Last updated: 2026-06-03
God of War Laufey rebuilds the series’ combat around Faye. She does not wield the Blades of Chaos or the Leviathan Axe. Instead she fights with a massive magical sword bound to the ribbon guardian Rue, fluidly chaining ground and aerial attacks — and her signature move literally tears an enemy’s soul out of its body. The studio’s pitch: “fresh, yet familiar.”
Faye moves “easily between ground and air without halting the action” — speed and momentum define her tempo.
The new weapon: a massive magical sword (Rue)
Faye is “no stranger to legendary weapons” — she was the previous owner of the Leviathan Axe. But in God of War Laufey she wields something new. Upon arriving in the Everywhen, she “earns the trust of the sword’s guardian Rue enough to use the blade in their fight to escape imprisonment.”
This is a massive blade paired with soul-manipulation abilities, designed for one-handed swordplay: “Faye nimbly hacks away at foes, including popping them skyward for air juggles, while using her free hand to utilize an array of magical abilities, such as blocking attacks.” The sword comes with an enchanted ribbon — Rue herself — that whips out during strikes. For more on Rue and Phranque, see Companions.
High-mobility combat: ground to air
The biggest structural change from Kratos’s combat is mobility. Per the official PlayStation Blog:
“By allowing Faye to move easily between ground and air without halting the action, we’ve refined a hyper-responsiveness to her combat… Her increased mobility adds a ton of offensive and defensive tools.”
A long-rumored detail is now confirmed: God of War Laufey brings back a jump button and dedicated aerial combat — a feature absent from the series for 13 years. “Speed, control, and relentlessness define the tempo of Faye’s combat. Building and maintaining momentum from one attack to the next, across the ground or into the sky, she creates a relentless onslaught against her foes.”
The Golden Hand: soul separation (officially confirmed)
Faye’s signature mechanic — officially confirmed by the PlayStation Blog, not inferred — is the soul-separation ability tied to the Golden Hand of the Jötnar:
“In the Everywhen, Faye can strike her golden palm at a foe with such force it detaches their soul from their body. From there, Faye can attack the soul directly, knock it into other enemies, and more — opening up combos.”
A detached soul is left “suspended in the air by a glowing tether,” leaving the enemy vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Because the Everywhen is “steeped in the oldest of magic,” “Faye’s own soul related abilities are greatly amplified” there. Cory Barlog frames the difference: “For Kratos, magic is a tool he wears on his belt. With Faye, magic is a part of her.”
The Golden Hand soul-separation mechanic — detach the soul, then attack it directly or throw it into other foes.
Mechanics at a glance
| Mechanic | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sword swordplay | One-handed strikes with the massive magical blade; nimble hacking. | Confirmed |
| Aerial juggles & mobility | Pop foes skyward; jump button; chain ground-to-air combos. | Confirmed |
| Soul separation | Detach an enemy's soul; attack it directly or throw it into other foes. | Confirmed |
| Golden Hand soul-punch | Strike the golden palm to "pop the soul out"; amplified in the Everywhen. | Confirmed |
| Rue ribbon-whip | The enchanted ribbon extends during strikes — a ribbon-whipping move. | Confirmed |
| Free-hand magic / blocking | Use the off-hand for magical abilities such as blocking attacks. | Confirmed |
| Phranque as trampoline | The cosmic cube doubles as a bounce pad to launch into the air. | Inferred (from footage) |
Rue’s ribbon trails and extends during Faye’s strikes — the guardian and the blade fight as one.
Faye vs Kratos: how the combat differs
Faye
- Fast, mobile; flows freely between ground and air.
- One massive magical sword + Rue's ribbon.
- "Magic is a part of her" — innate soul powers.
- Aerial juggles and a jump button.
Kratos
- Heavier, more grounded fighting style.
- Leviathan Axe & Blades of Chaos.
- "Magic is a tool he wears on his belt."
- No dedicated jump / aerial combat system.
In short: Faye is built for speed, precision, and verticality, where Kratos is built for weight and impact. The studio “redesigned combat around her strengths” — leaning on her mobility and the soul magic that is intrinsic to who she is, while injecting “old school, classic DNA of the Greek era.” See the Faye (Laufey) character guide for how those powers tie to her lore.
Sources
- PlayStation Blog — “First Look at God of War Laufey” (2026-06-02): soul separation, mobility, sword/Rue, “fresh yet familiar.”
- Game Informer — one-handed swordplay, air juggles, free-hand magic/blocking.
- Inven Global — “massive blade and soul-manipulation abilities… high-mobility combat.”
- Dot Esports — seamless ground-to-aerial movement; soul-separation crowd control.
- Insider Gaming — “God of War Laufey Has Jump Button & Aerial Combat” (first in 13 years).
- IGN — Cory Barlog: “For Kratos, magic is a tool… With Faye, magic is a part of her.”
- The Sixth Axis — ribbon-whipping move; “punch someone’s soul out of their body.”