Valheimis a game that is constantlyupdating with new biomes, systems, and fixing old issues. And because of that, players come back to it all the timeto check out what’s changed. Additionally, there are always new players coming in, just starting it for the first time.
ButValheim’smultiplayer experience can be a bit harrowing for newcomers, especially as there is a lot that is naturally learned over 10-20+ hours into playing. Having this knowledge from the start would have made the initial first couple of hours much more enjoyable. So, here are some of the best beginner tips that should get players started inValheimin the best way possible.
8Learn The Intricacies Of Combat
Valheim’scombat system is a much deeper than it initially appears. When players first start the game, they usually just swing, block, and jump to avoid attacks in combat. Meanwhile, veteran players who have mastered their parrying, dodge rolls, backstabs, and stagger attack timing are watching the beginners and scoffing.
The best advice for newcomers is to simply learn the basic combat mechanics, such as:
7Get A Bow At Some Point
Build a bow as soon as possible. A lot of players may want to “gimmick” themselves into using a specific weapon type such as axes, spears, or even fists while ignoring bows. While this can technically be done, it makes the game astronomically more difficult overall and likely less enjoyable.
Without a basic bow (or one of the other bows), players will have a ton of trouble hunting, and won’t have any safe ranged attack option against brutal enemies like Deathsquitos. They’ll also be defenseless if attacked at sea, as Serpents rarely get close enough to get a hit on when they’re not mid-chomp.
6Rested & Comfort Level Mechanics Are Essential
Almost every longtimeValheimplayer likely wishes they knew the importance of the Comfort and the Rested Bonus earlier. TheRested Bonusis given to a player who is sitting near a fire, is dry, and is usually within a shelter as well. When applied, the player gets+200 percent HP regenerationand+300 Stamina regenerationfor the entire duration, which makes combat, exploration, and even scavenging much easier. Players should keep constant track of how much time their Rested Bonus has left, and refresh it as soon as it runs out.
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Additionally, they’ll want to build an area or room of their base that’s dedicated to improving the “Comfort” of the room. This can be done by building specific items such as rugs, thrones, and even a hot tub.ThisComfort Level determines how long the Rested Bonus lasts overall,so it’s incredibly important.
5Keep A Workbench & Campfire Supplies Handy
Another seemingly small thing that will prove to be a huge help to newerValheimplayers is the act of always bringing a Workbench and some extra wood/stone with them whenever they go adventuring. On long adventures, players will likely need to heal, refresh their Rested Bonus using a Campfire, and even build temporary shelters when they get jump scared byOdin watching them in the distance.
In fact, it’s a general rule of thumb thatplayers should build a campfire and maybe some basic walls around the entrance to any Dungeon they find.This allows them to heal and “reset” before heading into the dark and dangerous dungeons.
4Marking The Map Is A Huge Time-Saver
Players will need to learn how to map inValheimworks. Overall it’s a pretty standard map, with only the parts the player has actively explored being shown, while the rest is covered in a sort of “fog-of-war.” However, many beginner players miss or don’t realize the sheer number of easy-of-use features this map has. For example:
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3Never Pass Up Berries, Thistle, Or Mushrooms
Valheimis a survival game, which means players are going to be cutting down trees, building their own homes, and collecting way too much random stuff to store in a bunch of different cheststhat are poorly organized in their “storage room.“The collecting part, in particular, is extra important. Every single thing inValheimhas a function or use, from random flowers to mob drops.
Three items in particular are found incredibly early and are worth building a surplus of:Berries (Raspberries, Blueberries, and Cloudberries),Thistle (found in Black Forests),andMushrooms.All three of these ingredients are part of a variety of different end-game food and mead recipes, so players should always leave a couple of slots in their inventory for them when out gathering.
2The Difficulty Scaling Is Rough
Within the first 10 to 20 hours of playingValheim,new players are rudely introduced to the brutal difficulty curve from Biome to Biome. The Greydwarfs in the Meadows are nothing in comparison to the Trolls and Skeletons in the Black Forest. Meanwhile, the Wolves on the mountains are basically always one to two-shot killers (and sometimes even sky assassins).
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Beginners should keep this in mind and try to avoid exploring too much outside of their current biome, before building the highest tier of gear (armor and weapons) their Workbench/Forge currently allows. As players unlock the ability to craft more additions to their Workbench/Forge, they’ll also get access to higher-tier weapons and armor relative to the biome and so on.
1Learn How Meals Work
Unlike many other RPGs or even Survival games,Valheimdoes not have a way for players to permanently increase their HP and Stamina (and it doesn’t have a creative mode). Rather, instead, players need to eat and drink properly to buff their HP and Stamina to absurd levels. Without the right HP or Stamina-buffing items, players will die in a single hit or so to most enemies.
Some meals affect HP, while others affect Stamina. Keeping a constant stockpile of cooked food, keeping track of which food/drink increases which Stat by the most, and so on will go a long way towards keeping the player alive.
