Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When playing as Kratos, buffering a Runic/Relic attack and then switching it before Kratos does it causes glitches to occur.
Kratos' normal movelist doesn't seem to contain a single action during which you can naturally buffer Runic/Relic use, but you can still do so using the environment: the various kinds of navigation animations (i.e. vault, small step, medium step, gap) as well as grapple points/walls work for starting this glitch.
EDIT: since uploading this video, Pico found out that you can buffer a Runic-attack during Scorched Sweep. However, you can't get any speed to your Runic-slide when the glitch is started this way. A runic-attack can also be buffered after landing from an aerial attack. The spear air attack does give a slight amount of forward momentum, but not as much as a small step.
To note, switching Runic-attacks when playing as Atreus creates a different effect, allowing you to cast Runic-attacks without any cooldown. It's a speedrun tactic in its own right, but not the focus of this video.
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0:00 - You get different results with this glitch depending on the timing. With early timing, i.e. there's a fairly lengthy period of time between switching Runic/Relic and the buffer resolving, Kratos does the action with seemingly most of the animation data missing. He will simply stand in place while miscellaneous SFX plays, and the attack usually interrupts early too. The cooldown of the action does not start either.
So far, this timing is only possible with a vaulting point. Buffer Runic/Relic as early as possible during the vault, then enter menu and switch it to get this result.
0:26 - With a late timing, i.e. there's a short period of time between switching Runic/Relic and the buffer resolving, Kratos usually enters a classic Runic slide (last seen in GoW 2018). Most but not all Runic slides leave Kratos completely stuck. The only meaningful input you can give is to direct your ally to fire arrows or turn the camera to steer your movement. No environmental prompts can be used either.
1:10 - An alternative late timing result (possibly related to doing this glitch at small steps?) has Kratos run a few steps while SFX plays.
1:26 - Some examples of glitching up Relic use. You usually just get miscellaneous visual effect and not much else. For instance, Hilt of Hofud creates the Realm Shift visual effect without time actually slowing down.
1:37 - Other miscellaneous early timing effects.
(Not on the vid: regardless of timing, Hel's Touch works comparatively normally. Kratos does its full action, but it doesn't have any visual effect and it might not even hit enemies. Its 2nd attack also can't be buffered even if it's upgraded.)
(Not on the vid: early timing Helios Flare makes Kratos walk a few steps forward in a quasi-aim state. No fireball will be shot.)
(Not on the vid: early timing Huldra Project #9 makes the game crash.)
2:05 - An example of starting a Runic slide at a grapple point. The timing is very precise: you basically have to input the Runic/Relic use and then open menu almost immediately afterwards shortly before Kratos lands.
This clip also shows just how stuck Kratos is during a Runic slide. Enemy attacks will not free him. Photo-mode reveals that even his facial muscles are paralyzed: you are unable to change his facial expression at this time!
3:02 - Late timing Huldra Project #9 makes Kratos get stuck in a slow walking state indefinitely. Same story as before: no input works and not even enemy attacks end the glitched state. (Although changing his facial expressions is possible in Photo-mode, for what that's worth...)
(Not on the vid: late timing Helios Flare forces Kratos to stay in a slow quasi-aim walk indefinitely, so the outcome is quite similar to late timing Huldra Project #9.)
3:30 - Last on this video I want to show the most promising Runic/Relic buffer glitch: you are able to do a Runic slide that has an incredibly high speed with a late timing Hilt of Hrotti. Not only is the speed good, but the slide can also be interrupted with any input, making it more feasible to use as a speed tactic somewhere.
The game is also heavily slowed down while this slide is active. Although this is not the only Runic slide that slows down the game, the slowdown isn't usually this extreme. Imagine how fast this slide would be if the game wasn't at around 30% of its usual speed at the moment?
The worst part is that it might not be possible to activate this variation 100% consistently. Even if you pull off the slightly finicky input for doing this glitch, you may sometimes end up with a nearly speed-less Runic slide too. I can't say for sure, but it might just be a precision/timing based issue and not pure RNG. Still, this set of glitches definitely deserve a bit more research in the future.
(Not on the vid: other Runic slides that can be interrupted with any input are Artillery of the Ancients, Flames of Anguish and Leviathan's Roar.)
