Weapons

Weapons are items that can be used to fight and kill Creatures in Valheim.

Properties

Wielding (One-handed/Two-handed)

Only One-handed weapons can be simultaneously equipped with shields or a torch. All melee two-handed weapons have a greater movement speed reduction and cannot be used together with shields or a torch.

Offensive and defensive properties

Damage/ Damage type

All damages in Valheim have a damage type. Some creatures have weaknesses/resistances to certain damage types, which increases/decreases the effectiveness of these damages. For example, skeletons are weak to blunt damage and resists pierce damage.

When creatures are hit by damage with damage types they are weak/resist to, the damage numbers would be shown in yellow/grey color compared to the usual white color.

Similar types of weapons mostly deal same type of damage:

Blunt damage: One/two-handed Clubs
Slash damage: One/two-handed Axes, Swords
Pierce damage: Spears, Polearms, Pickaxes, Bows
Half slash, half pierce damage: Knives

Exceptions include weapons that deal elemental damages like Torch, Frostner and Draugr fang. Some clubs including Stagbreaker and Porcupine also deal pierce damage besides blunt damage. Keep in mind that not all damage types are upgraded when upgrading some weapons.

Block armor and block force

All weapons have a value of block armor, indicating the amount of damage absorbed when blocked by the weapon.

Block force shows the amount of knockback applied to enemies when blocked.

Parry and Parry bonus

Weapons and shields (except tower shields) can be used to parry attacks, with varying parry bonuses.

Parry bonus is a multiplier to block armor (damage absorbed) when parrying. Damage dealt to the enemy in a period of time after a successful parry that absorbs all the damage is always 2x. Parry bonus is mostly determined by the weapon type:

Tower shields: Cannot parry
Tankard, Bows, Round shields: 1.5x
Buckler shields: 2.5x
Polearms (atgeirs): 3x
Knives: 4x
All other weapons: 2x

Backstab

Backstab indicates the multiplier applied to enemies when backstabbing. The backstab bonus is applied when attacking unaware enemies, regardless of whether they are facing towards or away from the player. Backstabbing an enemy gives it a backstab immunity for 5 minutes. Backstabbing can occur even if enemy has partial HP. An enemy which has a red exclamation point over its name and HP bar cannot be backstabbed.

Abyssal harpoon: 1x
Two-handed clubs: 2x
Tankard (Cannot attack): 4x
Knives: 6x
All other weapons, including bows and one-handed clubs: 3x

Knockback

Knockback shows how far enemies are knocked back when attacked by the weapon.

Movement speed

Most weapons, when equipped, decreases the character's movement speed. The movement speed effect is mostly determined by the weapon type:

Knives: -0% (No movement speed reduction)
All other one-handed melee weapons, bows, round shields, pickaxes, polearms: -5%
Serpent scale shield: -10%
Battleaxe and Iron Sledge, tower shields except the Serpent scale shield: -20%

Melee weapons

Melee weapons are items that can be equipped to increase attack damage. Different types of melee weapon can have different ranges, attack speeds, stamina costs per attack and secondary attacks. When equipping one-handed weapons, the character can also equip shields.

Most melee weapons' attack pattern involve a 3-hit combo. Generally, the first hit has the slowest delay (from the initial click), the second hit has less delay, and the third hit is slightly slower while dealing the most damage. Most melee weapons are quicker to recover and block from a miss than after a direct strike. Below are details regarding each type of melee weapon:

