GOW Ragnarok: The Burning Skies Guide

A Definitive Guide to Complete the optional Side Quest in Vanaheim, The Burning Skies.

GOW Ragnarok The Burning Skies Favor Cover
All you need to know about how to complete the Favor the Burning Skies

To fully explore Vanaheim, complete all optional Favors, including The Burning Skies in God of War Ragnarok. Inside Vanaheim, you will find dragons that breathe fire and are dangerous.

Kratos decides to kill them as they are dangerous for his people. This awaits an intense battle against the Dragon Boss, known as The Ash Tyrant.

The Burning Skies is an optional Side Quest that is unlocked while exploring The Crater in Vanaheim.

Below, I will list a step-by-step walkthrough to help you complete the Favor, The Burning Skies, by leading you to The Dragon’s Lair and defeating the Dragon Boss.

Key Takeaways:

  • Before you start this Favor, you must complete the Return of the River Favor, so you have access to the river to travel by boat.
  • The Burning Skies Favor automatically starts when you first interact with The Ash Tyrant in its nest.
  • Defeating the Dragon Boss is easier if you are aware of all the attack strategies and weak spots.

Initiating the Burning Skies Favor

The Sinkholes entrance to Favor
Favor Location

The Side Quest can be started by reaching the Dragon’s Nest,, where you will first see the Ash Tyrant and its companions, Draugr. To reach it, you need the river to flow so you can row in the boat and reach your desired location.

You must first complete the “Return of the River” Favor to release the river. After it is finished, you will have access to the river and all the areas connected to it. One of the connected areas is the Dragon’s Nest.

Traveling To The Dragon’s Nest

When you enter The Sinkholes after passing through the Mystic Gateway, you will see a long rope in front of you. Slide down from that rope to move forward. By looking at the compass on your HUD, move South.

You will see that some blueish poison blocks your path; use your axe to destroy the tree branch behind it to move forward.

Clearing the poisonous path
Path blocked by poison

After jumping to the other side, you will hear the dreadful battle cry of Tremors, which indicates that you are on the right path.

Freya mentioned that she had never seen a natural tremor like that before. 

The “Quaking Hollow” Favor will also be activated at this point, eventually leading you to the Dragon’s Nest.

Favor Activated
Starting Quaking Hollow Favor

Notice the boat in front; you will need it in the later part of this walkthrough.

Grapple to the other side of the river and climb up the window. As you walk forward, you will see poisoned eggs on the roof, make sure to destroy them first or they will spit poison on your way and decrease your health.

poisonous eggs
Poison Trap

Throw your Draupnir Spear on the yellow spot in the stone wall. When you hit the right place, the yellow color will change to red.

destroying stone wall to clear path
How to shoot a spear

Now, detonate it to break the wall and reach the Dragon’s Nest. This will be your first interaction with the Ash Tyrant.

First Encounter With The Dragon Boss

Fire breathing dragon in its nest
First look at The Ash Tyrant

At the Dragon’s Nest, you will have to fight some of its companions and make the Dragon fly away. The Dragon only sits on the pillars inside the Nest so your goal will be to destroy the pillars by detonating Draupnir Spears.

shooting spear in the pillar
How to make the dragon fly away

Hit the yellow spots on the stone pillars. As before, when you hit the correct spot, the yellow color turns red. That’s when you detonate it so the dragon stays airborne and does not damage you.

After you destroy the 2 pillars, The Ash Tyrant will fly away, and The Burning Skies Favor will be started automatically. Your new objective, as also shown on the game screen, will be to find the Dragon’s Lair and defeat the Ash Tyrant.

Favor Activated
Starting The Burning Skies Favor

Finding The Ash Tyrant

You will continue on a boat in the following part of the journey. For that, you need to open a closed gate blocking the river. Moving South to the right of Dragon’s Nest, you will see that gate.

gate blocking boat path
First Closed Gate

Open it by pulling the chain on its right and making way. Return to the boat that was seen when the Quaking Hollow Side Quest was activated.

where the boat is in the sinkholes
Finding Boat

Get in the boat and row to the right inside the cave. After you leave the dark cave, you will see another closed gate blocking your way.

Stop the boat beside the Blue Flag.

park the boat to open another gate
Stopping the boat

Move North toward the gate. Open it by pulling the chain to its right.

open another gate so boat can go through
Second Closed Gate

Get back to your boat and travel forward. After crossing the gate, you will see a tunnel. Row your boat on its other side and stop the boat at the Cave entrance in the Northwest.

