How do Health Bursts Work in God of War Ragnarok?

As a warrior, God of War’s Kratos endures a lot of physical punishment on a daily basis. Of course, as a god, he tends to be pretty hearty and fast-healing. Even a god can only endure so much, though, which is why he’s gotta do whatever he can to keep his limbs connected and his squishy bits on the inside. To that end, how do Health Bursts work in God of War Ragnarok?

How do Health Bursts Work in God of War Ragnarok?

Typically, when you need to recover health in God of War Ragnarok, you do so by stomping on a green Healthstone, or by having Atreus toss you one in a pinch. There won’t always be a Healthstone handy, though, so you’ll want to have alternative means of healing available. One particularly viable means is the Health Burst.

Related: What are Combo Finishers in God of War Ragnarok?

A Health Burst is a special effect present on certain pieces of armor, specifically as part of slotted Enchantments. Some armor pieces have these abilities slotted natively, while others have open slots you can use to add artifacts yourself. The way it works is that, when you perform certain kinds of combat actions, your health bar will begin slowly filling back the health that you’ve lost. Think of it like the red health in a fighting game.

Health Burst Types and Activations

The precise kind of action you need to take depends on the armor’s Enchantment. For example, if you’re using Eir’s Armament, you get a high chance to activate a Health Burst when killing an enemy with a Runic Attack. Or, if you’re using Nidavellir’s Finest Plackart, you have a chance of activating a Health Burst when hitting an enemy with a Stun Grab.

When a Health Burst is triggered, you’ll see your health bar slowly start to fill back up, accompanied by a status timer on the left side of the screen. Your health will only restore itself until that timer runs out, and if you take damage while it’s active, you’ll still lose any health you got back. The trick to effectively utilizing a Health Burst is to prioritize its triggering action, then do your best to avoid further damage until the effect wears off. Since most of the triggers are luck-based, it’s not an absolute source of healing, but it’s certainly better than nothing.

Take careful consideration of the armor and Enchantments you use in God of War Ragnarok. Some armor might have lower base defensive stats, but an effect like a Health Burst can make up for it.