You wake up in the Meadows with empty pockets, a raven called Hugin offering advice and a long list of things that want you dead. Punch a tree, put down a Workbench and start building, because this Viking afterlife opens up one boss at a time.
Eight Forsaken bosses guard the biomes, and each kill hands you whatever the next stretch of the game needs. Between fights you keep your belly full, raise a base, tame animals, farm and sail the Ocean, alone or with up to nine friends.
- Developer
- Iron Gate AB
- Publisher
- Coffee Stain Publishing
- Release
- 1.0: 2026-09-09 · Early Access (Xbox): 2023-03-14 · Early Access (macOS): 2024-06-10 · Early Access (Windows, Linux): 2021-02-02
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2
Game data
Biomes
Valheim's biomes run from the gentle Meadows to the frozen Deep North, and each land biome is guarded by a boss whose drop opens the next. Every biome has its own resources and hazards, from the Swamp's poison to the Ashlands' lava, so knowing what to bring decides how smooth the climb feels.
Creatures
Valheim's creatures run from harmless Deer to Deep North giants. Each one takes more or less damage from each damage type, and the drops feed the next stage of crafting. Check the weak spot before you pick a weapon and most fights get a lot shorter.
Weapons
Weapons in Valheim cover swords, axes, clubs, spears, polearms, knives, fists, bows, crossbows, magic staffs and shields. Each type trains its own skill, and late-game gear comes from Ashlands gem upgrades and Deep North casts hardened at the Frost Foundry. Pick a type early and stick with it, because the skill matters as much as the stats.
Armor
Valheim armor covers four slots: helmet, chest, legs and cape. Every set from starter Rag Armor to the moulded Deep North gear trades armor against speed, weight and special effects, and many sets add a bonus when you wear all of them. Check the station each set needs before you gather, because the best pieces wait on the Black Forge and the Frost Foundry.
Food
Valheim food is a three-slot buff: each dish adds some mix of health, stamina and eitr while it lasts. You cook it at a Cooking Station, Cauldron, Stone Oven or Food Preparation Table, and every biome brings stronger dishes and its own feast. Pick the three that fit the job, health for bosses and stamina for exploring.
Crafting Stations
Valheim gates its gear behind crafting stations, from the Workbench and Forge to the Black Forge, Galdr Table and Frost Foundry. Many stations level up with upgrade pieces built nearby, and those levels unlock recipes and raise how far your gear can be upgraded. Cooking and refining stations turn raw drops into food, metal, coal and flour.
Collectibles
Bosses
Valheim has one Forsaken boss for each major biome, from Eikthyr in the Meadows to Kall Fimbulbringer in the Deep North. Each boss has its own summon point, and every one but Kall drops a trophy that unlocks a Forsaken Power. Fight them in order and match your weapon and resistances to each boss's weak points.
Valheim Controls
| Action | Desktop |
|---|---|
| Move | W, A, S, D |
| Attack | Left Mouse Button |
| Block | Right Mouse Button |
| Secondary attack | Middle Mouse Button |
| Jump | Space |
| Run | Left Shift |
| Interact | E |
| Sneak | Left Ctrl |
| Forsaken Power | F |
| Auto-run | Q |
| Hide or show weapon | R |
| Sit | X |
| Inventory | Tab |
| Map | M |
Valheim gameplay tips
- Hunt Deer for their trophies and offer them at Eikthyr's altar in the Meadows. He's the first of the Forsaken bosses, and his Hard Antler goes into the Antler Pickaxe you craft at a Workbench. That pickaxe mines your first Copper and Tin, so the whole Bronze tier waits on this fight.
- Scout the Burial Chambers in the Black Forest before you summon The Elder. A Vegvisir found there reveals his altar on your map. He takes double damage from fire and is immune to poison and spirit, so bring fire and leave the poison at home. The Swamp Key he drops opens the Sunken Crypts.
- Loot the Sunken Crypts before you call Bonemass. Withered Bones are what summon him, and you find them in the Sunken Crypts and in Swamp chests. He's weak to blunt and frost, so bring a club or a mace from the weapons list. Fire and arrows do a quarter of their damage to him, swords do half, and axes and pickaxes do nothing at all.
- Fill all three food slots before every boss fight, because the game lets you hold only three different foods at once. Lean on health-heavy dishes for a fight, and swap one for a dish with more stamina when you're out exploring. The food list shows each dish's health, stamina and how long it lasts.
- Raise your Workbench level before you chase better gear. It tops out at level five, and each of the four improvements (Chopping Block, Tanning Rack, Adze and Tool Shelf) adds one. Levels unlock new recipes, and each one raises how far your tools and weapons can be upgraded. Check the level an armor piece needs, and what the Forge and the rest need, in the crafting stations list.
- Build a bed at the edge of any dungeon or boss arena you plan to fight in, then claim it by looking at it and pressing E. It only claims with a roof and 80% cover around it. Your last claimed bed is your respawn point, and the gear you died with waits in a tombstone, so a failed attempt costs you a short run instead of walking back from the Sacrificial Stones. Death also costs some skill progress, so don't treat it as free.