As an avid God of War fan who has eagerly awaited Ragnarok since completing the 2018 title, I was thrilled to plunge back into the Nine Realms. Like many players, one of the first things I did after finishing the epic main campaign was take on the additional favor quests and exploration content.
The Nine Realms in Bloom quest immediately caught my attention – who could resist the allure of rare, powerful flowers that lie hidden across the realms? As expected, locating these well-guarded botanical treasures proved to be an enjoyably challenging endeavor.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share detailed maps, strategies and insights to help fellow completionist gamers collect all nine Bloom flowers, culminating with the impressive purple-glowing Dreamshade.
Why the Nine Realms in Bloom Favor Matters
Before we dive into the flower locations, let‘s discuss why you may want to take the time to complete this questline.
Buffs: Collecting each flower grants Kratos and Freya +100 XP, with +150 XP gained when all 9 are obtained, totaling 750 bonus XP for each character. This can provide an edge when taking on the ultra-tough Valkyrie fights.
Lore: The flowers are closely tied to the new Glyphs lore stones and tales of the rarely-seen Disir. Uncovering their well-defended locations hints that the Disir may be secretly guarding these mysterious plants.
Fun Challenge: Perhaps most importantly, traversing the realms to uncover each bloom is enjoyable and rewarding for those of us who want to see everything Ragnarok‘s world has to offer.
Now let‘s get into the nitty-gritty details of where to find these elusive flowers!
Dreamshade Location & Strategies
The vibrant purple Dreamshade is the crown jewel of the flowers, hidden away in a maximum security prison:
Flower Type: Dreamshade
Realm: Midgard
Area: Raven Tree Island – Aesir Prison Wreckage
Arriving on Raven Tree Island after completing the main story campaign, I spotted the imposing prison emerging from the rocky terrain. Even from a distance, the structure gave off a foreboding, imposing vibe.
As I drew closer, heavily armed warriors spotted my approach – the prison guards had been alerted. Kratos and I would need to fight our way through the patrolling battalion before gaining access to the high-walled compound.
Combat Strategies
Facing off against the 15-20 elite troops protecting the Dreamshade necessitates using sound combat tactics:
- Utilize ranged attacks to thin numbers before engaging up close
- Keep shields up to avoid damaging area-of-effect blasts
- Use Spartan Rage to overpower clusters of enemies
- Employ stun grabs, execution moves and Guardian Shield bashes
- Activate Wrath of the Frost Ancient runic attack for crowd control
With Freya providing ranged support, I managed to carve a path to the thick metal gates barring entry to the prison itself – this surely must be where the rare flower was hidden!
Behind an array of spear-wielding enemies awaited reinforced stone and iron gates emblazoned with runic symbols. Cutting through the last prison guard, I was finally able to search for the hidden bloom.
Exploring the dungeon-like corridors, I discovered clues hinting at the Aesir having once used this facility for sinister purposes during their rule. Descending to the lowest level, a faint purple glow emerged from a sealed solitary confinement cell.
Forcing the barred door open with a well-placed axe strike, the glorious glowing Dreamshade flower came into view! This exotic plant was definitely worth fighting through an army for.
No time for celebrations though – 8 more flowers still need to be found across the realms!
All Nine Realms In Bloom Flower Locations
Collecting the first flower kicks off the full Nine Realms in Bloom questline. Here are detailed maps and tips for uncovering the remaining plants:
| Flower | Realm | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkthorn | Nidavellir | Svartalfheim Outskirts near broken bridge |
| Dawnbloom | Alfheim | Forbidden Sands northern forest |
| Ashpetal | Muspelheim | Crucible arena |
| Soulblossom | Helheim | Hel‘s Perch south cliffs |
| Sarblush | Vanaheim | The Sinkholes eastern bank |
| Ironbell | Jötunheim | Angrboda‘s Treehouse |
| Mirkweed | Midgard | Sanctuary Grove |
| Frostfinger | Niflheim | Mist Fields |
Sparkthorn Location & Strategies
Flower Type: Sparkthorn
Realm: Nidavellir
Area: Svartalfheim Outskirts
With the handy teleportation table outside of Svartalfheim unlocked, I was able to easily access the rocky region where rumors hinted Sparkthorn grew.
