Pick up stones and wood and build a workbench (2 stone + 10 wood). Craft a stone axe and pickaxe so you can gather wood and stone in volume. Greylings (zombie-like enemies) come at night, so put up a basic fire and rough walls to stay safe.

How do I handle food?

Berries, mushrooms, and deer meat are your early-game staples. Forage berries and mushrooms as you walk, hunt deer and boar for meat, and use a cooking station (built next to the workbench) to roast meat. Eating three different foods at once dramatically raises your HP and stamina caps, so variety matters.

What's a bed, and what is comfort?

A bed lets you sleep indoors to skip night and sets your respawn point. Comfort is a rest buff strength determined by how much furniture and decoration surrounds you — the higher the comfort, the longer the rested buff lasts after sleeping. Start with a bed, fire, and chair.

How do I beat Eikthyr?

Eikthyr is the first boss, summoned by offering 2 deer trophies at the stone circle in the Meadows. He charges fast, so block with a shield while a bow whittles him down from range. Defeating him drops the Hard Antler, used to craft an antler pickaxe that lets you mine copper and tin in the Black Forest.

Valheim Beginner Guide｜First Hour, Base, and Eikthyr

What to Do in the First Hour

Valheim doesn't explain much, so knowing the early steps dramatically improves your experience.

1

Gather wood and stone, build a workbench

2 stone + 10 wood makes the workbench. It's the foundation of crafting.
2

Craft tools

Stone axe for trees, stone pickaxe for stone. Expand your kit fast.
3

Put up a basic house

Wooden walls, roof, and door. Add a bed and fire for rest and warmth.
4

Forage food and cook

Gather berries, mushrooms, and deer meat. Roast meat at the cooking stand. Three different foods boosts HP and stamina caps.

Don't go out at night in the first hour. Sleep through it instead. Once you're geared, night exploration is fine, but early on the poor visibility and aggressive enemies make it a bad gamble.

Setting Up Base and Food

Element	Source / Recipe	Effect
Workbench	2 stone + 10 wood	Crafting foundation
Bed	8 wood	Respawn point and rest
Fire	2 wood + 5 stone	Warmth and cooking
Cooking station	2 wood near a workbench	Roast meat into food

Eating three different food types raises your HP and stamina ceilings significantly. Eating only one item gives weak returns, so pair things like berries, mushrooms, and roasted meat at every meal.

The First Boss — Eikthyr

Summon Eikthyr by offering two deer trophies at the stone altar in the Meadows. He charges fast, but with the right approach your starter gear is enough to win.

Fight in open terrain so you can see the charge coming. Block with a shield or sidestep.
Bring plenty of arrows and chip damage from a distance.
The drop crafts into the Hard Antler pickaxe, unlocking copper and tin mining.

Next Steps

After Eikthyr, head to the Black Forest. The full boss and biome order is covered in Boss and Biome Progression, and gear updates are in Weapons and Armor. For the bigger picture, the Honest Review is worth a read too.

★Honest Take: The Confusion Is Part of the Fun

Honestly, the "early-game confusion" is part of what makes Valheim work. Discovering things at your own pace beats a tutorial walkthrough. That said, if you stall too hard early, it's easy to bounce off the game entirely — so knowing the basic route up to Eikthyr is the shortest path to clearing the first hurdle.