Weapon type properties

Attack type	Stamina (base)	Range	Attack speed	Damage	Staggering	Knockback	Notes
Axes (primary)	6 - 14	2.2 m	2.58 s (1.11 + 0.65 + 0.82)	1x + 1x + 2x	2x	50 - 60	Player moves forward 0.25 m on the 2nd and 3rd combo swing. 90 degree arc.
Clubs (primary)	6 - 14	2.4 m	2.46 s (1.14 + 0.44 + 0.88)	1x + 1x + 2x	1x	30 - 120	Player moves forward 0.66 m with each swing. 90 degree arc.
Clubs (secondary)	2x	2.4m	1.72 s	2.5x	2x	2x	Player moves forward 0.66 m. 30 degree arc.
Swords (primary)	8 - 14	2.4 m	2.46 s (1.14 + 0.44 + 0.88)	1x + 1x + 2x	1x	40	Player moves forward 0.66 m with each swing. 90 degree arc.
Swords (secondary)	2x	2.4 m	1.84 s	3x	1x	1x	Player moves forward 0.33 m. 45 degree arc.
Spears (primary)	6 - 12	1.9 m	0.68 s	1x	1x	20	Player moves forward 0.33 m. 40 degree arc. No 3-hit combo.
Spears (secondary)	8 - 14	Thrown	1.57 s (includes picking up)	1.5x	1x	1.5x	Throws the spear. Can be picked up afterwards and can float on water.
Knives (primary)	4 - 12	1.8 m	1.74 s (0.6 + 0.44 + 0.7)	1x + 1x + 2x	1x	10	Attacking does not move the player. 80 degree arc.
Knives (secondary)	3x	1.8 m	1.52 s	3x	1x	4x	Causes the player to lunge 5 m forward. 45 degree arc.
Polearms (primary)	12 - 18	3.2 m	2.98 s (0.84 + 0.86 + 1.28)	1x + 1x + 2x	1x	30	Player moves forward 0.75 m on 2nd and 3rd combo swing. 20 degree arc.
Polearms (secondary)	2x	3 m	1.54s	1x	6x	10x	Player moves forward 0.5 m. 360 degree arc. No multi-target damage penalty.
Two-handed axes (primary)	16 - 18	2.5 m	3.21 s (1.58 + 0.92 + 0.71)	1x + 1x + 2x	1.5x	70	Player moves forward 0.5 m with each swing. 90 degree arc. No multi-target damage penalty.
Two-handed axes (secondary)	0.5x	2.5 m	0.84s	0.5x	4x	2x	Player does not move forward during strike. 30 degree arc.
Two-handed clubs	12 - 20	4 m	2.12 s	1x	1x / 2x	150 - 200	Hammer lands 2 m in front of player creating a shockwave area of effect with a radius of 4 m. No damage falloff anywhere in the radius. No multi-target damage penalty. No 3-hit combo. No secondary attack.

List of Melee weapons

Name	Type	Damage	Backstab	Knockback
Club	Clubs	Blunt: 12/30	3x	25
Stone axe	Axes	Slash: 15/30	3x	50
Torch	Clubs	Blunt: 4 Fire: 15	3x	30
Flint axe	Axes	Slash: 20/35	3x	50
Flint knife	Knives	Slash: 5/8 Pierce: 5/8	6x	10
Flint spear	Spears	Pierce: 20/38	3x	20
Antler Pickaxe	Pickaxes	Pierce: 18 Pickaxe: 18	3x	50
Stagbreaker	Two-handed Clubs	Blunt: 20/38 Pierce: 5/5	2x	150
Copper knife	Knives	Slash: 12/15 Pierce: 12/15	6x	10
Bronze atgeir	Polearms	Pierce: 45/63	3x	30
Bronze Axe	Axes	Slash: 40/55	3x	50
Bronze Mace	Clubs	Blunt: 35/53	3x	80
Bronze Spear	Spears	Pierce: 35/53	3x	20
Bronze sword	Swords	Slash: 35/53	3x	40
Bronze Pickaxe	Pickaxes	Pierce: 24/40 Pickaxe: 24/37	3x	50
Abyssal Harpoon	Spears	Pierce: 10	1x	20
Abyssal Razor	Knives	Slash: 20/23 Pierce: 20/23	6x	10
Ancient bark spear	Spears	Pierce: 55/73	3x	20
Tankard	-	(Only used to drink mead)	4x	30
Battleaxe	Two-handed Axes	Slash: 70/88 Chop: 40/47.5	3x	70
Iron sword	Swords	Slash: 55/73	3x	50
Iron axe	Axes	Slash: 60/75 Chop: 50/59	3x	50
Iron sledge	Two-handed Clubs	Blunt: 55/73	2x	200
Iron mace	Clubs	Blunt: 55/73	3x	90
Iron pickaxe	Pickaxes	Pierce: 33/48 Pickaxe: 33/48	3x	50
Iron atgeir	Polearms	Pierce: 65/83	3x	30
Silver sword	Swords	Slash: 75/93 Spirit: 30/45	3x	40
Fang spear	Spears	Pierce: 75/93	3x	20
Frostner	Clubs	Frost: 40/58 Blunt: 35/35 Spirit: 20/20	3x	120
Crystal battleaxe	Axes	Slash: 90/108 Spirit: 30/30 Chop: 50/57.5	3x	70
Silver knife	Knives	Slash: 25/28 Pierce: 25/28 Spirit: 12	6x	10
Blackmetal atgeir	Polearms	Pierce: 105/123	3x	30
Blackmetal axe	Axes	Slash: 100/115 Chop: 60/69	3x	60
Blackmetal knife	Knives	Slash: 34/37 Pierce: 34/37	6x	10
Blackmetal sword	Swords	Slash: 95/113	3x	40
Porcupine	Clubs	Blunt: 50/50 Pierce: 45/63	3x	90

