In Valheim, players will spend their early hours scrambling to survive against the elements, starvation, and strange beasts. When not hunting down leather scraps, players will need to establish a base, work the land, and gather resources. It is not possible to farm every resource that you find, and eventually, players will need to get a Pickaxe to progress in the game.
Updated on March 15, 2023: Valheim has recently launched on a platform other than PC. Xbox Game Pass players can now check out the biking survival game and thrust themselves into the dangerous Norse-inspired world. Getting a pickaxe in Valheim continues to cause issues for beginner players, so we've cleaned up this guide with some updated links, headers to organize information, and extra info on where to find wood to craft the pickaxe.
What's the Pickaxe for?
The pickaxe will allow players to mine ores that are needed to create advanced tools and armor. It is also possible to change the lay of the land by clearing large rocks for stone or even lower and raising the ground to expand your base and develop more land to farm and plant seeds.
How to Craft a Pickaxe in Valheim
Getting the Pickaxe in Valheim is not easy and will require some work and planning. To make the Pickaxe in Valheim, players will need 10 Wood and a single Hard Antler. A Hard Antler can be earned by successfully taking on Valheim's first boss, Eikthyr. Players will be given the location of Eikthyr when they begin playing the game but will lack the strength needed to beat this mystical deer.
To get wood in Valheim , players can pick them up off the ground, and chop bushes and trees/stumps. Greydwarf enemies can also drop them when defeated.
The first step is to get stronger by building a base and a workbench, leveling up skills, and forging new weapons and armor. A bow is a great weapon, not just to fight Eikthyr but also to hunt regular deer in Valheim. Players will need to hunt deer to collect Deer Trophies. Two Deer Trophies are required to summon Eikthyr at the summoning stone, and players can summon the creature as many times as they like. Only by killing Eikthyr can players get the Hard Antler they will need to make the Pickaxe at the workbench.
A word of caution before attempting to take on Eikthyr. This mighty deer has a substantial health bar and can do considerable damage with charged lighting attacks. It is advisable to spend lots of time building up a strong character, developing a good home, and doing things like taming wild boar and establishing a farm before taking him on.
Bringing ranged weapons, a shield, and good stamina management are the keys to victory. Patience is key, as learning Eikthyr's attack patterns will be the difference between life and death. Eikthyr's powerful lightning attacks tend to be telegraphed, so be prepared to create distance when he is about to use them. If players find they have bitten off more than they can chew, they can continue developing their character, then summon Eikthyr again when they are stronger by using two more Deer Trophies.
Valheim is available in Early Access on PC and Xbox.