God Of War PS4 Guide: The 13 Best Skills To Unlock First

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God of War’s combat system begins with intentionally limited options, gradually unfolding into a complex tactical experience as you progress. The initial simplicity serves as an effective tutorial phase, teaching fundamental mechanics before introducing advanced combat possibilities. Enemy difficulty escalates significantly throughout the journey, making defensive capabilities increasingly vital for survival.

During the critical first five to seven hours, experience point acquisition remains deliberately constrained, forcing strategic decision-making about which abilities to prioritize. This scarcity creates meaningful choices that directly impact your combat effectiveness against increasingly formidable foes. Understanding that you’ll eventually accumulate sufficient XP to unlock all skills provides long-term perspective, but early selections dramatically influence your immediate combat capabilities and survival odds.

This guide focuses on maximizing your combat potential during those crucial early hours when every skill point matters. We’ll examine not just which skills to unlock, but how to combine them for maximum effectiveness against different enemy types. For broader strategic context, consult our Complete Guide to similar progression systems in action games.

Pride of the Frost deserves immediate priority as your first major unlock, transforming standard Leviathan Axe combos into powerful area-of-effect finishers. This skill excels at crowd control situations where additional enemies join the fray unexpectedly. The tactical advantage comes from seamlessly transitioning your focused single-target assault into a sweeping area denial maneuver, effectively managing multiple combatants simultaneously.

Block Break should follow immediately as your second acquisition, specifically countering shielded opponents who otherwise require extensive effort to defeat. This technique instantly neutralizes enemy defenses, creating immediate attack opportunities without dealing direct damage. Advanced applications include strategic staggering to interrupt powerful enemy attacks and create combo initiation windows.

Executioner’s Cleave demands careful timing due to its extended windup animation, but delivers catastrophic damage that justifies the risk. This heavy attack serves as an ideal combo punctuator when you secure brief vulnerability windows. The visceral satisfaction comes from Kratos driving his axe completely through enemies with brutal force. Prime activation scenarios include when foes are grounded, stunned, or restrained by Atreus’ assistance.

Guardian Shield techniques typically require substantial initial investment but provide exceptional tactical returns. Guardian Sweep stands out as an essential early purchase, enabling you to trip enemies onto the ground for follow-up attacks. This creates fantastic setup opportunities for powerful finishers like Executioner’s Cleave. For more weapon-specific strategies, explore our Weapons Unlock guide for similar tactical approaches.

For veterans of precision-based combat systems, Countering Strike offers immediate appeal with its parry-and-punish mechanics. Perfectly timed counters deliver the most satisfying combat moments in action gaming, though mastery requires significant practice. Even occasional successful parries provide access to devastating shield bashes that can turn the tide of difficult encounters.

When facing evasive opponents who maintain distance, Whirling Storm becomes an invaluable gap-closing tool. Executed from a forward dodge, this maneuver prioritizes positioning over damage output, serving as an excellent combo initiator thanks to its rapid activation time.

Strategic Skill Combinations: The true power emerges from skill synergies rather than individual abilities. For instance, combining basic melee attacks into Guardian Sweep, then immediately following with Executioner’s Cleave creates devastating damage sequences. Learning these combinations early significantly enhances your combat effectiveness against tougher enemies encountered in mid-game sections.

Common Beginner Mistakes: Many players underestimate the importance of defensive skills early, focusing exclusively on damage-dealing abilities. This creates vulnerability against later enemies with powerful attacks that require precise defensive responses. Another frequent error involves wasting XP on situational skills that see limited use instead of versatile core abilities.

Timing and Positioning Fundamentals: Success in God of War’s combat relies heavily on spatial awareness and attack timing. Position yourself to maximize area-effect skills while minimizing exposure to multiple attackers. Perfecting dodge timing often proves more valuable than raw damage output against agile enemies.

Resource Management Strategy: Early game XP scarcity requires deliberate planning. Focus on skills that provide immediate tactical advantages against common enemy types you’ll encounter regularly. Avoid niche abilities that only work in specific situations until you’ve secured your core combat toolkit.

Enemy-Specific Approaches: Different enemy archetypes demand specialized responses. Shielded foes require Block Break, while groups demand Pride of the Frost, and distant attackers need Whirling Storm. Understanding these matchups early prevents frustrating combat encounters later. For character-specific strategies similar to class selection, check our Class Guide for role-based combat approaches.

Advanced Technique: Practice combining Atreus’ bow attacks with your skill activations. His distractions create perfect windows for slower, powerful attacks like Executioner’s Cleave. This teamwork element adds depth to combat beyond individual skill execution.

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