We’ve scoured the Nine Realms to find all the sell-able artifact collectible hidden in «God of War.» Here’s everything you need to collect them all.
Hidden throughout the lands and realms of God of War are a whole bunch of collectibles that encourage you to explore the game and find hidden paths. They often come with some pretty tangible benefits as well. In the case of the “Artifacts” collectibles, finding each hidden item earns Kratos valuable experience he can use to earn new abilities. The trouble is the best benefits come from completing a set of artifacts, and that requires some scavenger hunt prowess.
Luckily, we’ve tracked down every artifact in Midgard and beyond so you don’t have to. Each of the seven sets of artifacts don’t have much use on their own, but in addition to the experience you earn for finding them, they can be sold for valuable hacksilver to buy and upgrade gear. Here are the locations of all the Artifacts you’ll come across in God of War.
These artifacts are all found in the beginning area, the Wildwoods. There are four in total, and you can get all of them before you leave the area for the Riverlands without having to backtrack.
Toy No. 1: Find the first toy just in front of Kratos’ house, to the right of the path you’ll take to exit the front yard.
Toy No. 2: Follow Atreus as he tracks the deer and you’ll soon come to a stone staircase leading up the hill. The second toy is easy to spot, just to the left of the stairs.
Toy No. 3: You’ll fight a group of Draugr enemies under some ruins with a big stone ring above and a seal on the ground below. There are three paths here — the one to the left continues toward the temple, while the forward path goes into a tomb. Take the one to the right. You’ll come to the edge of the waterfall with a chain you found earlier. Climb down and fight off the wolves, then check the body on the right for your third Lost and Found artifact.
Toy No. 4: The final artifact is inside that temple ahead. You’ll reach a room filled with Draugr, in which you need to pull a chain to raise an iron gate ahead. When standing at the chain, pull a 180 to face the wall behind you. You’ll see a door there that you can push open, taking you back outside. Clear out the wolves and check to the right of the door for the final Lost and Found artifact.
The Riverlands contain nine of these artifacts, which are a series of masks almost always found on bodies.
Mask No. 1
After fighting the human Reavers, you’ll climb out of the pit where you fought them and cross a stone walkway toward the exit. As you pass a chain, climb down to a grassy ledge that will lead you out toward the cliff outside. Keep following it until you find an armored corpse, which has the first of the Faces of Magic masks.
Mask No. 2
Right after meeting Brok for the first time, check for a path to the right of his shop. Follow it to the end to where you can drop down to find another body, which has the second artifact in front of it.
Mask No. 3
You’ll move through a room with a spiked ceiling you have to raise so you can travel underneath it. Just beyond, the path will take you through a tunnel back toward the outside. Check the body on the right side of the path for the third mask.
Mask No. 4
Kratos and Atreus will share a quick cutscene at a cliff side. Stick to the edge of the cliff and walk to its end to find another body with the mask in front of it.
Mask No. 5
After completing the puzzle in which you have to line up the spinning runes, you’ll follow a path through the mountain. Watch for a break to the left, where you can climb up and find the fifth Faces of Magic mask in a pool of water.
Mask No. 6
After fighting the fire troll, you’ll drop down into a burned-out village with several huts, mostly destroyed. When you enter the village, you’ll have a group of three huts aligned to your right. Head up the path to the fourth hut, which is mostly collapsed and still smoldering. Head around back of the hut to find a body and the sixth artifact.
Mask No. 7
You can’t get the last of the Faces of Magic until after you’ve met Mimir. Once you have accomplished this and the water in the Lake of Nine has dropped, return to the Witch’s House (you’ll do so as part of the story before long). In the Witch’s Cave, follow the path downward — to the left if you’re coming from the door to her house. At the bottom — in the wall to the right — you’ll find a big stone block you can move. Push the block over the edge of the platform so it falls down. You’ll now be able to jump to a platform in the middle of the room, where a body sits with the next artifact.
Mask No. 8
The last two Faces of Magic are in the area around the Witch’s House, and you can get them after meeting Mimir and climbing out of the well in her front yard. As follow the path down toward the Witch’s House, watch on right for a body with another artifact in front of it.
Mask No. 9
In front of the house, you’ll spot a chain you can climb up on the left side when facing the turtle. Climb up and follow the path, watching the left side for another body and the last of your Faces of Magic artifacts.
The Abandon Ship artifact set also contains nine pieces, tying it for the biggest group with The Faces of Magic. This is a tough one to complete, since these ship figureheads are scattered all over the place on the Lake of Nine.
