The Forgotten Saga is one of the best free expansions in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, offering a unique roguelite experience. With new mechanics, challenges, and rewards, success in this mode requires a different approach than the base game. This guide will cover essential strategies, including how to unlock the best armor sets, obtain a second-chance revive, and maximize your runs.

Getting Started: Unlocking the Forgotten Saga

To access the Forgotten Saga, you must have visited Asgard at least once and built the Seer’s Hut in Ravensthorpe (available at Settlement Level 3). Once you follow the questline, you will gain access to Niflheim and begin your journey through its treacherous depths.

First Run Strategy

Your first attempt is more about familiarizing yourself with the mechanics than making it to the end. You will be given a random loadout of weapons and abilities—don’t worry too much about optimizing this initial run. Instead, focus on unlocking early upgrades and discovering the layout of key areas.

Unlocking a Second Life: Summoned Courage Favor

A critical advantage in Forgotten Saga is gaining the Summoned Courage Favor, which grants a revive once per run at 50% health. To unlock it:

1. Locate the Cave in Start (the first realm).
2. Enter the Cave and Fight a Headless Viking in a 1v1 battle.
3. Repeat this process three or four times across multiple runs.
4. Complete the quest to earn the Favor, making future runs significantly easier.

Maximizing Combat Effectiveness: Elemental Abilities & Runes

Each enemy in Forgotten Saga has an elemental weakness displayed next to their health bar. Exploiting these weaknesses is key to dealing massive damage.

Best Elemental Abilities

• Fire Arrows & Incendiary Powder Trap – High damage over time, excellent against the Dragon boss.
• Lightning Fury – Auto-targets enemies, great for crowd control.
• Golden Flame – A powerful fire-based ability useful against multiple enemy types.
• Frost Skills – Freeze enemies quickly for easier eliminations.

Even if an enemy has a different elemental icon, some elements (like fire) can still be highly effective. Keep experimenting to find the best combinations.

The Power of Shock Damage

Shock damage not only inflicts damage over time but also causes enemies to flinch every few seconds, disrupting their attacks and opening them up for combos.

Essential Rune Choices

• Increase Elemental Build-Up – Boosts elemental effect application.
• Elemental Damage Boosts – Increases damage output with fire, frost, and lightning.
• Health Regeneration Bonuses – Especially useful in later realms where healing is limited.

Best Armor Sets and Where to Find Them

1. Raven’s Flight (First Boss Reward)

• Best for ranged playstyles.
• Perk: Charge shots can one-shot high-health targets with a hunter bow.
• Strategy: Upgrade your quiver and collect arrows after boss fights.

2. Inert Valor (Second Boss Reward)

• Balanced option, good for general melee and ranged combat.

3. Death Speaker Trappings (Dragon Boss Reward)

• Best for stealth-based assassins.
• Enables chain assassinations and enemy detection while crouching.
• Brings back the quick-time assassination mechanic.

4. Dwarven Defender / Niflheim Set (Found in Dockreland, Second Realm)

• Top-tier survivability option.
• Perk 1: Recover health after attacking an enemy that damaged you.
• Perk 2: Edun’s Heart Skill – regenerates recent lost health after a short time.
• Location: Found in Dockreland, halfway through on the left side.
• How to Get It: Climb the skill mountains, follow the wooden path, and use the lift to reach the chest.

Keeping Progress Between Runs: Odin’s Camp & Dwarf Merchant

While most progression resets between runs, Favors allow you to retain certain gear and upgrades.

• Visit the Dwarf Merchant in Odin’s Camp to purchase permanent upgrades.
• Important Favors:
  • Keep a Weapon from Previous Runs – Costs 75 Memories but ensures you have a strong start.
  • Increase the Elk Shrine’s Healing Effects – Useful for sustaining longer runs.
  • Merchant Discounts – Reduces the cost of items bought mid-run.

Farm Runs for Memories

Instead of focusing on defeating bosses every time, consider doing farm runs where you:

• Pick Memories over temporary upgrades.
• Exchange gems for memories at gem vendors (always found in the same locations).
• This allows you to stockpile resources for stronger future runs.

Maximizing Coins for Roaming Merchants

Roaming merchants sell valuable buffs and weapons. However, enemies drop coins upon confirmed kills, so:

• Eliminate all nearby enemies before confirming kills on targets with special loot.
• Confirming too early will make surrounding enemies disappear, costing you potential coin rewards.

Permanent Skill Unlocks: Prioritization Guide

Spending memories on permanent skills is more valuable than single-use favors. The best skills to unlock first:

1. A Good Start – Grants better starting gear.
2. Extra Adrenaline Slot – More abilities = more damage potential.
3. Brush with Death – Triggers slow motion on perfect dodges.
4. Increase Legendary Drop Chance – Leads to better loot over multiple runs.
5. Coin Boost from Poor Weapon Drops – Ensures more resources even when RNG isn’t favorable.

Final Boss Preparation and Victory Strategy

Once you’re confident in your setup, it’s time to challenge Hel, the final boss of the Forgotten Saga.

Preparation Checklist:

• Upgrade at least one ability per element.
• Have an adrenaline-based build with extra slots unlocked.
• Equip shock-based abilities to create frequent openings.
• Stack elemental runes to maximize damage output.
• Spend memories on favors to ease the final fight.

Hel Battle Strategy:

• Don’t Rely on Shock Damage – Even though she has a shock icon, fire abilities deal the most damage.
• Use Lightning Fury to Stagger Her – Creates openings for melee attacks.
• Manage Health Carefully – The final area has limited healing opportunities, so avoid reckless trades.

Conclusion: Dominate the Forgotten Saga

Mastering The Forgotten Saga requires a mix of strategic planning, skill prioritization, and adaptability. By focusing on elemental abilities, permanent upgrades, and armor set optimizations, you can significantly improve your chances of survival. Whether you prefer an aggressive melee approach or a calculated ranged build, these tips will help you reach and defeat Hel more efficiently.