Weapons

Weapons are items that can be used to deal damage to creatures and structures.

Properties

Show/Hide 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 resist 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 the 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 damage 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
Flesh Rippers: 6x
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 the enemy has partial HP. An enemy which has a red exclamation point over its name and HP bar, indicating that it is aware of your location, cannot be backstabbed.

Abyssal harpoon: 1x
Two-handed clubs: 2x
Tankard (Cannot attack): 4x
Knives and Flesh rippers: 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, decrease the character's movement speed and increase dodge roll cost. The movement speed effect is mostly determined by the weapon type:

Flesh Rippers and Knives: -0% (No movement speed reduction)
All other one-handed melee weapons, Bows, non-Tower Shields, Pickaxes, Polearms, and Magic: -5%
Serpent scale shield: -15%
Two-handed Axes, two-handed Clubs, and Tower Shields other than 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:

Axes

They are the only type of player weapon that can be used to cut trees. They can also be used against creatures, which makes for a slightly worse sword.

Name	Type	Damage	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)	Able to chop
Stone axe	One-handed	Slash: 15/30 Chop: 20/29	5	10	Up to Pine
Flint axe	One-handed	Slash: 20/35 Chop: 30/39	6	12	Up to Pine
Bronze axe	One-handed	Slash: 40/55 Chop: 40/49	8	16	Up to Birch and Oak
Iron axe	One-handed	Slash: 60/75 Chop: 50/59	10	20	Up to Birch and Oak
Battleaxe	Two-handed	Slash: 70/88 Chop: 40/47.5	16	8	Up to Birch and Oak
Crystal battleaxe	Two-handed	Slash: 90/108 Spirit: 30/30 Chop: 50/57.5	18	9	Up to Birch and Oak
Black metal axe	One-handed	Slash: 100/115 Chop: 60/69	14	28	Up to Yggdrasil shoots
Jotun Bane	One-handed	Slash: 80/95 Poison: 40/40 Chop: 70/79	16	32	Up to Yggdrasil shoots
Berserkir axes	Dual-wielded	Slash: 140/155 Chop: 80/89	16	32	Up to Yggdrasil shoots

Clubs

Clubs primarily deal blunt damage and feature high knockback. The knockback from clubs allows the player to keep enemies at arms' length and is sufficient to displace some enemies out of their effective attack range.

Name	Type	Damage	Knockback	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)	Notes
Torch	One-handed	Blunt: 4 Fire: 15	30	4	—
Club	One-handed	Blunt: 12/30	30	6	—
Stagbreaker	Two-handed	Blunt: 20/38 Pierce: 5/5	150	12	—	AoE damage
Bronze mace	One-handed	Blunt: 35/53	80	8	16
Iron mace	One-handed	Blunt: 55/73	90	10	20
Iron sledge	Two-handed	Blunt: 55/73	200	20	—	2x stagger, AoE damage
Frostner	One-handed	Frost: 40/58 Blunt: 35/35 Spirit: 20/20	100	12	24
Porcupine	One-handed	Blunt: 50/50 Pierce: 45/63	100	14	28
Demolisher	Two-handed	Blunt: 145/163	210	28	—	2x stagger, AoE damage
Flametal mace	One-handed	Blunt: 135/153	100	16	28	—

Swords

Swords have low knockback and low stamina cost for good damage. Sword damage is not reduced when several enemies or objects are hit by a single attack, unlike most other weapons.

Name	Damage	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)	Notes
Bronze sword	Slash: 35/53	8	16
Iron sword	Slash: 55/73	10	20
Silver sword	Slash: 75/93 Spirit: 30/45	12	24
Black metal sword	Slash: 95/113	14	28
Mistwalker	Slash: 75/75 Frost: 40/58 Spirit: 0/15	16	32
Krom	Slash: 150/168	20	40	Two-handed
Nidhögg	Slash: 135/153	16	32
Slayer	Slash: 170/188	20	40	Two-handed
Dyrnwyn	Slash: 145/163 Fire: 10	16	32

Spears

Spears have a fast attack with short range and low stamina cost.

Name	Damage	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)
Flint spear	Pierce: 20/38	6	8
Bronze spear	Pierce: 35/53	8	10
Ancient bark spear	Pierce: 55/73	10	12
Fang spear	Pierce: 75/93	12	14
Carapace spear	Pierce: 115/133	16	18
Splitnir	Pierce: 135/153	16	18

Polearms

Polearms are strong two-handed weapons. All polearms deal pierce damage, and have a distinct AoE special attack.

Name	Damage	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)	Block armor
Bronze atgeir	Pierce: 45/63	12	24	16
Iron atgeir	Pierce: 65/83	14	28	28
Black metal atgeir	Pierce: 105/123	18	36	52
Himminafl	Pierce: 85/85 Lightning: 40/58	20	40	64

Knives

Knives have fast attacks with short range and low stamina cost. Knives deal 6x damage against unalerted enemies, whereas most other weapons do 3x.

