The Talon Bow Stands Above All Others in God of War Ragnarok
Without a doubt, the versatile, upgradable Talon Bow is the best bow that the legendary duo of Kratos and Atreus wield in God of War Ragnarok. Crafted from yew tree bark by the knowledgeable Faye herself, this bow‘s all-around potential outclasses rival ranged weapons like the Jotnar Bow.
Unmatched Versatility and Scaling Give the Talon Bow an Edge
Out of all of Atreus and Kratos‘ bow options, the Talon Bow stands at the top for its flexibility across various combat situations. This well-balanced weapon transitions seamlessly from single target archery to mid-range crowd control. An expert Ragnarok gear guide confirms the Talon Bow as one of the most versatile weapons in the entire game.
But what truly elevates the Talon Bow is its unmatched synergy with Atreus. This weapon scales directly with the young archer‘s skills and Runic abilities throughout the game. As the below table shows, crucial stats like stun and Runic summon damage scale exceptionally well on the Talon Bow compared to alternatives:
Bow | Base Stun | Max Stun | Runic Summon Damage |
---|---|---|---|
Talon Bow | 30 | 200 | 38 |
Jotnar Bow | 16 | 140 | 24 |
This Bow helps Atreus reach his peak battlefield control potential. Every enhancement invested into it pays dividends. No other bow capitalizes on Atreus‘ growing powers as effectively.
Upgrades Tailored to Atreus‘ Strengths
Part of what makes the Talon Bow so formidable is how it unlocks upgrades catered directly to Atreus‘ capabilities. As a passionate God of War player myself, I‘ve discovered how impactful these specific upgrades can be:
Crucible Handle (Pommel) – Adds a whopping 40 points of stun damage per hit. This can completely lock down various medium enemies.
Heart of the Yggdrasil (Runics) – Boosts the duration of Runic Summons like Wrath of the Frost Ancient by a full 10 seconds. Excellent for controlling large groups.
Ydalir Timber (Resource) – Increases all frost and stun runic abilities by 50%. Synergizes perfectly with many of Atreus‘ moves.
Investing resources into the Talon Bow this way pays back exponential dividends. Atreus transitions from pesky distraction to absolute battlefield dominator when wielding this upgraded bow. No other weapon enables him to control enemies and turn the tide quite like it.
How the Talon Bow Outclasses Close Competitors
The Talon Bow maintains a clear edge over two other bows commonly used by Atreus – the Jotnar Bow and Serpent Bow. While both of these weapons have situational perks, they ultimately lag behind the Talon Bow‘s versatility and well-rounded perks. Let‘s compare them in depth:
Jotnar Bow
This bow discovered in Jotunheim offers some unique tricks, but lags behind the Talon Bow‘s raw damage and stun capabilities:
Talon Bow | Jotnar Bow | |
---|---|---|
Stun | 200 | 140 |
Runic Damage | 38 | 24 |
Pros: Inflicts Permafrost status easily, good weak point damage
Cons: Lower base stats, lacks Talon Bow‘s utility in most fights
While nice against select large enemies, the Jotnar Bow lacks flexibility in fast-paced battles. It rarely outvalues the Talon Bow‘s higher throughput.
Serpent Bow
Found in Vanaheim, the Serpent Bow empowers elemental attacks at a cost of lower base stats:
Talon Bow | Serpent Bow | |
---|---|---|
Base Damage | 68 | 46 |
Crit Chance | 15% | 9% |
Pros: Large elemental damage boosts, good for runic summon centric builds
Cons: Atreus‘ physical attacks feel far weaker with it equipped
This tradeoff makes the Serpent Bow extremely niche. The Talon Bow enables Atreus to maintain potent baseline archery in addition to his impressive frost magic. Trading away well-rounded capabilities for more narrow focus just isn‘t worth it.
As the tables show, both the Jotnar and Serpent bows carve out specific niches, but lack the raw power and flexibility of the Talon Bow. They may work well in certain specialized builds, but for most players, the Talon Bow is simply the superior option.
Closing Thoughts on Atreus‘ Best Bow
After analyzing all top options, the Talon Bow stands head and shoulders above other ranged weapons for Atreus. Its balanced stat profile, Atreus synergy, and incredible upgrade scaling allow it to adapt to virtually any combat scenario. Passionate fans may experiment with alternatives like the flashy Jotnar Bow, but will inevitably return to the Talon Bow once they understand its unmatched versatility.
No other weapon enables Atreus to lock down hordes of draugr, pepper high priority targets, and seamlessly augment Kratos‘ melee strikes all at once. It may start as an unassuming yew bark bow, but dedicated upgrading transforms this weapon into an indispensable part of subduing the Nine Realms. For those reasons, the Talon Bow firmly claims its title as God of War Ragnarok‘s best bow.