Master Valheim's skill progression! Learn how to train your abilities, from basic survival in the Meadows to advanced combat and crafting. Essential tips for every player.
This page outlines a new player's progression through Valheim, based on bosses defeated and resources acquired. For basic gameplay instructions, refer to the "How to play" guide.
Tip: There's no need to rush. Enjoy exploring and adventuring; many players spend 40-50 hours between bosses. Savor the journey!
Meadows
You begin in the Meadows biome with only a Rag tunic. Hugin will guide you. It's advisable to run the coastline first to map the area before establishing a base. Gather berries and mushrooms for sustenance. Punch small trees for Wood and pick up small rocks for Stone. Craft a Stone axe for defense against Greylings and Boars, and for faster wood gathering. Be cautious of falling trees, especially near biome borders.
Use the in-game map to mark points of interest. Consider trapping and taming a rare two-star boar for future breeding.
Choose a base location, preferably near a coast for flint access. Don't get too attached to your first base; you'll likely relocate. Build a Hammer to craft a Workbench. A workbench needs to be 'covered' (walls and roof) to craft and repair items. Repairing costs no resources.
Build a basic shelter with a covered Workbench and Bed. A Campfire near the bed allows sleeping, but cannot be placed on wood floors and requires ventilation for smoke. Build Cooking stations over the campfire to roast meat for better health and regeneration. Food provides stamina (yellow), balanced (silver), or health (red) bonuses.
Sleeping at night can be helpful as more monsters spawn then.
Prepare for the first boss, Eikthyr:
- Gather Flint on the beach for spears, knives, or axes, and workbench upgrades.
- Hunt Boars for meat and Leather scraps.
- Craft a Crude bow and Wood or Fire arrows (feathers from birds or trees) for ranged combat.
- Craft a shield for melee combat.
- Upgrade weapons with a Chopping block and equipment with a Tanning rack.
- Hunt deer for Leather armor.
- Find Beehives in abandoned houses; destroy them carefully (melee can cause bee stings) to obtain a Queen bee. This allows building your own beehives for Honey, a good stamina food.
Refer to the Eikthyr page for boss fight tactics. Starting the fight at the beginning of the day minimizes nighttime difficulty.
Black Forest
After defeating Eikthyr, craft the Antler pickaxe to mine ore and stone. Place the Eikthyr trophy on the Sacrificial Stone to receive Eikthyr's Forsaken Power (60% less running and jumping stamina use).
To enter the Bronze Age:
- Travel to the Black Forest and find Burial Chambers.
- Collect Surtling cores within Burial Chambers to build a Smelter and Charcoal kiln.
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