Name	Damage	Stamina (primary)	Stamina (secondary)	Notes
Flint knife	Slash: 5/8 Pierce: 5/8	4	12
Copper knife	Slash: 12/15 Pierce: 12/15	6	18
Butcher knife	Pure: 1000	5	-	Does damage only to tamed animals
Abyssal Razor	Slash: 20/23 Pierce: 20/23	8	24
Silver knife	Slash: 25/28 Pierce: 25/28 Spirit: 12	10	30
Black metal knife	Slash: 34/37 Pierce: 34/37	12	36
Skoll and Hati	Slash: 45/48 Pierce: 45/48	14	42	Dual-wielded

Fists

When a player attacks without a weapon, tool equipped, or use a dedicated Fist weapon such as the Flesh Rippers, they do a Fist strike.

Name	Icon	Damage	Knockback	Stamina
Bare fists		blunt: 5	5	4
Flesh Rippers		slash: 60/72	20	10

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.

Name	Type	Block armor (Min/Max)	Block force (Min/Max)	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 shield (Only obtainable via console commands!)	Tower	35	30	-	-20%
Iron tower shield	Tower	52/64	100/110	-	-20%
Knight shield (Only obtainable via console commands!)	Round	120	40	1.5x	-5%
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%
Carapace buckler	Buckler	78/90	50/60	2.5x	-5%
Carapace shield	Round	96/108	60/70	1.5x	-5%
Flametal shield	Round	114/126	50/60	1.5x	-5%
Flametal tower shield	Tower	140/152	150/160	-	-10%

Ranged weapons

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.

Name	Icon	Stamina	Damage Types (Min/Max)	Knock back	Back stab	Velocity		Spread		Attack noise	Hit noise
Name	Icon	Stamina	Damage Types (Min/Max)	Knock back	Back stab	Min	Max	Min	Max	Attack noise	Hit noise
Crude bow		4 / s	Pierce: 22/31	0	3x	2 m/s	35 m/s	1°	20°	15 m	8 m
Finewood bow		6 / s	Pierce: 32/41	5	3x	2 m/s	50 m/s	1°	20°	15 m	8 m
Huntsman bow		8 / s	Pierce: 42/51	10	3x	2 m/s	50 m/s	0°	20°	4 m	4 m
Draugr Fang		10 / s	Pierce: 47/56 Poison: 5/20	20	3x	2 m/s	60 m/s	0°	20°	15 m	8 m
Spinesnap		14 / s	Pierce: 72/84 Spirit: 5/20	25	3x	2 m/s	60 m/s	0°	20°	15 m	8 m
Ash Fang		14 / s	Pierce: 82/94 Spirit: 0/15	25	3x	2 m/s	60 m/s	0°	20°	15 m	8 m

Crossbows

Crossbows are weapons that shoot equipped bolts. Like bows, attacks consume Bolts. Crossbows are slow to load, but have great damage and long range with no trajectory drop.

Name	Icon	Reload Speed	Stamina	Damage Types (Min/Max)	Knock back	Back stab	Velocity	Spread	Attack noise	Hit noise
Arbalest		3.5 s	1/s	Pierce: 200/209	210	3x	200 m/s	0°	15 m	8 m
Ripper		3.5 s	1/s	Pierce: 220/229	210	3x	200 m/s	0°	15 m	8 m

Magic weapons

Magic weapons need Eitr to be used. There are two types of magic weapons, Elemental magic and Blood magic.

Elemental magic

Name	Damage	Eitr Used	Block armor	Block force	Parry bonus	Knockback	Movement speed
Staff of Embers	Blunt: 120 Fire: 120/138	35	48-72	20	2x	100	-5%
Staff of Frost	Frost: 30/36	5	48-72	20	2x	10	-5%
Dundr	Lightning: 12x20/ 12x26	25	48-72	20	2x	210	-5%
Staff of the Wild	Blunt: 20/60 Poison: 20/60	55	48-72	20	2x	100	-5%
Staff of Fracturing	Blunt: 12x12 Fire: 12x12/ 12x24	30	48-72	20	2x	100	-5%

Blood magic

Blood magic weapons drain some of the caster's Health (current health, not maximum health) per cast.

Name	Eitr used	Health drained	Hp/Shield	Damage	Duration	Limit max Summon
Staff of Protection	60	40%	200	0	1/4 minutes	1 per ally
Dead Raiser	100	40%	400	Summon: 50 slash/40 pierce	Unlimited	1 to 4
Trollstav	120	60%	2000	On cast: 300 fire, 50 pure Summon: 60-80 blunt	Unlimited	2

Ammunition

Arrows

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

Name	Total Damage	Damage Type	Knockback
Wood arrow	22	Pierce: 22	10
Flinthead arrow	27	Pierce: 27	10
Bronzehead arrow	32	Pierce: 32	10
Fire arrow	33	Pierce: 11 Fire: 22	10
Ironhead arrow	42	Pierce: 42	10
Poison arrow	78	Pierce: 26 Poison: 52	10
Obsidian arrow	52	Pierce: 52	10
Frost arrow	78	Pierce: 26 Frost: 52	10
Silver arrow	72	Pierce: 52 Spirit: 20	10
Needle arrow	62	Pierce: 62	15
Carapace arrow	72	Pierce: 72	15
Charred arrow	82	Pierce: 82	15