Guide menu
Based on the standard PC version of Valheim, check why a workbench is unusable, food or rest is insufficient, or material processing has stopped. Links to 3 guides covering beginners, early progression and crafting.
▶ Start a guide
What is Valheim?
Based on the standard PC version of Valheim, check why a workbench is unusable, food or rest is insufficient, or material processing has stopped. Links to 3 guides covering beginners, early progression and crafting.
Edition: PC Steam base game (app 892970), standard survival in a new world. Normal World Modifiers, 1× resources, building costs enabled, map enabled, and normal death and portal rules. Solo controls are used as examples, with co-op differences identified separately. No mods.
Verification scope: Compared on 2026-10-04 against official standard patch 1.0.16 (2026-09-25). Version 1.0 was released on 2026-09-09. Public Test, old Early Access versions and mods are outside scope. Some early recipes were compared using retrieved portions of the pre-migration wiki and independent guides. The destination wiki was inaccessible, and a complete runtime/game-data comparison against 1.0.16 has not been performed.
Sources checked: 2026-10-04
17 / 17 rows
Check the current standard version and this guide’s scope
Valheim is a survival game about gathering materials in a generated world and expanding your exploration while preparing a base and equipment. Before counting days, check which facilities work and whether you can return with supplies. These articles cover life in the Meadows through early metal processing in detail.
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| What to check | This article’s baseline | How to read it if yours differs |
|---|---|---|
| Release status | Version 1.0 released; standard patch 1.0.16 | Do not assume Public Test changes are already in the standard version. |
| World settings | Normal, 1× resources, building costs enabled | Check combat, death, resources and portal settings separately. |
| Player count | Solo control examples; co-op for 1–10 players is also supported | Prepare food and spare equipment for everyone. Each player should check personal material discoveries and respawn location. |
| Scope | Early base, first progression steps and metal processing | Not a complete endgame, all-boss or all-material guide |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Version 1.0 was released on September 9, 2026. PS5 and Switch 2 are also listed in the current official FAQ, but these articles use PC mouse and keyboard controls.
Choose one display to inspect from your problem
When several symptoms overlap, checking whether you can craft, rest and return helps distinguish the causes.
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Problem | Current state | First check | Article to read |
|---|---|---|---|
| You cannot swing an axe | No durability/stamina | Check equipment durability and the yellow gauge separately. | Beginners: controls and repairs |
| The workbench is unusable | Placed but cannot be opened | Roof, surrounding cover and the message when using it | Beginners: first shelter |
| You cannot sleep in the bed | It is already claimed | Fire, wetness, time and nearby enemies | Beginners: beds and rest |
| You run out of stamina quickly while exploring | You think you have eaten | 3 food slots, remaining durations and Rested status | Beginners: eating/resting |
| Materials are present but crafting fails | Recipe absent/button grayed out | Materials in personal inventory, station type/level and free slots | Facilities and materials: crafting interface |
| Ore does not become metal after bringing it home | Processing facilities exist | Separate fuel/material inputs and a smoke outlet | Facilities and materials: processing checks |
| You do not know how to progress | The base is functioning | Current tools, undiscovered materials and prerequisites by stage | Early progression: open only the answer you need |
| You died again on the way to your tombstone | Supplies and equipment are lost | Food, rest, spares and room for recovered items | Beginners: restarting after death |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Before leaving, check using equipment, eating and returning
A newly crafted tool, food left in a chest and a placed bed do not necessarily mean preparations are complete.
- Take tools into personal inventory and repair them at the appropriate station. Put usable items in the hotbar, equip them and check durability.
- Eat different food types and check food slots and remaining Rested time. Do not stop at standing by the fire; wait until the status icon appears.
- Check the bed set as your respawn point and leave spare food and tools in a chest. With the map enabled, mark the base and landmarks along the route back.
Food has no effect merely from being carried. Rested is not permanent either; use it to judge when to return somewhere safe during a long gathering trip.
Separate the parts that change with settings
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Item | Setting to read first | Effect on decisions | Co-op check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gathering supplies | Resource multiplier/building costs | Tables show base costs. Gathering counts and days are not fixed. | Check shared-chest stock before going out. |
| Combat | Combat | The same equipment may not block the same number of attacks. | Player count alone does not guarantee safety. |
| Death | Death Penalty | What stays in the tombstone and what is retained can differ. | Ask the owner before handling someone else’s tombstone. |
| Travel | Map/Portals | Map markings and restrictions on carried items change. | Share the host’s settings and means of returning. |
| Worlds created before an update | Creation version and explored areas | New terrain is generated in unexplored areas. | Check that everyone uses the same version/mod setup. |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Choose reading order by the state of daily survival
If the first shelter is the problem, use the beginner guide. If everyday survival works but unlocks are unclear, use early progression. For specific ingredients or operating conditions, use facilities and materials.
- Use the beginner guide to connect pickup → crafting → equipment → building → repair once.
- In early progression, open only the closed answer for the stage you need. Find the location in your own world.
- In facilities and materials, read the cost and station for one item, then compare them with your supplies before crafting.
Specific boss names, summoning materials and progression answers are grouped in closed sections. Reading the overview lists or FAQs alone does not reveal those answers.
Valheim FAQ
Nintendo Switch 2
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Alienware ultrawide
Razer Viper V3 Pro
Affiliate links to Amazon Japan. Purchases may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the retailer for current prices.
Balatro strategy guide
HORI mini controller for Switch
Rakuten Points ¥3000
Roguelike Design Theory
Affiliate links to Rakuten Japan. Listed prices are indicative; check the retailer for current prices.
ASUS ROG Swift 27"QHD
See product details and current availability on Amazon Japan.
Affiliate links to Amazon Japan. We may earn a commission on purchases. Listed prices are indicative and may change.
This week in the community
Guide videos
Opens YouTube, an external website.
Related games
- → Enshrouded Fantasy survival crafting
- → Palworld (Japanese) Survival through base building and managing Pals
- → Core Keeper (Japanese) Survival through underground exploration
REALFORCE R3S
See product details and current availability on Amazon Japan.
HORI Split Pad Pro
ATH-M50x
BenQ MOBIUZ 27"
Switch OLED
Affiliate links to Amazon Japan. We may earn a commission on purchases. Listed prices are indicative and may change.