Valheim Weapons
Choose weapons by damage type, enemy resistance, stamina demand, range, crafting tier, repair access, and defensive pairing.
Choose for the target and encounter
Melee weapons differ in range, attack speed, stamina cost, and secondary attacks, while one-handed weapons can be paired with shields. Bows consume arrows and stamina while charging for more range and damage; crossbows consume bolts and trade slow loading for high damage, long range, and no trajectory drop. Elemental and Blood magic both require Eitr.
Match damage to the enemy: one- and two-handed clubs deal blunt damage, axes and swords deal slash, spears, polearms, pickaxes, and bows deal pierce, and knives divide their damage between slash and pierce. Weaknesses and resistances directly change effectiveness; Skeletons, for example, are weak to blunt and resist pierce.
The documented movement modifier for other one-handed melee weapons, bows, non-Tower Shields, Pickaxes, Polearms, and Magic is -5%, so mobility belongs in the choice alongside attack stamina and reach.
Progression and loadout checks
- Check the target's weaknesses and resistances before choosing a weapon, because those traits increase or decrease the effectiveness of its damage type.
- Prioritize a Bronze axe when you need to harvest Finewood from Birch and Oak trees in the Meadows.
- Use the one-handed Iron mace against Bonemass and its minions; it is highly effective against nearly every Swamp enemy, including Blobs, Oozers, and Draugr.
- Silver enables the Draugr Fang, while most other Silver Age weapons are only marginal upgrades over their Iron Age counterparts.
- Repair Forge-crafted weapons and armor at a Forge, and check durability before leaving the base.
- Pair a shield with a one-handed weapon when its block power, parry force, and parry bonus are preferable, because the shield replaces those weapon values.
- Carry enough arrows for a bow because it cannot attack once the inventory runs out, and allow stamina for charged shots.
- Choose a crossbow when its slow reload is acceptable in exchange for high damage, long range, and a trajectory without drop.
- Budget Eitr for both magic schools, and remember that Blood magic also drains the caster's current health with each cast.