As an avid fan who collected every relic and explored every corner of the Nine Realms in God of War Ragnarök, I‘ve come to appreciate just how cleverly Santa Monica Studio infused the game with brains and brawn. Nowhere is that more apparent than the tricky Nornir chest puzzles hidden across the lands.
Specifically, the Dragon Beach chest in Svartalfheim stalled me for hours until I uncovered the right combat strategies. If you too have struggled to crack the rune-busting puzzle on these resplendent shores, this advanced gameplay guide is for you!
Below I’ll reveal pro tips to help seasoned players and newcomers successfully:
- Locate the Dragon Beach Nornir chest
- Identify the runes you must destroy
- Use strategic combat tactics to smash the runes
- Claim the rewarding prize inside!
I cannot stress enough how valuable obtaining the Idunn Apples inside these chests can be for toughening Kratos up for the bigger battles ahead. Now let’s dive in!
Overview of Nornir Chest Fundamentals
Before setting out to pillage the Dragon Beach treasure, it helps to brush up on some key learnings I’ve gathered through besting Nornir puzzles across the realms:
- There are 35 Nornir chests strewn across the realms, each containing an Idunn Apple for boosting maximum health or a Horn of Blood Mead for expanding rage capabilities.
- The most common rune seasons depicted are Raider (R), Winter (N), and Spring (O). But keep an eye out for other symbols too!
- You must destroy the 3 runes on or near the chest in quick succession to unlock it. If any rune repairs itself, you have to smash it again.
- Timing and accuracy with Kratos‘s Leviathan Axe throws are critical for success!
- Upgrades like the Splinter of Hate can make freezing targets easier. And skills like Shield Bash can create openings.
Now let’s see how this knowledge applies to the Dragon Beach Nornir chest specifically…
Pinpointing the Dragon Beach Nornir Chest
Our journey takes us to the Lake of Nine region of Midgard, accessed after unlocking the Mystic Gateway shown activated on the map below:
Travelling through this gateway takes you to the sparkling Svartalfheim realm. From the gateway, head south down the coastline until you reach this exquisite beach with lush forests and a towering mountain waterfall as your backdrop:
Behold the stunning Dragon Beach
Make your way right up to the shoreline where you’ll spot a huge carved monument, wrecked ship hulls encased in stone, and a raised platform holding your prize — the Nornir chest!
Sparta kick your way up onto the platform for a closer look while noting the blazing rune symbols on the chest…
Deciphering the Dragon Beach Runes
Peer closely at the three glyphs etched into the chest to identify which runes you’ll need to smash to unlock it:
For the Dragon Beach puzzle, the gods have marked it with the following:
- R for Raider (Summer)
- Y for algiz (Protection)
- F for Freyja (Fertility)
As a reminder, you must destroy the physical rune stones engraved with these symbols somewhere around the chest. And you only have a short window to take down all three before any start magically repairing themselves!
Now let’s go rune hunting…
Obliterating the 3 Runes
With rune decoder rings on, scout the chest’s surroundings for the matching stones while watching for telltale geysers shooting out of the scenery. Use your Leviathan Axe or Blades of Chaos to freeze these geysers when spotted to reveal hidden runes. Then quickly smash them utilizing the combat tactics outlined below:
Shattering the R Rune
For the Rune symbolizing Raider/Summer, look directly behind the Nornir chest itself. You’ll notice water pulsating out from cracks in the rocky backdrop — freeze the geyser with your axe to expose the R runestone as shown:
Dash up the cliff while your axe is still embedded in the ice pillar and smash the revealed R rune with your fists! That’s one down as you’ll see its glow disappear from the chest.
📌 Pro Tip: If you have the Shield Bash upgrade, use it here to create an ice foothold for safely reaching the rune.
Obliterating the Y Rune
For this trickier rune, move clockwise around the chest looking toward the right-side waterfall in the distance. You’ll eventually spot this tall barricade fence:
See how part of the blockade sinks into the ground? This is where things get fun. Freeze the nearby geyser jet to halt the water flow. Then squeeze through the gap in the fence to reach an opening in the backside.
Aha! Through this crack, you can see the elusive Y rune stone awaiting destruction as pictured below:
Use both your axe and fists to obliterate that puppy, watching the Y disappear from the Nornir chest. Onward to the last rune!
📌 Pro Tip: Alternate your axe throws and hand-to-hand strikes for maximizing damage to tough runes.
Demolishing the F Rune
For the last Freezing/Frigid rune, head to the southeast shoreline past the Nornir chest until you encounter this ominous chained post:
Jetting water escapes from the rocks nearby — pull the ol’ freeze and shatter maneuver with your axe to unveil the final F rune. Stay quick on your feet to smash it before the first two stones magically mend themselves!
With the trinity of runes annihilated, that coveted Nornir chest beams open like Ali Baba’s cave of wonders. So rush back to claim your prize!
Reaping the Reward
Ascend the platform once more to find the Nornir chest doors wide open for the taking:
Reach out for what lies inside: a shiny Idunn Apple for permanently heightening Kratos’s maximum health!
This extra fortitude will keep you alive during the most grueling battles the Nine Realms have to offer. Keep gathering Idunn Apples and Horns of Blood Mead to incrementally beef Kratos up into an unstoppable force of nature!
In closing, I hope these advanced combat strategies for bamboozling the Dragon Beach Nornir chest runes have eased a bit of frustration. This preparatory knowledge combined with practice in precision axe throws and fisticuffs will help you conquer many tricky chests ahead.
Stay tuned for my upcoming guides tackling Nornir chests in places like The Barrens or The Forbidden Sands. And may the rune-smashing gods eternally shine upon your quests!
