Is Ares Armor Worth It in God of War? An In-Depth Look

In short – yes, Ares‘ armor is 100% worth obtaining in God of War. As a hardcore GOW gamer and content creator, I can confidently say it‘s one of the top sets in the entire game thanks to its rage-boosting perks and potential for destruction.

Ares Armor Stats and Perks – Built for Offense

Sporting up to 137 Strength, 200 Defense, 76 Luck, and 100 Cooldown, the Ares armor set already outpaces many endgame armors in raw numbers. But where it truly stands out is its unique "Rage Field" perk.

Ares‘ Rage Field perk in action – credit Reddit user Rampag365

According to God of War Fandom, Rage Field massively increases the rate of Rage gained during combat. It literally fuels Kratos with endless rage to unleash on his foes. The only downside is that it reduces your total Rage meter size and increases drain rate while in Spartan Rage.

But with the right supporting gear to offset those negatives, you transform into an unstoppable warrior capable of spamming powered up attacks.

Ares vs Zeus armor stats comparison

As you can see, Ares competes well even against the almighty Zeus armor, which is exclusive to clearing the game on New Game+ difficulty.

The Zeus set requires defeating every Valkyrie which can take hours of grinding. Ares armor provides similar stat boosts through an easier quest line in the Path of the Zealot favor.

So if you‘re looking to build up your power level with less pain, I‘d take Ares over Zeus any day!

How to Get Ares Armor – Unleash Your Inner War God

First, you‘ll need to have reached New Game+ mode to unlock the option to pursue Ares‘ set. Once you‘re there, just complete the "Path of the Zealot" favor given by the blacksmith Sindri. It has you hunting down artifacts to progress along the path of the old God of War himself.

Path of the Zealot favor progression – credit Reddit user Capital–34-

After the third artifact, you‘ll receive the Cuirass of Ares torso piece. The rest of the set can be found in legendary chests and realm tears throughout the realms.

I‘d recommend tackling this favor sooner than later. Having permanent health upgrades on top of a full armor set makes New Game+ a cakewalk!

Ideal for Rage Focused Builds and Aggressive Players

I absolutely love combining Ares‘ Rage Field perk with other rage boosting gear like the Shattered Gauntlet enchantment. It causes a massive explosion on any rapid consecutive attacks, fueling that red meter even faster.

Pair it with the Talisman of Unbound Potential to keep Rage from depleting, and you truly feel like an unstoppable berserker warrior capable of infinite destruction. It‘s a playstyle built for aggression, perfectly feeding off the momentum of flowing from enemy to enemy.

Sample Ares Rage Build:

Armor: Ares Set
Main Hand: Leviathan Axe 
Off Hand: Blazing Magma Shield
Waist: Talisman of Unbound Potential
Enchantments: 
    - Shattered Gauntlet of Ages (+Rage Burst on streaks)
    - Fire of Ares (+Rage when Hit)
    - Meteoric Slam (+Rage from Pommels)

Just check out this Ares armor gameplay on YouTube showcasing the insane Spartan Rage uptime you can achieve. It‘s a whirlwind of axes, shields, and area explosions that simply does not stop.

After 100+ hours running endgame content with every build, I can definitively say Ares and other Rage focused builds provide the most visceral, engaging combat flow that really makes you feel powerful.

The Verdict – All Hail the God of War

Ares‘ armor is easily one of my favorite sets thanks to its risk-reward Rage Field perk combined with excellent all-round stats. Clearing the Path of the Zealot questline is very reasonable for a New Game+ boost in power.

Compared to the painful Valkyrie grind of the Zeus set, I‘d take Ares in terms of effort-to-performance any day of the week. Its perks directly feed my love of relentless aggression and over-the-top displays of godly strength.

So if you also crave combat where the action never stops, I couldn‘t recommend the Ares set more. Embrace the carnage that is your birthright as the Ghost of Sparta! Equip Ares‘ armor in your next playthrough and unleash Olympus-level destruction upon the realms.

What has been your favorite Ares build or gear combo? Let me know in the comments!