The wonderful exploration and building game from Iron Gate Studios leaves players with a lot of free reign. There is little in the way of instruction, and this can leave new starters in Valheim a little lost. With some simple guidance on the first steps to take, any player can be underway to killing their first gods in no time. These 5 top tips for new starters in Valheim should have you on the path to Valhalla.
5 Top Tips for new starters in Valheim
Some of these may seem simple new starter tips to most, but you would be surprised how often they are skipped, much to the frustration of the dead Viking.
Valheim top tip 1: Shelter
Screenshot by PC Invasion
That inevitable first death can be made a lot less frustrating by having a respawn point that isn’t halfway across the map. A simple shelter will also help to keep you safe when darkness falls, and all the creeps come out.
A shelter just needs to consist of four walls, a roof, a bed, and a little campfire to keep you warm. Sleeping in a bed will create a restoration point and see you through to the dawn, and the fire will stop you from feeling cold and restore your health. The resulting ‘Rested’ buff is also incredibly helpful.
To build a shelter, first, build a hammer from wood and stone and use this to build a workbench. From here, you have access to all the parts you need to construct a house. I won’t tell you how to do that; everyone’s houses are different, limited only by creativity.
Valheim top tip 2: Hoard everything
Resources are usually pretty easy to come across, but you’ll burn through them at a remarkable pace. Pick up everything you find and store it away in chests. You will almost always need it later.
Picking up items and using them will also unlock more recipes and crafting options as you go. This leads to stronger defenses and better recipes.
Screenshot via Pc Invasion
Valheim top Tip 3: Know your limits
New starters in Valheim often get excited by the wide range of beautifully rendered biomes in the game. Although it is endlessly tempting to take a quick stroll into the Black Forest, or the peaceful-sounding Plains, try to resist. Creating Viking-flavored paste is not a hard task for a troll.
Wait until you’re properly equipped before you wander into a new biome. If you get killed deep into an area, it will be very difficult to get your stuff back.
Valheim top tip 4: Learn to parry and dodge roll
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Any fans of FromSoft games out there will know these tactics oh so well. The timing of rolls and parries in Valheim is an essential move for new starters. As long as your stamina and shield are up to the task, a well-timed parry can get you out of a whole world of trouble.
A well-timed parry can stagger an enemy leaving them open to a much more powerful attack. Even for new starters in Valheim, this tip can result in some game-changing battles, it will also help level your defense.
Valheim top tip 5: Bronze is the new gold
Get your hands on bronze as soon as possible. It will immediately open up the rest of the game. These steps will get you well on the way to being armed with some bronze-age weapons and armor.
- Find Surtling Cores in Crypts found in the Black Forest biome, and use these to build a smelter and kiln
- Summon and kill the first boss Eikthyr by using dear trophies
- Using the horns of Eikthyr, you now have access to a pickaxe that can mine both copper and tin. Copper can be found in the middle of the Black Forest biome, and Tin is found by the water in the Black Forest
- Turn these into ingots with your kiln and smelter and combine them to create copper
Copper is an amazing step for new starters in Valheim. Much more powerful weapons and armor can be crafted, and your true journey out of the afterlife can begin.
Finally, Check out more tips for new starters here at our Valheim guides hub.