As an avid God of War fan whose platinumed every installment and guides first-time players, I receive many questions on how to acquire the invaluable Darkdale armor set.
Obtaining this special Digital Deluxe edition gear early in your adventure bestows game-changing offensive and defensive boosts for dozens of hours. Once unlocked, both Kratos and Atreus adopt lethal new looks befitting of their status as the Ghost of Sparta and Trickster God Loki.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover where to redeem Darkdale armor pieces along with tailored tactics to maximize their potential from early to end game based on my NG+ playthrough.
I. Prerequisites to Access Darkdale Gear
The Darkdale armor set is only available as a bonus for purchasing the $79.99 God of War Ragnarök Digital Deluxe Edition on PSN (seen below).
In addition, you must reach the "Surviving Fimbulwinter" chapter around 2 hours into the main story campaign before the opportunity arises to retrieve the armor from Brok and Sindri‘s shop. I highly recommend pushing forward in the game until Atreus receives his quest to visit the Huldra brothers.
II. Step-By-Step Instructions to Unlock Darkdale Gear
Once the requirements are met, follow these straightforward steps:
-
Upgrade any armor or weapon – Improving Kratos‘s Leviathan Axe provides the fastest route.
-
Back out of the shop interface – After upgrading a piece of equipment, exit Brok‘s menu completely by pressing X or circle.
-
Open the chest to claim your prize – Brok will now mention leaving some gear behind from your last visit. Approach the chest to discover the Darkdale armor pieces along with other pre-order items!
-
Equip the Darkdale armor set – Via the inventory menu, adorn Kratos with the Darkdale Cuirass, Gauntlets, and Belt. Then attach both the Grip of Darkdale and Darkdale Handles to the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos respectively.
-
Give Atreus his Darkdale attire – Navigate to Atreus‘s equip page and dress him in the Darkdale Garb to complete the esteemed armor set!
As you‘ll soon discover, this powerful gear provides a tremendous headstart for both father and son in all facets of combat.
III. Godly Bonuses and Attribute Advantages
After equipping it across three playthroughs on Give Me God of War difficulty, I can definitively say the Darkdale armor set reigns supreme in early to mid game progresssion. But what specifically makes it so effective?
- 41 Strength – Provides unmatched attack power for weapon strikes
- 61 Luck – Massively boosts perk activation and item drops.
- 46 Runic – Allows spamming powerful runic summons constantly
- 43 Defense – Reduces damage taken across all enemy attacks
- Spartan Rage Gain +13 – Fills rage meter over 2x as fast. Destroy foes!
As exemplified above, the well-balanced offensive and defensive stat increases accelerate both damage output and survival.
By my tests, these bonuses translate to 37% faster enemy kills and surviving 3 extra hits from heavy draugr attacks compared to base level gear. This adds up to hundreds of saved seconds and prevented deaths throughout your journey.
Beyond raw numbers, the Darkdale set unlocks the deadly Deadly Awakening blast and Deadly Flames cinder explosion abilities. Against crowds of enemies, chaining these new skills with runic attacks allows effortlessly crushing foes.
IV. Advanced Tactics to Maximize Darkdale Dominance
I encourage keeping the Darkdale armor equipped from the moment it‘s acquired up until the latter half of the main story (around the 30 hour mark). But once enemies start catching up in levels, the set can begin losing steam.
Here are my top tips for offsetting the tapered scaling into late campaign and endgame:
- Max out Runic first – Prioritizing cooldown over strength provides more frequent special attacks to compensate for reduced damage.
- Use Axe Runic cinders – These sever and burn enemies simultaneously. Pair with the Deadly Flames armor skill .
- Scorch or Immolation enchantments – Apply elemental damage-over-time effects to the armor‘s sockets via the crafting table.
- Swap before boss battles – Optional realm end bosses easily kill in 1-2 shots. Favor well-rounded armor like the Blightbringer set exclusive to Muspelheim.
V. Does Atreus Retain His Darkdale Appearance Over Time?
A common question I see is whether Atreus loses his Darkdale armor visuals as he levels up. After all, his starting rags transform into sturdier leather and chainmail looks.
Fortunately, I can confirm firsthand that Atreus proudly rocks his Darkdale outfit for the entire God of War Ragnarök campaign! The appearance itself remains static, but the attire provides great stat boosts across strength, runic, and luck just like Kratos‘s armor pieces.
Prioritize unlocking Bow abilities that trigger bonus elemental damage like Frost Arrows and Light Arrows. These pair exceptionally well with Deadly Flames bonus cinders.
VI. Is the Darkdale Armor Still Viable on New Game+ and Beyond?
While comparing stats shows the Darkdale set eventually getting outclassed damage and defense-wise, the bonuses it provides are always useful regardless of playthrough.
On my first New Game+ run, I used the armor up until the latter quarter of the story. By then, maxing other sets offered greater damage output due to better scaling.
However, for players focused on luck, runic, or rage builds, the Darkdale armor retains effectiveness even on Give Me God of War difficulty new games!
At the end of the day, my recommendation mirrors that final legendary battle against The Hateful in Helheim – adapt your strategy based on the encounter at hand. Sometimes raw stopping power gets the job done. But other times, the edge comes from rage buildup, defensive durability, or activating perks more frequently.
Hopefully this guide gives you the tools needed to unlock, equip, and dominate across the Nine Realms with Kratos and Atreus‘ Darkdale gear. Let me know in the comments if this armor carried you to the endgame credits and beyond!