When playing as Kratos, buffering a Runic/Relic attack and then switching it before Kratos does it causes glitches to occur.
Kratos' normal movelist doesn't seem to contain a single action during which you can naturally buffer Runic/Relic use, but you can still do so using the environment: the various kinds of navigation animations (i.e. vault, small step, medium step, gap) as well as grapple points/walls work for starting this glitch.
EDIT: since uploading this video, Pico found out that you can buffer a Runic-attack during Scorched Sweep. However, you can't get any speed to your Runic-slide when the glitch is started this way. A runic-attack can also be buffered after landing from an aerial attack. The spear air attack does give a slight amount of forward momentum, but not as much as a small step.
To note, switching Runic-attacks when playing as Atreus creates a different effect, allowing you to cast Runic-attacks without any cooldown. It's a speedrun tactic in its own right, but not the focus of this video.
---
0:00 - You get different results with this glitch depending on the timing. With early timing, i.e. there's a fairly lengthy period of time between switching Runic/Relic and the buffer resolving, Kratos does the action with seemingly most of the animation data missing. He will simply stand in place while miscellaneous SFX plays, and the attack usually interrupts early too. The cooldown of the action does not start either.
So far, this timing is only possible with a vaulting point. Buffer Runic/Relic as early as possible during the vault, then enter menu and switch it to get this result.
0:26 - With a late timing, i.e. there's a short period of time between switching Runic/Relic and the buffer resolving, Kratos usually enters a classic Runic slide (last seen in GoW 2018). Most but not all Runic slides leave Kratos completely stuck. The only meaningful input you can give is to direct your ally to fire arrows or turn the camera to steer your movement. No environmental prompts can be used either.
1:10 - An alternative late timing result (possibly related to doing this glitch at small steps?) has Kratos run a few steps while SFX plays.
1:26 - Some examples of glitching up Relic use. You usually just get miscellaneous visual effect and not much else. For instance, Hilt of Hofud creates the Realm Shift visual effect without time actually slowing down.
1:37 - Other miscellaneous early timing effects.
(Not on the vid: regardless of timing, Hel's Touch works comparatively normally. Kratos does its full action, but it doesn't have any visual effect and it might not even hit enemies. Its 2nd attack also can't be buffered even if it's upgraded.)
(Not on the vid: early timing Helios Flare makes Kratos walk a few steps forward in a quasi-aim state. No fireball will be shot.)
(Not on the vid: early timing Huldra Project #9 makes the game crash.)
2:05 - An example of starting a Runic slide at a grapple point. The timing is very precise: you basically have to input the Runic/Relic use and then open menu almost immediately afterwards shortly before Kratos lands.
This clip also shows just how stuck Kratos is during a Runic slide. Enemy attacks will not free him. Photo-mode reveals that even his facial muscles are paralyzed: you are unable to change his facial expression at this time!
3:02 - Late timing Huldra Project #9 makes Kratos get stuck in a slow walking state indefinitely. Same story as before: no input works and not even enemy attacks end the glitched state. (Although changing his facial expressions is possible in Photo-mode, for what that's worth...)
(Not on the vid: late timing Helios Flare forces Kratos to stay in a slow quasi-aim walk indefinitely, so the outcome is quite similar to late timing Huldra Project #9.)
3:30 - Last on this video I want to show the most promising Runic/Relic buffer glitch: you are able to do a Runic slide that has an incredibly high speed with a late timing Hilt of Hrotti. Not only is the speed good, but the slide can also be interrupted with any input, making it more feasible to use as a speed tactic somewhere.
The game is also heavily slowed down while this slide is active. Although this is not the only Runic slide that slows down the game, the slowdown isn't usually this extreme. Imagine how fast this slide would be if the game wasn't at around 30% of its usual speed at the moment?
The worst part is that it might not be possible to activate this variation 100% consistently. Even if you pull off the slightly finicky input for doing this glitch, you may sometimes end up with a nearly speed-less Runic slide too. I can't say for sure, but it might just be a precision/timing based issue and not pure RNG. Still, this set of glitches definitely deserve a bit more research in the future.
(Not on the vid: other Runic slides that can be interrupted with any input are Artillery of the Ancients, Flames of Anguish and Leviathan's Roar.)