Figurehead No. 1: Niflheim Tower
As you enter the lake the first time, you’ll pass part of a statue of Thor. Once the water drops, you can head back toward the statue and dock at the tower there. Take the elevator to the top of the tower and look off the east side for a shipwreck. To the right of the edge of the platform, on a body, is the first Abandon Ship artifact.
Figurehead No. 2: Forgotten Caverns
Land on the beach and make for the green brazier where a Wayward Spirit waits to ask you a Favor. Look for a chain nearby that you can climb to a higher area. At the top, look for a body to the left seated against a rocky wall with the second artifact piece.
Figurehead No. 3: Svartalfheim Tower
Heading north from the Forgotten Caverns, land at the next tower you come to. You’ll approach the tower on the south side to find an elevator to the top. Check the other side of the platform, near the northern elevator, for another body and the third figurehead artifact.
Figurehead No. 4: Helheim Tower
Dock at the northernmost tower. If this is your first time at Lake of Nine, you’ll find a dock on the east side of it. Take the elevator to the top and then check the body immediately to your right to find the next artifact.
Figurehead No. 5: Stone Falls
You’ll find Stone Falls on the east side of the lake, just south and east of the Alfheim Tower. Land on the beach and clear the enemies. Ahead you’ll see an iron gate with a chain beside it, and on your right a drawbridge you can cut down. Go through the iron gate to the far east end of the island and turn right, to the south. You’ll see a ledge you can climb up with a chest covered in red World Tree Sap that you can’t open at this time. Climb up and check to your left for two bodies, one of which has the next artifact.
Figurehead No. 6: Cliffs of the Raven
The landing for the Cliffs of the Raven is south of Stone Falls, on the eastern coast of the Lake of Nine. Land at the beach and make your way around the back of the dead troll corpse lying here. Go around the back of it toward the cliff wall to find a spot where Atreus can climb up and drop down a chain. Climb the chain and follow the path at the top, past the purple chest, to find a body at the end with the sixth figurehead artifact.
Figurehead No. 7: Lookout Tower Beach
Head to the beach just southwest of the bridge. Find the rune-covered Nornir chest; right beside it, you’ll see a body impaled on a bed of spikes that you can’t quite reach. Look above the Nornir Chest to find a yellow wooden gear control, which you can hit with your axe to spin. Hitting it once lowers the spikes, allowing you to grab the artifact.
Figurehead No. 8: Tyr’s Temple Bridge
On either side of the long bridge crossing the Lake of Nine are boat landings. Dock at the one on the north side, or take the stairs down from the bridge. You’ll find a body right next to the boat landing and the eighth figurehead with it.
Figurehead No. 9: Isle of Death
Return to the Isle of Death in the southwest corner of the Lake of Nine. Climb to the top of the island, near the wooden machinery, and look for a barrier made of goldish rocks. Working around the side, you’ll see a red bottle, which you can hit with your axe and destroy, stationed right behind the barrier. Past the barrier, loop around some rocks on the left to find the final artifact.
On the east side of the Lake of Nine, you can find a passage past some icebergs that takes you to an optional area of Midgard called Veithurgard. There you’ll find a dragon and a host of other cool things, including a new set of six artifacts: the Horns of Veithurgard.
Horn No. 1
As you enter the lake of Veithurgard, you can head either to the left, toward a small island with a statue of Thor, or to the right to the mainland. Land at the beach at the mainland, beside a long dock. Before you go anywhere else, walk out to the end of the dock to find a body and the first of the Horns of Veithurgard.
Horn No. 2
From the beach, head to the right along the coast until you each an iron gate. Keep going past it to find a chain you can pull to raise it. Freeze the gear in place to keep the gate open, then head behind it and climb up to reach an overlook with a Realm Tear directly in front of you. Go past it to the right where you can drop down, then turn right again. A wooden barrier you can destroy is set in the wall. Inside, you’ll find a body with the second horn.
Horn No. 3
Head up the stairs, dodging the dragon’s breath, until you reach the magic altar binding it. From here, turn left and you’ll see a small wooden bridge that’ll cross over the creek. Look for a pile of wooden boxes and other debris that you can smash through against the cliff wall. You’ll find a body behind it with the third horn.
Horn No. 4
Just up the path on the right, going up the hill a bit, you’ll see a bridge to the Veithurgard castle that is blocked by rocks. Just at the front of the bridge, on the near side of the gap you can’t jump yet, is a body with the fourth horn.
