God of War Ragnarok – How Bifrost damage works
Bifrost is one of several status effects in God of War Ragnarok, and it can land you in real trouble if you get inflicted at the wrong time. The ominous purple glow on the health bar usually signifies a perilous situation, so you need to act accordingly.
Bifrost is quite an unusual status effect, which was not present during God of War (2018). We’ll explain it all for you here, including what Bifrost is, what it does and how to avoid it. There’s even a way to inflict Bifrost yourself, which we’ll cover later as well.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Bifrost effect in God of War Ragnarok.
What does Bifrost do in God of War Ragnarok?
Bifrost is an attack type depicted by a glowing purple aura. When this aura is present on an enemy’s weapon or attack, then it will deal Bifrost damage.
When Kratos is hit by a Bifrost attack, a portion of his health bar will become highlighted in purple.
If Kratos sustains another hit whilst a portion of his health bar is glowing purple, the entire purple portion will be depleted. This can be any subsequent hit and doesn’t have to be another Bifrost attack.
Bifrost damage effectively acts like a bomb that will be detonated when hit. This can be devastating, as some attacks can inflict a large purple chunk of Bifrost. The key to dealing with Bifrost is to know exactly when it’s coming and the tricks to alleviate it against the most dangerous Bifrost enemies.
Who can deal Bifrost damage in God of War Ragnarok?
It’s probably no surprise that Bifrost is primarily an effect caused by the Einherjar, who are the warriors of Asgard. There are also a few bosses who can deal damage with Bifrost, though the most dangerous ones are post-game optional bosses.
In Norse mythology, the Bifrost is a bridge between Asgard and other realms. It still works like this in God of War Ragnarok, but the concept of Bifrost damage is a new idea introduced in the God of War series.
How to remove Bifrost
The best way to remove Bifrost is to simply wait it out. Bifrost will gradually disappear over time as long as you don’t sustain damage from another attack. Block and dodge like normal until your health bar goes back to its usual colour.
You can also remove Bifrost with the Remedy of the Bifrost Enchantment, which can be crafted with 1,500 Hacksilver. When this enchantment is equipped, the purple Bifrost segment of the health bar will be gradually reduced with each hit landed on an enemy. This enchantment isn’t worth equipping all of the time, but when you are facing off against certain enemies like multiple Einherjar it will come in handy.
One of the Berserkers, Skjothendi the Unerring is also liable to inflict lots of Bifrost damage, but she isn’t available to battle until you have completed the main quest. If you are having trouble with her, Remedy of the Bifrost can be a lifesafer.
Furthermore, Spartan Rage is a useful way of getting rid of Bifrost. If you find yourself with a large amount of your health bar covered in purple, it might be worth using up the Rage meter to save yourself the risk of taking a hit and seeing massive health depleted.
Can you prevent Bifrost?
Prevention is the best cure, as they say. When it comes to Bifrost, obviously the best way to prevent it damaging you is to avoid being hit in the first place. Be extra careful whenever you see those glowing purple attacks.
Otherwise, one way of resisting Bifrost comes in the form of the Draupnir Spear. If you earn the Elemental Siphon 1 and Elemental Siphon 2 abilities (must upgrade the Spear to level 6), then you can siphon Bifrost energy by holding down R2 with Draupnir. With Elemental Siphon 2, Kratos will gain a resistance to the element being absorbed, which would include Bifrost.
If you haven’t unlocked the Draupnir Spear yet, this is an unmissable weapon obtained by Kratos later in the game.
Can you deal Bifrost damage yourself?
Yes, you can. Bifrost isn’t just an effect that can be utilised by the Einherjar. Kratos can actually inflict it as well with the Draupnir Spear.
As mentioned above, the Elemental Siphon ability allows Kratos to absorb Bifrost energy from enemies. You will only need Elemental Siphon 1 to do this, which costs 500 XP. Once you have this upgrade, hold down R2 whilst fighting a Bifrost enemy with the Spear. From this point, your spears will deal bonus Bifrost damage upon hitting enemies. It only stops at the end of combat or after using a Spear Runic attack.
There isn’t any significant change to your battle tactics required. Simply keep hitting the enemies and the Bifrost element will organically add some bonus damage for you.
Freya can also inflict Bifrost when she is your companion. Equip the Mardoll sword, which is earned by completing the Freya’s Missing Peace Favor in Vanaheim. This grants the Asgardian Edge I ability which causes Freya’s melee attacks to inflict Bifrost on enemies.
You can upgrade this ability with Folkvangr Whetstones. Once you have upgraded twice, Mardoll will deal greatly increased Bifrost damage.
How to use Mimir’s Bifrost Blast
Believe it or not, one of the most potent Bifrost weapons is a secret ability that allows Mimir to blast Bifrost out of his eyes! This is a skill known as Bifrost Blast, which is only available in the post-game.
Once you have beaten the main quest, go to any forge/shop and enter the Special Items section. Go to Relics and you will be able to craft a relic called Huldra Project #9 for 10,000 Hacksilver.
If you equip this relic, Kratos will use Mimir to blast a potent ray of Bifrost around the battlefield, inflicting huge Bifrost damage on your enemies. This is not just an incredible ability, but it’s great to see Mimir coming in handy during combat.
That’s our full explanation of what is Bifrost and how Bifrost works in God of War Ragnarok. With the right equipment and abilities, you’ll even be able to inflict Bifrost yourself. For more God of War Ragnarok content, check out the articles below:
