Valheim is a wonderfully engaging open-world Indie release that can be enjoyed alone or with friends. It's teeming with places to explore, things to build, creatures to battle, and items to craft. It's also pretty darn challenging, especially for those that are new to the "procedurally generated open-world survival" genre. The mobs in Valheim are capable of eliminating players in a matter of seconds and some of them are so strong that can decimate a would-be Viking in a single hit.
To better survive, players will want to get their hands on upgraded equipment and arms. Weapons and armor come in all shapes and sizes in Valheim but having the right gear is required to explore certain biomes within the game. The Bone Tower Shield is one of the earliest shields that players will create but it can be a life-saver against strong, hard-hitting enemies. Players that favor solid defense in addition to their offense and are opting for balance in combat will definitely want to craft this item as soon as possible.
How To Build A Workbench
Players that are looking to build a Bone Tower Shield have definitely mastered how to build a Workbench already but let's assume this is the first time that a given player has opened the game. Building a Workbench is paramount to success in Valheim. Much like Minecraft's Crafting Table, the Workbench is required to produce practically anything worthwhile and players will need to get very acquainted with the Workbench and its applicable upgrades if they wish to survive the harsh lands of Valheim.
To build a Workbench, players will need to gather up the following materials:
- Wood x 10
That's all there is to it. Dropping a Workbench will only cost players a paltry 10 wood, which can be collected as soon as they drop into a new world. Smaller trees will drop wood when "punched" and larger trees can be felled with a Stone Axe. Players can even deconstruct shelters, chests, and other items to snag wood. It's important to note that building the Bone Tower Shield for the first time requires the Workbench to be Level 3, so players will need to upgrade it a couple of times.
How To Find The Materials For The Bone Tower Shield
To put together the Bone Tower Shield, players will need to be nearby a Workbench with the following list of items:
- Skeleton Trophy x 3
- Bone fragments x 10
- Wood x 10
Since the Bone Tower Shield is only the second shield that players will create, most of these items can be relatively simple to obtain. Wood was outlined above and comes from practically everywhere when players first start their journey. Here's a look at where to find the other items on the list:
Bone Fragments
The easiest way to snag Bone Fragments in the early game is to locate some of the Stone Graves or Viking Graveyards scattered around the Meadows biome. Mining these points of interest will usually reward players with Bone Fragments.
Those looking to amass a pile of fragments faster can opt for combat. Hidden within the Meadows biome (very rare) and the Black Forest are "dungeon-like" areas called Burial Chambers. Inside, players will battle against Skeletons and enemies called Rancid Remains (an upgraded Skeleton-like mob). These creatures will both drop Bone Fragments. Those that are brave enough can usually pilfer some from Troll Caves, also found in the Black Forest.
Skeleton Trophy
This is definitely the most difficult item to snag on the list, and how long it takes will depend on how lucky the player is. These items also come from the Skeletons lurking in the Burial Chambers, which is why it's smartest for most players to knock out two birds with one stone by farming these areas for the Bone Fragments they need.
The Skeleton Trophy has a drop rate of 10 percent, meaning it could take no time at all, or a little bit of grinding to amass the three needed for the base version of the Bone Tower Shield. Players should note that Skeleton Trophy only comes from Skeletons, and Rancid Remains enemies drop their own unique trophy item.
How To Craft And Upgrade The Bone Tower Shield
Getting the materials is the hard part, the actual crafting is easy as pie. To put together the Bone Tower Shield, players simply need to have the appropriate materials and be near a Workbench. Once they do so, they'll have a handy (and stylish) Tower Shield that is capable of helping to block enemy attacks. Shields are incredibly helpful for characters who prefer to be up-close and personal with their enemies.
Upgrading the Bone Tower Shield is fairly straightforward and can be done two times, but requires additional Workbench levels to achieve better quality. Here's a look at everything required to upgrade the quality of the Bone Tower Shield:
Quality 4
- Requires Workbench Level 4
- 5 x Bone fragments
- 5 x Wood
Quality 5
- Requires Workbench Level 5
- 10 x Bone fragments
- 10 x Wood
What Does The Bone Tower Shield Do?
The Bone Tower Shield is, for all intents and purposes, simply an upgraded version of the Wood Shield. It comes equipped with a lot more Block Armor than its predecessor but will reduce a player's movement speed by 20 percent because it's a Tower Shield. It's also incapable of parrying an enemy's attack and is, therefore, recommended for players that like to play defensively, or just need much more survivability to conquer certain areas.
Here's a look at the Tower Shield's base stats, as well as its stats when the quality is upgraded:
Base Stats
Quality Level | Durability | Block Armor |
|---|---|---|
1 | 200 | 32 |
Upgraded Stats
Quality Level | Durability | Block Armor |
|---|---|---|
2 | 250 | 38 |
3 | 300 | 44 |