The Leviathan Axe Stands as God of War: Ragnarok‘s Best Axe

As an avid God of War fan and content creator, I can definitively say the Leviathan Axe is undisputedly the best axe in God of War: Ragnarok. This legendary weapon stands above all other axes and even top-tier late game weapons with its sheer damage, upgradability, iconic status, and irreplaceable role in Kratos‘ arsenal.

Why the Leviathan Axe is So Powerful

Forged by the Huldra Brothers and wielded first by Kratos‘s late wife Faye, the Leviathan Axe possesses tremendous power. It was created specifically to rival and overcome Mjölnir, with the strength to challenge even Thor himself.

Gameplay and combat statistics wise, the Leviathan Axe reigns supreme in crucial areas:

These damage numbers allow it to shred through enemies. Very few creatures or bosses can withstand more than a few direct blows from the Leviathan Axe, especially when launched by Kratos‘s inhuman strength.

But raw damage only tells part of the story. The Leviathan Axe truly separates itself with its versatile moveset and ranged capabilities. Kratos can wield the axe for devastating melee combos, switching seamlessly into throwing it across entire arenas. Thanks to its magical link to Kratos, it always returns to his hand with a satisfying smack.

I can‘t count the number of times the Leviathan Axe has saved me from a tight spot by quickly eliminating threats at a distance or interrupting deadly enemy attacks. The incredibly fun and rewarding throw/recall dynamic is a godsend in hectic battles.

Upgrading It Into a Truly Divine Weapon

While already great from the start, the Leviathan Axe becomes exponentially more effective through upgrading. Its pommels, grips, and runic attacks can all be enhanced up to a max level 9 upgrade.

Investing resources into the axe pays off big time. Here are the best axe upgrades for maximize performance from my experience:

Pommels

Haur‘s Lucky Knob – Grants moderate chance to trigger a Stun Blast on precision axe throws. Stunning groups after landing a clutch axe throw never gets old!

Grips

Grip of Radiant Reflection – Restores a burst of health for each successful axe hit. What‘s better than slaying legions of draugrs and restoring your health bar at the same time?

Runic Attacks

Njörd‘s Tempest – Calls down an explosive lightning strike that launches enemies upward. Extreme area damage.

Frost Awaken – Elemental frost explosion that rips through crowds. Excellent crowd control and utility.

Adding runes and upgrading these axe attachments to level 9 amplifies the Leviathan Axe into a divine force of nature Kratos can wield effortlessly in one hand.

Still #1 in the Late Game

Even after unlocking legendary weapons like the Draupnir Spear, Soul Eater, or Berserker Blade, I still relied heavily on my fully upgraded Leviathan Axe during late game boss fights. These final confrontations against the likes of Gna, Thor, and Odin pushed my axe skills to the limits.

But the Leviathan Axe more than rose to the occasion thanks to its jack-of-all-trades combat capabilities. Its balanced moveset let me counter any attack, while runic attacks like Frost Awaken inflicted massive damage when I spotted openings.

Plus, quickly swapping to the axe‘s ranged throws helped keep intense fights from becoming too chaotic. The Leviathan Axe offers the total package that other late game weapons can‘t quite match.

Through over 100 hours playtime across multiple NG+ runs, I‘m convinced no other axe, or weapon overall, can match the Leviathan Axe‘s versatility and performance. It carried me to the end against the toughestenemies, cementing its legacy as the greatest weapon in Kratos‘ iconic arsenal.