploration of optional areas or tackling challenging enemy encampments, are also crucial for acquiring the necessary crafting materials.
Essentially, the game gatekeeps the ultimate Leviathan Axe upgrade behind significant player progression and a willingness to engage with its most difficult optional content. Completing the main story is a prerequisite, but truly achieving Level 6 requires venturing beyond the critical path and mastering the game’s combat mechanics against its most demanding foes.
How Does The Level 6 Leviathan Axe Differ In Combat From Lower-level Upgrades?
The Level 6 Leviathan Axe boasts a significant increase in raw damage output and frost damage application compared to its lower-level counterparts. This means each swing, throw, and recall of the axe deals considerably more damage to enemies, allowing Kratos to dispatch foes more rapidly and efficiently. The amplified frost damage also contributes to quicker stun building on enemies, making them more susceptible to critical hits and devastating finisher moves.
Beyond the statistical improvements, the higher level also unlocks additional enchantment slots and potentially more potent axe special abilities or runic attack synergies. This allows for greater customization and specialization of Kratos’ playstyle, enabling him to adapt to various combat scenarios with enhanced effectiveness. The overall feel of combat becomes more impactful and fluid with the Level 6 upgrade.
Is It Possible To Miss The Opportunity To Upgrade The Leviathan Axe To Level 6?
While it’s not possible to permanently miss the opportunity to upgrade the axe, it is entirely possible to miss obtaining the materials needed if you are not thorough in your exploration and combat. The resources required, particularly Niðavellir’s Essence from Valkyries, are tied to optional encounters. If you complete the game without defeating all of the Valkyries or completing specific late-game Favors that yield these items, you will be unable to craft the Level 6 upgrade in that playthrough.
The game allows for revisiting areas and completing missed content after the main story concludes. Therefore, if you realize you’re missing the necessary components, you can return to the relevant locations and engage in the required challenges. However, it’s best to be as thorough as possible during your initial playthrough to avoid having to backtrack extensively for these crucial upgrade materials.
What Is The Overall Benefit Of Having The Level 6 Leviathan Axe For End-game Content?
Possessing the Level 6 Leviathan Axe provides a substantial advantage when tackling the game’s most challenging end-game content, such as the remaining Valkyries, higher difficulty settings, or any additional challenges that the game may present post-story. Its increased damage and frost effects drastically shorten combat encounters, reducing the time Kratos is exposed to enemy attacks and improving survivability. This allows players to focus on mastering combat mechanics rather than struggling with the raw power of their weapon.
The upgraded axe also synergizes better with powerful enchantments and runic attacks, enabling Kratos to unleash devastating combos and crowd-control abilities more effectively. For players aiming to achieve 100% completion, defeat the most formidable optional bosses, or simply enjoy a more powerful and satisfying combat experience in the late stages of God of War (2018), the Level 6 Leviathan Axe is an essential and highly rewarding upgrade.