Bows

Bows are weapons that shoot equipped arrows. Unlike melee weapons, attacks consume equipped arrows and can be charged while spending stamina to increase range and damage. Bows cannot be used when there are no arrows left in the inventory.

List of Bows

Name	Damage	Backstab	Knockback
Crude bow	Pierce: 22/31	3x	0
Finewood bow	Pierce: 32/41	3x	5
Huntsman bow	Pierce; 42/51	3x	10
Draugr Fang	Pierce: 47/56 Poison: 5/20	3x	20

Arrows

Arrows are items that can be shot by bows. Bows cannot be used without arrows.

List of Arrows

Name	Total Damage	Damage Type	Knockback
Wood arrow	22	Pierce: 22	10
Fire arrow	33	Pierce: 11 Fire: 22	10
Flinthead arrow	27	Pierce: 27	10
Bronzehead arrow	32	Pierce: 32	10
Ironhead arrow	42	Pierce: 42	10
Silver arrow	72	Pierce: 52 Spirit: 20	10
Obsidian arrow	52	Pierce: 52	10
Poison Arrow	78	Pierce: 26 Poison: 52	10
Frost arrow	78	Pierce: 26 Frost: 52	10
Needle arrow	62	Pierce: 62	15

Shields

Shields are weapons that can be used with other one-handed weapons. The block power, parry force and parry bonus of the weapons used with shields would be replaced by that of the shield used. Round shields have lower block power than tower shields. However, tower shields cannot parry and reduce 20% of the movement speed when equipped (except Serpent scale shield, which reduces 15% of the movement speed only), while round shields can and only reduce 5% of the movement speed when equipped.

List of Shields

Name	Tyoe	Block armor	Block force	Parry Bonus	Movement speed
Wood shield	Round	6/18	20/30	1.5x	-5%
Wood tower shield	Tower	10/22	100/110	-	-20%
Bone tower shield	Tower	32/44	100/110	-	-20%
Bronze buckler	Buckler	16/28	30	2.5x	-5%
Banded shield	Round	42/54	40/50	1.5x	-5%
Iron buckler	Buckler	28/40	30	2.5x	-5%
Iron tower shield	Tower	52/64	100/110	-	-20%
Silver Shield	Round	60/72	40/50	1.5x	-5%
Serpent scale shield	Tower	60/72 Resistant vs. Pierce	100/110	-	-15%
Black metal shield	Round	78/90	50/60	1.5x	-5%
Black metal tower shield	Tower	104/116	150/160	-	-20%