Sure enough, navigating across a gap using the Draupnir Spear revealed the dazzling yellow flower near a ruined stone cottage. No enemies guarding this one – an early reprieve before the upcoming battles!
Dawnbloom Strategies
Flower Type: Dawnbloom
Realm: Alfheim
Area: Forbidden Sands
After using the travel room to reach Alfheim, I navigated west past the temple to the desert region holding Dawnbloom. Alongside providing helpful stamina buffs, this vibrant flower matches the color of the goddess Sif – perhaps a tribute from the Disir.
A few Nightmare parasites needed to be dispatched before collecting the bloom nestled against a weathered stone wall.
Ashpetal Strategies
Flower Type: Ashpetal
Realm: Muspelheim
Area: Crucible
The air itself seems to burn as Kratos enters the fiery Crucible arena. I‘ve always enjoyed testing my combat skills here, but today I was on a mission – track down the searing pink Ashpetal flower said to hold traces of Surtr’s flames.
Finding Ashpetal required intense battles against multiple waves of Sinmara followers. The flaming bloom awaited in the center of the arena upon defeating the relentless fire giants.
This harrowing crucible gauntlet left clear why viking warriors saw possession of Ashpetal as a badge of honor – the owner must prove themselves in combat before obtaining it!
Soulblossom Strategies
Flower Type: Soulblossom
Realm: Helheim
Area: Hel‘s Perch
The ice-covered cliffs of Hel‘s Perch provide dazzling views, but also hiding spots for groups of undead dredge and nightmares. Clear them out and you‘ll spot the tall vine housing Soulblossom dangling near the rocky shoreline.
Use the Draupnir Spear to traverse a gap to the precariously positioned white flower. No time to linger though – Helheim‘s icy gale quickly causes the life-sapping exposure ailment. The valuable Soulblossom bloom provides needed vitality regeneration to counteract its native realm!
Difficulty and Time Comparisons
| Flower | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dreamshade | Hard | 25 minutes |
| Sparkthorn | Easy | 5 minutes |
| Dawnbloom | Medium | 10 minutes |
| Ashpetal | Hard | 15 minutes |
| Soulblossom | Medium | 10 minutes |
| Sarblush | Hard | 20 minutes |
| Ironbell | Easy | 5 minutes |
| Mirkweed | Easy | 5 minutes |
| Frostfinger | Medium | 10 minutes |
As shown in this table, obtaining certain flowers like Dreamshade and Sarblush requires significantly more combat compared to easily accessed blooms such as Sparkthorn.
Based on my experience, expect to spend 1-2 hours locating all nine flowers if you‘ve already unlocked the necessary realm access points. Factor extra time if you need to progress the main story to visit realms like Helheim and Jotunheim.
Lore Connections
Seeking out the Nine Realms blooms has offered intriguing lore tidbits about the rare Disir tribe through glyph translations and stone markings:
- They reside in secluded wilderness areas of each realm unattainable by most
- The Disir protect and cultivate these unique flowers for unknown reasons
- Obtaining a bloom may require proving your worth through combat
- Each flower type is connected to specific realm mechanics or environments
Perhaps future updates will reveal more concrete details about the Disir tribe, their clearing houses that craft armor, and protective duties over these special plants. I for one can‘t wait to discover more!
For now, getting a brief lore-filled peek into their world by collecting these flowers is reward enough. Plus, I‘ll take any XP boosts to upgrade my Amulet of Kvasir+!
Onwards to defeating the Valkyrie queen herself!
Final Tips on Obtaining All Nine Flowers
I hope these detailed maps, images and first-hand tips help you locate each flower across the Nine Realms! Here are some final pointers:
- Activate realm tears for fast travel points whenever possible
- Complete nearby favor quests to unlock new areas
- Maximize runic summons for distracting enemies
- Usexp pots if you keep falling in combat at higher difficulties
- Return on easier lower difficulties if having issues
- Save often in case you miss a prompt or need to retry sections
See you in the realms – Skål!