Open the closed door with your hands. You will fight some minor enemies in the tunnel that are hidden inside walls. They will burst out when you stand in front of that wall.

crossing the tunnel
The tunnel

After defeating them, you will see the Ash Tyrant on the other side of the tunnel spraying fire on you. To save yourself, remove your Draupnir Spear and destroy the stone wall to your right by detonating it at three yellow spots.

This will create an alternative path for you as you can’t go directly toward the Dragon.

breaking wall to find another path forward
Getting past the Ash Tyrant

Moving on to the alternate path, you will fight multiple Draugrs. Move to the end of it to see an opening on the right.

getting through the alternate path
Fighting multiple Draugrs

When you climb up, the deadly Ash Tyrant will again be on your face, breathing fire.

Timing is crucial over here. You have to climb at the exact time when it stops spraying fire so you can stand up and block its path. To do that, look at the yellow spots on the right.

I suggest using Draupnir Spears to detonate those spots and block Dragon fire.

stopping dragon by finding another path
How to stop Dragon Fire

Climb to the right side and move inside the broken wall to find another way out.

climbing one step closer to the dragon
Getting out of the tunnel

After getting out, you will reach the outside of the Dragon’s Lair.

This is also an important location in Vanaheim, as we open a Nornir Chest by solving a puzzle. You can learn all about Nornir Chests in Vanaheim in our guide and how to open them.

Move South towards the white stone pillar and climb up to start the Battle with the Ash Tyrant.

one step closer to the dragon boss
Climbing up to the Dragon’s Lair

Since you have made it this far, check out GOW: Ragnarok Best Skills.

Defeating The Ash Tyrant

Battle at the dragon's lair
Kratos vs The Ash Tyrant

After climbing up, you will see the Ash Tyrant sitting on the cliff,’s edge, waiting eagerly for Kratos. Defeating the Deadly Fire-breathing Dragon Boss is all about finding the right time to attack weak spots. Note that defense holds more importance than attacking in the Boss fight.

The Ash Tyrant has a couple of attacking techniques that it can use. If you observe its Health bar, you will notice a thin white bar filling to the maximum. When that happens, the Dragon will spray fire all over you, which you can dodge by getting out of its line.

Notice the Dragon’s Lair has pillars placed around the boundary. When the Ash Tyrant drains health, it will fly away and sit on the pillars to throw fireballs at you.

throwing spear on the dragon
Ash Tyrant sitting on a stone pillar

Dodge the fireballs and destroy these pillars by detonating Draupnir spears to make the dragon land on the ground.

destroying pillar so dragon comes to ground
Making Dragon land on the ground

When the Dragon Boss lands on the ground, the Draugrs will also start spawning, which needs to be killed beside the Dragon. After the Ash Tyrant drains almost half of its health, it summons a Wyvern, which can also prove fatal to Kratos.

Kratos fighting against Wyvern
Kratos vs Wyvern

To stop the Wyvern, you need to defend against its attack by pulling up your shield. Keep your shield up when the Wyvern is attacking with its beak. The moment it stops, drop the shield and start attacking when you deal the greatest damage to it.

Kratos can use three weapons to attack the Dragon: The Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos, and the Draupnir Spear. Combining all three will be your best hope in defeating the Ash Tyrant. You also need powerful armor to keep your defense strong.

The Dragon will reveal its weak spot right before it starts to breathe fire on you. It will pull its head towards the sky, leaving its throat exposed. That’s when you attack the neck to give high damage. Use your rage ability by pressing L3 and R3 together to increase damage.

Always remember to stay close to the Dragon Boss during Battle, as staying at a longer range gives it a bigger advantage. Also, keep the Ash Tyrant on the ground, and never let the Boss stay too long on the pillars.

When you are close to killing the Ash Tyrant, press R3 around its throat to perform a signature move and finish it.

After winning the boss fight
The Burning Skies Completed

After the Battle is won and Ash Tyrant is killed, you will receive:

  • Kratos XP: 3000
  • Freya/Atreus XP: 750
  • Dragon Claw (for Crafting Dragon-scaled Armor)
  • Purified Crystalline
  • Bonded Leather

After collecting these items, you have completed The Burning Skies Favor. It will be added to your diary, and you can visit and see it.

My Thoughts On The Burning Skies Quest

The Burning Skies is an optional Favor in Vanaheim that can be started after the Return of the River Side Quest is finished. The objective is to find the Dragon’s Lair and defeat the Ash Tyrant. With proper Attacking Strategies and defense, you can tackle Dragon attacks and hit weak spots.

After the Battle is won and Ash Tyrant is killed, you will receive:

  • Kratos XP: 3000
  • Freya/Atreus XP: 750
  • Dragon Claw (for Crafting Dragon-scaled Armor)
  • Purified Crystalline
  • Bonded Leather

With these rewards, this optional favor is definitely worth the effort. 

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