What establishes the Black Forest resource tier?

Search chambers for Surtling cores: a Smelter and a Charcoal kiln each require five. Mine copper deposits and collect tin near Black Forest water, then use a Forge to combine one tin with two copper into one Bronze ingot. Ore and metal bars cannot pass through ordinary portals.

Which crops should be added during progression?

Plant Carrot seeds with a Cultivator, collect occasional Turnip seeds in the Swamp, and use the Black Forest as the better source of Thistles. Fuling Villages supply Flax and Barley; both can be replanted only in the Plains, with Flax used for equipment and Barley for food. Approach villages carefully because grouped Fulings, Berserkers, and Fuling shamans can quickly kill you.

How should resistance preparation change by biome?

Enter the Swamp with strong food and Poison resistance mead for Blobs, Oozers, and Leeches; a Root mask removes the need for that mead. In the Mountains, prevent the freezing effect with Frost resistance mead, a Wolf fur cape, or a Wolf chest. Take Fire resistance potions into the Ashlands.

What is the Mistlands workstation route?

Use Yagluth's Torn spirits to build a Wisp fountain, which attracts wisps at night or during rain in any biome. Craft a Wisplight or Wisp torches to disperse mist; because a Wisplight drops on death, a corpse run may require a replacement. Search Infested Mines for Black cores needed by the new workstations. Place a Sap extractor on glowing roots with a nearby Workbench, Yggdrasil wood, Black metal, and a Dvergr extractor; ship the Black metal from another base. An Eitr refinery turns sap and soft tissue into Refined eitr, but its damaging sparks require distance from other structures or containment in black marble or an iron cage. Refined eitr then enables the Galdr table, Magic items, and the Sealbreaker used to reach The Queen.

How should the first Ashlands landing be handled?

Use the Drakkar, the boat that will not boil on the approach, and bring Fire resistance potions plus portal materials. Place a portal after reaching land, then build any outpost in stone because wood catches fire. Putrid Holes contain Morgen, Molten Cores, loot, and vegvisirs to mysterious locations. Molten Cores enable a stone portal that can transport metal and other normally blocked materials. Mine Flametal pillars in lava lakes, return the material for processing, and craft Ashlands-tier equipment.

How does Fader lead into the Deep North?

Collect nine Bell Fragments and combine each group of three at a Black Forge to make three Bells. Follow Fader's Vegvisir to the Emerald Flame, place all three Bells on the altar, and summon Fader. Defeating Fader is required for Deep North progression; the biome lies beyond an Ocean, contains strong enemies, and has shore ice that can endanger docking ships.

Valheim Progression Guide

Follow the biome, boss-reward, resource, workstation, farming, resistance, and travel route from the Meadows toward the Deep North.

Biome order and unlock logic

Advance from the Meadows into the Black Forest after Eikthyr, the Swamp after The Elder, the Mountains after Bonemass, the Plains after Moder, the Mistlands after Yagluth, and the Ashlands before moving toward the Deep North. Each transition depends on a boss reward, resource, or workstation unlocked by the preceding stage.

Start by crafting a Hammer and Workbench. Cover the Workbench with walls and a roof before using it to craft or repair items, although an uncovered Workbench can still place building pieces.

Maintain a portal network to shorten repeat journeys, but remember that early Surtling cores are precious and cannot yet be farmed. Prioritize a Karve or Cart when metal must travel from a distant Black Forest, and carry portal materials when entering the Ashlands.

Resource, travel, and boss checkpoints

What establishes the Black Forest resource tier?: Search chambers for Surtling cores: a Smelter and a Charcoal kiln each require five. Mine copper deposits and collect tin near Black Forest water, then use a Forge to combine one tin with two copper into one Bronze ingot. Ore and metal bars cannot pass through ordinary portals.
Which crops should be added during progression?: Plant Carrot seeds with a Cultivator, collect occasional Turnip seeds in the Swamp, and use the Black Forest as the better source of Thistles. Fuling Villages supply Flax and Barley; both can be replanted only in the Plains, with Flax used for equipment and Barley for food. Approach villages carefully because grouped Fulings, Berserkers, and Fuling shamans can quickly kill you.
How should resistance preparation change by biome?: Enter the Swamp with strong food and Poison resistance mead for Blobs, Oozers, and Leeches; a Root mask removes the need for that mead. In the Mountains, prevent the freezing effect with Frost resistance mead, a Wolf fur cape, or a Wolf chest. Take Fire resistance potions into the Ashlands.
What is the Mistlands workstation route?: Use Yagluth's Torn spirits to build a Wisp fountain, which attracts wisps at night or during rain in any biome. Craft a Wisplight or Wisp torches to disperse mist; because a Wisplight drops on death, a corpse run may require a replacement. Search Infested Mines for Black cores needed by the new workstations. Place a Sap extractor on glowing roots with a nearby Workbench, Yggdrasil wood, Black metal, and a Dvergr extractor; ship the Black metal from another base. An Eitr refinery turns sap and soft tissue into Refined eitr, but its damaging sparks require distance from other structures or containment in black marble or an iron cage. Refined eitr then enables the Galdr table, Magic items, and the Sealbreaker used to reach The Queen.
How should the first Ashlands landing be handled?: Use the Drakkar, the boat that will not boil on the approach, and bring Fire resistance potions plus portal materials. Place a portal after reaching land, then build any outpost in stone because wood catches fire. Putrid Holes contain Morgen, Molten Cores, loot, and vegvisirs to mysterious locations. Molten Cores enable a stone portal that can transport metal and other normally blocked materials. Mine Flametal pillars in lava lakes, return the material for processing, and craft Ashlands-tier equipment.
How does Fader lead into the Deep North?: Collect nine Bell Fragments and combine each group of three at a Black Forge to make three Bells. Follow Fader's Vegvisir to the Emerald Flame, place all three Bells on the altar, and summon Fader. Defeating Fader is required for Deep North progression; the biome lies beyond an Ocean, contains strong enemies, and has shore ice that can endanger docking ships.